The fun starts in Quebec City today as the Memorial Cup opens with the WHL-champion Kelowna Rockets meeting the host Quebec Remparts.
With that in mind, Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province revisits the 1989 tournament with a focus on Kimbi Daniels, who played in that event and had a seemingly bright hockey future. Daniels and the Swift Current Broncos won that tournament in Saskatoon.
Now the Rockets are hoping to win it. Lorne Frey, their assistant GM, was an assistant coach with the Broncos; Dan Lambert, the Rockets’ head coach, was an offensive force as a defenceman.
That piece is right here.
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Here is the Memorial Cup schedule (all games on Sportsnet; all times Eastern):
Friday: Kelowna vs. Quebec, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: Rimouski vs. Oshawa, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday: Quebec vs. Oshawa, 4:30 p.m.
Monday: Rimouski vs. Kelowna, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday: Oshawa vs. Kelowna, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday: Quebec vs. Rimouski, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday: Tiebreaker, if necessary, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 29: Semifinal, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 31: Championship game, TBA
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The Toronto Maple Leafs — yes, they introduced Mike Babcock as their latest head coach on Thursday — have added Jim Paliafito as their director of player evaluation. He had been the general manager of the
OHL’s Saginaw Spirit.The Leafs’ front office also includes Mark Hunter, who had been the general manager of the London Knights, and Kyle Dubas, the former GM of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
All of this prompted Gary Lawless of the Winnipeg Free Press to write:
“The Leafs have Mark Hunter and Kyle Dubas just below president Brendan Shanahan on the hockey management side. If they add a third in a vice-president or assistant GM role, Kelly McCrimmon and his unparalleled knowledge of the Western Hockey League is a first and last call kind of guy.
“McCrimmon is owner, GM and head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings and is as sharp a hockey mind as one will come across. McCrimmon has an MBA and has successfully operated the Wheat Kings since 1992. He knows players, he knows business and he knows hockey. He’s a first-rate person. The Leafs, or any NHL club for that matter, would be lucky to have him.”
Lawless is correct, of course, and you might wonder why no NHL team has yet made such a call. Perhaps it’s because the GM making that call would have to have supreme confidence in his own abilities and be capable of continuing his life without feeling McCrimmon was after his job.
Sometimes that just doesn’t happen. Or have you never wondered how it is that the late Ed Chynoweth never was given the opportunity to run an NHL team?
The complete Lawless piece is right here. He also makes a good point about NHL coaches and salary disclosure.
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The BCHL’s Penticton Vees have done a lot of winning under Fred Harbinson, their GM and head coach. Don’t think for a moment that no one has noticed. As Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province writes right here, Harbinson appears to be on the radar of the U of Wisconsin Badgers and the Vancouver Giants.———
THE COACHING GAME:
The QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes have extended the contract of head coach Martin Bernard through the 2016-17 season. His contract was to expire after next season.——
Dan Muse is the new head coach of the USHL’s Chicago Steel. Muse had been an assistant coach at Yale U for six seasons. . . . The Steel also announced that Larry Robbins has purchased majority interest in the franchise. According to a news release, Robbins is“a Chicagoland native, professional investor and hockey enthusiast.”
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The MJHL’s Neepawa Natives have signed Jim Fuyarchuk as their new head coach. Most recently he worked as head coach of the U-18 Miskolci Jegesmedvek club in Hungary. . . . Prior to that, he worked four seasons with the MJHL’s Waywayseecappo Wolverines. He also has been head coach of the now-defunct Brandon U Bobcats and spent five seasons in the Super League in Great Britain. . . . Fuyarchuk replaces Dwight Kirkup, who had been head coach for the previous two seasons.
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The fourth annual Bauer BCHL Showcase is scheduled for Sept. 24-27 at Prospera Centre in Chilliwack. According to a news release, “An extra day has been added to this year's Showcase in order to allow all games to be played on Prospera Centre's main ice surface.” . . . Matchups will be announced after the BCHL’s annual general meeting, June 4-6. . . .
The Edmonton Oil Kings have signed F Colton Kehler, who was a seventh-round selection in the 2012 bantam draft. Kehler, from Port Coquitlam, B.C., will turn 18 on June 27. . . . This season, the 5-foot-11, 165-pounder had two goals in nine games with the BCHL’s Cowichan Valley Capitals and nine goals and seven assists in 41 games with the Langley Rivermen. . . . He was a prolific scorer in major midget, scoring 41 times in 40 games for the Vancouver-North East Chiefs in 2012-13. . . . Kehler had committed to Clarkson before changing his mind and signing with the Oil Kings. . . .
If you have been wondering, the annual Young Guns preseason NHL tournament will be held in Penticton, Sept. 11-14. The Vancouver Canucks will again play host to the tournament that also will feature prospects from the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets. . . . The Oilers’ lineup is likely to include F Connor McDavid. . . . Tickets go on sale July 10. . . . There’s more right here, including a schedule.
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— Dusty Imoo (@Dusty70) May 22, 2015
I see word is out I'm hanging 'em up after 40 yrs in newspapers. Last official day May 29 but on holidays until 28th. So almost done. 😉😀😎
— Elliott Pap (@ElliottPap) May 21, 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.
These are interesting times in Medicine Hat where the Tigers have vacated their long-time home, the Arena, and are to begin play in the brand new Regional Event Centre next season. Except that there is his matter of a lease. . . . “We’re concerned certainly and we would like to get this done,” Dave Andjelic, the Tigers’ senior director of marketing and public relations, tells CHAT-TV.“But the situation is the City of Medicine Hat needs to step in here and move this forward.” . . . Andjelic says the Tigers tried to convince the City to get a lease signed even before construction began. And what if a lease isn’t agreed to when the next season arrives? . . . “The thing is, and what we don’t want to see is — and it’s the worst thing for everybody — is if something doesn’t come together and we’re pushed out of Medicine Hat,” Andjelic says. . . . CHAT-TV’s story is 
Might the Prince George Cougars have a new logo ready for the start of a new season? The Cougars, of course, changed hands prior to the start of this season. The new owners kept the team’s logo — that’s it there on the left. . . . Now you have to wonder if they are at least thinking about unveiling a new logo, something that would help cut the cord with the previous regime. . . . Chris Creamer of sportslogos.net reports that the Cougars have trademarked a new logo. . . . Take a look 
After 16 seasons as the voice of the Kootenay Ice, Jeff Hollick has decided to turn the page. Hollick announced Wednesday that he won’t return for a 17th season; however, he didn’t say anything about what might be in his future. . . . On his blog, Between The Lines, he wrote: "I have been extremely fortunate to cover three WHL championship teams and a Memorial Cup-winning team. Whenever I am asked for my favourite all-time moment or game, I have at least a dozen to choose from and can never narrow it down to just one. It has been an amazing, remarkable and unforgettable time." . . . Hollick spent 16 seasons calling games on Jim Pattison Broadcast Group stations The Drive 102.9 FM and B-104 Total Country. . . . The Ice and The Drive will begin a new three-year contract with the start of the 2015-16 season.
The Vancouver Giants have signed F Tyler Popowich, who was the third overall selection in last week’s WHL bantam draft. Popowich, from Surrey, B.C., had 57 points, including 25 goals, in 47 games with the Okanagan Hockey Academy bantam prep team in Penticton. . . . Popowich’s signing means that the first three selections in the 2015 bantam draft are signed. Earlier in the week, the Spokane Chiefs signed D Ty Smith, the first pick, and the Lethbridge Hurricanes signed D Calen Addison, who was No. 2.
The Kamloops Blazers have signed D Devan Harrison, whom they selected in the second round of last week’s bantam draft. Harrison, from Dysart, Sask., had 35 points, 10 of them goals, in 31 games with the bantam AA Prairie Storm. He was the team captain. . . . Harrison also had one goal in five games with the midget AAA Moose Jaw Generals.
Fabian Joseph has left the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats “to pursue head-coaching opportunities,” according to a news release. Joseph had been the team’s associate coach. He had been with the Wildcats through eight seasons, first as an assistant coach. He had been associate coach for four seasons. . . . Joseph, who is from Sydney, N.S., played two seasons (1982-84) with the WHL’s Victoria Cougars. . . . The Wildcats now are accepting applications for the positions of assistant coach, co-ordinator of goaltending development, and head equipment manager.
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