D Paul Albers (Calgary, Regina, Vancouver, 2001-06) has signed a one-year extension with Cortina (Italy, Serie A). Last season, he had seven goals and 22 assists in 42 games with Cortina. . . .
F Stanislav Gron (Seattle, Kootenay, 1997-99) has signed a one-year extension with Cortina (Italy, Serie A). Last season, he led Cortina in scoring, with 67 points, including 29 goals, in 40 games.
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The Spokane Chiefs took a hit Sunday when D Jeremy McIntosh informed general manager Tim Speltz that he won’t be returning. . . . “Jeremy contacted me Sunday evening to inform me of his decision to move on," Speltz said in a news release. “He said he has lost his passion for the game and is not as committed as he feels is necessary to play in the WHL.” . . . A native of Calgary, McIntosh had four goals and six assists in 70 games last season. In his freshman season, 2012-13, he had a goal and four helpers in 65 games. . . . “I am hoping he reconsiders his position and as an organization we will be as patient as possible should he have a change of heart,” Speltz added. "We expected Jeremy to be a big part of our defensive core this season and his decision is a total surprise." . . . McIntosh was a sixth-round selection by the Chiefs in the 2010 bantam draft. . . . Two other veteran defencemen who finished last season with the Chiefs also are gone from the WHL. Reid Gow, the Chiefs’ captain last season, has chosen not to return for his 20-year-old season, while Cole Wedman, 20, was dealt to the Moose Jaw Warriors and has since decided to attend the U of Alberta.---
F Bryson Gore won’t be returning for a third season with the Moose Jaw Warriors. Gore, 19, is from Milo, Alta. . . . According to the Warriors, Gore “has decided to remain at home near Lethbridge and is considering his future hockey and academic opportunities.” . . . Last season, Gore had 18 points, including 11 goals, in 68 games. The previous season, he had nine goals and seven assists in 69 games. . . . He was a 10th-round selection by the Portland Winterhawks in the 2010 WHL bantam draft. He was listed by the Warriors after being dropped from Portland’s protected list.---
According to Shawn Mullin, the radio voice of the Swift Current Broncos, F Maxim Letunov won’t be reporting to the WHL team. Letunov, an 18-year-old from Moscow, was selected by the Broncos in the CHL’s 2014 import draft. He was a second-round pick by the St. Louis Blues in the NHL’s 2014 draft, after playing last season with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms. He had 43 points, including 19 goals, in 60 games with the Phantoms. Mullin tweeted that “there have been discussions and the door remains open. Looks like he will play in the USHL still.” . . . Letunov also has committed to Boston U, so that may have figured in his decision not to journey to Swift Current.---
What business is up 500 per cent over the last 10 years? Worth peanuts 10 years ago, it’s now worth $75.5 million annually. If you said the tattoo removal business, go to the head of the class. . . . Sophia Harris of CBC News has an interesting story right here.
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The SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers, the reigning RBC Cup champions, have shaken things up a bit. . . . Don Chesney, who had been their general manager, now is director of marketing. . . . Trent Cassan, their head coach, has added the GM’s duties to his portfolio and he has signed a two-year contract extension.
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Blake Cosgrove has joined the AJHL’s Calgary Canucks as an assistant coach. He will work alongside GM Chad Shiel and head coach Ryan Barrett. . . . A native of Chilliwack, B.C., Cosgrove, 28, played two seasons with the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs and four years at Northern Michigan.
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The Simon Fraser U men’s hockey team has promoted Jim Camazzola (Kamloops, Seattle, New Westminster, 1982-85) from assistant coach to associate coach. . . . He works alongside Mark Coletta, who is preparing for his seventh season as head coach. . . . SFU also has added Tom Spencer as an assistant coach. He was the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League’s coach of the year last season after taking the Valley West Hawks to the league final.
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Green their director of amateur free-agent scouting. . . . The 52-year-old Green, the WHL’s executive of the year in each of the last two seasons, spent six seasons as the Oil Kings’ GM. . . . According to an Oilers news release: “Green . . . will work closely with the Oilers Hockey Operations department and Amateur Scouting staff, assisting with identifying and recruiting NCAA, CHL and select European free agents, as well as develop a free agent priority list.” . . . Under Green, the Oil Kings have been in the last two WHL championship finals, winning it all in 2011-12. . . . There was no announcement involving a new GM for the Oil Kings, but speculation is that Randy Hansch, the assistant GM and director of player personnel, may be in line for a promotion and that it may come as early as today.
season begins. That’s because there really isn’t anything new regarding a possible sale of the franchise.
McCrimmon, a former Raiders defenceman, went on to star for the Brandon Wheat Kings, who will provide the opposition on Sept. 27. Kelly McCrimmon, Brad’s brother, is the Wheat Kings’ owner/GM/head coach. . . . Brad, the SJHL’s defenceman of the year as a 16-year-old with the Raiders, went on to a lengthy pro career and was into coaching when he died in a plane crash with the KHL’s Yaroslavl Lokomotiv on Sept. 7, 2011. . . . The McCrimmons are from Plenty, Sask. . . . Also being inducted into the Wall of Honour will be builders Jim Bristowe and Doug Winterton. . . . Bristowe worked as a minor official and linseman and then took over as the public address voice, a position he held for 27 years, through 1999-2000. He also served on the franchise’s board of directors. . . . Winterton also served on the board and was a charter member of the Raiders’ Booster Club. Like Bristowe, Winterton also billeted players, including Brad McCrimmon.
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