WHL to Nanaimo? Not so fast . . .

It sure sounds as though the WHL can forget about Nanaimo, at least it can if it is waiting for the City to build a new arena.
"There hasn't been any discussion since (May 13) regarding a multiplex," Coun. George Anderson told Ben Ingram of the Nanaimo Daily News. "I think one day we will probably get a multiplex, but at this point and time there's far bigger issues that the city needs to deal with."
Ingram’s complete story is right here.
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D Garrett Haar apparently will be joining the Medicine Hat Tigers. Haar, from Huntington Beach, Calif., has been released from the hockey program at Western Michigan University. "Garrett has not lived up to his commitment to his academics and his Bronco hockey teammates and we have decided to part ways with him," WMU head coach Andy Murray said in a news release. . . . Earlier, Murray had revealed that Haar would be ineligible to play in the first half of the 2013-14 season. . . . Haar, who was heading into his junior season, had 17 points in 58 career games with the Broncos. . . . Haar is scheduled to turn 20 on Aug. 16. His arrival could leave the Tigers with six 20-year-olds on their roster, the others being F Curtis Valk, F Boston Leier, F Dylan Bredo, F Jacob Doty and D Zach Hodder. . . . Haar was a seventh-round selection by the Washington Capitals in the NHL’s 2011 draft.
On Friday, Haar (@HaarDaddy4) tweeted: “Have decided to leave Western Michigan and go play in the WHL. Medicine Hat Tigers seem to be my destination but still not sure.” . . . After WMU issued its news release, Haar tweeted: “I did not get kicked off Western Michigan, this was my decision #layoff.” . . . Later, still, he tweeted: “Apparently I got released by western? This must have been afer I told them I was leaving #facts”
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Bill Ranford will be in attendance at the 2013 Hockey Coaches Conference in Burnaby, B.C., next month. In fact, he will be a presenter. Ranford, who played 15 NHL seasons, is the goaltending coach with the Los Angeles Kings. At the conference, he will present on ‘integrating your goaltender into team systems and tactics.’ . . . Ranford has been with the Kings since 2006, so was part of their 2012 Stanley Cup victory after which G Jonathan Quick was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner.  . . . “Bill Ranford is consummate professional who has succeeded on the games biggest stages as both a player and coach,” Aaron Wilbur, The Coaches Site’s managing director, stated in a news release. “We are thrilled that he is able to return to his roots and give back to the local hockey community at this year’s conference.” . . . For more information on the 2013 Hockey Coaches Conference, click on the banner ad at the top of this page.
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Congrats to old friend Evan Hammond on being selected as the 2013 BCHL Broadcaster of the Year, as voted on by fellow broadcasters. . . . Hammond, known as Hammer by one and all, is prepping for his 10th season as the voice of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. He now has won this award three times. . . . A native of Flin Flon, Hammond, 33, is the son of former Flin Flon Bombers G Cal Hammond, meaning he’s likely the toughest of the BCHL’s broadcasters and the best fisherman. . . . His blog, Hammer’s Bulldog Blog, is available over there on the right.
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Travis Green, now the head coach of the AHL’s Utica Comets, and Robert Esche, the Comets’ president, were teammates for two seasons with the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes. They chatted with the media on Friday and John Pitarresi of the Utica Observer-Dispatch has more right here.
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D Mackenzie Ferner, the son of Mark Ferner, a former Kamloops Blazers player and coach and a former Everett Silvertips coach, has signed to play next season with the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors. Mackenzie, who will turn 19 on Nov. 20, was an eighth round bantam pick by the Blazers in 2010 but no longer is on their protected list. He played last season with the junior B North Okanagan Knights in Armstrong, B.C.
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Chad Harden, who is driving in the Rangeland Derby at the Calgary Stampede, obviously knows horses. The Prince George Cougars are betting that he knows hockey players, too. That’s why Harden is on their scouting staff. . . . Scott Fisher of the Calgary Sun has more right here.
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Graham DeLaet was playing hockey in Saskatoon on Friday. And, apparently, the PGA Tour member looks pretty good with blades on his feet and a hockey stick in his hands. . . . Darren Zary of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has more right here.
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When you go to a Major League Baseball game, do you keep score? Harvey Araton of The New York Times takes a look right here at what soon may become the lost are of keeping score.
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From Yahoo! Sports’ Sunaya Sapurji (@sunayas): “Agent Alexei Dementiev tells Russia's Championat based on his convos at the NHL draft, he expects the CHL to ban all imports in the future.”


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By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Jayden Halbgewachs was able to chuckle about it after the fact.
But he really doesn’t want to get caught with his head down too often.
Halbgewachs, the Kamloops Blazers’ first selection in the 2012 WHL bantam draft, got caught looking in his feet for the puck in the third period of a rookie scrimmage Friday night and got trampled by defenceman Connor Clouston.
It was Day 1 of the Blazers’ training camp at McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre, and Halbgewachs could feel good because he scored the winner as Team Recchi skated to a 3-2 victory over Team Iginla.
Halbgewachs (it’s pronounced HALLB-ge-walks) took a nifty pass from winger Mitch Friesen off a 2-on-1 break and quickly fired a shot over goaltender Cole Kehler’s glove hand.
But in this game, when you’re 5-foot-7 and 142 pounds, you’re supposed to score; you’re not supposed to get caught in the trolley tracks.
“I’m not sure who it was,” offered a smiling Halbgewachs. “I had my head down and he got me in the head, I guess.”
Halbgewachs, the 19th overall selection in the draft, has been smallish at virtually every level. Last season, he put up 89 points, including 55 goals, in 24 games for the bantam AA Prairie Storm.
“You have to fight through it,” he said of his lack of size. “You have to do what you can do and keep your head up and watch out for guys coming afer you. Get out of the way or take the hit, once in a while.
“As long as I keep my head up . . . I had my head down there looking for the puck.”
Other than that one instance, Halbgewachs showed that he is a terrific skater with a wonderful skill set and a busy stick. On one shift, he got hemmed in a corner by Team Iginla’s Evan Bowden and Ezra Hall, but after some dazzling moves still came out with the puck.
“He’s a pretty skillful young player,” offered Blazers head coach Guy Charron. “He’s not big in size but certainly has tremendous skills.
“The attribute I really like in a player is the ability to skate and he certainly has that.”
Halbgewachs knows that he will be held over for main camp, which begins Sunday, and expects to play in the Blue-White game on Tuesday and against the visiting Victoria Royals on Thursday at Interior Savings Centre. He is eager but admits there are butterflies at the thought of moving up to play with the big boys.
“I’m really looking forward to that but I’m a little bit nervous, with their size and stuff and knowing that most of them are veterans and have played on the team,” he said. “But it should be good.”
He also knows that playing with better players can only help his game.
“Hopefully they know where they’re going and I know where I should be going,” he said.
Halbgewachs is from Emerald Park, a community located just east of Regina on the Trans-Canada Highway. His father, Jamie, owns Glacier Glass in Regina.
There are two other brothers — Taylor, 12, is a goalie, while Brandon, 18, is going to camp with Victoria. If he doesn’t stick with the Royals, Brandon, a forward, will play with the SJHL’s Estevan Bruins.
To say that Jayden has had a busy summer would be something of an understatement, but such is life for our best young hockey players these days.
For starters, he said that he tried to work out five days a week; he also played stick-and puck — players wear helmets and skates and work with a stick and pucks — after school following last season’s conclusion.
He spent a week at the Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp in Toronto, a week-long endeavour that is by invitation only. There also was a Sask First camp on the campus of Notre Dame College in Wilcox, Sask. And, oh yes, let’s not forget the two weeks of power skating in Regina.
Before journeying to Kamloops, he was in camp with the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians for whom he will play this season.
So . . . is he tired?
“No. . . . I’m ready to go,” he said.
JUST NOTES: F Dallas Calvin, who signed with the Blazers on March 16, 2011, isn’t in camp. Calvin, who put up 77 points in 41 games with the junior B Beaver Valley NiteHawks last season, apparently has told the Blazers that he wants to concentrate on playing baseball. He remains on Kamloops’ 50-player list. . . . D Calen Whitworth (hip) of Surrey is listed as day-to-day. . . . F D.J. Crane of Fort Qu’Appelle, Sask., didn’t show up, so F Mitch Lipon was moved to Team Iginla and is wearing No. 11. Lipon, 16, is the younger brother of Blazers F J.C. Lipon. . . . Scrimmages today are at 9 a.m., noon, 5:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. . . . On Sunday, main camp games are at 9 and 10:30 a.m., and noon. . . . Camp moves to Interior Savings Centre on Monday. . . . In Friday’s rookie scrimmages, Team Recchi beat Team Iginla 2-1 and Team Doan got past Team Sydor, 5-1. Drew Bish also scored for Team Recchi, with Jeran Knorr replying for Team Iginla. Team Sydor got goals from Spencer Bast, Jordan Thomson, Sean Pilet, Tyler Olson and Bruce Sharp. Nick Chyzowski scored for Team Sydor.
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Tim O’Donovan, the Blazers’ media co-ordinator, was kind enough to put together a release showing the hockey bloodlines in Kamloops’ training camp.
Here’s a look . . .
F Nick Chyzowski, who was selected by the Blazers in the second round of the 2012 WHL bantam draft, is following in his father’s footsteps. Chyzowski’s father Dave played three seasons with the Blazers before playing 126 games in the NHL. . . .
D Connor Clouston, selected by the Blazers in the third round of the 2011 draft, is the son of Medicine Hat Tigers general manager/head coach Shaun Clouston. The elder Clouston also played four seasons with the Portland Winterhawks in the late 1980s. . . .
D Jaiden Focht is the son of former NHL/WHL D Dan Focht. The elder Focht played two seasons in the WHL with Tri-City and Regina before playing 82 games in the NHL from 2001-04 with Phoenix and Pittsburgh. . . .
D Nolan Gallagher is the younger brother of Vancouver Giants star F Brendan Gallagher. Brendan, 20, put up 280 points over the past four seasons with the Giants and is expected to play in the Montreal Canadiens’ system this season. . . .
F Charlie Gawlicki was selected by the Blazers in the sixth round of the 2012 draft. His father Jeff was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the ninthth round of the 1987 NHL draft. Jeff played four seasons at Northern Michigan U. . . .
F Nathan Gelsinger has joined his older brother Brayden at training camp. Brayden finished last season with the Blazers, suiting up for two playoff games. Brayden, 17, will be in main camp; Nathan, 15, is in the rookie camp as a free agent invite. . . .
D Connor Hamonic is the younger brother of Tri-City Americans D Justin Hamonic. Connor was selected by the Blazers in the seventh round of the 2011 WHL bantam draft. . . .
Veteran F J.C. Lipon is joined in camp by his younger brother Mitchell, who plays for the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. . . .
F Tyson McLellan is the son of former Swift Current Broncos GM/head coach Todd McLellan, who now is the head coach of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. Tyson was listed by the Blazers at the conclusion of last season’s training camp. . . .
D Cameron Trott is the brother of Portland Winterhawks F Jason Trott. Cameron is a free agent invite. . . .
D MacKenzie Ferner is attending his third Blazers training camp. Ferner was selected by the Blazers in the eighth round of the 2010 draft. He is the son of Mark Ferner, a former Blazers defenceman who is heading into his second season as head coach of the Everett Silvertips.

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