Molleken next Giants' coach? . . . WHL-related NHL draft notes . . . Dillabaugh joins Flyers

So cool to see this outside the @Rutherford_Rink rink for @Smukyou2. pic.twitter.com/6DBUDhF9f0

— Darren Steinke (@StanksSports) June 28, 2015

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According to a Saturday afternoon tweet from Jay Janower of Global B.C., the Vancouver Giants are “set to announce Lorne Molleken” as their latest head coach. . . . Molleken sat out last season after being bought out when Edmonton car dealer Mike Priestner bought the Saskatoon Blades. Molleken had been the Blades’ general manager and head coach. . . . Molleken also has coached the Moose Jaw Warriors and Regina Pats. He has 603 career WHL coaching victories, good for fourth spot on the WHL’s all-time list. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman, who has covered the Saskatoon Blades for the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, reported that the Giants offered Molleken their head-coaching position on an interim basis in November. . . . With the Giants, Molleken will replace Claude Noel, who took over from Troy Ward early last season and wasn’t retained at season’s end. . . . The Giants have missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons, including last season.
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The WHL says it had 35 players selected in the two-day NHL draft that wrapped up Saturday afternoon in Sunrise, Fla., the home of the Florida Panthers. That included five first-round selections.
First Round
7. D Ivan Provorov, Brandon Wheat Kings, Philadelphia Flyers.
14. F Jake DeBrusk, Swift Current Broncos, Boston Bruins.
16. F Mathew Barzal, Seattle Thunderbirds, New York Islanders.
26. D Noah Juulsen, Everett Silvertips, Montreal Canadiens.
30. F Nick Merkley, Kelowna Rockets, Arizona Coyotes.
Second Round
37. D Brandon Carlo, Tri-City Americans, Boston.
38. F Paul Bittner, Portland Winterhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets.
41. F Ryan Gropp, Seattle, New York Rangers.
47. F Jansen Harkins, Prince George Cougars, Winnipeg Jets.
51. D Brendan Guhle, Prince Albert Raiders, Buffalo Sabres.
Third Round
65. D Andrew Nielsen, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs.
69. F Keegan Kolesar, Seattle, Columbus.
76. G Adin Hill, Portland, Arizona.
79. D Sergei Zborovskiy, Regina Pats, New York Rangers.
84. F Deven Sideroff, Kamloops Blazers, Anaheim Ducks.
Fourth Round
94. F Adam Musil, Red Deer Rebels, St. Louis Blues.
99. F Austin Wagner, Regina, Los Angeles Kings.
105. F Jesse Gabrielle, Regina, Boston.
106. F Adam Helewka, Spokane Chiefs, San Jose Sharks.
112. D Parker Wotherspoon, Tri-City, New York Islanders.
113. F Brad Morrison, Prince George, New York Rangers.
116. F Glenn Gawdin, Swift Current, St. Louis.
Fifth Round
122. D Devante Stephens, Kelowna, Buffalo.
124. D Ethan Bear, Seattle, Edmonton Oilers.
129. D Sam Ruopp, Prince George, Columbus.
131. F Matt Bradley, Medicine Hat, Montreal.
136. F Pavel Karnaukhov, Calgary Hitmen, Calgary Flames.
143. D Connor Hobbs, Regina, Washington Capitals.
147. D Ryan Pilon, Brandon, New York Islanders.
Sixth Round
152. F Giorgio Estephan, Lethbridge, Buffalo.
173. D Colby Williams, Regina, Washington.
Seventh Round
187. D Chaz Reddekopp, Victoria Royals, Los Angeles.
203. F Matteo Gennaro, Prince Albert, Winnipeg.
205. G Evan Smith, Victoria, Nashville Predators.
210. D Tate Olson, Prince George, Vancouver Canucks.
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The Regina Pats led all WHL teams with five players selected off their roster. Here’s a team-by-team look:
5 -- Regina.
4 -- Prince George, Seattle.
3 -- None.
2 -- Brandon, Kelowna, Lethbridge, Portland, Prince Albert, Swift Current, Tri-City, Victoria.
1 -- Calgary, Everett, Kamloops, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, Spokane.
0 -- Edmonton, Kootenay, Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, Vancouver.
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DRAFT NOTES: The OHL had 31 players selected, while 30 were taken out of the QMJHL. . . . There were 17 Russian-born players selected, the most in 11 years. . . . A year ago, there were 37 WHL players drafted. The record is 43 in 2010 and 2005. . . . There were 37 players drafted who played last season in the USHL. . . . The Prince George Cougars had four players selected Saturday after having had five players taken in the previous six drafts. . . . F Cameron Hughes, who will turn 19 on Oct. 9, was selected in the sixth round by the Boston Bruins. He has 13 points, including three goals, in 34 games as a freshman at Wisconsin last season. His WHL rights belong to the Swift Current Broncos. From Edmonton, the Broncos selected him in the ninth round of the 2011 bantam draft. . . . The Arizona Coyotes selected then-Portland G Brendan Burke in the sixth round of the 2013 draft, but then chose not to sign him. On Saturday, the Coyotes selected Portland G Adin Hill in the third round. Hill beat out Burke for the No. 1 job in Portland last season, and Burke was dealt to the Calgary Hitmen. . . . G Evan Smith of Parker, Colo.,, played four games with Victoria and finished the season with the NAHL’s Austin Bruins, playing 15 regular-season and six playoff games. Still, the WHL is including him in its 35-player total. . . . D Andrew Nielsen of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, who went to Toronto in the third round, is a former Red Deer Rebels’ stick boy. . . . F Marcus Vela of the BCHL’s Langley Rivermen was the only player drafted from a junior A team. Vela, who is from Burnaby, B.C., was a seventh-round pick by Spokane in the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft. He has committed to the U of New Hampshire. . . .
In the seventh round, the Columbus Blue Jackets selected Finnish D Markus Nutivaara, who is 21 years of age. He had four assists in 35 games with Karpat of the Finnish Liiga last season. Nutivaara was the oldest player to be selected in the 2015 draft. . . . You may have noticed that there were 31 selections in the second round on Saturday. The Chicago Blackhawks received the round’s 24th pick (54th overall) as compensation for not signing F Kevin Hayes, a 2010 first-round selection. . . . All told, 211 players were selected. . . . NHL draft picks by birthplace: Canada, 79; U.S., 55; Sweden, 19; Russia, 17; Finland, 13; Czech Republic, 11; Slovakia, 5; Switzerland, 4; Latvia, 3; and, Belarus, China, Germany, Netherlands, Ukraine, each 1. . . . The CHL has scheduled its 2015 import/goaltenders-not-welcome draft for Tuesday.

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Later Saturday, reports began indicating that various undrafted players had accepted invitations to NHL team development camps. . . . F Dryden Hunt of Medicine Hat will go to camp with Montreal. . . . D Turner Ottenbreit of Seattle is off to Washington’s camp. . . . Everett G Austin Lotz will go to Buffalo’s development camp.
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Chris Pronger hasn’t played an NHL game for more than two years. He now is an NHL employee. His name may be among the latest Hockey Hall of Fame inductees when the list is revealed on Monday. . . . None of that prevented his having been traded by the Philadelphia Flyers to the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday. . . . Crazy? Welcome to the NHL’s salary cap world. . . . Adam Gretz of cbssports.com explains it all right here. . . . Ken Campbell of The Hockey News blogs about it right here.

If Coyotes can get deal with Glendale to stay in force, taxpayers helping pay $500,000 salary of a guy who's won't play and works for NHL.

— Ken Campbell (@THNKenCampbell) June 27, 2015

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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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There were reports on Saturday that Bob Boughner, the head coach of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, is headed to the NHL. Darren Dreger of TSN reported that Boughner is soon to sign on as an assistant coach with the San Jose Sharks. Peter DeBoer, hired earlier as the Sharks’ head coach, is putting together his coaching staff. . . . Boughner coached the Spitfires to Memorial Cup titles in 2009 and 2010. He then joined the Columbus Blue Jackets as an assistant coach for one season before returning to Windsor.
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Kim Dillabaugh has left the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and signed on with the Philadelphia Flyers. Dillabaugh, who is from Kelowna, spent nine seasons with the Kings, mostly as their director of goaltender development. He was part of two Stanley Cup championships and also helped the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs to a Calder Cup title in 2014-15. . . . With the Flyers, Dillabaugh, 37, will take over from the departed Jeff Reese as goaltending coach. . . . Dillabaugh also has worked with the Kelowna Rockets, serving as an assistant coach and goaltending coach. He helped them to a Memorial Cup title in 2004 and WHL championships in 2005 and 2009. . . . Former NHL G Bill Ranford is the Kings’ goaltending coach. . . . Tim Panaccio of CSN-Philadelphia was the first to report the Flyers had signed Dillabaugh.
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Meanwhile, the Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Steve Briere as their goaltending coach. Briere is the owner/head instructor of Canadian Professional Goalie Schools. He also works with four U.S. junior teams -- the Topeka Roadrunners (NAHL), Fargo Force and Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL), and Casper Coyotes (WSHL). . . . With Toronto, Briere will replace Rick St. Croix, who was dumped after last season.
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For the love of god people, stop writing articles on the winners and losers in the 2015 NHL Draft. It is pointless to evaluate a draft early

— Shane Malloy (@ShaneMalloy) June 27, 2015

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.

New arena for Nanaimo? . . . Dillabaugh, Mast in demand? . . . Americans win another title

thank you so much everyone who helped and came out this weekend!! It means the world to us to see you out there!

— RD memorial (@RDMtournament) June 15, 2015

Most Fun I've Had In A Long Time, Thank You @RDMtournament Great Event And Better Cause 👍 @kellanlavallee @QuailLeroux78 @AaronMarkin

— Eric Callegari (@EricCallegari) June 15, 2015

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F Ryan Harrison (Prince Albert, Medicine Hat, Everett, 2007-13) signed a one-year contract with Olofström (Sweden, Division 2). This season, with the University of Calgary (CIS), he had three goals and 14 assists in 23 games. . . .
F Brennan Bosch (Medicine Hat, 2005-09) signed a one-year contract with Harzer Falken Braunlage (Germany, Oberliga). This season, Bosch captained the University of Saskatchewan Huskies (CIS). He had nine goals and 16 assists in 28 games. . . .
F Kevin Undershute (Medicine Hat, Portland, 2004-08) signed a one-year contract with Harzer Falken Braunlage (Germany, Oberliga). This season, with the Eston Ramblers (Sask Valley Hockey League), he had 53 points, 21 of them goals, in 21 games. He led the Ramblers in scoring and was sixth in the league. . . .
D Bohdan Višňák (Saskatoon, 2006-07) signed a one-year extension with Nice (France, Division 1). This season, he had one goal and eight assists in 24 games.
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Ever since the Chilliwack Bruins scurried across the Strait of Georgia to Victoria during the summer of 2011 and were re-born as the Royals, the WHL has yearned for a second team on Vancouver Island.
The natural choice is Nanaimo. The problem, of course, is that there isn’t an arena there that meets WHL requirements.
However, it seems there is a move afoot to build a new arena in Nanaimo.
Brian Martin, who owns the Howard Johnson Hotel and approximately eight acres of land there, is wanting to build a sports and entertainment complex in downtown Nanaimo. The total cost would be somewhere around $80 million.
The project would include a 5,000-seat arena.
Spencer Anderson of the Nanaimo Daily News has more right here.
Once a shovel goes into the ground on a new arena, the lineup to own the Nanaimo WHL franchise will form on the right.
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There also is a report that Surrey, B.C., wants to get involved in a public-private partnership that would result in a new arena next to the Scott Road SkyTrain Station. . . . Were that arena to be built to WHL standards, you are free to wonder whether the Vancouver Giants would be interested in moving from the aged Pacific Coliseum. . . . Michael Mui of 24 Hours Vancouver has more on a possible new arena right here.
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Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada filed his latest 30 Thoughts on Sunday. This one includes mention of Kim Dillabaugh, who had a good run as the Kelowna Rockets’ goaltending coach, and Lyle Mast, the Tri-City Americans’ goaltending coach. . . . 30 Thoughts is right here.
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If the Tampa Bay Lightning is to win the Stanley Cup, it will have to go seven games to do it. If that happens, Stacy Roest would become the eighth former Medicine Hat Tigers player with at least one Stanley Cup ring. Roest, 40, is the Lightning’s director of player development. . . . There’s more right here. . . . With the AHL having been decided on Saturday night and the ECHL last night, the NHL is the last one standing. Of course, the Chicago Blackhawks can end it in Game 6 at home tonight.
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In the ECHL, the host Allen Americans scored two first-period goals 1:16 apart and went on to a 6-1 victory over the South Carolina Stingrays in Game 7 of the Kelly Cup final. . . . The Americans have won a championship each of the past three seasons. They won the last two Central league titles before the league was absorbed by the ECHL. . . . F Chad Costello (10:31) and F Vincent Arseneau (11:47) got the Americans off to a 2-0 lead and they never looked back. . . . The Americans’ lineup includes F Spencer Asuchak (Tri-City, Prince George, 2008-12) and F Dyson Stevenson (Regina, 2010-14). . . . Asuchak had 21 points, including 11 goals, in 25 playoff games, while Stevenson had eight points, three of them goals, in 23 games. . . . Attendance last night was 6,125. . . . The game sheet is right here. . . . Ryan Gerbosi of the Dallas Morning News has a gamer right here.
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Congrats to pal Mike Stothers on leading his @MonarchsHockey to the Calder Cup Championship! #jobwelldone #waytogoGoldie

— Don Nachbaur (@HCChiefs42) June 14, 2015

Congrats to my old liney Steve Martinson who directed his @AllenAmericans to the Kelly Cup. Special congrats to @Asuchak16

— Don Nachbaur (@HCChiefs42) June 15, 2015

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.

Donaldson Memorial underway . . . Monarchs crowned AHL champs . . . Leafs chasing ex-Rockets coach

The inaugural Ryan Donaldson Memorial is being played this weekend at the Langley, B.C., Sportsplex (Rink 1). It’s on Twitter at @RDMtournament.
This is more than your average June hockey tournament, though, because it’s all about mental health.
Here’s a note from the website that was written by his sister Kirsten:
“Not only is this tournament to honour my brother Ryan and enjoy the sport he loved so much, but to address mental health and concussions.”
Kirsten’s goals in organizing the tournament are “to raise awareness about the serious side effects associated with traumatic brain injuries and second-impact syndrome.” She also hopes “to set up a specific protocol within minor hockey associations specifically related to baseline testing and post-concussion management/return to play guidelines.” As well, she wants to “address the stigma associated with mental health within the hockey community.”
The website, which is right here, includes links to information on mental health and concussions, as well as baseline testing.
As Kirsten writes, “The more we talk about concussions and depression, the more can be done to help those suffering.”
The website is right here.
If you aren’t familiar with the Ryan Donaldson story, read this piece right here that was written by Gary Ahuja of the Langley Times.
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F Keegan Dansereau (Calgary, Swift Current, 2003-09) and D Kalvin Sagert (Kamloops, Lethbridge, Prince George, 2002-08) both signed one-year extensions with Miskolci Jegesmedvék (Hungary, MOL Liga). . . . This season, Dansereau led the league in goals (33) and points (60), in 41 games. He also was the playoff MVP. . . . Sagert had four goals and 22 assists in 41 games with the league champions.
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#CalderCup champs! pic.twitter.com/XIOpOpfL3h

— Jon Rosen (@lakingsinsider) June 14, 2015

The Manchester Monarchs won the AHL championship on Saturday night, beating the host Utica Comets, 2-1, in Game 5 of the Calder Cup final. The Monarchs won the series, 4-1. . . . This was Manchester’s first and last AHL title as the Monarchs will move to Ontario, Calif., over the summer where they will become part of the new Pacific Division. . . . The Monarchs are the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, while the Comets are hooked up with the Vancouver Canucks. . . . Former Moose Jaw Warriors head coach Mike Stothers was in his first season as the Monarchs’ head coach. . . . Utica head coach Travis Green was in his second season after working as the Portland Winterhawks’ assistant GM/assistant coach. . . . Last night, the Monarchs got first-period goals from F Adrian Kempe (10:02) and D Vincent LoVerde (13:09, PP). . . . F Cal O’Reilly scored for the Comets at 19:45 of the third. . . . Monarchs G Patrik Bartosak (Red Deer Rebels, 2011-14) stopped 31 shots in his second pro playoff start. He made his first playoff start in Friday’s 6-3 victory. . . . Manchester F Jordan Weal (Regina Pats, 2007-12) was honoured as the AHL’s playoff MVP. He had 22 points, including 10 goals, in 19 playoff games. . . . Attendance was 3,835.
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On Saturday, Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada reported that the Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to sign Kim Dillabaugh away from the Los Angeles Kings. He is the Kings’ goaltender development coach and, until now, may have been one of hockey’s best-kept secrets. Dillabaugh, from Duncan, B.C., has worked with Kings’ goaltenders for eight seasons and has been a big part of the organization’s recent successes. . . . Dillabaugh, 37, worked with the Kelowna Rockets since 2004 and played a key role in working with that team’s goaltenders. With Dillabaugh on its coaching staff, Kelowna won the 2004 Memorial Cup and also won WHL titles in 2005 and 2009. Although not on the Rockets’ staff in 2014-15, he played a big part in getting G Jackson Whistle back on track after he was acquired from the Vancouver Giants prior to the 2012-13 season. . . . In the Monarchs’ championship photo above, the bespectacled Dillabaugh is in the upper left corner, just off head coach Mike Stothers’ right shoulder.
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The SJHL’s Flin Flon Bombers have acquired F Jesse Shynkaruk, 19, who finished last season with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . The Bombers acquired D Joel Webb and Shynkaruk from the Kindersley Klippers for F Austin Calladine. . . . In 132 WHL games, with the Kamloops Blazers and Moose Jaw, Shynkaruk has 13 goals and 15 assists. . . . There’s more on this deal right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:

Kelly McCrimmon, the owner, general manager and head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings, apparently has yet to made a decision on whether to join the front office of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs. . . . However, it would seem that at least some readers of this blog don’t expect him to leave the Wheat Kings. . . . Our most-recent poll, asked who would coach the Wheat Kings in 2015-16 and 63 of 94 respondents (67 per cent) suggested it will be McCrimmon. . . . Andy Murray, who is from Souris, which is located a couple of slap shots south west of Brandon, drew 11 votes even though he is the head coach at Western Michigan. . . . Malcolm Cameron, a former Regina Pats head coach who is on staff at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton, B.C., drew eight votes, while former Brandon Sun sports editor James Shewaga got six. . . . The Wheat Kings’ two assistant coaches, David Anning and Darren Ritchie, drew five and one votes, respectively.
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The 2015 Hockey Coaches Conference is scheduled for July 24 and 25 in Vancouver. Presenters will include at least two NHL head coaches — Willie Desjardins of the Vancouver Canucks and Mike Johnston of the Pittsburgh Penguins. For a look at all of the scheduled presenters, click right here.
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Still putting my money on Lorne Molleken as the next @WHLGiants coach. Think they will name new guy in next couple of weeks.

— Steve Ewen (@SteveEwen) June 14, 2015

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.

Mpofu lays down the law . . . Cameron back in coaching game

Some old, some new . . . as I try to catch up after a few days away . . .
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F Carter Proft (Brandon, Spokane, 2010-14) signed a one-year contract with the Kassel Huskies (Germany, DEL). Last season, with Spokane, he had 23 points, 11 of them goals, in 72 games. He has dual Canadian-German citizenship. . . .
D Petr Šenkeřík (Kootenay, Prince George, 2009-10) signed a tryout contract with Vitkovice Ostrava (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Last season, with Slavia Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga), he had a goal and two assists in 24 games. In 17 games with Berounští Medvědi (Czech Republic, 1. Liga), he had 11 points, four of them goals. . . .
F Gal Koren (Kelowna, 2010-11) signed a one-year contract with Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, Erste Bank Liga). Last season, with Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL), he had one goal in 23 games. He had four goals and four assists in 15 games with Olimpija Ljubljana, and was pointless in four games with Zvolen (Slovakia, Extraliga). . . .
D Dmitri Sinitsyn (Regina, 2013-14) has signed a two-year, two-way contract with Dynamo Moscow (Russia, KHL). Last season, he had 44 points, including 10 goals, in 69 games with Regina. . . .
F Michal Pšurný (Medicine Hat, Kootenay, 2005-06) signed a one-year extension with the Manchester Phoenix (England, Premier). Last season, he led the league in scoring, putting up 99 points, including 45 goals, in 54 games. He was a first-team all-star. . . .
D Jace Coyle (Spokane, Medicine Hat, 2007-11) signed a one-year contract with Aalborg (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). Last season, with the Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL), he had 31 points, including eight goals. He was pointless in three games on loan to the Lake Erie Monsters (AHL). . . .
D Tomáš Troliga (Calgary, 2003-04) signed a tryout contract with Hradec Králové (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Last season, with Dukla Trenčín (Slovakia, Extraliga), he had 24 points, 13 of them goals, in 46 games.
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F Vukie Mpofu, the 87th selection in the WHL’s 2011 bantam draft, has informed the Red Deer Rebels that he won’t be returning for a second season. Mpofu, 18, is a native of Saskatoon, who had 15 points, including nine goals, in 65 games last season.
He has decided to attend the U of Saskatchewan and study business and marketing as he works toward a law degree.
“He called me and told me he’d thought about it all summer and that his goal was to attend law school,” Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ owner/GM/head coach, told Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate. “He felt it was important for him to start his schooling now (at the U of S) and then in four years enrol in law school in Toronto.”
Sutter told Meachem that he wasn’t surprised to hear from Mpofu.
“I don’t know how driven he was to be a hockey player and I told him that over the phone . . . that if his heart wasn’t in it then it was better to move on to school,” Sutter said. “I kind of had a feeling that something was up at the end of the season. After he got hurt he never had the same drive. His emotion for the game wasn’t the same when he came back and at our year-end meeting I had a feeling he really wasn’t all-in to being a player.”
Mpofu struggled in the second half of the season after returning from a lower-back injury.
 Mpofu told Meachem there wouldn’t be any looking back.
“I’ve had everything I could have ever asked for out of hockey and I’m at a point in my life — now that I’m out of high school — that every decision I make from here on in should be building toward my long-term goals and where I would eventually like to see myself in five to 10 years. That’s pretty much the basis of my decision,” Mpofu said.
“Hockey was a lot of fun for me, but I had to make a decision now for my future.”
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And now for some self-promotion . . .
Jack Finarelli, aka The Sports Curmudgeon, is a friend who writes daily on his blog. He also offers up some recommended readings for his followers.
The other day, he posted this right here:
“Here is one to put on your ‘Wish List’ so that folks can get you a book for your birthday or for Christmas…"
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Meanwhile, The Sports Curmudgeon also took time to dissect a claim by someone that the return of LeBron could put $500 million into the Cleveland economy. I always cringe when people, mostly of a political bent, start talking about how much a tournament or an event will mean to a city’s economy because there always seem to be a lot of numbers thrown around without a whole lot of proof. . . . Well, The Sports Curmudgeon explains the whole thing awfully well right here. Give this a read and the next time you hear/read about how much economic benefit there will be from an event coming to your town, you will feel a bit better informed.
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The Saskatoon Blades, under relatively new ownership and a freshman GM/head coach in Bob Woods, have realigned their scouting department. Doug Molleken, their head scout, now is director of scouting, eastern region, and will be responsible for Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the U.S. Molleken, 54, has signed a two-year extension. . . . Dan Tencer, 28, has been promoted from regional scout to director of scouting, western region, and will focus on Alberta and B.C. . . . Molleken and Tencer will report to Colin Priestner, the franchise’s managing partner who will oversee the bantam and European drafts. . . . There is more on the Blades’ scouting staff right here.
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“Wilfred Rose, 58, spent a career studying the pants pockets of New Yorkers,” writes Joseph Goldstein in The New York Times, “always on the lookout for ‘a nice stiff wallet’ full of cash, or better yet, the fainter outline of a dozen folded bills.” . . . This is the story of a man who may have been the greatest pickpocket in New York City’s history, and you won’t want to miss it. It’s right here.
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The Montreal Canadiens have signed F Nikita Scherbak, their first-round pick in the NHL’s 2014 draft, to a three-year, entry-level contract. Scherbak, from Russia, had 78 points, including 28 goals, in 65 games as a freshman with the Saskatoon Blades last season. Under terms of the CBA between the NHL and NHLPA, Scherbak, who doesn’t turn 19 until Dec. 30, has to play with the Canadiens or the Blades in 2014-15. Of course, the Blades could also choose to trade him. . . .
As you will have noticed in The MacBeth Report, D Dmitry Sinitsyn of the Regina Pats has signed with the KHL’s Dynamo Moscow. Sinitsyn, who turned 20 on June 17, may not have returned to the Pats anyway, as the Moscow native would have been a two-spotter -- a 20-year-old and an import. He was a seventh-round pick by the Dallas Stars in the NHL’s 2012 draft. The Pats’ roster also includes German F Maximilian Kammerer, who is preparing for his second WHL season, and Russian D Sergey Zborovsky, who was selected last month in the CHL import draft. . . . Regina finished last season with five other players who could be 20-year-olds on the 2014-15 roster -- F Braden Christoffer, F Patrick D’Amico, G Dawson MacAuley, F Logan McVeigh and F Chandler Stephenson. . . . Another note from The MacBeth Report has F Carter Proft (Brandon, Spokane, 2011-14) having signed with the Kassel Huskies of the German DEL. Proft, who turns 20 on Aug. 30, had 23 points, 11 of them goals, in 72 games last season with the Chiefs. Other 20-year-olds on Spokane’s roster are F Liam Stewart, F Marcus Messier, F Connor Chartier and D Reid Gow. . . .
The Portland Winterhawks have signed D Brendan De Jong, a seventh-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft out of Victoria. De Jong, 16, had 13 points in 32 games with the Pacific Sea Devils, an elite 15 team at the Pacific Coast Academy.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Malcolm Cameron, who spent last season as head coach of the Regina Pats, now is on staff at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton, B.C. Cameron, 44, guided the Pats to WHL East Division regular-season title last season, but was fired by the franchise’s new owners last month. Prior to last season, he was an assistant coach with the Pats for two seasons. . . . Before joining the Pats, Cameron was an ECHL head coach for eight season. . . .

Jean-François (J.F.) Houle is the new head coach of the ECHL’s Bakersfield Condors, who are owned by the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. He takes over from Troy Mann, now the head coach of the AHL’s Hershey Bears. . . . For the past three seasons, Houle, 39, has been head coach of the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. . . . He is the son of former Montreal Canadiens F Réjean Houle. . . . The Armada is working on finding a new head coach. . . .

The QMJHL’s Baie-Comeau Drakkar is looking for a head coach after Eric Veilleux left to become head coach of the Norfolk Admirals, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. Veilleux, who had been with the Drakkar for two seasons, replaces Trent Yawney, who now is an assistant coach with the Ducks. The Drakkar reached the QMJHL final in each of Veilleux’s seasons. . . .

The Saskatoon Blades have added Shane Endicott (Seattle, 1997-2001) to their staff as the franchise’s first skills coach. Endicott, who is from Saskatoon, spent six seasons in the AHL after being the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him 52nd overall in the NHL’s 2000 draft. He retired after playing in Europe and opened On Ice Connections in Saskatoon. Last season, he helped the U of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s team to its first conference title. . . .

Kevin Kraus (Kamloops, Tri-City, 2006-08) is returning to Vernon as an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Vipers. He will work alongside GM/head coach Jason Williamson. A defenceman from Garden Grove, Calif., Kraus played 130 regular-season and 44 playoff games with the Vipers, helping them to two national championships. Kraus, 24, spent last season as an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks. With the Vipers, he replaces Kris Mallette, now an assistant coach with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets. . . .

Kim Dillabaugh has left the Kelowna Rockets after 11 seasons as their goaltending coach. Dillabaugh is moving on to work full-time with the Stanley Cup-champion Los Angeles Kings. While working with the Rockets, he also has helped the Kings for the past eight seasons in the area of goaltending development. He will continue in that area with the Kings, but now also will scout for them. The Rockets plan is to hire a goaltending coach to replace Dillabaugh.

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The Prince George Cougars may have taken something of a hit earlier this week when Finnish G Joonas Korpisalo, 18, signed a two-year extension with Jokerit Helsinki (SM-Liiga). . . . The Cougars had selected him fifth overall in the CHL’s 2012 import draft. . . . “It was a shot,” Prince George GM Dallas Thompson told me Tuesday afternoon. “We took the best player.” . . . The Columbus Blue Jackets took Korpisalo with the 62nd selection in the NHL’s 2012 draft. . . . Korpisalo, 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, played last season with Jokerit Helsinki’s junior team, putting up a 2.04 GAA and .920 save percentage in 38 games. He also played for Finland in the U-18 World championship, going 3.02 and .902 in six games. Without Korpisalo on his way, it would appear that Devon Fordyce, 18, is No. 1 on the Cougars’ depth chart at goaltender. Fordyce, from Cochrane, Alta., got into 14 games last season, going 2-8-1, 4.30, .875.
Also on that depth chart at this point are Brett Zarowny, 17, of Edmonton, who was a third-round selection in the 2010 bantam draft; Tyler Santos, 18, of Edmonton, who was acquired from the Saskatoon Blades; and, Ty Edmonds, 16, of Winnipeg, who was a ninth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft.
Santos was a 10th-round pick by the Blades in 2009 and was dealt to the Cougars at the trade deadline in 2010, along with a 2010 third-rounder and a 2011 conditional third-rounder for F Marek Viedensky.
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The Prince George Cougars have signed D Tate Olson, who was a second-round selection in the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft. Olson had 50 points, including 21 goals, in 36 games last season with his hometown bantam Saskatoon Stallions. . . . The Cougars now have signed there top three selections from that draft.
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Perhaps the most mysterious thing to happen in the WHL this offseason was the disappearing act pulled by Marc Habscheid.
One minute, the career coach was the general manager and head coach of the Victoria Royals, and the next he was shuffled upstairs in the Victoria Royals’ parent company.
And you can bet there are people in the WHL who wonder what happened.
Habscheid, who has a ranch in the Swift Current area, was in that city on Saturday night for the inaugural Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame induction banquet. That was only fitting, because he was one of the folks who originally got behind the idea of such a Hall in the first place.
While there, Habscheid chatted with Broncos’ play-by-play man Shawn Mullin. That interview is right here, but in typical Habscheid fashion, he doesn’t say a whole lot.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Ryan Cuthbert has resigned from his position as an assistant coach with the Kelowna Rockets. According to Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier, Cuthbert, a former Rockets captain, resigned “for undisclosed personal reasons.” . . . Cuthbert had been on the Rockets’ coaching staff for five seasons; he also played for the Rockets for five seasons. His pro career was cut short after three seasons due to post-concussion syndrome. . . . There aren’t any plans to replace him, leaving head coach Ryan Huska with assistants Kim Dillabaugh, who works with goaltenders, Kim Gellert and Dan Lambert. . . .
Scott Allen has signed on as an assistant coach with the Peoria Rivermen, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s St. Louis Blues. Allen will work alongside Peoria head coach Dave Allison. . . . Allen, 46, spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the NHL’s New York Islanders. . . .
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The CHL has to be snickering into its hand today. Why? Because another hockey season is almost upon us and College Hockey Inc., which not that long ago was a tremendous pain in the you-know-where, is twiddling its thumbs.
As Chris Dilks at WCHBlog points out right here, at least one other NCAA sport, men’s basketball, has dealt with recruiting issues, while hockey hasn’t done much of anything.


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Simon Ferguson (Lethbridge, Kelowna, 1999-2004) signed a one-year contract with Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had 18 goals and 33 assists in 40 games for Esbjerg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga) last season, good for second place in league scoring. . . .
D Jeff May (Prince Albert, Lethbridge, 2002-08) and D Jonathan Harty (Everett, 2004-08) each signed one-year contracts with Angers (France, Ligue Magnus). May had seven goals and 20 assists in 50 games for the Las Vegas Wranglers (ECHL), while Harty had seven goals and 20 assists in 26 games with the University of New Brunswick (CIS) and was pointless in three games with the Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL) last season. Angers is coached by former Everett associate head coach Jay Varady.
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You will be aware that former WHLers like Darryl Sutter, Jarret Stoll, Dwight King and Colin Fraser helped the Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup title.
But how about the other ex-WHLers who were involved?
So here’s a tip of the cap to . . .
Ron Hextall (Brandon, 1981-84), the Kings’ assistant GM. He has been with L.A. for six seasons now.
Bill Ranford (New Westminster, 1983-96), the Kings' goaltending coach.
Kim Dillabaugh, the Kelowna Rockets’ goaltending coach who is the Kings’ goaltender development coach.
Darren Granger, who has completed six seasons as the Kings’ equipment manager. He spent five seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Rob Laird (Regina, 1972-74) is the Kings’ senior pro scout. He has been with the Kings for 18 years, the last 16 as a pro scout.
Brent McEwen, a former GM of the Saskatoon Blades, has been the Kings’ Western Canada amateur scout since 2004.
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Craig West, the radio voice of the Tri-City Americans, was crying in his beer on Tuesday.
Actually, he wasn’t; at least, I don’t think he was.
But he did send along a note from the Pacific Northwest Inlander on the closing of the Viking Tavern in Spokane.
The tavern is located across from the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena and was a favourite stop for folks before and after Chiefs games.
There is more right here.
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A memorial service for Bruce McDonald, the Seattle Thunderbirds’ radio analyst who died on June 6, will be held Friday, noon, at Overlake Christian Church in Redmond, Wash. The service is open to the public.
A note from a Thunderbirds’ news release:
“A memorial fund has been set up in Bruce’s name. Fans wishing to contribute should make out checks to “Bruce McDonald Memorial Trust Fund” and send them to the Seattle Thunderbirds Offices at 625 James, Kent WA 98032. Fans can also send their donations to: Bruce McDonald Memorial Trust Fund, CPO Box 634, Fall City, WA 98024.”
McDonald, who suffered from cerebral palsy and was in a wheelchair, had been diagnosed with leukemia in April. He was 41.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The St. Louis Blues have opted not to pick up the option on the contract of Jared Bednar, the head coach of the Peoria Rivermen, the NHL team’s AHL affiliate. Bednar went 81-63-12 in two seasons with the Rivermen.
Graham Thomas is the new head coach of the University of British Columbia’s varsity women's hockey program. Thomas, from Calgary, takes over from Jen Rawson, who resigned after last season, citing personal reasons. Thomas has been with the women’s team at Syracuse U, as associate coach and recruiting co-ordinator, since 2008-09. . . .
Fran Gow, a veteran of the AJHL wars, has signed a three-year contract to remain as GM/head coach of the Drayton Valley Thunder. Gow is a veteran of 19 years in the AJHL. He has been with the Thunder since 2007. . . . Gow immediately announced that Mike Mueller be staying put as associate coach.
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The Vancouver Giants have signed F Jakob Stukel to a WHL contract. Stukel, who is from Surrey, was the 37th overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. He had 62 points in 20 games with a bantam team in Cloverdale last season. . . . The Giants now have signed three of their 2012 draft picks.
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The BCHL held its annual meeting last weekend in Richmond, B.C. Josh Aldrich of the Nanaimo Daily News reports right here on the goings-on, including a new playoff format and taking rosters from 21 players to 22.
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Craig Forsythe of the Philadelphia Flyers Examiner blog is reporting that D Ricard Blidstrand has signed with VIK Vasteras, a team in Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan, the country’s second-highest league. . . . Blidstrand was selected by the Flyers in the seventh round of the 2010 NHL draft but never signed with Philadelphia. Blidstrand played with the Regina Pats in 2010-11. They dealt him to the Prince George Cougars at the January trade deadline last season. . . . Blidstrand turned 20 on April 20, but wasn’t expected back in the WHL as he would have been a two-spotter -- a 20-year-old import.
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For today’s good read, check out this piece by Bob Klapisch, a columnist at northjersey.com. It’s the latest on longtime baseball exec Jim Duquette and his daughter, Lindsey. You may recall that the Duquettes were mentioned here a few days ago, on the eve of surgery during which Jim donated a kidney to his daughter. This is a wonderful, wonderful story.


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Brady Gaudet of the Kamloops Blazers battles for the puck with Colton Heffley
of the Kelowna Rockets in exhibition action Friday at Interior Savings Centre.
(Photo by Murray Mitchell/Kamloops Daily News)

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
The Kamloops Blazers proved Friday night that they don’t like Ogopogo or Nessie the Loch Ness Monster or whatever that monstrosity is on the Kelowna Rockets’ logo.
The Blazers dropped a 3-2 WHL exhibition decision to Kelowna on Friday night at Interior Savings Centre, despite outshooting the Rockets, 45-21, including 30-12 over the final 40 minutes.
These teams will do it again tonight in Kelowna (3-0).
The Blazers (1-2) were hampered by two things last night — an inability to get pucks through traffic and, when they did, the ability to drill goaltender Jordon Cooke right in the chest.
They also were guilty of some tentative player in their zone, but first things first.
Yes, despite being credited with 45 shots, Kamloops had a lot of shots blocked by defenders or sticks or teammates. Like the shot by defenceman Bronson Maschmeyer that drilled winger Chase Souto in the back of a leg on an early third-period power play.
And when they did get through, Cooke, an 18-year-old from Leduc, Alta., was there.
“Good positioning,” offered Kelowna goaltending coach Kim Dillabaugh, himself a member of the goaltenders’ union.
Cooke, who went the distance with veteran Adam Brown, 20, in camp with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, took a 3-0 lead into the game’s last five minutes and was full marks for it.
“I thought Jordon was very good,” Kelowna head coach Ryan Huska said. “If we get Adam back, which we are expecting we will, we feel like we have a good one-two punch . . . some teams don’t have a one. Either guy in there gives us a lot of confidence.”
With Cooke holding the fort, the Rockets got a goal in each period — Austin Ferguson, Tyson Baillie and Cody Chikie doing the damage — but were hanging on as the second period ended.
“The message I gave them was that we have to play hard right from the beginning,” Kamloops head coach Guy Charron said, “as we did maybe in the second period or the third when we were behind.”
Charron said he would like his team to “produce some offence early and have the other teams have to play catch-up hockey.”
The Blazers, however, saved their scoring for the final five minutes.
First, Cole Ully took a centring pass from J.C. Lipon and beat Cooke  at 15:18, then Ryan Hanes put in a rebound at 17:50.
“We started slow and by the time we started to go it was too late,” Hanes said. “We just couldn’t get there.”
Hanes had a glorious chance 14 minutes into the first period of what then was a scoreless game. He missed an open side and ended up seated against the end boards, with Cooke chirping at him.
“The puck totally rolled off the back of my stick,” Hanes said. “I think he told me to get out of the league or something.”
With numerous players at NHL camps, the Blazers went with 15 skaters, three under the maximum, while the Rockets dressed 16. The result was a game lacking in flow.
“I thought they played very hard and had a lot of energy,” Huska said of the Blazers. “That was a department I thought we were lacking in. It’s tough when you are down in numbers but it was the same for both teams.”
Charron felt he got good effort from his club but that “it was a bit sloppy at times but that’s understandable; there’s not a lot of cohesion there because a lot of players haven’t played together. The power play is the same thing. It’s different people and there’s no cohesion.”
The Blazers were 0-for-6 on the power play; the Rockets were 1-for-3.
The Blazers went the distance with goaltender Cole Cheveldave, 18, who finished with 18 saves. Of the three goals, he likely would want the third one back. Other than that one — a short-side stuff job by Chikie — he looked to be in control.
Charron said he plans to go with Cam Lanigan, 19, tonight. That might indicate the coaching staff is leaning toward keeping Lanigan and Cheveldave, especially with Taran Kozun, the third goaltender in camp, having played only 30 minutes.
Kelowna lost highly touted defenceman Madison Bowey with an apparent left knee injury after he took a knee from Kamloops left-winger Tim Bozon at 5:16 of the first period.
“He’s sore right now,” Huska said. “We’ll get him looked at (today).”
JUST NOTES: Among the Blazers scratches were C Logan McVeigh (concussion) and D Landon Cross (groin). . . . Kelowna D Mitchell Chapman sat out this one with a one-game WHL-issued suspension for fighting off the second-period faceoff in a game against the Victoria Royals last weekend. . . . Among the Kelowna scratches was F Max Adolph, who was limited by concussions to 36 games last season. The 19-year-old from Saskatoon may have suffered another one in a game last weekend. . . . The Blazers conclude their exhibition season by going home-and-home with the Prince George Cougars next week. They’ll play here on Wednesday and there on Friday. . . . The Blazers’ home-opener, against Prince George, is scheduled for Sept. 24.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
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