By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Dan Russell isn’t sure what the future holds.
What he does know is that he’ll be a free agent when his contract at Vancouver radio station CKNW runs out on Aug. 31.
“I have absolutely no plans,” said Russell, prior to Wednesday’s WHL playoff game between the Kelowna Rockets and Kamloops Blazers at Interior Savings Centre. “I have a commitment to finish out my contract at CKNW.”
Tom Plasteras, CKNW’s program director, revealed in mid-March that Russell’s contract won’t be renewed.
For now, Russell continues as the host of Sportstalk, the station’s nightly three-hour show that is heard throughout B.C. He has been behind that microphone for 21 of the past 22 years.
These days, Russell also is doing the play-by-play of WHL games for Shaw TV.
When the WHL season is over, he said, “I’ll focus on the next step. Who knows? I may have to re-invent myself and, if that’s the case, I’m looking forward to it.”
Russell, 52, is married with three children.
“The youngest is six,” he said, “so I’m too young for retirement.”
He also admitted to feeling some excitement over the uncertainty.
“I don’t know where it’s going to take me,” he said.
Russell admitted he would prefer to stay on the Lower Mainland but that he isn’t opposed to leaving the area.
“If the right opportunity comes along . . .,” he said.
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On April 6, 1996, F Jarome Iginla scored at 13:23 of OT to give the host Blazers a 4-3 victory over the Tri-City Americans.
On April 9, 2013, F JC Lipon scored at 3:43 of OT to give the Blazers a 5-4 victory over the visiting Rockets.
In between those two games, the Blazers lost seven consecutive OT games on home ice. (Interestingly, the Blazers lost each of the series in which they were beaten in OT at home.)
On March 29, 1998, F Jarrett Smith got the winner in a 4-3 victory by the Prince George Cougars.
On May 5, 1999, F Jordan Krestanovich scored in triple OT to give the Calgary Hitmen a 4-3 victory.
On March 30, 2005, F Dale Mahovsky scored at 1:25 as the Kootenay Ice won, 3-2.
On March 23 and 24, 2007, the Cougars won in OT, thanks to goals from F Nick Drazenovic and F Devin Setoguchi.
On March 24, 2009, F Cody Almond gave the Rockets a 3-2 OT victory.
On March 23, 2010, F Brett Breitkreuz scored in OT to give the Vancouver Giants a 5-4 victory.
Over that same time period, the Blazers were 4-6 in OT games on the road.
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Goaltender Dustin Butler, who holds the Blazers’ single-season shutout record, made his NHL debut last night with the Vancouver Canucks.
The 25-year-old Butler, who has played five seasons with the U of Calgary Dinos, was on the bench in support of starter Roberto Luongo after Cory Schneider became ill.
Butler, who is from Calgary, set the Blazers’ single-season shutout record with seven in 2006-07.
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Former Blazers F C.J. Stretch has joined the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons for the second time this season.
Stretch, 23, put up 62 points in 60 regular-season games with the ECHL’s Ontario Reign, then added five points, all goals, in four first-round playoff games.
Earlier this season, he had six points in 10 games with the Barons.
The Reign is between series, having swept the Utah Grizzlies in a first-round series. Stretch set a franchise single-game record with four goals in a 7-2 victory in Game 2.
The Reign, which finished off the Grizzlies on Saturday, won’t play again until April 19, so Stretch may well be back by then.

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The Red Deer Rebels will wear sweaters similar to this one
when they honour the Red Deer Rustlers on Feb. 23.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Roman Teslyuk (Kamloops, Tri-City, 2003-07) was added to the roster of Buran Voronezh (Russia, Russia Vysshaya Liga) from Arlan Kokshetau (Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Vysshaya Liga). He had five goals and three assists in 17 games with Arlan this season. . . .


F Jordan Krestanovich (Calgary, 1997-2001) was replaced as head coach of the Braehead Clan (Scotland, UK Elite) by former NHL player and assistant coach Paul Gardner. Krestanovich has informed the club that he wishes to leave within the next two weeks; he was player-head coach. He has 11 goals and 22 assists in 36 games and had a 14-18-5-0 record as head coach this season. . . .

F Mark Santorelli (Chilliwack, 2006-08) signed a contract with Västerås (Sweden, Allsvenskan) after his release by Tingsryd (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had four goals and nine assists in 34 games with Tingsryd this season, where he was team captain. In Västerås, Santorelli is reunited with his coach from last season in Tingsryd, Joakim Fagervall, who said: "He is a skilled player who will improve our offensive game. He works hard and is a good guy, on and off the ice."
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The Red Deer Rebels will salute the Red Deer Rustlers on Feb. 23.
With the Prince Albert Raiders in town, the Rebels will play host to Red Deer Rustlers Heritage Night.
The Rebels will wear replica jerseys of those worn by the 1979-80 Rustlers, who won the Centennial Cup as national junior A champions. (Junior A teams now play for the RBC Cup.)
The jerseys will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Central Alberta Chapter of the Canadian Cancer Society.
The Rustlers played in the AJHL from 1967-1989, although the franchise took a year’s leave of absence in 1985-86.  The Rustlers won the AJHL championship eight times and the Centennial Cup in 1971 and 1980.
Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ owner, general manager and head coach, played on the 1979-80 Rustlers.
All Rustlers alumni are asked to contact the Rebels at 403-341-6000 or info@reddeerrebels.com for information about attending that night.
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The Edmonton Oil Kings visit Red Deer tonight and the Rebels, according to Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate, will have D Cody Thiel back from injury. However, D Mathew Dumba remains with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.
Meachem reports that Dumba, who was expected to return to Red Deer today, will stay with the Wild through the weekend.
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A story recently appeared in the Toronto Star that about sums up the state of minor hockey in Canada. From the cost to the concussions, and everything in between, it’s all right here.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Prince Albert, F Sam Reinhart scored 26 seconds into OT as the Kootenay Ice got past the Raiders, 3-2. . . . Reinhart finished off a 2-on-1 with F Jaedon Descheneau to win it. . . . Reinhart finished with two goals, giving him 22 this season. . . . Descheneau scored his 10th goal and added two assists. Last season, in 54 games, he had 14 points, including three goals. This season, in 42 games, he’s got 39 points, 10 of them goals. . . . The Raiders led this one 2-0 at 9:15 of the first period. . . . Kootenay G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 38 shots. . . . The Ice has won nine of 10. . . . The Ice also has won back-to-back road games for the first time this season. . . .

In Vancouver, F Jesse Mychan scored three times to help the Tri-City Americans to a 9-5 victory over the Giants. . . . Mychan, a 20-year-old from Saskatoon, went into the game with two goals in 32 games this season. . . . The Americans, who have won three in a row, scored the game’s first five goals and led 5-0 early in the second period. . . . Mychan also had an assist. . . . D Drydn Dow and F Justin Feser each had a goal and two assists for the winners, while F Parker Bowles scored twice. . . . F Travis McEvoy had a goal and two assists for the Giants, who have lost five of six. . . .

In Kelowna, the Rockets won their 18th straight home game, beating the Spokane Chiefs, 5-3. . . . The Rockets scored the game’s first four goals, then watched as the Chiefs got back to within one. . . . F Alessio Bertaggia, in his first game with Spokane since being acquired from Brandon a week ago, scored twice. He scored shorthanded at 16:36 of the third period and on the PP at 17:53. . . . Kelowna F Zach Franko iced it with an empty-netter at 18:58. . . . The Rockets have won 24 of 29 games since Nov. 1. . . . Kelowna will play in Spokane on Friday. . . .

In Victoria, D Tyler Stahl scored in the eighth round of the circus to give the Royals a 3-2 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Stahl has five goals in 177 regular-season games, four of them coming in 30 games this season. . . . The Royals had beaten the Blazers 6-4 on Tuesday night. . . . Victoria F Steven Hodges scored twice in each game. . . . Kamloops D Joel Edmundson was ejected from Tuesday’s game, with a boarding major and game misconduct, for a hit on Victoria F Alex Gogolev. The WHL rescinded that penalty yesterday, allowing Edmundson to play last night.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
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From Portland Winterhawks F Chase De Leo (@Dels9): “Parents are flying in today, excited to see them! #BeenAwhile #Family”


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
G Garrett Zemlak (Saskatoon, Prince Albert, 2006-10) signed a one-year contract with the Braehead Clan (Scotland, UK Elite). He had a 4.33 GAA and a .890 save percentage in 54 games with the Fife Flyers (Scotland, UK Elite) last season. With the Flyers, Zemlak won UK Elite League Fans Favourite Award, Fife Flyers Mirror of Merit Award, Players Player, and Player of the Year.
The Clan, who play out of Glasgow, recently named F Jordan Krestanovich (Calgary, 1997-2001) as player/head coach. Krestanovich, who was captain of the Clan last season, had with 29 goals and 40 assists in 50 games. . . .
F Lee Goren (Saskatoon, 1995-96) signed a one-year contract with Pelicans Lahti (Finland, SM-Liiga). He had 11 goals and 28 assists in 51 games for Skellefteå (Sweden, Elitserien) last season.
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Renaud Lavoie, who works for RDS, which is the French-Canadian equivalent of TSN, got the ball rolling Friday night when he was the first person to report parts of the offer the NHL has made to the NHLPA as negotiations on a new CBA get serious.
The most contentious issues, it seems, will revolve around the percentage of hockey-related revenues that will go to the players, as well as the definition of hockey-related revenues, or HRR as they are referred to in many instances.
The CBA that is in force now, the one that was negotiated as the NHL sat out the 2004-05 season, gives the players 56 per cent, with the owners getting 44.
According to Lavoie, the NHL has suggest that change to 46 for the players and 54 for the owners.
That’s right. From 57-43 players, to 54-46 owners.
Sure, it’s only the beginning of negotiations, but you have to think the owners were delivering some kind of a message with that.
According to Lavoie, the NHL offer also would make players eligible for unrestricted free agency after 10 seasons; right now, it’s seven seasons or 27 years of age. The NHL also wants five-year entry-level contracts; they now are three years in length. And the NHL wants to get rid of arbitration.
Lavoie also reported that the NHL offer would put a maximum length of five years on contracts. In other words, no more 13-year deals for the likes of defenceman Ryan Suter and forward Zach Parise.
Larry Brooks of the New York Post later reported that the NHL also wants to get rid of signing bonuses.
Yes, it’s early. Yes, the CBA doesn’t expire until Sept. 15 which, you should know, is only two months away.
But if the NHL is at all serious about taking a healthy chunk out of the 57-43 advantage the players now have when it comes to the shares of HRR, numbers that were negotiated by the players, well, you can forget about training camps opening in mid-September.
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Chris Wallace was a quarterback. He now is a writer.
Here are three paragraphs from an essay he wrote for the Paris Review:
My second serious concussion came in my junior year at Weber State University, during a home game against Humboldt State. We were up big in the fourth quarter, but, instead of “protecting myself” as I’d been coached, I went full-Elway in a scramble toward the end zone, diving over a defender just as I was hit from the side and helicoptering down to the one-inch line. I handed the ball off to our fullback the next play, and, after he scored, walked to the sideline where the trainers flocked to check me out. Of course I was all right, I said, “Thith game ith outh to looth.”
I didn’t notice the slur or the daze, but I did see the look of recognition in the eyes of the head trainer. I spent the weekend with the trainers (being “monitored”), but I don’t remember getting a CAT scan. As in high school, after the North Torrance game, I sat out practice until a doctor had cleared me for contact. I was still a “game-time decision,” meaning the doctor would have to clear me further, for violent combat, essentially. He did, and we went on to beat the stuffing out of Idaho State, I think it was.
But a year later, having pulled a Kerouac and quit the team to become an artist, I was in Austin, Texas, and romancing the idea of suicide.
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Wallace’s complete essay is right here.
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And right here is another good read. Rick Reilly of ESPN really brings it on Joe Paterno and the Penn State mess.

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Former WHLer David Rutherford tweeted this photo
after Game 1 of the ECHL final on Monday night.

When F David Rutherford played in the WHL (Vancouver, Spokane, 2005-08), he was known to play on the edge, and he didn’t mind running his mouth.
That mouth, as you can see by the above photo, is a little sore these days.
Rutherford, who plays for the Florida Everblades, was injured in Game 1 of the ECHL final against the host Las Vegas Wranglers on Monday. The Wranglers won that game, 2-1.
Rutherford lost five teeth at 2:28 of the second period. D Mike Madill of the Wranglers was given a double minor for high-sticking on the play, but the Everblades weren’t able to score on the PP.
Last night, despite the missing teeth, Rutherford had a goal and two assists as the Everblades evened the series with a 7-2 victory.
After Game 1, Rutherford (@Rutherford91) put the above photo on Twitter, along with a couple of tweets.
“Thanks for all the love @WheelsHockey!!! This shit doesn't happen in soccer ! Right back at it tomorrow!”
“Tough 1 tonight ! Right back @ it tomorrow! Who needs teeth in the playoffs too @FL_Everblades #QUESTFORKELLY&NewTeeth.”
And then there was this tweet from Stephanie Wilson (@StephW425):
“There's nothing like your bf sending you a pic of all his front teeth knocked out and saying ‘well it's playoffs’ #QUESTFORKELLY #stillhot”
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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Casper Carning (Vancouver, 2010-11) signed a one-year contract with Bäcken Gothenburg (Sweden, Division 2). He had eight goals and 20 assists in 39 games for Kungälv (Sweden, Division 1) this season. . . .
F Bostjan Golicic (Calgary, 2007-09) signed a one-year contract with Briançon (France, Ligue Magnus). he had five goals and 10 assists in 38 games with Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, Austria Erste Bank Liga) this season. . . .
F Jordan Krestanovich (Calgary, 1997-2001) signed a one-year contract extension with Braehead Clan Glasgow (Scotland, UK Elite). He had 29 goals and 40 assists in 50 games as captain of the Clan this season. . . .
F Mark Mieritz (Brandon, 2010-11) signed a one-year contract with Copenhagen Hockey (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). He had two goals and two assists in 38 games for Esbjerg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga) this season.
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THE COACHING GAME, Part 1:
Kelly McCrimmon, the owner and general manager of the Brandon Wheat Kings, announced Tuesday that head coach Cory Clouston won’t return for a second season. Clouston, who had been fired by the NHL’s Ottawa Senators after the 2011-12 season, signed a two-year deal with Brandon on Aug. 3.
"I have given a great deal of thought to our coaching situation for the upcoming season," McCrimmon said in a news release. "I do not want uncertainty with this important position and as a result have decided we will not have Cory return next season. He will perhaps have opportunities to coach professionally, failing that, we will honor the second year of his contract."
Clouston, 42, told Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun: “I don’t think I expected it, but I definitely understand Kelly’s thinking. He feels the team is in a rebuilding mode for the next couple years and he told me he just doesn’t want to have the coaching position in limbo for the next two months. I have options.
“He doesn’t want me coming in early July, telling him I’m going to the American league or wherever it may be. I’m not saying that was going to happen, but he doesn’t want that as an option and I can understand his reasoning.”
The Wheat Kings finished sixth in the Eastern Conference (39-28-5) and got past the No. 3 Calgary Hitmen in the opening round of playoffs. Brandon was then swept by the eventual-champion Edmonton Oil Kings.
McCrimmon was Brandon’s head coach for the seven seasons prior to his decision to hire Clouston.
McCrimmon doesn’t have a list of potential coaches. When he puts one together, you have to wonder if his name will be on it?
Clouston played four seasons (1989-93) with the U of Alberta Golden Bears, who happen to be in the market for a head coach. In fact, the closing date for applications was yesterday. You have to think, however, that the Golden Bears’ job wouldn’t be Clouston’s first choice.
Evan Daum of the Edmonton Journal has more on the Golden Bears coaching situation right here.
Bruce Luebke, the veteran play-by-play man who calls Wheat Kings games on CKLQ, offers up his take right here and it’s rather evident that he feels Clouston wasn’t a good fit.
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THE COACHING GAME, Part 2:
Harvey Smyl, a veteran BCHL head coach, and the Chilliwack Chiefs finally got around to putting together a contract. The new deal covers the just completed season and two more, taking him through 2013-14. . . . “The contract is actually for three years, but the first year is already in the books,” said Chiefs president Glen Ringdal in a news conference. “We were so busy getting the organization set up last year we didn’t get around to such matters until late in the season.” . . . You may recall that Chilliwack became home to the Chiefs – they had been the Quesnel Millionaires – after the WHL allowed the sale and relocation of the Chilliwack Bruins to Victoria where the franchise now operates as the Royals. . . .
Leigh Mendelson has signed on as associate head coach with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers. He was an assistant with the Lancers in 2000-01 and against in 2007-08. The Lancers reached the Clark Cup championship in both of those seasons. In Omaha, he will work alongside GM/head coach Mike Aikens. Mendelson spent this season as an assistant coach with the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies. Mendelson was an assistant coach with the Spokane Chiefs in 2008-09.
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JUST NOTES:
According to the Brandon Sun, the Wheat Kings are close to a new lease with the Keystone Centre. The parties are operating under the terms of a five-year extension that is the continuation of a lease first signed in 1997. It expires on May 31. . . .
D Wil Tomchuk, who turns 18 on Sept. 27, has signed with the Tri-City Americans. Tomchuk had six points and 55 penalty minutes as a freshman with the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons this season. The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder is from Fort McMurray. He is represented by Turning Point Sports Management. . . .
The Americans also announced Monday that F Nathan MacMaster won’t be returning to Tri-City for his 20-year-old season. MacMaster, who was acquired from the Calgary Hitmen early this season, had 11 points and 41 penalty minutes in 55 games with the Americans. He was a second-round selection by the Moose Jaw Warriors in the 2007 bantam draft. “Nathan has earned a four-year scholarship from the WHL and will return to Calgary to begin his studies and continue with hockey,” Bob Tory, the Americans’ general manager, said in a news release. . . .
A year ago, brothers Max and Sam Reinhart played in the Memorial Cup with the WHL-champion Kootenay Ice. Now it’s the turn of their other brother, Griffin, who is a defenceman with the Edmonton Oil Kings who won the WHL title on Sunday night. Elliot Pap of the Vancouver Sun checks in with the Reinharts right here. . . .
The QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques are getting a new arena, one that will replace the Robert Guertin Arena. The province will cough up $26.5 million, as will the city of Gatineau, and the 4,000-seat facility, which will include 40 corporate boxes, should be ready for the start of the 2014-15 season. . . . Originally, Gatineau wanted to built a 5,000-seat arena that would cost $67 million. But those plans changed after the feds said they wouldn’t be tossing in any loose change. . . .
The keys to the Edmonton Oil Kings winning the WHL championship in only their fifth season of existence? General manager Bob Green tells Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal that it’s all about the bantam draft and being patient. That story is right here. . . .
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That video that Chris Rumble, the son of Seattle Thunderbirds assistant coach Darren Rumble, put together on the hemoncology floor of Seattle Children’s Hospital had received 1,834,214 views on YouTube as of late last night.
If you haven’t seen it yet – it features patients singing the Kelly Clarkson smash hit Stronger – it’s right here. . . . There’s also an extended look at what went on behind the scenes as well as a message from Kelly Clarkson to the patients at SCH.
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Justin Bourne — no, not that Bourne; he’s Jason — knows a bit about hockey. He’s from a hockey family and he played some puck. Right here, he writes about what a young player goes through as he chooses between the college route and the CHL. Bourne should know what he’s talking about, too, because he went through it.

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Bartley gets deal with Preds

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Jordan Krestanovich (Calgary, 1997-2001) signed a one-year contract extension with Braehead Clan Glasgow (Scotland, UK Elite). He had 16 goals and 34 assists in 43 games for the Clan this season. . . .
D Robby Sandrock (Spokane, Swift Current, Medicine Hat, Kelowna, 1994-99) and F Jonathan Filewich (Prince George, Lethbridge, 1999-2005) signed one-year contract extensions with Medvescak Zagreb (Croatia, Austria Erste Bank Liga). Sandrock had 11 goals and 13 assists in 50 games, while Filewich had 13 goals and 10 assists in 44 games for Zagreb this season. . . .
D Jakub Cutta (Swift Current, 1998-2001) signed a one-year contract with Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had three goals and eight assists in 49 games with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga) this season. . . .
F Daniel Bohac (Spokane, 1998-2000) signed a two-year-plus-option contract with Slovan Usti nad Labem (Czech Republic, 1.Liga). He had nine goals and 10 assists in 52 games with Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic, Extraliga) this season. . . .
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VICTOR BARTLEY

MORE FROM THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Victor Bartley (Kamloops, Regina, 2003-09) has signed a two-year, two-way contract with the NHL’s Nashville Predators.
According to a Malmö hockey blog:
“Djurgården confirmed that it loses Vic Bartley to the NHL, nothing is official. But tonight, Vic Bartley himself confirms it to MrMadhawk.se. ‘I don't know how you always know my club address,’ laughs Vic. ‘But the deal is now entirely done and I have signed a two-year contract with Nashville and it is a two-way contract.’ ”
From Djurgården's website:
“D-man Victor Bartley leaves Djurgården to play in the NHL — without having played a game with the club. Djurgarden earlier signed a contract with Rögle defenseman Victor Bartley. NHL clubs showed an interest in the Canadian and Bartley has now informed Djurgarden that he will sign with an NHL club in the near future. The agreement between the NHL and Swedish hockey gives NHL clubs the right to solicit even contracted players within certain time limits, as used in this case. ‘We were very pleased with the recruitment of Victor Bartley, but we have to accept the rules of the game and there is nothing we can do to prevent this. This changes the requirements of our defense and now we wonder how we can remedy the situation,’ said Djurgården Hockey's general manager Janne Järlefelt.”
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The Los Angeles Kings have signed F Linden Vey of the Medicine Hat Tigers to a three-year NHL contract. Vey, who won the WHL’s scoring race this season, was a fourth-round selection in the NHL’s 2009 draft. He had 116 points, including 46 goals, as he won the scoring crown in his fourth season with the Tigers. He added 25 points, 12 of them goals, in 15 playoff games.
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The Prince Albert Raiders held a membership meeting last week and Drew Wilson, the team’s play-by-play voice, was there. His report, from paNOW.com, is right here. Of particular interest is that the organization has a $2 million budget for next season with a projected profit of $30,318.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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