Calgary names starter . . . Silvertips hurting on back end . . . Big hockey news in Los Angeles

The second round of the WHL playoffs opens tonight with four games.
Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post takes a series-by-series look right here and suggests who he feels might emerge to play in the two conference finals.
I was going to do my own, but, hey, I hired Harder while I was the sports editor in Regina, so I’ll just ride his picks because he obviously knows what he’s writing about . . . otherwise I wouldn’t have hired him. Right?
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The WHL has yet to release the complete schedule for a second-round series between the Medicine Hat Tigers and Calgary Hitmen. That series opens tonight in Medicine Hat. The dates for the first four games are set but the WHL, as of Thursday night, had yet to release dates for the last three games, if they are needed. . . . It looks like the series will follow a 1-2-1-1-1-1 format. . . . All four series in the second round begin tonight; the schedules, as we know them, are in the graphics below (all graphics done by Terry Massey).

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A huge thank you to all who took the time to send birthday wishes to Dorothy. The last thing she said before she fell asleep on Wednesday night was: “I hope you didn’t post anything about my birthday because people don’t want or need to know that.” . . . Whoops! I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing out loud. . . . Her reaction on Thursday morning as she opened her email on her tablet was worth it. I also made sure she saw the comments and likes that were left on my Facebook account. . . . What did I get her for her birthday? A plane ticket to Brandon so that she can spend a week with her best friend. Yes, it's a return ticket! No, I'm not going.
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The Red Deer Rebels, who lost a first-round series in five games to the Medicine Hat Tigers, will be the host team for the 2016 Memorial Cup, so they know they’ll playing in May. Still, Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ owner/GM/head coach, had a message for his players this week. . . . “It’s going to be a big year for our team and organization. It’s great that (the Memorial Cup) is being hosted here, it’s great for the city, our fans and the organization,” Sutter told Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate. “But the reality is, as I told them, we have to have the mindset that it doesn’t matter where it’s being played. We have to want to win our league next (season), be an elite team in our league. We want to go to the Memorial Cup as an elite team and that has to be our motivation for the summer.” . . . Meachem takes a look at the Rebels’ future right here.
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G Mack Shields will start for the Calgary Hitmen as they open a second-round series against the Tigers in Medicine Hat tonight. G Brendan Burke, who was injured in Game 6 of Calgary’s seven-game victory over the Kootenay Ice, wasn’t able to practice Thursday, so remains out on a day-to-day basis.
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Kevin Constantine, the head coach of the Everett Silvertips, has said that he likely will have to get by without D Tristen Pfeifer for the rest of this season. Pfeifer, an 18-year-old from Phoenix, didn’t finish the Game 6 victory over the Chiefs in Spokane on Tuesday night. The Silvertips won that game 2-1 in triple OT, but Pfeifer didn’t play at all in the extra time. . . . The Silvertips will entertain the Portland Winterhawks in Games 1 and 2 of their second-round series tonight and Saturday. . . . On Thursday, Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald wrote that Constantine told him Pfeifer “is probably done for the season.” . . . Meanwhile, Everett D Noah Juulsen, who left Tuesday’s game in the first period, wasn’t on the ice Thursday. It sounds as though he won’t start the series, but might return before it’s over. . . . Everett F Dawson Leedahl also didn’t skate Thursday. He missed the last three games against Spokane and isn’t likely to be in the lineup tonight.
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After playing tonight and Saturday in Everett, the Silvertips and Portland Winterhawks will take four days off. They will play at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland on Thursday and Friday (April 16 and 17). . . . The Coliseum isn’t available earlier due to a national craft brewers conference having the facility booked on Tuesday, with another event in there on Wednesday. . . . So, you’re wondering, why don’t the Winterhawks simply move the games into the Moda Center? Well, it seems that Garth Brooks -- remember him? -- is in that building for a five-day run (April 12-16).
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It doesn’t appear that F Morgan Klimchuk will be in Brandon’s lineup tonight as the Wheat Kings open against the visiting Regina Pats. Klimchuk, a high-end performer, didn’t play in the last two games of Brandon’s five-game victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings in the first round. The Wheat Kings acquired him from Regina in January. . . . Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reports that Brandon F Nolan Patrick was back on skates Thursday for the first time since the end of that first round. . . . The Pats remain without F Sam Steel (ankle), whose season may be over. Regina D James Hilsendager has two games of a three-game suspension left to serve.
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Shaw TV will show the entire second-round series between the Kelowna Rockets and Victoria Royals. It begins with games tonight and Saturday in Kelowna. . . . You’ll get Dan Russell calling the play, with analysis by Bill Wilms. The telecasts also will feature hosts Andy Neal and Stu Walters.
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The biggest news of the day as far as the WHL is concerned came out of Los Angeles where the NHL’s Kings announced the formation of the LA Kings High School Hockey League. . . . Something like that can only be good for the development of the game in California, meaning a bigger and deeper talent pool in the seasons to come. . . . Tryouts for the league begin in May. . . . Jim Fox, a former NHLer who now is a broadcaster with the Kings, is the commissioner. . . . Notes from the Kings’ news release: West Ranch High School in Santa Clarita is the first high school to field a team; more teams will be announced this spring; the league will be run by the Kings Hockey Development Department; hockey players in Grades 9-12 are eligible; and the League is set to begin play in September.
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A study that was published in March in the Journal of Athletic Training has provided a link between concussions and depression. Not only that, but the study’s results show how depressive symptoms increased in athletes who suffered more than one concussion. . . . “Considering that these athletes will likely have multiple concussions in their careers and that a large percentage already displayed clinically significant depression after 1 isolated concussion, our results are concerning,” the authors wrote in the report. . . . Maxwell Strachan of Huffington Post has the story right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:

Ken Pearson, the general manager and head coach of the MJHL’s Winkler Flyers, has signed a two-year extension. The Flyers were 31-17-12 this season. . . . Pearson is 283-182-54 in nine seasons as the Flyers’ head coach. . . . He also has coached the MJHL’s Winnipeg Blues, the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits and the SJHL’s North Battlefords North Stars. At some point in 2015-16, he will stand behind a junior A team’s bench for the 1,000th time. He will go into the season having coached in 966 games, 710 of them in the MJHL. . . . He has 401 MJHL coaching victories, behind only Don MacGillivray and Doug Stokes.
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Oh man, I REALLY hope Don Cherry tries to say "Laurent Brossoit" on Saturday night.
— Marc Majeau (@MarcMajeau) April 10, 2015

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Here we go again . . . With a number of players having recently vacated their commitments to U.S. colleges in favour of teams in the OHL, Paul Kelly, the executive director of College Hockey Inc., has opened fire.
Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe leads his Sunday hockey notes with a look at the players who have walked away from U.S. college commitments to play major junior hockey.
“There isn’t an overriding reason why future collegians are opting out of the classroom,” Shinzawa writes. “It could be academics. It might be heat from NHL personnel who believe junior is the preferred route over college. Money could also be a factor.”
Which is where Kelly unloads.
“As much as the CHL denies it,” Kelly told Shinzawa, “there are still instances where money is being paid to the family to lure kids away and de-commit from colleges. It’s off the books, under the table, whatever you want to call it. If your dad is a fisherman, an out-of-work machinist, or a farmer, and a CHL program comes along and offers you $300,000 in cash, it’s tough for these families not to accept that type of proposal.”
Shinzawa’s complete piece is right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Kevin Hasselberg is the new general manager and head coach of the SJHL’s Battlefords North Stars. Hasselberg signed a two-year deal to replace Ken Pearson, who now is the GM/head coach of the MJHL’s Winkler Flyers. . . . Hasselberg had been an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs. He also has worked as head coach of the AJHL’s Olds Grizzlys.

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Lots of news . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
G Tyler Weiman (Tri-City, 2000-04) signed a one-year contract with the Augsburger Panther (Germany, DEL). He had a 2.62 GAA and a .909 save percentage in 29 games with the Manitoba Moose (AHL) last season. . . .
D Tomas Kudelka (Lethbridge, 2005-07) signed a one-year contract with Vitkovice (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He was pointless in nine games with Pardubice (Czech Republic, Extraliga) and had one goal and five assists in 43 games with TPS Turku (Finland, SM-Liiga) last season. . . .
F Bud Holloway (Seattle, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract with Skellefteå (Sweden, Elitserien). He had 28 goals and 33 assists in 78 games with the Manchester Monarchs (AHL) last season. . . .
D Gord Baldwin (Medicine Hat, 2004-07) signed a one-year contract with Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had two goals and 11 assists in 75 games with the Abbotsford Heat (AHL) last season.
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The Regina Pats will introduce Pat Conacher as their head coach this afternoon.
The Pats issued a news release late Monday afternoon indicating they will hold a press conference this afternoon. Later, a few Internet reports indicated Conacher, the assistant general manager and assistant coach with the Victoria Royals, had signed with the Pats.
Early Monday evening, two sources familiar with the situation confirmed Conacher’s signing. He will replace Curtis Hunt, who was fired last month despite having a year left on his contract last month.
That means each of the 22 WHL teams now has a head coach under contract, with the Pats being the fourth team to make a change this summer.
The Everett Silvertips lost Craig Hartsburg to the NHL’s Calgary Flames, and replaced him with Mark Ferner, who had been with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers.
The Moose Jaw Warriors, who fired Dave Hunchak after last season, now have former NHL defenceman Mike Stothers as head coach. Stothers spent last season as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers. Hunchak has since signed on as associate coach with the Kamloops Blazers.
The Seattle Thunderbirds hired former WHL forward Steve Konowalchuk, who had been an assistant coach with the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. With the Thunderbirds, he replaces Rob Sumner.
Conacher, a 52-year-old native of Edmonton, played in the WHL with the Billings Bighorns and Saskatoon Blades before going on to a professional career that included 521 NHL games split among the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Calgary Flames and New York Islanders.
He has head-coaching experience with the AHL’s Utah Grizzlies and San Antonio Rampage. Conacher spent last season as general manager/head coach Marc Habscheid’s right-hand man with the Chilliwack Bruins, who relocated to Victoria earlier this summer.
Just last week, the Royals signed Ben Cooper as an assistant coach. He had been a video coach with Hockey Canada for the previous three years.
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Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Post-Dispatch reported Sunday that Tyler Wright (Swift Current, 1989-93) is about to be promoted by the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets.
According to Portzline, Wright, who has been the team’s development coach for three seasons, is soon to be promoted to director of amateur scouting and will share that title with Paul Castron, who has been there for five years.
There will be more changes coming, too, as the Blue Jackets have yet to replace Don Boyd, who was dropped as director of player personnel, and Bob Strumm, the former director of pro scouting who was relieved of his duties after the season.
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Two new chapters to the Boogaard situation were penned on Monday.
Late Monday night, Michael Russo of the Minneapolis StarTribune posted to his blog an email he received from Ryan Boogaard, who is younger than his late brother, Derek, but older than Aaron. That posting is right here.
Earlier in the day, Aaron Boogaard appeared in court on charges relating to Derek’s death on May 13. He did not enter a plea and is to return to court on Aug. 17.
The StarTribune’s story on that appearance is right here.
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Now a few words about a story that will take place today.
Forward Kris Draper of the Detroit Red Wings is expected to announce his retirement today, bringing to an end a 20-year career.
It says something that Draper was a member of four Stanley Cup-championship teams in Detroit.
But what always struck me the most about Draper was that he played the game the right way. A wonderful skater, he played whatever role was requested of him, and he played hard and within the rules.
More players should fashion themselves after Draper.
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D Jamieson Oleksiak, all 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds of him, has left Northeastern University, where he spent one season, to sign with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. He was the 14th overall selection in the NHL’s 2011 draft, taken by the Dallas Stars.
Oleksiak, who is from Toronto but has dual U.S.-Canadian citizenship, will attend the Canadian national junior team’s development camp in August.
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It would seem that Kamloops Blazers F Dylan Willick was rather fit when he showed up at the development camp of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild earlier this month.
In the fitness testing, Willick did 41 metronome pushups, which is a timed sequence involving doing a pushup every three seconds or so.
 In the last three NHL combines, only two players have bettered that number — G Mike Morrison (45) of the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers and F Max Le Sieur (42) of the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes topped it at this year’s predraft combine. In 2009, F Kyle Palmieri of the U.S. U18 NTDP team also did 41.
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The Portland Winterhawks revealed Monday that they will play 14 home games at the Rose Garden this season, with the other 22 scheduled for Memorial Coliseum.
However, you shouldn’t take that to the bank.
With the NBA presently in lockout mode, those numbers could change.
“If the current NBA labor dispute extends into the scheduled start of basketball season,” the Winterhawks’ news release reads, “the Winterhawks could move games to the Rose Garden. Should that be the case, the Winterhawks will announce those changes as those games approach.”
In other words, stay tuned.
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Travis Hunington is the new radio voice of the Everett Silvertips.
Huntington, 28, is coming off four seasons with the now-defunct Bossier-Shreveport, La., Mudbugs, who folded after winning the Central league’s 2010-11 championship.
Huntington, a native of Platteville, Colo., will work as the Silvertips’ director of broadcasting and public relations. He replaces Jon Rosen, whose last day with the Silvertips is today.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Ken Pearson, who resigned Monday as GM/head coach of the SJHL’s Battlefords North Stars, has a two-year deal as GM/head coach of the MJHL’s Winkler Flyers. Pearson spent the last three seasons with the North Stars after joining them from the MJHL’s Winnipeg South Blues in April 2008. . . . Pearson has two children who live in Emerson, Man., which is 56 km south east of Winkler, so this move will allow them to see more of each other. . . . In Winkler, Pearson will replace John Marks, who left last week to sign on with the USHL’s Fargo Force. . . . Pearson is a veteran coach who actually is returning to Winkler for a third time. He was on the Flyers’ coaching staff (1996-98) and was GM/head coach for a time after that. He also has extensive scouting experience. . . .
There are reports that Ron Rolston will be the next head coach of the Rochester Americans, the AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. He is the head coach of USA Hockey’s U-18 national development team. . . . He is a brother to NHLer Brian Rolston. . . .
A Monday afternoon tweet from Michael Russo of the Minneapolis StarTribune: “Per sources, ex #NHL dman Mike Van Ryn is leading contender to be John Torchetti's top asst in Houston.” . . . The Houston Aeros are the AHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild.
Former NHL head coach Andy Murray will be the next head coach of the Western Michigan University Broncos. He is reported to have signed a five-year contract. . . . The Broncos have needed a head coach since earlier this month when Jeff Blashill signed on as an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings. . . .
Jim Madigan, who has been an NHL scout for the last 19 years, is expected to be named Northeastern’s head coach today. Numerous reports having him replacing Greg Cronin, who now is an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Madigan is a former Northeastern player (1981-85). He spent 13 years scouting with the New York Islanders, before moving over to the Pittsburgh Penguins. After playing, he worked for six seasons as an assistant coach at Northeastern.
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Take two minutes out of your day and take a look at this Lethbridge TV feature on Tri-City Americans prospect Tyler Mrkonjic. You won’t be sorry you did.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter