NHL camps to cut into opening night WHL rosters . . . Blades lose two vets . . . Brandon d-man retires

Fans of the WHL should be prepared to have some of their favourite players missing for the first couple weeks of the regular season, or perhaps even longer. . . . Because of the World Cup of Hockey, the NHL’s regular season won’t begin until Oct. 12, five days later than a season ago. With so many

players involved with the WCOH, NHL teams are going to need bodies to fill out training camp rosters, which could mean major junior players will get longer looks. . . . NHL rookie camps open in mid-September, about when WHL teams are wrapping up the exhibition season. . . . As Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports, the top two goaltenders on the Warriors’ depth chart — Zach Sawchenko (Nashville Predators) and Brody Willms (Los Angeles Kings) — will attend NHL rookie camps as free-agent invitees. . . . As Warriors GM Alan Millar told Gourlie: “We're going to have to expect that we're going to be missing guys opening weekend. We're going to be have to be on our toes in terms of what is going on with Willms and Sawchenko and managing our goaltending situation if it gets to be the start of the season.” . . . The Warriors also will have four of their top skaters — F Brett Howden (Tampa Bay Lightning), F Noah Gregor (San Jose Sharks), D Dimitri Zaitsev (Washington Capitals) and F Tanner Jeannot (Minnesota Wild) — at NHL camps. . . . Of course, every one of the WHL’s 22 teams and their fans will be in the same boat as opening night approaches — watching and waiting to see who will be back from the NHL.

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If you haven’t yet seen the story from Taylor Rocca of the Cranbrook Townsman in which Kootenay Ice president and general manager Jeff Chynoweth points an accusing finger at many of those involved with the CHL import draft, it is right here. . . . Among other things, Chynoweth told Rocca: “Right now, to me, it looks like the commissioners of the OHL and QMJHL look the other way and are ignoring a serious problem when it comes to the import draft. It's broken. It's the haves and the have-nots. It's not a level playing field. Something has to be done about it.” . . . This is serious stuff.

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Taylor Rocca is one of the best young sports reporters to surface in Western Canada in a while. Unfortunately, he won’t be plying his trade in the newspaper business for much longer. The WHL has hired him as its communications co-ordinator. Rocca will spend most of his time on content creation and keeping new material, much of which he no doubt will produce, flowing to the WHL website.

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The Saskatoon Blades were without a couple of veteran players as training camp opened. . . . F Terrell Draude, 19, apparently will go to school. From Warman, Sask., the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder

played two seasons with the Calgary Hitmen before being dealt to the Blades early last season. He had 15 points, including nine goals, in 47 games with the Blades. In 167 career regular-season games, Draude put up 54 points, 24 of them goals. . . . D Duane Perillat, 19, chose to retire. Perillat, from Saskatoon, played 53 games with the Moose Jaw Warriors in 2014-15 and 11 last season. He finished the season by playing 31 games with the Blades, recording 16 points, including 11 assists. In 95 career games, he had 46 points, including 13 goals. . . . Meanwhile, Darren Zary of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix also reports that D Chance Patterson, 19, is with the Blades after being released by the Edmonton Oil Kings. Patterson is from Foam Lake, Sask., and played midget AAA with the Saskatoon Blazers. With the Oil Kings, the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder played in 28 games in 2014-15 and 30 games last season. He was pointless as a freshman and had a goal and an assist in his sophomore season.

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After playing in 237 regular-season games with four teams, D Jordan Thomson has chosen to retire rather than return as a 20-year-old. He would have been one of five 20s in camp with the defending-champion Brandon Wheat Kings, the others being G Jordan Papirny, F Duncan Campbell, F Tyler Coulter and F Reid Duke. . . . A native of nearby Wawanesa, Thomson now is working for Brandon Maintenance Services while deciding whether to go to school at Assiniboine Community College. . . . “I think of the situation I had with Brandon and ending it off on such a positive note,” Thomson told Perry Bergson of the Brandon Sun. “There are so many 20-year-olds coming back, high-calibre players, I might as well end my career off on an absolute high.” . . . The Kamloops Blazers selected Thomson with the fourth overall selection in the 2011 bantam draft. They later traded him to the Saskatoon Blades, who moved him to the Swift Current Broncos. Brandon acquired him from Swift Current on Nov. 25. . . . In 237 regular-season games, he totalled 69 points, including 16 goals.

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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

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The SJHL’s Notre Dame Hounds have hired Taras McEwen as their new assistant coach. He will work alongside Clint Mylymok, the Hounds’ general manager and head coach. . . . McEwen takes over from Bear Trapp, who left after two seasons. Trapp is the son of former WHL F Doug Trapp and the grandson of Barry Trapp, a former WHL GM, assistant coach and head coach, and a long-time scout. . . . In the same vein, McEwen is the son of Brad McEwen, who is a scout with the NHL’s Calgary Flames after working for the Medicine Hat Tigers and Swift Current Broncos in various roles for a number of years. . . . Taras, from Whitewood, Sask., most recently was head coach of the junior B Fort Knox entry in the Prairie Junior Hockey League. He also will be the hockey operations assistant in Notre Dame’s hockey office. . . . The Hounds’ main camp opens Aug. 30 and is open to the public.

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What has 16 teams and 2,022 legs? My WHL training camp roster list: https://t.co/XEqEuEOTMH

— Alan Caldwell (@smallatlarge) August 27, 2016

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Trade voided . . . Blazers, Broncos deal with Cougars, Blades

After the frantic burst of activity on Tuesday, things were relatively quiet on the WHL trade front on Wednesday. Although there was one interesting twist, as the WHL had to void one Tuesday deal.
On Tuesday, the Kamloops Blazers traded D Josh Connolly and a 2016 second-round bantam draft pick to the Swift Current Broncos for D Brycen Martin.
On Wednesday, the Blazers dealt Connolly to the Prince George Cougars for D Marc McNulty.
Seriously . . . it really happened.
The WHL voided the deal between Kamloops and Swift Current, issuing this news release:
“. . . the trade between the Kamloops Blazers and Swift Current Broncos (Joshua Connolly for Brycen Martin) on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 was not concluded to the satisfaction of the two Clubs concerned. Consequently, the WHL has ruled the trade to be null and void.”
What happened?
Jon Keen, the radio voice of the Blazers, tweeted that Connolly refused to report to Swift Current.
Martin, 18, and that draft pick were returned to the Broncos.
Before day’s end, the Blazers and Broncos had turned around and cut deals with divisional rivals.
Connolly, 19, was dealt to his hometown team, the Cougars, for McNulty, 19. The Blazers also get a 2016 sixth-round draft pick, with the Cougars picking up a sixth-round pick in 2015.
Connolly, a third-round pick in the 2010 bantam draft, has 34 points, five of them goals, in 39 games this season. In 164 career regular-season games, he has 85 points, 17 of them goals. Before joining the Blazers, Connolly played for the major midget Cariboo Cougars, who play out of Prince George.
The 6-foot-6 McNulty, from Medicine Hat, was a 10th-round pick in the 2010 bantam draft. He was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the sixth round of the NHL’s 2013 draft. In 170 regular-season games with the Cougars, he has 72 points, including 30 goals. This season, he has 15 points, including five goals, in 30 games.
Connolly will debut with the Cougars this weekend as they play in Victoria on Friday and Saturday nights. The Blazers are at home to the Kelowna Rockets on Friday.
And the whole thing came full circle shortly when Martin, who by now was at home in Calgary, was dealt to the Saskatoon Blades, with a conditional fifth-round 2017 bantam draft pick, for D Jordan Thomson, 18, and a first-round pick in the 2016 draft that originally belonged to the Red Deer Rebels.
Thomson, from Wawanesa, Man., was the fourth-overall pick in the 2011 bantam draft. He was taken by Kamloops, then dealt to the Blades last season. The 2017 fifth-round pick is conditional on his playing as a 20-year-old.
In 24 games with the Blades this season, Thomson has 12 points, two of them goals. In 104 career games, he has 42 points, including seven goals.
Martin, the second overall pick in the 2011 bantam draft, was a third-round selection by the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL’s 2014 draft. He had 16 points, two of them goals, in 39 games with the Broncos this season. In 181 regular-season games, he had 72 points.
Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has more on the Blades’ deal right here.
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The Tri-City Americans have acquired F Tyler Sandhu, 18, from the Red Deer Rebels for fourth-round selections in the 2016 and 2017 bantam draft. . . . Sandhu, from Richmond, B.C., was traded by the Everett Silvertips to Red Deer on Oct. 20 for fourth-round picks in the 2015 and 2016 bantam drafts. . . . He had one goal in nine games with Everett. In Red Deer, he had 18 points, including eight goals, in 28 games. . . . In 148 career regular-season games, he has 82 points, 41 of them goals. . . . The Americans are at home to the Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday.
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TRADE DEADLINE DEALS:
(All draft picks in bantam draft unless otherwise noted; deadline is Saturday, 1 p.m. MT)

Dec. 10 . . .
To Kelowna: D Josh Morrissey (95), F Gage Quinney (95).
To Prince Albert: D Jesse Lees (95), F Austin Glover (96), 2016 second-round pick, 2017 third-round pick.
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Dec. 12 . . .
To Red Deer: D Nelson Nogier (96), F Austin Adamson (96).
To Saskatoon: F Mason McCarty (97), 2015 second-round pick, 2016 first-round pick.
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Dec. 16 . . .
To Calgary: G Thatcher Demko, 19, who is at Boston College.
To Spokane: Conditional draft picks. Guy Flaming of The Pipeline Show tweeted that he had it as a second-rounder in 2015 and a second- or third-rounder in 2016.
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Dec. 27 . . .
To Swift Current: D Griffin Foulk, 19.
To Lethbridge: Conditional eighth-round pick in 2016.
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Dec. 27 . . .
To Red Deer: D Colton Bobyk, 18, and a 2016 fourth-round pick.
To Spokane: D Nick Charif, 19, a second-round 2015 pick and a conditional sixth-round 2016 selection.
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Jan. 2 . . .
To Brandon: F Morgan Klimchuk, 19.
To Regina: F Jesse Gabrielle, 17.
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Jan. 5 . . .
To Medicine Hat: D Kyle Burroughs, 19, and F Dryden Hunt, 19.
To Regina: D Connor Hobbs, 17, and two draft picks -- second-rounder in 2016 and third-rounder in 2015.
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Jan. 5 . . .
To Saskatoon: D Kolton Dixon, 19.
To Red Deer: G Trevor Martin, 18.
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Jan. 5 . . .
To Red Deer: F Connor Gay, 19, and three bantam draft picks -- a first-rounder in 2016, a second in 2015 and a seventh in 2017.
To Regina: F Jake Leschyshyn, 15, and a fourth-round pick in 2017.
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Jan. 5 . . .
To Brandon: D Reid Gow, 20.
To Spokane: A fifth-round pick, Spokane’s option for 2015 or 2016.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Kelowna: F Leon Draisaitl, 19.
To Prince Albert: F Tomas Schmidli, 18, D Dalton Yorke, 18, and three bantam draft picks -- a first-rounder in 2015, a fourth-rounder in 2016 and a conditional fourth-rounder in 2016 or 2017.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Prince George: D Tomas Andrlik, 19.
To Prince Albert: A 12th-round pick in 2015.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Moose Jaw: D Connor Clouston, 18.
To Kamloops: A fifth-round pick in 2017.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Calgary: G Brendan Burke, 19.
To Portland: G Evan Johnson, 18, and a fourth-round pick in 2016.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Lethbridge: D Brady Reagan, 17.
To Regina: F Taylor Cooper, 19.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Victoria: F Alex Forsberg, 19, a third-round pick in 2015 and a fourth-round pick in 2016.
To Saskatoon: F Brayden Dunn, 16, and a first-round pick in 2017.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Portland: D Adam Henry, 20.
To Saskatoon: A second-round pick 2017.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Moose Jaw: F Axel Blomqvist, 19, a third-round pick in 2015 and a fifth-round pick in 2017.
To Victoria: D Alexey Sleptsov, 18, G Justin Paulic, 19, and a sixth-round pick in 2015.
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Jan. 7 . . .
To Tri-City: F Tyler Sandhu, 18.
To Red Deer: Fourth-round picks in 2015 and 2016.
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Jan. 7 . . .
To Kamloops: D Marc McNulty, 19, and a 2016 sixth-round draft pick.
To Prince George: D Josh Connolly, 19, and a 2015 sixth-round draft pick.
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Jan. 7 . . .
To Saskatoon: D Brycen Martin, 18, and a conditional 2017 fifth-round draft pick.
To Swift Current: D Jordan Thomson, 18, and a 2016 first-round draft pick (originally belonged to Red Deer).

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Buying or selling? . . . Anholt, in conversation with Kingsmith . . . Rebels' Bleackley finds scoring touch

The trade announced late Wednesday between the Kelowna Rockets and Prince Albert Raiders signaled the beginning of the run up to the WHL trading deadline.
That deadline arrives on Jan. 10 at noon MT. But don’t forget that there is a Christmas trade moratorium that runs from Dec. 15 through Dec. 26.
On Wednesday, if you missed it, the Rockets acquired D Josh Morrissey, 19, and F Gage Quinney, 19, from the Raiders for F Austin Glover, 18, D Jesse Lees, 19, and a pair of bantam draft picks -- a second-round selection in 2016 and a third-rounder in 2017.
If Morrissey isn’t the best defenceman in the WHL, he’s in the conversation. So this was a big ‘get’ by the Rockets.
(Morrissey is in the Canadian national junior team’s selection camp. In Thursday’s first workout, he was paired with new teammate Madison Bowey, with whom he no doubt will get ample playing time with the Rockets.)
It’s interesting, too, that it Kelowna landed Morrissey without surrendering a first-round bantam draft pick. Which makes one wonder if that has set the tone as the deadline nears. Will those teams that see themselves as contenders not have to include first-round bantam picks when attempting to acquire front-line players?
Going into this weekend’s games, there appear to be four championship contenders, a couple of pretenders and a whole lot of also-rans.
At the same time, though, I have long felt that the WHL season doesn’t really start until about 10 days after the trade deadline. It isn’t until then that the uncertainty that comes with the trade deadline has dissipated, players have returned from the World Junior Championship, and teams know who will be on their rosters.
From that point on, it’s full speed ahead.
At the moment, the Kelowna Rockets, Brandon Wheat Kings, Medicine Hat Tigers and Everett Silvertips are the WHL’s top four teams.
Kelly McCrimmon, the Wheat Kings’ owner, general manager and head coach, has clearly been targeting next season as he built his present roster. It would seem more likely, then, that he would keep his roster intact and take his chances on winning this season, rather than give up a couple of young assets and risk damaging next season’s game plan.
Kelowna, Medicine Hat and Everett, you have to think, would be open to adding another big gun or two. Don’t forget, too, that the Rockets have room to add one 20-year-old and they certainly will do that before Jan. 10.
Meanwhile, there are only two teams, the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Saskatoon Blades, who are clearly out of the playoff picture.
If you go by winning percentage, 16 of the WHL’s 22 teams, eight in each conference, are at .500 or above. If you go by wins and losses, that number is 11 -- five in the Eastern Conference and six in the Western Conference.
Call it parity or parody, but there will be a number of those teams feeling that they might be a player or two from breaking into that elite group. That is the thought process that turns potential sellers into buyers.
The Regina Pats are one of the teams on the rung below the elite four. John Paddock, the Pats’ senior vice-president of hockey operations and head coach, recently told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post that he saw his organization as sellers. That, of course, may have put all-star F Morgan Klimchuk, for one, in play.
However, the Pats had a tremendous western road trip that included a victory in Kelowna. After returning to Regina, the Pats swept a home-and-home from the Wheat Kings.
All of which has Paddock hedging his bets.
As Harder wrote in Thursday’s Leader-Post:
“(Paddock) doesn't seem eager to dismantle a group that has worked so hard to exceed expectations. What kind of message would that send to the players? The hard part is to find the right balance between targeting long-range goals without completely disregarding the present.”
A couple of years ago, in an interview with Sportsnet 590 The FAN, a Toronto radio station, Brian Burke, then the general manager of a mediocre Maple Leafs team, summed it up this way”
“I’m not interested in making the playoffs and getting our asses kicked in the first round. I’ve done that. It’s not much fun. I’m interested in getting in with a realistic, reasonable chance to win or bloody somebody’s nose doing it and use that round or two rounds -- or whatever we can do -- as a building block for a championship team.”
You can bet such thoughts are going through the minds of more than one WHL general manager as Jan. 10 approaches.
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Peter Anholt, the Lethbridge Hurricanes’ new general manager and head coach, is into his second day as the man in charge.
On Thursday, he talked with Paul Kingsmith of Global TV in Lethbridge. Kingsmith (@paulkingsmith) tweeted some of the highlights . . .
Anholt, on his recent coaching career: “I haven't coached since ’07 in our league. Basically threw all my coaching material away. I had no inkling I was going to coach.”

Peter Anholt, the general manager and head coach
of the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

On the departed Brad Robson and Drake Berehowsky: “It didn't work out. And it shows this can be a very cold business at times.”
On his outlook: “We have an obligation to our kids to give them a Western Hockey League-level organization. And that's what we need to do. . . . I'll make some mistakes here and there but it won't be through lack of effort."
On his team: “We've won 18 games out of the last hundred. I think that says it right there. . . . I think we have some half-decent players. Our 96s are a group of really good guys; we can lean on them to be good citizens. . . . There are some blocks there to build upon but we have lots of heavy lifting to do over the next while. It is a lot of hard work.”
On the overall organization: “This organization has lost respect in the league. So, what can we do to bring it back? We have to go above and beyond.”
On his immediate approach: “We'll lay some things out that are non-negotiables in our dressing room and I've laid out in our coaching staff certain roles.” . . . I think we've got some good kids in there. We've got to find a way to put a plan in place (that) will give them some success.”
On his dual role: “It's different. When you're wearing your GM's cap you're thinking of the future. When I walk downstairs, it's for today.”
On the city, arena, travel as far as players are concerned: “We have so many good things that it's ridiculous to me that players don't want to play here. . . . That's on us. So let's develop an atmosphere where people want to play here. And that won't happen overnight."
On what’s ahead after this season: “I've committed to come for this (season). We'll see when this (season) is done whether they want me or I want them. I'm focused on the now."
Anholt will make his first appearance behind the Hurricanes’ bench on Sunday when the Kamloops Blazers pay a visit.
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F Wyatt Sloboshan (broken jaw) and D Jordan Thomson (concussion) of the Saskatoon Blades were cleared to return to full practice on Thursday. . . . Sloboshan, who has eight points in 12 games, hasn’t played since Oct. 24. . . . Thomson, with six points in 17 games, last played on Nov. 4. . . . The Blades are at home to the Moose Jaw Warriors tonight. . . . Kevin Mitchell, the sports editor of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has more right here. . . .
The Swift Current Broncos have recalled D Colby Sissons, 16, from the Edmonton-South Side Athletic Club’s midget AAA team. He has 11 points, including three goals, in 20 games with SSAC. . . . The Broncos will travel to Brandon today to meet the Wheat Kings tonight. . . .
The Regina Pats have recalled F Jacob Elmer, 15, and D Ryan Krushen, 16. . . . Elmer, a sixth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft, plays for the EDGE School in Calgary. He’s got 24 points, including 13 goals, in 15 games. In his previous three games, he put up 12 points, eight of them goals. Elmer won‘t turn 16 until Dec. 31, so he becomes the youngest player on a WHL roster. . . . Krushen plays for the midget AAA Sherwood Park Kings. He was pointless in two earlier games with the Pats this season. . . . Krushen’s recall comes after D James Hilsendager suffered an undisclosed injury in Wednesday’s 6-4 loss to the Broncos in Swift Current. John Paddock, the Pats’ head coach, has said Hilsendager will out for “quite a while.” . . . Regina already was without D Colby Williams (wrist), who has missed four games. . . . The Pats are scheduled to visit the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday. . . . The Blades are at home to the Moose Jaw Warriors tonight. . . .
F Rihards Bukarts of the Brandon Wheat Kings was back at practice on Thursday. He hasn’t played since Nov. 25 after suffering an undisclosed injury in practice. Bukarts has 29 points, 11 of them goals, in 24 games. . . . The Latvian was off to a prolific start before slowing in November, when he had two goals and three assists in nine games. . . . F Tyler Coulter, F Jayce Hawryluk, F Tim McGauley and D Colton Waltz weren’t on the ice with the Wheat Kings on Thursday. Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reports that Wheat Kings GM/head coach Kelly McCrimmon refused “to say why they were absent.” . . . The Wheat Kings are at home to the Swift Current Broncos tonight. . . .
F Jackson Houck didn’t skate with the Vancouver Giants on Thursday after suffering an apparent leg or knee injury in a 3-0 victory over the visiting Prince Albert Raiders on Wednesday night. . . . Houck is riding a four-game goal streak. . . . The Giants visit the Victoria Royals for a Teddy Bear toss game tonight. On Saturday, the Royals are in Vancouver for Ugly Christmas Sweater Night. . . .
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THURSDAY’S GAME:

In Red Deer, D Brett Cote scored 16 seconds into the game and the Rebels went on to a 6-2 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Cote has six goals this season. . . . F Conner Bleackley, who seems to have found some chemistry with recent acquisition Riley Sheen, had two goals, giving him 12. . . . Sheen had assists on both of them. . . . It was Bleackley’s second straight two-goal game on home ice. . . . Red Deer F Preston Kopeck drew three assists and F Brooks Maxwell had two. . . . F Cole Ully scored his 14th goal for Kamloops, which got two assists from D Josh Connolly. . . . The Rebels (17-11-4) have won three in a row and have points in 17 of their last 21 games (14-4-3). . . . The Blazers (12-17-5) have lost four in a row.
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Royals' Assistant Coach Enio Sacilotto speaking to the media about taking over Head Coaching duties with Dave away! pic.twitter.com/3F7W8NXRw5
— Victoria Royals (@victoriaroyals) December 11, 2014

Americans get their man . . . Memorial Cup field set

Rufus, a Rufous Hummingbird, stopped for a breather
in our apple on Tuesday. Said he was on his way home
from Portland and Game 7.

 F Denis Tolpeko (Seattle, Regina, 2003-06) has signed a two-year contract extension with Salavat Yulaev Ufa (Russia, KHL). Tolpeko started this season with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL), before being traded to Salavat Yulaev on Jan 13. In 45 games, he had 11 points, including five goals. . . .
F Steven Goertzen (Seattle, 2001-04) has signed a one-year contract with the Coventry Blaze (England, UK Elite). This season, with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite), he had 38 points, 12 of them goals, in 45 games. He was the interim player-head coach for two weeks in February. . . .
D Brett Bartman (Spokane, 2007-10) signed a one-year contract with Gap (France, Ligue Magnus). This season, with the U of Calgary (CIS), he had 11 points, including two gaols, in 26 games. . . .
D Rod Sarich (Calgary, 1996-2002) has signed a one-year contract with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite). Sarich, who has a UK passport, didn’t play this season but stayed in Sheffield, attending university and working. In 2012-13, he had 37 points, seven of them goals, in 57 games with Sheffield. He was pointless in three games with Great Britain’s national team. . . .
D Shaone Morrisonn (Kamloops, 1999-2002) has signed a one-year contract with Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL). This season, with TPS Turku (Finland, Liiga), he had 16 points, including four goals, in 54 games. He was an alternate captain with TPS Turku. . . .
F Dustin Johner (Seattle, 1999-2004) has signed a contract (one year plus an option) with Västerås (Sweden, Allsvenskan). This season, with Djurgården Stockholm (Sweden, Allsvenskan), he had 37 points, including 17 goals, in 52 games. He tied for the team lead in goals and points.
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The WHL’s game of coaching musical chairs continued Tuesday as the Tri-City Americans signed Mike Williamson as their head coach.
Contract details weren’t announced, other than it being a multi-year proposition, but I am told that Williamson signed a four-year deal with no club options. He had spent the previous five seasons with the Calgary Hitmen, who chose not to pick up a club option when this season ended.
The Hitmen enjoyed a 103-point regular season -- they finished tied with the Edmonton Oil Kings atop the Eastern Conference, losing top spot on a tiebreaker -- then lost a six-game first-round playoff series to the Kootenay Ice.
Williamson was dropped shortly after that.
With the Americans, Williamson takes over from Jim Hiller, who was dumped last week despite a five-season winning percentage of .619. General manager Bob Tory said at the time that he felt his team was in need of a new face/new voice behind the bench.
Williamson spent seven seasons plus 24 games (1999-07) as the head coach of the Portland Winterhawks, a team with which he had played three seasons. He also spent four-plus seasons as an assistant coach in Portland.
He has 427 victories as a WHL head coach, making him third among active coaches. He is ninth all-time in games coached and 11th in victories.
“I have known (Williamson), personally, since he was a 17-year-old player who I recruited to Portland from Red Deer College,” Tory said in a news release. “He has had tremendous success at the WHL level and is known as a player’s coach who is demanding yet firm and calm. Mike brings a great deal of experience and passion to our hockey club and I look forward to working with Mike moving forward.”
Earlier this month, Don Hay left after 10 years as head coach of the Vancouver Giants, returning to his home in Kamloops as head coach of the Blazers.
All of this leaves the Hitmen, Giants and Saskatoon Blades searching for head coaches.
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1. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Al Ford, a former general manager of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, after he was mugged by a couple of idiots in Regina on Monday. He should just pretend that he got run over by George Reed during a practice session back in the day. . . . There’s more on what happened right here.

2. D Jordan Thomson has told the Saskatoon Blades that he will join them for the 2014-15 season. Thomson, from Wawanesa, Man., was selected by the Kamloops Blazers with the fourth overall pick in the 2011 bantam draft. However, he left the Blazers early this season and ended up with the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings. He did get into nine games with the Blades, getting a goal and five assists. . . . The Blades acquired Thomson, F Mitch Lipon and a 2015 first-round bantam pick from Kamloops in exchange for F Matt Revel, a third-round 2016 bantam draft pick and a conditional second-round pick in 2014 or 2015. The Blazers will get that 2015 second-round pick if Thomson plays one game for the Blades in 2014-15. . . . Lipon was dropped by the Blades as they made room for new players during the bantam draft on May 1.

3. Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, the stars of the ESPN show PTI, have gotten multi-year contract extensions. If you haven’t seen PTI, Kornheiser and Wilbon sit in front of TV cameras and do what we did in the sports departments of the Winnipeg Tribune and Regina Leader-Post almost every night -- sit around and argue about sports. I think Kornheiser and Wilbon likely are getting paid more than we were.

4. The NFL draft ran for two nights and most of another day, all of it available on TV. If you weren’t aware, the CFL draft was held Tuesday evening and TSN televised an hour of it, right up against Game 7 between the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins. Yes, that’s one more page of that CFL’s manual titled Football Marketing 101. . . . Sheesh, why not hold it on Saturday afternoon and get it all on TV? It’s not like the CFL teams make 268 selections.

5. An afternoon tweet from the Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars): “Robison: The WHL never considered leaving Prince George.” . . . WHL commissioner Ron Robison, in Prince George to take part in a day in which the Cougars’ new owners introduced themselves to the fans, apparently made that statement to the gathering. . . . Rick Brodsky, who sold the franchise last month, certainly thought about it. There were talks with the people who run the arena in Boise, Idaho, and then there were thoughts of relocating to Chilliwack. Yes, there were conversations with at least one of the former owners of the Bruins, although those talks didn’t go too well. Oh, and Brodsky also looked into a move to Fort McMurray, Alta., something that would have involved the construction of a new arena. . . . So perhaps it all depends on how you define “considered.”

6. The Rangers were clinging to a 2-1 lead over the host Penguins when my wife said dinner was two minutes from being ready. There was 3:30 to play, so I asked if it could wait for five minutes. . . . She asked: “Is that real time?” . . . I said: “Yes.” . . . She replied: “It’s a good thing it’s not basketball time or it would take an hour.” . . . Who knew she paid such close attention to NBA games?

7. The Val-d’Or Foreurs went into Baie-Comeau and beat the Drakkar 4-3 in Game 7 of the QMJHL’s championship series on Tuesday night. . . . The Drakkar erased a 3-0 deficit in the third period, only to have Val-d’Or F Anthony Mantha score the GWG at 19:09. . . . It is the Foreurs’ third title (1998 and 2001) and, as Willy Palov of the Halifax Chronicle-Herald noted: “Pretty impressive for a small-market franchise.” . . . Mantha put up 38 points, 24 of them goals, in 24 playoff games, but the QMJHL playoff scoring title went to F Jonathan Drouin of the Halifax Mooseheads. He had 41 points in 16 games.

8. It’s a good day when Stan Van Gundy is back in the NBA as a head coach. As ESPN Stats & Info tweeted: “Stan Van Gundy to coach Pistons. He's had 5 50-win seasons and no losing seasons as an NBA head coach.”

9. One of my favourite people in all of hockey is Troy Mick, the always smiling GM and head coach of the BCHL’s Salmon Arm SilverBacks. Unfortunately, we don’t get the opportunity to chat as often as I’d like. This week, Mick is in Vernon watching his son, Logan, play in the RBC Cup with the host Vipers. Yes, Troy, who was part of two junior A national championships with the Vipers, is enjoying being a spectating father this week. . . . There’s more right here.

10. In future seasons, the WHL has to schedule its playoffs so that there is no chance of the final round ending with teams playing Games 6 and 7 on back-to-back nights in different cities. Especially when there were seven days (April 27 through May 2, inclusive) between the end of the third round and the start of the final series. Playing back-to-back games in different cities at that stage of the season isn’t fair to the players, the fans or the product.
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THE COACHING GAME:
John LaFontaine (Nanaimo Islanders, 1982-83) is the new head coach of the NAHL’s Wichita Wildcats. He had been coaching the Shattuck St. Mary’s bantam team in Faribault, Minn. He also spent seven seasons as head coach of the Bozeman Icedogs, who played in the America West League and the NAHL while he was with them. . . . LaFontaine takes over from Paul Baxter (Winnipeg, 1973-74), who is president and general manager in Wichita.
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Kevin McClelland, the head coach of the Central Hockey League’s Wichita Thunder, signed a one-year contract extension taking him through the 2015-16 season. . . . McClelland, 51, is preparing for his fifth season in Wichita, having signed with the Thunder on April 26, 2010. . . . The Thunder is 144-94-26 with him behind the bench. . . . McClelland’s resume includes a stint with the Prince Albert Raiders (1998-2000).
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Josh Hepditch has left the junior B Creston Valley Thunder Cats of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League to join the junior A Amherst CIBC Wood Gundy Ramblers of the Maritimes Junior League. . . . Hepditch, who is from Fredericton, N.B., and played five seasons at the U of New Brunswick, spent two seasons in Creston, the last one as GM and head coach. . . . Hepditch takes over from Jim Bottomley, who was dumped after this season. Bottomley has since signed on as GM/head coach of the MHL’s Yarmouth Mariners.
Darrell Cole of the Cumberland News Now has more right here.
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MEMORIAL CUP
(at London, Ont., all times Eastern)
(all games televised by Sportsnet)
Friday: Val-d’Or vs. London, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Guelph vs. Edmonton, 4 p.m.
Sunday: London vs. Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Monday: Guelph vs. Val-d’Or, 7 p.m.
Tuesday: Edmonton vs. Val-d’Or, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 21: London vs. Guelph, 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 22: Tiebreaker, if necessary, 7 p.m.
Friday, May 23: Semifinal, 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 24: No game scheduled.
Sunday, May 25: Final, TBA.
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From former NHL D Nick Boynton (@NICKBOYNTON24): “Hey nhl brilliant letting Matt Cooke play again. Someone have to die first?? No excuse now.”
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From MLB pitcher Mark Mulder (@markmulder20): “You want to stop TJ injuries----then don't play baseball. Kids pitch year round and don't play other sports. Arm only has so many bullets.”
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From Andrew Weiss (@WeissFC): “Surprised to see Kailer Yamamoto ('98) sign w/ Spokane. Regardless, he was one of my NTDP Camp surprises. Packs a lot of skill w/ small size.”
Yamamoto, from Spokane, played for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings minor midget team. He was a fifth-round pick by the Chiefs in the 2013 bantam draft. His older brother, Keanu, just completed his first season with the Chiefs.

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How a beer fridge got to Indonesia . . . Corbett in Oil Kings' record book

The City of Swift Current is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, and the Broncos are helping out with the party. The WHL team will join in the celebrations on March 12 when the Saskatoon Blades visit. You can look for the Broncos in these nifty-looking sweaters that were designed by the talented Taylor Vause, a former Broncos player. . . . The above images were tweeted by Vause. The top illustration shows front and back views of the sweaters; the bottom illustration includes Vause's explanations.
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What is happening in Ukraine is the biggest story in our world today. David Remnick of The New Yorker has a look at the situation right here.
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No doubt you have seen the TV commercial in which two buddies deliver a fridge full of Molson Canadian to a friend in Indonesia. Well, Stu Cowan, the sports editor of the Montreal Gazette, has the story, meaning you should click right here and meet Morgan Girouard, who had no idea that two pals from Ottawa were on their way for a visit and that they were bringing gifts.
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Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong, written by Juliet Macur, a sports columnist with The New York Times, is due from HarperCollins this week. If you’re wondering about it, give this excerpt right here a read. It’s devastating.
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Dean Holden, who has coached in the WHL with the Moose Jaw Warriors and Tri-City Americans, is the new head coach of the Korean women’s national team. Holden, 48, the first foreigner to hold that position, signed with the Korean Ice Hockey Association to guide the women’s team through the 2014 Division II Group A world championship in Italy and to review its programs in advance of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games for which it is the host country. . . . According to an IIHF news release, “Holden arrived in Korea on Wednesday and already started to lay out his road map for Korean women’s hockey development towards the 2018 Olympics on home ice in PyeongChang.” . . . Holden has extensive coaching experience at various levels, including three years as the women’s coach at the U of Calgary. . . . The 2014 IIHF women’s world championship Division II Group A is scheduled for Asiago, Italy, April 6-12.
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IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Red Deer/Prince Albert (8)
Regina (2) vs. Brandon (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
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Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Everett (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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MONDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
No games scheduled.
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TUESDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Calgary at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Red Deer at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Kelowna at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
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SUNDAY’S GAMES:
In Edmonton, D Cody Corbett set a pair of franchise records as the Oil Kings beat the Saskatoon Blades, 3-0. . . . Corbett, who had gone 17 games without a goal, scored the game’s first goal, a PP snipe at 0:56. It was his 16th goal and his 56th point, both single-season franchise records for a defenceman. Martin Gernat recorded 55 points in 2011-12, while Keegan Lowe had 15 goals last season. . . . G Tyler Santos stopped 20 shots for the third shutout of his freshman season. That’s not bad considering that he’s been in 11 games. . . . Edmonton F Mitch Moroz scored his 33rd goal but couldn’t beat Saskatoon G Troy Trombley on a second-period penalty shot. . . . Trombley finished with 38 saves. . . . The Oil Kings had lost their previous two home games. . . . Ch-ch-ching! There was a multi-fight situation at 19:35 of the third period. . . . Prior to the game, the Blades announced that D Jordan Thomson will stay with them through the end of the season. Thomson, the fourth overall selection in the 2011 bantam draft, was acquired from the Kamloops Blazers in January and had been with the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings. It is likely that Thomson will return to Dauphin when the Blades’ season ends. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix tweeted that Blades GM Lorne Molleken “said no commitment from Thomson for next season, but added that all signs are positive.” . . . The Blades have shut down G Alex Moodie for the rest of the season with an undisclosed injury. Moodie, a Winnipegger who will turn 19 on March 16, played two games in January. He returned on Feb. 22, only to be injured again, this time ending his season. . . . The Oil Kings (45-16-3) and Calgary Hitmen (43-15-7) remain tied atop the Eastern Conference. However, Edmonton has more victories and one game in hand. . . . The Blades (16-45-5) have lost six in a row. . . .

In Swift Current, F Colby Cave and F Glenn Gawdin scored in the shootout as the Broncos beat the Brandon Wheat Kings, 4-3. . . . Neither Cave nor Gawdin scored in regulation time, but each took one minor penalty in a game in which only two were handed out. . . . F Andrew Johnson scored twice for the Broncos, giving him 10 this season. His second goal, at 19:18 of the second period, gave his guys a 3-2 lead. . . . Brandon F Jayce Hawryluk tied it with his second goal of the game -- he’s got 24 -- at 17:21 of the third. . . . F Tim McGauley scored his 20th goal giving Brandon a 2-1 lead at 13:32 of the second. The Wheat Kings now have six 20-goal scorers, tying with the Portland Winterhawks for the most in the WHL. . . . Broncos F Jay Merkley, with his 27th, tied it at 14:58 of the second. . . . Hawryluk has put together five straight multi-point games. In that stretch, he has 14 points, seven of them goals. . . . Bruce Luebke, the radio voice of the Wheat Kings, notes that Brandon has won only four of 13 games that have gone to OT or a shootout this season. . . . The Wheat Kings had won their pevious three games. . . . Among Brandon’s scratches was F Jens Meilleur, who didn’t finish Saturday’s 8-5 victory in Saskatoon. . . . The Broncos (33-24-9) are sixth in the Eastern Conference, three points behind the Kootenay Ice and fouir ahead of Brandon (31-26-9). . . .

In Kent, Wash., F Matt Fonteyne broke a 1-1 tie at 18:35 of the second period and the Everett Silvertips went on to beat the host Seattle Thunderbirds, 3-1. . . . F Ivan Nikolishin scored his 16th goal, via the PP, at 15:03 of the first period for Everett. . . . Seattle F Jaimen Yakubowski tied it with his 10th at 5:43 of the second. . . . Everett F Carson Stadnyk iced it with his 19th goal, an empty-netter on a PP, at 19:21 of the third. . . . D Mirco Mueller had three assists for Everett. . . . G Austin Lotz stopped 24 shots for the Silvertips, while Taran Kozun turned aside 27 for Seattle. . . . Seattle had ended the Portland Winterhawks’ franchise-record 21-game winning streak the previous night. . . . With Seattle’s loss, the Winterhawks clinched their second straight U.S. Division title and their third in four seasons. Was it only 2009 when this franchise won 19 games? Was it only 2008 when this franchise won 11 games? . . . Everett F Zane Jones returned to the lineup after missing 18 games with an undisclosed injury. . . . Everett (33-23-9) is 5-0-1 in its last six and 7-2-1 in its last 10. That has it in sixth spot in the Western Conference, three points behind the Spokane Chiefs. Each team has seven games remaining. . . . Seattle (39-20-6) is fourth in the conference, 10 points behind Victoria and six ahead of Spokane.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Medicine Hat Tigers GM/head coach Shaun Clouston (@cluey15): “All the best to @clouston25 and @blazerhockey the rest of the way. Keep playing hard. It always pays back eventually. ALWAYS!!! #prouddad”
Kamloops D Connor Clouston (@clouston25) is Shaun’s son.
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From WHL Facts (@WHLFacts): “2x - On Jan. 31st, @WHLpats Colby Williams (@ColbyWilliams22) had 15 pts in his first 50 games... Since then, he has 15 pts in his last 14.”

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Stevenson sparks Pats' victory

D Jordan Thomson is joining the Saskatoon Blades, at least for three games. The Kamloops Blazers selected Thomson, now 17, with the fourth overall selection of the 2011 bantam draft. He left the Blazers earlier this season and subsequently was traded to the Blades, along with F Mitch Lipon and a first-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft for F Matt Revel, a third-round pick in 2016 and a conditional second-rounder in 2014. . . . After the trade, Thomson joined the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings, for whom he has two points in 13 games. He is expected to finish this season with the Kings, who are the host team for the Western Canada Cup. . . . Thomson, who hasn’t said he will join the Blades next season, is expected to practise with Saskatoon today and play Friday against the visiting Kootenay Ice. . . .

The Seattle Thunderbirds announced Tuesday that their 16th annual Hockey Challenge raised $200,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington and Alaska. The Hockey Challenge was held Saturday, featuring six different games plus one between the Thunderbirds and Kamloops Blazers. . . . The event now has raised more than $4.5 million in its 16 years of existence. . . .

Nick Vitucci has resigned after almost five years as head coach of the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye. . . . The resignation is effective immediately. . . . Vitucci will remain with the organization, while assistant coach Dan Watson will serve as head coach through the rest of this season. . . . Toledo, which has lost eight in a row, is 16-31-4 and is fifth in the five-team North Division. Toledo’s 36 points leave it 13th in the 13-team Eastern Conference.
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IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Prince Albert (8)
Regina (2) vs. Brandon (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
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Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Everett (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Vancouver (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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WEDNESDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Lethbridge at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Moose Jay, 7 p.m.
Regina at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Kamloops at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Prince Albert at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Kelowna at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Regina, F Dyson Stevenson scored the game’s first three goals, all in the first period, and finished with four as the Pats drubbed the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 8-0. . . . Stevenson scored his first three goals in a span of 6:08, then added a fourth in the third period. . . . He has 33 goals this season. . . . F Morgan Klimchuk had a goal, his 26th, and four assists, while F Chandler Stephenson drew three assists. . . . Klimchuk has 14 points, including seven goals, in his last five games. . . . F Patrick D’Amico scored twice, giving him five this season. . . . Regina G Dawson MacAuley stopped 29 shots for his fourth shutout this season and the fourth of his career. . . . The Hurricanes have lost six in a row and been outscored 42-8 in the process. . . . Lethbridge F Seth Swenson played in his 300th regular-season game. He has played 19 games with Lethbridge, after suiting up 149 times with the Seattle Thunderbirds and 132 times with the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Pats (35-22-6) are 8-0-1 in their last nine games and now lead the East Division by eight points over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Hurricanes (12-47-5) have the WHL’s poorest record. . . .

In Saskatoon, F Sam Fioretti broke a 2-2 tie in the third period and the Moose Jaw Warriors went on to a 5-2 victory over the Blades. . . . Fioretti scored his 15th goal of the season at 1:41. Teammate Josh Uhrich got his ninth at 2:35 and D Alexey Slepstov added his third, via the PP, at 3:48 as the Warriors put it away. . . . Warriors F Brayden Point had three assists. . . . Saskatoon F Nikita Scherback had one assist, running his assist and point streaks to 10 games. . . . F Logan Harland scored twice, giving him 10 goals, for the home side. . . . The Warriors and Blades hadn’t met since they went home-and-home on Nov. 8 and 9. They will meet again on March 7 in Saskatoon. . . . The Warriors (16-37-9) are 10th in the Eastern Conference, four points ahead of the Blades (16-42-5). . . .

In Medicine Hat, the Edmonton Oil Kings scored the game’s last four goals and beat the Tigers, 5-2. . . . Edmonton F Riley Kieser tied the game 2-2 with his 12th goal, shorthanded, at 7:14 of the second period. . . . Edmonton F Mads Eller gave his guys the lead, with his sixth goal, at 17:08 of the second. . . . F Henrik Samuelson of the Oil Kings got his 30th just 1:06 after that. He also had an assist, giving him 81 points in 55 games. Last season, he finished with 80 points, including 33 goals, in 69 games. . . . Edmonton D Ashton Sautner scored his eighth goal and drew three assists. In each of his first two seasons, Sautner, a 19-year-old from Flaxcombe, Sask., had two goals and 10 assists. This season, he has 39 points, including 31 assists. . . .  Tigers F Markus Eisenschmid took a boarding major and game misconduct for a hit on F Ben Carroll at 15:47 of the third period. Before leaving, he fought Edmonton F Curtis Lazar, who took the instigating minor and a game misconduct. . . . These two teams meet again tonight in Edmonton. . . . The Oil Kings (44-15-2) are back atop the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the idle Calgary Hitmen. . . . The Tigers (38-22-3) are fourth in the conference, five points ahead of the Kootenay Ice. . . .

In Kelowna, the Rockets scored six times in the second period and went on to beat the Prince George Cougars, 9-5. . . . The Rockets scored nine goals for the second time this season. They also did it in beating the host Portland Winterhawks 9-3 on Dec. 31. . . . The Cougars and Rockets were tied 1-1 after the first period. . . . The Rockets then took a 4-1 lead, before the Cougars scored two PP goals to get to within a goal. . . . The Rockets closed the period by scoring three times in 4:18. . . . F Tyrell Goulbourne scored three times for the Rockets; it was his first WHL hat trick. He’s got 15 goals this season. . . . F Marek Tvrdon added a goal, his seventh, and three assists for Kelowna. Tvrdon, 20, is playing on a line with Nick Merkley, 16, and Rourke Chartier, 17. Merkley had two goals, giving him 18, and Chartier added three assists. . . . F Todd Fiddler scored his 42nd goal and added three assists for the Cougars, while F Troy Bourke helped out with his 26th goal and two assists. . . . This was the third straight game (and fourth in 10 days) between these teams. They split a weekend doubleheader in Prince George. . . . When the Cougars won 2-1 on Saturday, it ended a 13-game losing skid versus the Rockets. . . . The Rockets went 7-1-0 against the Cougars this season, including 4-0-0 at home. . . . Kelowna (49-9-4) leads the overall standings by five points over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Cougars (26-32-8) are one point behind the Tri-City Americans, who hold down the Western Conference’s last playoff spot. The Americans hold four games in hand as the Cougars have only six games remaining. . . .

In Kent, Wash., F Alexander Delnov scored at 2:35 of OT to give the Seattle Thunderbirds a 4-3 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Delnov, who has 26 goals, has scored three times in OT this season. . . . The Raiders are 3-1-1 on a five-game swing that wraps up tonight in Everett. . . . Prince Albert D Josh Morrissey scored his 23rd goal at 18:44 of the third period to force OT. Morrissey set a single-season franchise record for goals by a defenceman. The previous record had been held by Emanuel Viveiros (1985-86). . . . F Mathew Barzal, the first pick in the 2012 bantam draft, scored twice for Seattle for the first multi-goal game of his WHL career. He has 12 goals in his freshman season. He has 47 points in 50 games. . . . Seattle D Shea Theodore drew three assists. . . . F Leon Draisaitl scored his 29th goal and added an assist for the Raiders. . . . The rosters included two goaltenders who were teammates last season with the Kamloops Blazers. Taran Kozun went the distance for Seattle, making 40 saves, but Cole Cheveldave was backing up for the Raiders, who got 40 saves from Nick McBride. . . . Seattle (38-19-6) is fourth in the Western Conference, four points clear of the Spokane Chiefs. . . . With the loser point, the Raiders (29-29-5) moved into sole possession of eighth place in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the Red Deer Rebels. Each time has nine games remaining.
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From Kristen Odland (@KristenOdlandCH) of the Calgary Herald: “Interestingly, Brian Burke said (Tuesday) that he'd consider Kelly Kiso for the team's assistant GM job. Still no timeline on either hire.”
Kisio is the president of hockey operations and alternate governor with the Calgary Hitmen.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.