Brandon d-man injured with Kings . . . Pats, Chiefs swing deal . . . Four WHL teams in Top 10

President of @BladesHockey @Hogle reppin the jerseys wore on Sunday for Gordie Howe appreciation @CKOMNews #yxe pic.twitter.com/qRBBJpVGML

— JT Marshall (@jtmarshallCKOM) September 21, 2016

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The Saskatoon Blades will be without F Ryan Graham (leg) and F Cam Hebig (undisclosed) for the immediate future. . . . Hebig, 19, put up 69 points, including a team-leading 26 goals, in 59 games last season. He has played 198 regular-season games with his hometown team over the past three seasons. . . . Graham, 20, had 46 points, 22 of them goals, in 71 games. He is heading into his fifth season with the Blades. Graham is one of three 20-year-olds on the roster, joining F Jesse Shynkaruk and D Bryton Sayers. . . . The Blades open the season against the host Swift Current Broncos on Friday. . . .

Vancouver Giants F Alec Baer (shoulder) didn’t play in the exhibition season and is practising in a non-contact sweater. F Tyler Benson of the Giants also has a shoulder injury. He is with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers but didn’t play Wednesday as the Oilers rookies took on the U of Alberta Golden Bears in an annual matchup. . . . The Giants are at home in the Langley Events Centre to the Everett Silvertips on Friday. . . .

F Lane Zablocki of the Regina Pats didn’t play in an exhibition game because of a shoulder injury. But he is expected to be in the lineup Friday as the Pats open the season against the visiting Prince Albert Raiders. Last season, as a freshman, he had 37 points, including 18 goals, in 72 games. He added seven goals in 12 playoff games.

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D Kale Clague of the Brandon Wheat Kings was injured while playing for the Los Angeles Kings in a rookie game against the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday. It doesn’t sound like the injury is serious, but, at the same, he apparently will miss some time. Here is Mike Stothers, who coached the Kings team, in conversation with Kings Insider Jon Rosen: “It’s a lower-body injury . . . I don’t think it’s going to be bad. But it is going to be bad, because he’s a young guy and he’s going to miss a little bit of time, I would imagine. You never want to see a young kid get hurt. You don’t want to see anybody get hurt. . . . But I think he’ll be OK, shortly.” . . . Clague, 18, was a second-round pick by the Kings in the 2016 NHL draft. He had 43 points, including 37 assists, in 71 games with Brandon last season. In 21 playoff games, he added 14 points, six of them goals.

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The Regina Pats have acquired D Tyler Jubenvill, who will turn 17 on Nov. 30, from the Spokane Chiefs for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2018 bantam draft. Jubenvill, from Gilbert Plains, Man., was a ninth-round selection by the Chiefs in the 2014 draft, but has committed to the NCAA’s Bemidji State Beavers. Last season, with the MJHL’s Winkler Flyers, the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder had four goals and 27 assists in 57 games. He has returned to the Flyers this season. . . . Earlier, the Pats rolled the dice on a couple of other players believed going the NCAA route. They acquired the rights to F Nick Henry from the Everett Silvertips earlier this year and have since signed him. They selected F Bryan Lockner in the third round of the 2015 draft and also were able to sign him. . . . Also on Wednesday, the Pats dropped F Jake Elmer, who will turn 18 on Dec. 31, from their roster. He is expected to report to the AJHL’s Grande Prairie Storm. The Calgary native was pointless in 17 games with the Pats last season. He also got into 20 games with the Storm, recording a goal and three assists.

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Rob Vanstone, in the Regina Leader-Post: “Fighting in hockey is pointless, Part 2,378,119: Jayce Hawryluk suffered a broken hand in a fight during a rookie game with the NHL’s Florida Panthers. If not for hockey’s backwards culture, the 19-year-old Hawryluk — who had 106 points, including 47 goals, in 58 games with the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings last season — would have more opportunities to use his hands to impress the Panthers’ brass with his abundant offensive skills. . . .Who says that nobody gets hurt in a hockey fight?”

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The CHL’s first ratings of the 2016-17 season — as voted on by a panel of anonymous NHL scouts — were released on Wednesday afternoon and the OHL’s London Knights, the defending Memorial Cup champions, are in the No. 1 slot. . . . There are four WHL teams in the top 10: 3. Brandon Wheat Kings; 4. Seattle Thunderbirds; 8. Victoria Royals; 10. Regina Pats. . . . The Kelowna Rockets got an honourable mention. . . . Keep in mind, however, that there isn’t much on which to base these rankings this early in the season. . . . Uhh, the visiting Knights lost 4-1 to the Sarnia Sting on Wednesday night. The Sting received an honourable mention in the rankings.

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Commissioner Gilles Courteau says the QMJHL has changed the rules regarding its draft lottery — there now will be five teams in the lottery, rather than two. With 16 of the league’s 18 teams qualifying for the playoffs, the lottery now will include the two non-playoff teams as well as the three lowest qualifiers. 

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As you no doubt will be aware, the legendary Vin Scully will walk away from his one-of-a-kind broadcast career after calling the play of the game between his Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants on Oct. 2. . . . What you may not know is that there is a line between Scully and the WHL. Mike Benton, who is preparing for his second season as the voice of the Everett Silvertips, grew up worshiping at the Scully shrine and, at one point, had the opportunity to job shadow his hero. . . . Benton writes about all of that right here.

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If you are a regular in these parts, you know how I feel about organ donations and you also know why I feel the way I do. When I was hired as sports editor of Kamloops Daily News, Susan Duncan was the editor. Almost three months ago, she became a kidney donor. On Wednesday, she and Lloyd Garner, the recipient of that kidney, appeared on The Jim Harrison Show on Radio NL in Kamloops. . . . The story of how she came to give him a kidney is rather amazing. . . . Take 12 minutes and give it a listen right here.

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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

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Former NHL F Ethan Moreau has joined the Niagara U Purple Eagles as an assistant coach under head coach David Burkholder. . . . Moreau played 15 seasons in the NHL. After retiring, Moreau spent three seasons (2012-15) as a pro scout with the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens. Last season, he was a development coach at the HarborCenter Academy Hockey in Buffalo. . . . From a Purple Eagles news release: “Among current NCAA Division I hockey coaches, only three played more games at the NHL level than Moreau: Boston University assistant coach Scott Young, Michigan State assistant coach Kelly Miller, and Michigan head coach Red Berenson.”

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Congrats to @WHLPats trainer @gdmayer27 on 20yrs in @TheWHL Many long days & nights of tape, ice, scolding, therapy & mentoring! #grump #MVP

— Brent Parker (@Patguy65) September 22, 2016

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WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

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FRIDAY GAMES (all times local):

Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.

Kelowna at Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Medicine Hat at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.

Brandon at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.

Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.

Prince Albert at Regina, 7 p.m.

Saskatoon at Swift Current, 7 p.m.

Everett at Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.

Prince George at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.

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.

Hurricanes' new coach is . . . Robison reacts to Lethbridge vote . . . Ex-Seattle goalie to coach Ravens

The Lethbridge Hurricanes will introduce a new head coach on Thursday afternoon and social media speculation has it that the new man is Brent Kisio. . . . Kisio has spent the past eight seasons with the Calgary Hitmen, moving from video coach/assistant coach to associate coach. . . . The son of former Hitmen head coach Kelly Kisio, Brent played four seasons at the U of Nebraska-Omaha, graduating with a degree in criminology. . . . He has been Calgary’s associate coach for three seasons. . . .
Meanwhile, the Hurricanes and assistant coach Bryan Maxwell mutually decided to go their separate ways on Tuesday. Maxwell, a veteran WHL coach, is a former Hurricanes general manager and head coach (1995-03) who returned as an assistant last summer.
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The fallout and reaction continues from the Hurricanes shareholders’ meeting that took place in Lethbridge on Monday evening.
At that meeting, attendees voted 68 per cent in favour of moving forward with the process to sell the franchise. However, that wasn’t enough as the Hurricanes’ constitution calls for a 75 per cent majority in order to go ahead. Thus, the franchise will remain in the hands of the community.
Interestingly, Mike Moore, the general manager and vice-president of business operations of the rival Calgary Hitmen, attended the meeting. It seems the NHL’s Calgary Flames, who own the Hitmen, own 86 shares in the Hurricanes.
All of which leads to this question: What are the optics of one WHL team, a privately owned team at that, owning shares in a community-owned rival?
The Hitmen, of course, are owned by the NHL’s Calgary Flames. Did the Flames own a piece of the Hurricanes when they purchased the Hitmen in 1997? If they did, why weren’t the Flames forced to divest themselves of those shares at that time?
Ron Robison, the WHL commissioner, addressed that issue in an interview with Pat Siedlecki, the news director at CJOC in Lethbridge:
“It’s a historical matter that has not been resolved and we will certainly be addressing that . . . the reality is that the Flames do have shares that were acquired many years ago and remain in a position to exercise those rights under the shareholder agreement. Consequently, they were eligible and had the right to attend the meeting.”
Asked if it was a conflict, Robison replied:
“It is certainly under private ownership, but it remains for interpretation under community ownership. Our view is that the matter needs to be addressed and will be addressed in the near future with both the Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Calgary Hitmen.”
Meanwhile, Robison told Siedlecki that the WHL has to “respect the excision of the shareholders.”
Robison added that there was an obvious sign that “the majority wish to go that direction, but at the end of the day the constitution stands with respect to 75 per cent as a requirement. . . . Consequently, the community ownership will continue in Lethbridge and we intend to get fully behind the community ownership and the board to support them to the full extent.”
Robison, who early in May had recommended to shareholders that they sell the franchise to private interests, did admit to being surprised by Monday’s decision.
“I guess I would be a little bit, only because I think there was a strong movement in that direction,” he stated. “Now we need to move on to do what we need to do to support and strengthen the community ownership.”
Asked if the franchise might still be privatized down the road, Robison said: “The only way that would occur is if the club could no longer meet its financial obligations, and we are hopeful that’s not going to be the case. We have to show every confidence in the board and their ability to turn things around. . . . We are going to watch very carefully and ensure that the business plan is realistic.”
The complete interview is right here. It runs five minutes 42 seconds.
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Despite the fact that F Connor McDavid and his Erie Otters weren’t in the Memorial Cup tournament, the championship game, between the Oshawa Generals and Kelowna Rockets, did quite well in terms of TV viewership. In fact, it drew the second largest Memorial Cup audience in Sportsnet history -- an average viewership of 759,000. . . . Chris Zelkovich of Yahoo! Sports Canada has more right here.
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Tom Gaglardi, the owner of the NHL’s Dallas Stars and the majority owner of the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers, wasn’t in court Tuesday as the Crown’s appeal of an earlier judgment was heard. . . . The Crown has asked that fines against Gaglardi and his company, Northland Properties, be doubled after both were convicted of damaging salmon habitat. . . . Tim Petruk of Kamloops This Week has that story right here.
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Don't forget to check out our poll over there on the right, and take a stab at picking the next head coach of the Vancouver Giants.
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THE COACHING GAME:

Danny Lorenz, a former WHL goaltender, has signed on as the head coach of the Seattle Ravens, who are preparing for their first season in the seven-team Northern Pacific Hockey League. . . . Lorenz, 45, played four seasons with the Seattle Thunderbirds (1986-90) before going on to a 14-season pro career. . . . Of late, he has been the hockey director at the Kent Valley Hockey Association. . . . The NPHL is a junior league with teams playing a 42-game regular season. The other teams are the Cheney Icehawks, Eugene Generals, West Sound Warriors, Wenatchee Wolves, Bellingham Blazers and Tri-City Outlaws.
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The Regina Pats have signed D Dawson Barteaux, who was the 14th overall selection in the WHL’s 2015 bantam draft. Barteaux, from Foxwarren, Man., played this season with the Yellowhead Chiefs, who play in the Winnipeg bantam AAA league. He had 27 points, including seven goals, in 31 games. . . . Barteaux was one of 34 prospects to attend the Pats’ spring camp last weekend.
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The Kamloops Blazers have signed F James Shepard, who was their first selection in the 2015 bantam draft. He was the 22nd player selected, taken with the first pick of the second round. . . . The 5-foot-8, 155-pound Shepard, who is from West Vancouver, had 111 points, including 32 goals, in 61 games with the North Shore Winter Club’s bantam AAA team that won the Western Canadian bantam championship. . . . It is expected that Shepard will play with the major midget Vancouver-Northwest Giants in 2015-16. . . . The Blazers now have signed their first two picks from the 2015 bantam draft. D Devan Harrison of Dysart, Sask., who was taken three picks after Shepard, signed on May 13.
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In the AHL, a couple of former WHL coaches have guided their teams into the Calder Cup final. . . . Travis Green and his Utica Comets scored a 2-0 victory over the visiting Grand Rapids Griffins last night to win the Western Conference final, 4-2. . . . The Comets (Vancouver Canucks) will meet Mike Stothers and his Manchester Monarchs (Los Angeles Kings) in the final. The series will follow a 2-3-2 format with Games 1 and 2 in Manchester, N.H., on Saturday and Sunday. . . . The teams had the AHL’s top two regular-season records. . . . The Comets are in their second AHL season. The Monarchs are moving to Ontario, Calif., after this season. . . . The two teams have never played against each other. . . . Last night, F Cory Conacher scored at 3:16 of the second period and F Alexandre Grenier added an empty-netter at 18:46 of the third. . . . Utica G Jacob Markstrom stopped 21 shots. . . . Attendance was 3,835.
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F Spencer Asuchak and F Dyson Stevenson, both former WHLers, each had a goal and an assist last night as the host Allen Americans scored a 5-2 victory over the South Carolina Stingrays in Game 2 of the ECHL’s championship final. . . . The series, using a 3-3-1 format, is tied 1-1 with Game 3 in Allen tonight. . . . Stevenson scored his second playoff goal at 6:05 of the first period to open the scoring. Asuchak’s 11th playoff goal, at 4:43 of the third, gave Allen a 4-1 lead. . . . Attendance was 3,804. . . . Asuchak, from Kamloops, played with the Tri-City Americans and Prince George Cougars (2008-12). . . . Stevenson, from Shaunavon, Sask., played for the Regina Pats (2010-13).

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Oceanic forces MC tiebreaker . . . Nickolet does draft preview up right . . . New deal for Everett coach

G Brett Jaeger (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Saskatoon, 2000-04) signed a one-year contract with Dresdner Eislöwen (Germany, DEL2). This season, with the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (Germany, DEL2), he had a 3.07 GAA in 15 games. Jaeger has dual Canadian-German citizenship. . . .
G Mark Guggenberger (Portland, Swift Current, Kelowna, 2007-10) signed a one-year contract with the Perth Thunder (Australia, AIHL). This season, with the Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL), he was 3.46 and .893 in 23 games. He also got into two games with the Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL), going 1.95 and .905. . . . Guggenberger signed with Perth in December but the club just announced it. He also will work with youth goalies in Western Australia. . . . At present, Perth is in first place in the AIHL with a 6-1-0-1 record.
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The QMJHL-champion Rimouski Oceanic and the host Quebec Remparts will meet in a Memorial Cup tiebreaker tonight. . . . On Wednesday night, the Oceanic dropped the Remparts 4-0, setting up tonight’s tiebreaker, with the winner

moving into Friday’s semifinal against the WHL-champion Kelowna Rockets. . . . The OHL-champion Oshawa Generals (3-0) have advanced to Sunday’s final. . . . The other three teams all finished 1-2 — it was the first time that three teams have done that — but the Rockets moved into the semifinal based on a tiebreaking formula. . . . Oceanic G Philippe Desrosiers stopped 27 shots for last night’s shutout. . . . Quebec G Zach Fucale allowed four goals on 25 shots before being lifted for Callum Booth, who stopped 17 shots over 27:20. Still, you know that Fucale will start for the Remparts tonight. . . . Rimouski F Justin Samson, in the lineup for an ailing Anthony DeLuca, got the game’s first goal, scoring one second after the expiration of an Oceanic PP, at 14:36 of the first period. . . . Oceanic F Michael Joly finished with a goal and four assists. He now has a tournament-high six points. . . . Rimouski was 2-for-6 on the PP; Quebec was 0-for-3. . . . Attendance was 10,277. . . . Rimouski was without DeLuca, a 44-goal man in the regular season, due to illness. . . . The Remparts, who never seemed in the last game of the round-robin, lost F Anthony Duclair (shoulder) and F Jérome Verrier (leg) with injuries in the third period. It isn’t known if they will be available tonight. . . . Rimouski has won its last six games at the Pepsi Colisée.
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Here is the Memorial Cup schedule (all games on Sportsnet; all times Eastern):
Friday, May 22: Kelowna 3 vs. Quebec 4 (9,497)
Saturday, May 23: Rimouski 3 vs. Oshawa 4 (8,409)
Sunday, May 24: Quebec 4 vs. Oshawa 5 (OT) (10,970)
Monday, May 25: Rimouski 3 vs. Kelowna 7 (6,981)
Tuesday, May 26: Oshawa 2 vs. Kelowna 1 (7,002)
Wednesday, May 27: Quebec 0 vs. Rimouski 4 (10,277)
Thursday (tiebreaker): Quebec vs. Rimouski, 7:30 p.m.
Friday: Semifinal, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday: Championship game, 7 p.m.
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The Kelowna Rockets drew a $500 fine on the weekend after someone in their organization was critical of the referees in Game 1 of the Memorial Cup in Quebec City. The guilty party wasn’t identified, so I asked readers of this blog who they thought it may have been.
All told, there were 117 voters, with general manager Bruce Hamilton getting the most votes (63). Among the five options presented in the poll, Ogopogo came in second (27), followed by play-by-play man Regan Bartel (12), head coach Dan Lambert (9), F Leon Draisaitl (6).
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There isn’t a more devoted observer of the WHL than Cody Nickolet, and he has released the fruit of his labours -- his final WHL rankings of players eligible for the 2015 NHL draft. It is more than 75,000 words in length, so there is a lot of detail. You should check it out right here.
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The Montreal Canadiens announced Wednesday that Vaughn Karpan, 53, has been named director of professional scouting. Karpan, a veteran scout, played for the Brandon Wheat Kings (1979-80) and is from The Pas, Man. He is preparing for his 11th season with the Canadiens, the past five as a pro scout. Karpan also spent 13 seasons with the Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes.
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Taylor Rocca of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman reports that the Kootenay Ice may go to camp with seven 20-year-olds on hand. But that won’t include F Ryan Chynoweth or D Lenny Hackman. Chynoweth, the son of Ice general manager Jeff Chynoweth, is expected to play junior A, while Hackman apparently is headed to school. . . . Rocca’s story is right here.
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Pat Micheletti, the second-leading scorer in the history of the U of Minnesota Gophers, underwent a kidney transplant on Wednesday at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. His new kidney came from his brother, Jerry. . . . Michael Russo of the Minnesota StarTribune has more right here.
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F Owen Sillinger, the son of former WHL/NHL F Mike Sillinger, will play next season with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees. This season, Owen played with the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. He had 64 points, including 25 goals, in 42 games. . . . Sillinger, who will turn 18 on Sept. 23, was selected by the Vancouver Giants in the 10th round of the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft.
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The Manchester Monarchs, under former Moose Jaw Warriors head coach Mike Stothers, are headed to the AHL final. The Monarchs completed a sweep of the Hartford WolfPack on Wednesday night, winning 3-1 in Hartford. . . . The Monarchs are affiliated with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings; the WolfPack is with the New York Rangers. . . . The Monarchs will meet either the Utica Comets (Vancouver Canucks) or Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit Red Wings) in the final. That series is 1-1 heading into Game 3 tonight in Grand Rapids.
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The Allen Americans and South Carolina Stingrays will play for the ECHL championship. . . . The Americans beat the visiting Ontario Reign 3-1 in Game 7 of their semifinal series last night, while the Stingrays beat the host Toledo Walleye 1-0 in triple OT of their Game 7. . . . The Americans became the fifth team in ECHL history to win a series after trailing 3-1. . . . The final is scheduled to open Sunday in Allen, Texas.
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THE COACHING GAME:

The Everett Silvertips have signed assistant coach Brennan Sonne to a contract extension through 2015-16. That will be Sonne’s second season on the coaching staff, alongside head coach Kevin Constantine and fellow assistant Mitch Love. . . . Sonne, 28, worked with the forwards and on skill development this season. . . . From Maple Ridge, B.C., Sonne played parts of three seasons with the Silvertips, and also played with the Red Deer Rebels and Edmonton Oil Kings.
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The B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League’s Selkirk Saints are in need a head coach as Alex Evin is off to the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs as an assistant coach and goaltender coach. Evin guided the Saints to the BCIHL championship this season, his first as head coach. . . . Bob Hall of the Nelson Daily has more right here.
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Check out this young fellow’s favourite book . . .

Pre K #Grad #BigAce pic.twitter.com/J5r3vuzYnb

— George (@Big_G_09) May 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.

Another WHL team looking for head coach . . . Brandon boys win two in OT . . . Royals still alive

pic.twitter.com/rb7fEKokHk
— Drive BC (@DriveBC) April 16, 2015

F Radek Duda (Regina, Lethbridge, 1998-2000) has signed a two-year extension with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga). This season, as team captain, he had 19 goals and 17 assists in 46 games.
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THE COACHING GAME:

There now are three WHL teams without head coaches.
The Kootenay Ice joined the fray on Wednesday with the announcement that it won’t be renewing head coach Ryan McGill’s contract when it expires on June 30.
"At this time, we feel we need a fresh face and voice moving forward to lead our team,” Jeff Chynoweth, the Ice’s president and general manager, said in a news release.
The Ice will be an awfully young team next season, so Chynoweth told Taking Note that a decision was made to find a new voice.
“Just looking at what we are losing this year, in terms of players, and how much of a step back I think we are going to take next (season) with a young and unproven team,” Chynoweth told Taking Note via text.
The Ice’s roster includes 11 players born in 1995 and three who were born in 1994. F Sam Reinhart isn’t expected back, while F Tim Bozon, F Austin Vetterl and F Levi Cable used up their junior eligibility.
McGill, 46, is from Sherwood Park, Alta.
This was McGill’s second stint as the Ice’s head coach. He was in his third season this time around; he also was head coach 1997-2002. In total, his record is 280-222-53. Under McGill, the Ice won the WHL championship in 1999-2000 and 2001-02, and the Memorial Cup in the spring of 2002.
Between his two tours of duty with the Ice, McGill was an AHL head coach for seven seasons and an assist with the NHL’s Calgayr Flames for two seasons.
The Ice went 37-31-4 this season to finish fourth in the Central Division and earn the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card berth. The Ice then lost a first-round series in seven games to the Calgary Hitmen.
You have to think that McGill will wait and see if any pro offers come his way before he decides on his next move.
Along with the Ice, the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Vancouver Giants also are without head coaches.
Peter Anholt, who stepped in as GM and head coach in Lethbridge in mid-season, has said he won’t be back as head coach and will be hiring. In Vancouver, the Giants parted company with Claude Noel at season’s end. Noel also had been a mid-season replacement.
Last off-season, 10 of the WHL’s 22 teams made coaching changes.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:

In Regina, F Tanner Kaspick scored at 3:36 of OT to give the Brandon Wheat Kings a 3-2 victory over the Pats. . . . The Wheat Kings lead the series, 3-1. Game 5 is scheduled for Brandon on Friday. . . . Kaspick, who is from Brandon, scored his first WHL playoff goal. He had one goal in 53 regular-season games. . . . Kaspick turned 17 on Jan. 28. . . . Regina D Connor Hobbs was hit with a kneeing major and game misconduct for a hit on Regina D Ryan Pilon at 7:22 of the third period. . . . Pilon needed help leaving the ice. . . . Brandon scored once on the ensuing PP as F Peter Quenneville scored his third goal at 7:53. That tied the score 2-2. . . . Hobbs had scored Regina’s second goal, at 6:27 of the second, on a PP. . . . Brandon F Nolan Patrick scored the game’s first goal, his second, at 19:37 of the first period. . . . Regina D Colby Williams came out of the penalty box, took a breakaway pass from F Pavel Padakin and went into to score his third goal at 4:27 of the second. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny stopped 30 shots, 15 fewer than Regina’s Daniel Wapple. . . . Brandon was 1-for-4 on the PP; Regina was 1-for-3. . . . Earlier in the game, Brandon F Mark Matsuba (headshot) and D Ivan Provorov (boarding) were given minor penalties for fouls the Pats felt could have been majors. . . . “It’s tough but it is what it is,” Wapple told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post. “We can’t point fingers but at the same time there were a couple hits that definitely could have been more than a two-minute penalty and ours is a five-minute penalty. It is what it is. You can’t do anything about it now.” . . . Regina head coach John Paddock offered:“Clearly to us Provorov should not have been in the game and clearly (Tuesday) night Reid Duke shouldn’t have been in the game (after a cross-check to Adam Brooks). Those are things we have to deal with. You have to find a way. We found a way. We played good enough to win.” . . . Regina again was without D Sergey Zborovsky, who is serving a three-game suspension for a hit on Brandon F Jayce Hawryluk in Game 2. Zborovsky had his suspension set at three games on Wednesday, meaning he will be eligible to return for Game 6. . . . Hawryluk hasn’t played since being hit by Zborovsky, who took an interference major and game misconduct on the play. . . . Attendance was 5,161. . . . The Wheat Kings have played five road games in these playoffs and each of them has ended in a 3-2 score. Brandon is 4-1 in those games. Two of them have gone to OT and Brandon has won both. . . . BTW, F Jesse Gabrielle had been credited with the game-winning goal in Regina’s 3-2 victory on Tuesday night. Sometime after that game, it was changed to F Taylor Cooper. Both are former Wheat Kings.

In Medicine Hat, F Jordy Stallard scored at 7:22 of OT to give the Calgary Hitmen a 2-1 victory over the Tigers. . . . The Hitmen lead the series 3-1 with Game 5 scheduled for Friday in Calgary. . . . Should Calgary win on Friday, last night’s game will have been the last one for the Tigers in the Arena. They will move into the Regional Event Centre next season. . . . Interestingly, attendance was 3,518 — not the usual 4,006. . . . Stallard, like Kaspick, is from Brandon. Stallard, 17, had six goals in 58 regular-season games; he has three goals in these playoffs. . . . Tigers D Ty Lewington scored the game’s first goal, his first, at 19:41 of the first period on a PP. . . . Calgary tied it when F Jake Virtanen scored his second goal, on a penalty shot, at 6:24 of the second. . . . Calgary F Elliott Peterson was awarded a penalty shot just 29 seconds after Virtanen’s goal. Peterson, however, lost control of the puck and wasn’t able to get off a shot. . . . Calgary G Mack Shields turned aside 35 shots, while Medicine Hat’s Marek Langhamer kicked out 20. . . . The Tigers had a 14-3 edge on shots in the third and 6-2 in OT. . . . Medicine Hat was 1-for-5 on the PP; Calgary was 0-for-1. . . . F Adam Tambellini, the WHL’s leading playoff scorer, was among Calgary’s scratches. He has an undisclosed injury. The Hitmen continue to be without D Jake Bean and F Chase Lang. . . . The Tigers had F Chad Butcher (broken thumb) back after a five-game absence. As a result of his return, F Mark Rassell was scratched. . . . Laurence Heinen wrote this game story right here for the Calgary Herald.

In Victoria, F Greg Chase scored at 5:30 of OT as the Royals stayed alive with a 5-4 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Kelowna, which had won its first seven playoff games, holds a 3-1 edge in the series, with Game 5 scheduled for Kelowna on Friday night. . . . Chase has seven goals in these playoffs. . . . The Rockets had 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2 leads before the Royals tied it with goals 24 seconds part in the third period. . . . F Jack Walker scored his second goal of the game and third of the playoffs at 10:42 and F Brandon Magee got his WHL-leading ninth goal at 11:06. . . . D Lucas Johansen, with his first goal, and F Tyson Baillie, with his sixth, gave the Rockets a 2-0 first-period lead. . . . Victoria F Austin Carroll got his first goal at 17:47 to cut into the lead, but Kelowna F Rourke Chartier, with his sixth, got that one back 26 seconds later. . . . Walker and Kelowna F Tomas Soustal traded second-period goals. . . . Soustal, who had eight goals in 65 regular-season games, has four in eight playoff games. . . . Kelowna went 0-for-8 on the PP, including a chance in OT after Magee was penalized for goaltending interference at 0:18. . . . Victoria G Justin Paulic stopped 36 shots, 10 more than Kelowna’s Jackson Whistle. . . . The Royals were 0-for-3 on the PP. . . . F Alex Forsberg had two assists for Victoria, including one on the winner. . . . Kelowna F Nick Merkley wasn’t able to score on a penalty shot at 4:29 of the second period, with his side ahead 3-1. . . . Attendance was 4,909.
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There has been an interesting development in Regina where a company that is owned by co-owners of the Pats has registered a builders’ lien against the team's landlords, the Regina Exhibition Association. It all has to do with work done installing the Brandt Centre’s score clock earlier this season. . . . Austin M. Davis of the Regina Leader-Post has the story right here.
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The Everett Silvertips have signed F Brian King, who was a fourth-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft. He was born in New Hampshire but now is from Golden, Colo. From the Silvertips’ news release: “King, 16, served as an alternate captain this season for the Rocky Mountain RoughRiders 16U AAA team based in Westminster, Colo. In 10 games at East Coast Elite League events, King scored six goals to lead the RoughRiders and tied for third on the team with seven points. Playing another 18 games in the Colorado Amateur Hockey Association, the 5-foot-11, 175-pounder had 11 points on three goals and eight assists. He attended USA Hockey’s 2014 Select 15 Development Camp last summer, notching a goal and an assist in five games.”
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Mike Stothers, who spent the previous three seasons as head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors, is the AHL’s coach of the year. Stothers, 53, left the Warriors prior to this season to take over as head coach of the Manchester Monarchs, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. . . . With three games still to play, the Monarchs are 48-16-6-3. They will go into the playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s top seed. . . . The AHL award is voted on by coaches and media members in each of the league’s 30 cities.
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Fans, despite what you may have heard the last couple days, the #OilKings will definitely be making the move to @RogersPlace in 2016
— Edmonton Oil Kings (@EdmOilKings) April 15, 2015

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