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Documents unsealed in CHL min. wage case show CHL makes $10M in sponsorships & TV rights per year, $2.5M from marketing and $11.4M from NHL. pic.twitter.com/m3lMAyA2Xy— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) February 28, 2017
London Knights reported a profit of $1.9M in 2015 and $2.1M in 2014… and they also paid out $6.75M in dividends to owners over 2 yrs alone. pic.twitter.com/6sQ9WZlM4b— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) February 28, 2017
The Niagara Ice Dogs say they can’t afford to pay players min. wage. Their tax return shows the team leases 4 BMWs, inc. a $121K BMW X6 M. pic.twitter.com/xP7BPgc6D2— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) February 28, 2017
Rick Westhead, a senior reporter with TSN, tweeted some more information involving CHL teams and the situation in which they find themselves with more than 400 former and present players seeking certification for a class-action suit that calls for teams to provide a minimum wage and other benefits.
Those tweets are posted above.
Westhead also updated a story that he had posted on Monday. That story now includes a chart that
A few observations from those numbers, keeping in mind that they raise a whole lot of questions because they don’t include any specifics as to where the money goes . . .
If you were wondering what a WHL championship is worth, the defending-champion Brandon Wheat Kings reported a profit of $779,948.
The Seattle Thunderbirds reported higher revenue than any of the other teams — their US$5.6 million converting to more than Cdn$7.3 million. They claimed a profit of US$937,442, or about Cdn$1.2 million.
The Edmonton Oil Kings were next, reporting revenues of $6.6 million and a $1.4-million profit.
With NHL teams owning the Oil Kings and the Calgary Hitmen, you are wondering about the latter. They reported $4.3 million in revenues and a loss of $387,333.
In their first season in the new Canalta Centre, the Medicine Hat Tigers reported revenues of $3.2 million and a profit of $205,236.
Perhaps the most interesting figures involved the WHL’s four community-owned teams — the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Moose Jaw Warriors, Prince Albert Raiders and Swift Current Broncos.
The Broncos led that quartet with revenues of $3.2 million, followed by Lethbridge and Moose Jaw, both at $3.1 million, and Prince Albert at $2.2 million. It was the Raiders, though, who reported the highest profit — $249,471. The Hurricanes claimed a profit of $197,253, with the Broncos claiming a $144,644 profit. The Warriors, meanwhile, reported a loss of $36,800.
An observer must be cautioned, however, not to read too much into any of these numbers, simply because nothing in the way of specifics has been provided.
The Red Deer Rebels, for example, claimed revenues of $4.5 million and a loss of $1,245. The Rebels’ numbers prove the inanity of trying to reach any kind of conclusion by studying them, because they paid out $1,490,000 in managements fees while reporting that loss. To this point, we have no way of knowing exactly where, or to whom, those management fees went.
The part of the lawsuit involving the WHL is expected to be back in a Calgary courtroom on April 18.
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Unfortunately, the Moose Jaw Warriors and Lethbridge Hurricanes won’t meet again this season, unless it’s in the playoffs.
So . . . let’s hope that happens.
Looking for juicy, rivalry-fuelling quotes in today’s WHL is kind of like walking down to a South Thompson River boat launch and panning for gold — the chances of finding a nugget aren’t great.
But, hey, every once in a while there is something shiny at the bottom of the pan.
The Warriors, under head coach Tim Hunter, went into Lethbridge and beat the Hurricanes, 3-1, on Feb. 22. On Feb. 4, the host Hurricanes had beaten the Warriors, 3-0, in a game that featured 147 penalty minutes. The Feb. 22 game included only 32 penalty minutes, but apparently there was more to this one than that.
After that game, Brent Kisio, the Hurricanes’ head coach, told Dale Woodard of the Lethbridge Herald:
“It was a physical game. There was some animosity. They have a classless coach over there that is probably the most classless guy in our league. It’s unfortunate it happens, but I thought our guys played hard.”
Shots fired!
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The WHL suspended three players, each for one game, on Tuesday. . . . D Sahvan Khaira of the Swift Current Broncos didn’t play Tuesday night against the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings after behind suspended for a charging major and game misconduct during a game against the host Regina Pats on Sunday. . . . F Michael Spacek of the Red Deer Rebels will sit out a game. The reason? According to the WHL website, it is “for game misconduct at Calgary” on Sunday. . . . F Noah Gregor of the Moose Jaw Warriors also got one game, this after he took a kneeing major and game misconduct in a game against the host Saskatoon Blades on Sunday. . . . As well, the Everett Silvertips were touched up for $250 for a warm-up violation prior to a game against the Seattle Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash., on Sunday.
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D Max Gildon, who is from Plano, Texas, has committed to the U of New Hampshire. Gildon, who will turn 18 on May 17, was a third-round selection by the Vancouver Giants in the WHL’s 2014 bantam draft. . . . . Gildon has spent two seasons in the U.S. National Team Development Program, this season with the U-18 team. . . . Originally, he had committed to attend Wisconsin, but he later changed his mind.
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Five days after the ECHL’s Anchorage-based Alaska Aces announced that they won’t operate next season, the NAHL’s Kenai River Brown Bears announced that they also are closing their doors. Nate Kiel, the Brown Bears’ general manager, told Joey Klecka of the Peninsula Clarion that “it boils down to finances, and we were running in the red.” . . . The Brown Bears have been a part of the NAHL for 10 years. . . . Klecka has an all-encompassing story right here.
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If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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The ECHL’s Reading Royals will have a new head coach in place when another season rolls around. Larry Courville is leaving after seven complete seasons behind the bench. Jason Guarente of the Reading Eagle reports that “contract negotiations between Courville and the front office began in December, and the two side were unable to agree on an extension.” . . . Instead, Courville is moving on as hockey director at Lancaster Ice Rink. . . . Courville’s contract expires on June 30. . . . He went 336-207-53 as Reading’s head coach, qualifying for the playoffs in each of his seven complete seasons. . . . Guarente’s story is right here.
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The junior B Sicamous Eagles, who play in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, made a coaching change once their season ended. Matt Stang is out as head coach and Rob Fitzpatrick, who had been coaching a midget team in Salmon Arm, will take over. . . . Stang had replaced Ty Davidson after the Eagles opened this season with eight straight losses. . . . Fitzpatrick has coached in the KIJHL with the Revelstoke Grizzlies and North Okanagan Knights. . . . The Eagles, who have missed the playoffs each of the past two seasons, finished 10-36-1 this season, leaving them last in the five-team Doug Birks Division.
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How outrageously cool are these home game jerseys for this Friday's LUMBERJACK Night?— PG Cougars (@PGCougars) February 28, 2017
Grab your tickets online at https://t.co/Ni7Qwms7qk pic.twitter.com/03zuEXJ79Y
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
WHL's best records since Jan. 10 trade deadline: 1. Lethbridge (17-2-1-1, .857); 2. Seattle (19-4-0-1, .812); 3. Regina (17-6-1-0, .729).— Rob Vanstone (@robvanstone) March 1, 2017
At Regina, F Tyler Wong took over the WHL goal-scoring lead with Nos. 46 and 47 as he led the Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 4-1 victory over the Pats. . . . The Hurricanes took a 1-0 lead as F Matt Alfaro
(23) scored at 3:56 of the first period, with Wong getting and assist. . . . Wong scored the game’s next two goals, finding the range while shorthanded at 15:57 of the first period and adding a PP score 48 seconds into the second period. . . . F Dawson Leedahl (32) got Regina on the scoreboard at 16:21 of the second period. . . . Lethbridge F Jordy Bellerive put it away with his 25th goal, at 19:02 of the third period. Yes, it was an empty-netter. . . . F Zak Zborosky had two assists for Lethbridge. . . . G Stuart Skinner stopped 42 shots for the Hurricanes. . . . The Pats got 23 saves from G Tyler Brown. . . . Lethbridge was 1-4 on the PP; Regina was 0-3. . . . F Riley Krane made his WHL debut with the Pats. Krane, who turned 17 on Jan. 24, was an eighth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. From Dawson Creek, B.C., he has 18 points, eight of them goals, in 27 games with the major midget Cariboo Cougars, who play out of Prince George. . . . The Hurricanes (39-17-7) have won three in a row. They are second in the Central Division, four points behind Medicine Hat. Each team has nine games remaining. . . . The Pats (44-10-8) had points in each of their previous four games (3-0-1). They lead the overall standings by seven points over Medicine Hat, with a game in hand. . . . Announced attendance: 4,594.
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| TYLER WONG |
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| JORDAN PAPIRNY |
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):
Lethbridge at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Spokane at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Seattle at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Prince George at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Calgary at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Portland vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7 p.m.
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1. The WHL took a hit on Wednesday as the BCHL’s Penticton Vees announced that they have received commitments from F Tyson Jost and D Dante Fabbro, both of whom were first-round selections in the 2013 bantam draft.
4. Seattle actually had two first-round picks in the 2013 bantam draft. The Thunderbirds used the 22nd overall selection on F Kaden Elder, who is from Saskatoon. Elder signed with the Thunderbirds on Aug. 29. . . . Last season, he played for the midget AAA Notre Dame Argos, putting up 38 points, including 13 goals, in 38 games.
5. It looks like only three first-round selections from that 2013 bantam draft haven’t committed to a WHL team. Jost and Fabbro, of course, have shunned the Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds, at least for now, in favour of the BCHL’s Penticton Vees. . . . The other player who hasn’t committed to the WHL is F Jared Legien, who was selected ninth overall by the Kootenay Ice. From White City, Sask., he played last season with the midget AAA Moose Jaw Generals, earning 30 points, 13 of the goals, in 40 games. Legien has practised with the Ice, and is expected to sign before training camp starts in late August. "He will be close to making our team in the fall," Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth told me yesterday. Chynoweth also pointed out that the Ice "doesn't sign every drafted player . . . you earn your scholarship at camp."
6. The Tri-City Americans have added Nathan MacMaster to their scouting staff. From Calgary, MacMaster will be scouting southern Alberta, including Calgary, for the Americans. MacMaster, 21, played in the WHL with Moose Jaw, Calgary and the Americans. He finished up his career with the Americans in 2011-12. . . . MacMaster’s younger brother, Tanner, was a first-round selection, 19th overall, by the Spokane Chiefs in the WHL’s 2011 bantam draft. MacMaster has played the last two seasons with the AJHL’s Camrose Kodiaks, and has committed to play next season at Quinnipiac U.
7. According to a Wednesday afternoon tweet from Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, the Saskatoon Blades “are down to 3 candidates for GM/coaching vacancies, according to managing partner Colin Priestner. All 3 are outside of WHL.” . . . The Blades are holding their spring prospects camp this weekend, with former players Tim Cheveldae, Jerome Engele and Ryan Keller running things. Cheveldae and Engele also are former Blades assistant coaches.
8. The Everett Silvertips are looking for an assistant coach, having lost Mark LeRose, who has signed with the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers as their general manager. Jay Varady, a former Everett associate coach, is Sioux City’s head coach. . . . Varady and LeRose spent two seasons (2007-09) together with the Silvertips. . . . 
9. Another Wednesday tweet from Vancouver radio station News1130 Sports (@News1130Sports): “Tim Hunter gets the 1st interview Friday for the #WHLGiants coaching vacancy.” . . . The Giants are looking for a replacement for Don Hay, who left for the Kamloops Blazers after 10 seasons in Vancouver. . . . Hunter is a former NHL player who has NHL assistant-coaching experience with the Washington Capitals, San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs.
10. There was another headshot in the NHL on Tuesday night, with F John Moore of the New York Rangers drilling an unsuspecting F Dale Weise of the Montreal Canadiens. Moore later was hit with a two-game suspension. . . . The problem, as James Mirtle of The Globe and Mail writes, is that “historically, hitting in hockey has been about separating an opponent from the puck so that a player could get said puck. But somewhere along the way, it became more than that, and players who no longer had the puck were – briefly anyway – fair game.”
The ECHL’s Reading Royals have extended Larry Courville’s contract through 2016-17. Courville, 39, is the club’s director of hockey operations and head coach. He took over as head coach on Jan. 6, 2009, and is the winningest coach in franchise history.
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