CHL releases financial figures ... SPHL team in bus crash ... Phillips burns Oil Kings again

Possible CHL & its law firm take a different view re publicizing KPMG report, but here’s what judge’s Jan. 5 confidentiality order says: pic.twitter.com/muyO5aYhl1

— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) January 20, 2017

While one WHL team had pre-tax net income of $9,074,157 from 2012 through 2016, another lost $6,278,354 from 2012 through 2015.

The figures are part of a summary of financial information prepared by KPMG and dated Dec. 22, 2016, as ordered by a Calgary judge last year. 

The Canadian Hockey League, the OHL and WHL are facing a potential class-action lawsuit in which more than 370 former and present major junior players are asking to be paid minimum wage and such things as holiday pay and overtime.

Teams were ordered by a Calgary judge to compile and submit financial information, including tax statements, from 2011 through 2016. Twenty WHL teams prepared the information through 2016, while two — the Portland Winterhawks and Prince George Cougars — filed through 2015. All of this was audited by KPMG, which also prepared affidavits for the court.

Teams in the report aren’t identified; rather, they are numbered 1 through 22.

Team 8 averaged a net pre-tax income of $1,814,831 for the five years, while Team 18 lost an average of $1,569,589 in the first four of those years.

According to a five-year summary, the WHL had 11 teams show a profit over that period, with the other 11 losing money.

Team 8 was far and away the most profitable of the teams, with Team 15 next in line, showing an average net income of $509,593 for the five years, boosted by a net income of $1,238,831 in 2016.

The report shows just how volatile the major junior market can be. For example, Team 11 claimed a net loss of $807,627 in 2013, a net income of $193,133 for 2014 and $849,128 for 2015. In 2016, that figure was $349,318. Meanwhile, Team 13 followed four straight profitable years with a loss of $890 for 2016.

Five of the 22 teams showed a profit in each of the five years, while three others lost money each year.

While Team 8 showed a seven-figure profit in four of the five years, only one other team had such a single-year profit. Team 15 showed a net income of $1,238,831 for 2016. 

The report shows that the WHL had five-year total revenues of $375,718,507, with operating expenses of $347,047,705, meaning that its five-year operating profit was $1,670,802.

Factoring in other income and expenses, defined by KPMG as “income and expenses resulting from transactions that are outside of regular operations,” the WHL as an entity showed a pre-tax loss of $1,065,792 over the period in question.

There are enough figures in all of this to choke a horse, but of interest . . . 

In 2012, each WHL team received $76,400 — a total of $1,680,800 — from the World Junior Championship that was held in Calgary and Edmonton.

In 2013, each WHL team received $148,913 — a total of $3,276,088 — from the Memorial Cup that was held in Saskatoon.

In 2015, each of the 22 teams got $43,043 — a total of $946,946 — from the WJC that was held in Montreal and Toronto.

In 2016, each team got $118,477 — a total of $2,606,494 — from the Memorial Cup that was held in Red Deer.

The report also shows that WHL teams have paid out $9,675,219 in education money over the five years, an annual average of $1,935,044. That includes $2,195,925 in 2016.

Interestingly, all of this information was turned over to the court after which TSN’s Rick Westhead reported that “the CHL has asked a judge to seal those records, which will be used to establish the profitability of the teams and major junior leagues.” The CHL issued a news release Thursday night that included all of the information.

That news release is right here.

It is believed that the parties are to appear in court in Calgary on Jan. 24.

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Special thanks to our @PWHBC who made the trip up to Prince George to support the boys! [cred: @PGCougars] pic.twitter.com/PG8xE48xpX

— Portland Winterhawks (@pdxwinterhawks) January 19, 2017

The Portland Winterhawks Booster Club is rolling this week with 43 members riding a bus as it follows the team on a four-game B.C. Division swing. Club members had a great time in Prince George on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, will be in Kamloops for a game tonight and in Kelowna on Saturday night. . . . Included on the trip is ‘Rowdy’ Ardyce Moore, who, according to Ted Clarke of the Prince George Citizen, “considers herself the troublemaker of the bunch.” Ardyce is 91 years of age and has been attending games since the Winterhawks relocated from Edmonton in 1976. . . . Clarke’s story is right here.

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The City of Nanaimo is expected to hold a referendum on March 11 that will involve the potential building of an events centre that will include a hockey arena. Before then, however, there are a lot of questions to be answered, including: Exactly what will be the referendum question?

Kendall Hanson of CHEK News has more right here.

Meanwhile, the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers are wondering what might be in their future. “We’re in a precarious situation,” David LeNeveu, who owns a piece o the franchise and is its president and governor, told Mario Annicchiarico of the Victoria Times Colonist. “Obviously, if a WHL team comes to Nanaimo, that could displace the Clippers. There’s been no decision made on that side. We’ve been working with the league to protect the league and protect ourselves and everyone involved, but there’s not much to say until March 11 happens. Everything is up in the air until that vote goes one way or another.”

That story is right here.

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G Brandon Jaeger of the SPHL’s Columbus Cottonmouths was in hospital being treated for what is believed to be a broken leg on Thursday night after the team bus rolled as it made its way to Peoria, Ill., for a Friday night game. . . . Jaeger, 26, is from Champlin, Minn., who played two seasons with the Wenatchee Wild when that franchise was in the NAHL. He is in his second season with the Cottonmouths. . . . Originally, all 24 people on board the bus were taken to hospital. That included Jerome Bechard, the general manager and head coach. Bechard, from Regina, played four seasons (1986-90) with the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Allan Dawlford of Smiths Station, Ala., the 74-year-old bus driver, also remains in hospital in fair condition. He is to be charged with failure to reduce speed in order to avoid a crash. . . . The Columbus roster includes at least two former WHLers — D Spencer Galbraith (Brandon, Lethbridge, Calgary, 2010-14) and D Petr Senkerik (Kootenay, Prince George, 2009-10). . . . David Eminian of the Peoria Journal Store has more right here.

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THURSDAY’S GAME:

At Edmonton, F Matt Phillips scored three times and F Tyler Soy had four assists as the Victoria Royals

MATT PHILLIPS

doubled the Oil Kings, 6-3. . . . Phillips, who has 32 goals, put up his fourth career hat trick. Three of those, including two this season, have come against Edmonton. . . . D Will Warm (7) gave Edmonton a 1-0 lead at 8:41 of the first period. . . . Phillips tied it, on a PP, at 12:16. . . . F Trey Fix-Wolansky scored his 13th goal, on a PP, at 15:07 to give the home side a 2-1 edge. . . . Victoria tied it when F Jack Walker scored No. 22, on a PP, at 16:48. . . . Edmonton went in front again at 1:57 of the second period when F Artyom Baltruk scored his second goal of the season. . . . D Chaz Reddekopp (8) pulled the Royals back into a tie, with a shorthanded score, at 5:38. . . . Phillips broke the tie at 17:33. . . . F Jared Dmytriw added insurance with his ninth goal, at 6:42 of the third period, and Phillips completed his hat trick at 15:07. . . . Soy drew the primary assist on each of Phillips’ goals and also set up Reddekopp’s shorthanded goal. . . . Victoria D Marsel Ibragimov had two assists, with Walker and Reddekopp adding one each. . . . Fix-Wolansky also had an assist. . . . G Griffen Outhouse stopped 18 shots for the Royals, while Edmonton’s Patrick Dea blocked 36. . . . Victoria was 2-8 on the PP; Edmonton was 1-4. . . . The Royals (25-18-4) have won three in a row. They hold down the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot and are two points behind the third-place Kelowna Rockets in the B.C. Division. . . . The Oil Kings (18-23-4) have lost six straight and are two points out of a playoff spot. . . . Announced attendance: 6,389.

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FRIDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Victoria at Calgary, 7 p.m.

Seattle at Everett, 7:35 p.m.

Portland at Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Moose Jaw at Prince George, 7 p.m.

Prince Albert at Red Deer, 7 p.m.

Medicine Hat at Regina, 7 p.m.

Brandon at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.

Kootenay vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

Kelowna at Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Bud Holloway (Seattle, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract extension with Skellefteå (Sweden, Elitserien). The contract has an out-clause should he sign an NHL contract. Holloway was named Elitserien Most Valuable Player, winning the league scoring championship with 20 goals and 51 assists in 55 games. Skellefteå beat Luleå four games to none to win their second-ever Elitserien championship — the first was in 1977-78. There is an interview video (in English) with Holloway on the club website, which you can find right here. . . .

F Ryan Kinasewich (Medicine Hat, Tri-City, 1998-2004) signed a one-year plus option contract with the Graz 99ers (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had four goals and seven assists in 14 games with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) and 16 goals and 10 assists in 25 games for Milan Rossoblu (Italy, Serie A) this season. . . .

D Jame Pollock (Seattle, 1995-99) signed a one-year contract extension with the Nuremburg Ice Tigers (Germany, DEL). He had eight goals and 18 assists in 46 games this season. Nuremburg also announced that it won’t offer contracts for next season to seven players, including D Sven Butenschön (Brandon, 1993-1996). Butenschön had two goals and one assist in 50 games for the Ice Tigers this season. . . .

F Nathan Rempel (Saskatoon, 1994-98) won’t be offered a contract for next season by the Guildford Flames (England, Premier). He had 19 goals and 20 assists in 43 games for the Flames this season.
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It will be interesting to see what kind of welcome is afforded F Chase Souto and the Kamloops Blazers tonight in Portland.
The Blazers trail 3-1 in the Western Conference final with the Winterhawks.
After being beaten 3-0 in Game 4 in Kamloops on Wednesday night, Souto was quoted by Marty Hastings of Kamloops This Week as saying: “We did it last year. I think we're going to go in their barn, cause a ruck and shut their fans up. Bunch of losers down there. … just gonna give it our all."
A year ago, in the second round, the Blazers were trailing 3-1 when they went into Portland and won, 7-2.
Souto’s comment was met with a predictable response.
Portland F Nic Petan told Paul Buker of The Oregonian: “We kind of heard it on the bus today. Not much you can do about it, just let it go. Our focus is on winning the game, and not making comments like that.”
D Derrick Pouliot added: “He can say whatever he wants. We’ve got amazing fans here. They’re loud, and proud.”
The loudest stuff, as usual, came from the fans.
Among the comments on the Winterhawks Booster Club’s Facebook page, where the graphic at the top of this entry was posted, were these:
“Wow, what a great example of terrible sportsmanship. Even if the Hawks lost, the fans would never shut up — Hawks' fans aren't fair weather fans.”
“No one shuts up we just shutout.”
“If your going to the game boo him enough for me please.”
“Suoto literally has a face only a mother can love. Go Hawks!!! Skates To Asses tomorrow night from the first puck drop till the final horn!!!”
“Chase Souto mouthing off, down 3-1? Shocker. Someone forgot to lock the chicken coop…”
“We should boo him every time he touches the puck. Just to remind him of his comment and how loud we can really be!”
There also was this:
“As much as it was pretty classless for Souto to make this statement... in my opinion it was wrong of the Winterhawks to create this and share it on their Facebook page. Seriously. Be the better team and show them on the ice...not on social media. This is a professional organization and posting this on their page is completely unprofessional.”
Meanwhile, over on Twitter, there was this:
From WinterhawksEgo (@WinterhawksEgo): “Way to stay classy @blazer hockey, chase souto. You're still losing Saturday night, don't fools yourselves.”
Uhh, someone may want to tell WinterhawksEgo that the game is tonight and tonight is Friday. Uhh, there isn’t a game scheduled for Saturday. So, WinterhawksEgo, don’t fools yourself into thinking there is a game on Saturday.
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And then there was Portland freelance writer Scott Sepich (@SSepich), who noted: “If the Winterhawks want to get casual PDX sports fans outraged, they should point out that Chase Souto is from CA and prob. a Lakers fan.”
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In the WHL, we get chirping. In the QMJHL, they get really down and dirty.
You have to love the QMJHL. You watched video of the the post-game donnybrook between the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and Baie-Comeau Drakkar and you go to bed. You wake up Thursday morning and the suspensions and fines already have been handed out. No wasting time. Everyone knows where they stand. Wonderful! . . . All told, 12 players, including all four goaltenders, drew suspensions, which means you may be on the bench as a backup goaltender for one of the teams. . . . There’s more on the suspensions and fines right here. . . . The series is 2-2 with Game 5 scheduled for Baie-Comeau tonight. . . . After Game 2, the Armada dropped F Stefane Matteau, who was a first-round selection by the New Jersey Devils in the 2012 NHL draft. Provided with a plane ticket home from Baie-Comeau, he chose to ride home on a fan bus. His father, former NHLer Stephane, is an assistant coach with the Armada, although he now is on leave from the team.
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Former NHLer Jim Peplinski suggests bodychecking be banned from all levels of hockey until players are at least 16 years of age. . . . “I’d question whether I’d have kids in hockey as it’s currently organized,” Peplinski said. “I don’t think I would. The image, the money, it completely fogs people’s judgments.” . . . Mark Howell, the head coach of the U of Calgary Dinos, says hitting shouldn’t be introduced until players are 13 to 15 years of age. . . . “Kids cannot learn to hit,” Howell said. “Kids need to learn the game of hockey without the fear of body contact at a young age.” . . . Dawn Walton of The Globe and Mail has more right here.
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It would appear that D Griffin Reinhart’s season is over. That being the case, his WHL career may be over. The Edmonton Oil Kings announced Thursday that Reinhart has undergone surgery to repair a torn tendon in a foot and won’t play for perhaps six weeks. . . . Reinhart suffered a cut to one foot during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference with the Calgary Hitmen. Reinhart, 19, was a first-round selection, fourth overall, by the New York Islanders in the 2012 NHL draft. . . . Edmonton D Cody Corbett (knee), who missed Games 3 and 4, is back skating. . . . With the series tied 2-2, Game 5 of the conference final is tonight in Edmonton. . . . The Hitmen will get back F Jake Virtanen, who served a two-game suspension for the hit that injured Corbett.
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D Landon Oslanski, who played out his junior eligibility with the Everett Silvertips, has joined the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder. He made his pro debut last night, picking up an assist in a 5-3 playoff victory over the visiting Anchorage Aces.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Jerry Bancks is the new general manager/head coach of the junior B Kimberley Dynamiters of the Kootenay International Junior League. Bancks had been an assistant coach with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice. In the past, Bancks has done two stints on the Dynamiters’ coaching staff, both times as an assistant. . . .
Aaron Wilburn has resigned as head coach of the junior B Richmond Sockeyes, who won the Keystone Cup as Western Canadian champions last week. Wilburn, 32, told Mark Booth of the Richmond News that his business interests have become too all-encompassing. Among other things, Wilbur is president of The Coaches Site and organizes coaching clinics. . . . Booth’s story is right here.
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The WHL’s playoff situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Calgary (3)
(Series tied 2-2; Game 5 tonight in Edmonton; all games on Shaw TV, with Dan Russell calling the play.)
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Kamloops (3)
(Portland leads series, 3-1; Game 5 tonight at the Rose Garden in Portland.)
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THURSDAY’S GAMES:
No Games Scheduled.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (20):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (6):
None
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From Ken Campbell (@THNKenCampbell): “Have to wonder where parity has gone in Jr. hockey. In OHL, QMJHL, WHL there have been 36 playoff series, only one has gone seven games.”


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Micki DuPont (Kamloops, 1996-2000) signed a one-year contract
extension with Kloten (Switzerland, NL A). DuPont signed a three-year contract extension in January, so this extension keeps him under contract to Kloten through the 2015-2016 season. In 29 games this season, DuPont has five goals and 12 assists. DuPont led all NL A defencemen in assists (35) and points (41), was named to the league all-star team, and was named Defenceman of the Year last season.
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Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune has a few questions for the WHL right here.
Yes, the questions have to do with WHL vs. Portland Winterhawks.
You have to read this if for no other reason than Eggers’ exchange, as brief as it was, with Cory Flett, the WHL’s director of communications.
There’s nothing wrong with ending your week with a good chuckle and this might do it for you. It also sums up the WHL’s approach to this entire mess.
portlandtribune.com/pt/12-sports/124492-no-appeal-yet-for-winterhawks;-good-luck-abby-chin;-a-big-honor-for-karen-gaffney;-and-more-notes
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An apology to the Portland Winterhawks Booster Club for something that was posted here yesterday.
I read something on an Oregon Live blog that was posted by community blogger Samantha Meese and obviously misinterpreted it.
Samantha wrote, in part:
“I encourage other fans to join me in donating to the Portland Winterhawks Booster Club for the express purpose of financially supporting air travel for the families of our players.”
I took that to mean that the booster club was collecting money for that purpose.
Meese later tweeted that “this was my idea. I’m simply donating to the Booster Club and designating my funds to help families.”
Stuart Kemp, the booster club’s president, later offered this clarification, and also touched on the Free Mike J t-shirts the group is selling:
“First off, the shirts are not to pay for air tickets or anything else. Any profits from these will be designated for the Education Fund. We had a long time fan front the cost of the shirts to be paid back as we sold them. They are only sold at the Booster Club table which is not under the jurisdiction of the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club or The Western Hockey League. There is no connection whatsoever. . . .
“As the Booster Club is a 501 (c)3 Registered Charity, we are authorized and do accept donations to the Booster Club. Anyone can earmark what they feel the money should go toward and we make every effort to see that this is accomplished. That said, we are also very aware of legalities and as such are checking whether if someone designates the use of the funds for flights or camps or whatever, that we can do so.
“In any case, on any disbursement, we must receive an application to access these funds and release such only based on merit and full approval of the Booster Club board and membership with the exception of the Player's Education Fund as that is mandated by the Booster Club charter.”
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Obviously, the price of playing poker in the WHL this trading season is going to be awfully steep.
On Thursday, the Kamloops Blazers gave up their 2012 first-round bantam draft pick, F Jayden Halbgewachs, a 2015 first-round selection and D Tyler Bell, 18, in order to land D Joel Edmundson, a 19-year-old stay-at-home type, and a fourth-round pick in 2015.
Edmundson, 6-foot-4, 210-pounder from Brandon, has eight points in 29 games this season. He was a second-round selection by the St. Louis Blues in the 2011 NHL draft. He had been a sixth-round selection by Moose Jaw in the 2008 bantam draft.
Dave Hunchak, the Blazers’ associate coach, was the head coach in Moose Jaw when the Warriors drafted Edmundson. Hunchak also was the head coach in 2010-11, Edmundson’s first season in Moose Jaw. With the Blazers, Hunchak handles the defencemen.
In his third WHL season, Edmundson has eight goals, 43 assists and 256 penalty minutes in 156 games.
Bell, a sophomore from Regina, has two goals, 14 assists and 97 penalty minutes in 83 games. This season, he has four points and 36 penalty minutes in 29 games.
Halbgewachs, 5-foot-7 and 140 pounds, was the 19th overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. He is with the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. He has 14 points, including eight goals, in 19 games after scoring twice and being named the away star in a 4-0 victory over the host Swift Current Legionnaires last night. (G Logan Flodell, who returned to Regina this week after a brief stint backing up with the Seattle Thunderbirds, stopped 28 shots for the shutout.)
While a lot of people around the WHL have been pointing a finger at Lorne Molleken, the general manager and head coach of the Saskatoon Blades, for driving up the price of poker, it’s likely that the bar for the Moose Jaw-Kamloops deal was set by a swap between the Vancouver Giants and Edmonton Oil Kings.
In that one, the Giants dealt D David Musil, 19, to Edmonton for D Mason Geertsen, 17, and the 2013 first-round draft pick. Musil was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the 2011 NHL draft.
In the Vancouver-Saskatoon deal, Molleken gave up F Travis McEvoy, 18, a third-rounder in 2013 and a first-rounder in 2014 for F Nathan Burns, 19.
The Blazers now have three 19-year-old shutdown defencemen, with Edmundson joining Tyler Hansen and Sam Grist, the latter acquired earlier in the season from the Tri-City Americans.
Some observers had thought the Blazers might make a pitch for Moose Jaw’s top defenceman, 18-year-old Morgan Rielly. However, after moving Edmundson yesterday, Moose Jaw general manager Alan Millar told a media scrum that he won’t be moving Rielly.
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Former NHLer Todd Harkins, who has won two B.C. Major Midget League titles as head coach of the Vancouver-Northwest Giants, will join the Prince George Cougars as an interim assistant coach next week.
Harkins, the BCMML coach of the year for last season, will take over from assistant coach Jason Becker later this month and stay until early January. Becker will be leaving the Cougars as he is head coach of Team Pacific, the B.C.-Alberta team that will play in the U17 World Hockey Challenge in Drummondville and Victoriaville, Que.
Harkins’ is to join head coach Dean Clark behind the bench for the first time on Dec. 28 when the Cougars play in Victoria against the Royals.
Harkins’ son, Jansen, was selected second overall by the Cougars in the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft. Jansen made his WHL debut with the Cougars on Nov. 11 in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Giants in Vancouver. Harkins has 30 points in 17 games with the Northwest Giants this season.
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The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League is moving into 100 Mile House, B.C. The Wranglers, who are finishing this season as the Penticton Lakers, will begin play in 100 Mile House in September. A group in 100 Mile House, which is about two hours north of Kamloops, is purchasing the franchise from the Okanagan Hockey Academy. If you’re wondering about the community’s name, it’s located 100 miles up the Cariboo Wagon Trail from Lillooet. The Wranglers will play out of the 700-seat South Cariboo Recreation Centre.
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In a story published today, Brad Brown of the Prairie Post, a Swift Current-based newspaper, has provided a thorough look at the life of a concussed WHL player. That player is F Shea Howorko of the Swift Current Broncos, who hasn’t played a game in a year.
This is a frightening story.
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Brian Toporek of Schooled in Sports has posted a story that should be ready by anyone who has anything to do with youth sports.
Here’s how he starts it:
“A sweeping new study has found evidence that long-term brain damage can occur after playing football for just a few years . . . in high school.
Released Monday by the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, the study found such injuries to six young men who played football in high school, but stopped before college, and did not play professionally.”
This is startling – really, really startling stuff – and his full report is right here.
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Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that the Regina Pats dropped two players from their roster on Thursday. . . . F Ty McLean, 17, who had one assist in 24 games, has joined the SJHL’s Weyburn Red Wings. . . . F Henry Hardarson, 18, who was pointless in 24 games, is off to the U18 Phoenix Firebirds of the North American Prospects Hockey League. Hardarson is from Phoenix.
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THURSDAY’S GAME:
In Kennewick, Wash., the Seattle Thunderbirds scored the game’s last six goals to erase a 4-2 deficit and double the Tri-City Americans, 8-4. . . . Seattle F Connor Sanvido had two goals and two assists, and was plus-4, while F Brendan Rouse drew three assists and was plus-6. . . . Seattle F Seth Swenson also scored twice, and F Robert Lipsbergs had a goal and an assist, running his point streak to 10 games. He has 12 goals and four assists over that stretch. He has scored in nine of his last 10 games. . . . The Americans had won 22 straight home games with the Thunderbirds, a streak that began in February 2008. . . . It was Teddy Bear Night and F Parker Bowles score the goal for the Americans.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
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From Regan Bartel (@Reganrant), the radio voice of the Kelowna Rockets: “So here's the deal WHL GM's. U want to pick up 19 year-old player, despite skill set, be prepared to cough over 1st rounder. #thanksMolleken”
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More from Bartel: “If WHL team wanted to acquire Ryan Murray they would have had to give up first born, key to the city and this weeks winning lottery numbers.”
Bartel may be upset because just last week he all but had Moose Jaw D Morgan Rielly ticketed for Kamloops. LOL!
———
And then there was this one from Prince Albert Raiders G Luke Siemens (@siems31), as he and his mates headed for Cranbrook: “well what do ya know our bus may have broke down again with a broken belt #thestreakisalive #4times”

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The WHL’s board of governors held a conference call on Tuesday.
In light of all that transpired last week in terms of WHL vs. Portland Winterhawks, yes, there was some discussion of the situation.
How much isn’t known, at least not by those who weren’t on the call, but you can safely guess it wasn’t much.
The Winterhawks, of course, were whacked last week for what the WHL has said were multiple violations of rules involving player benefits. The WHL has allowed that none of the violations involved recruiting violations of enhanced education packages.
In the end, the Winterhawks were fined $200,000 — a number that may now be as high as $275,000 after they apparently were disciplined for issuing a couple of news releases last week in which they explained their role in these violations. Mike Johnston, their general manager and head coach, was suspended through the end of the Memorial Cup, and they lost a number of draft picks.
Shortly after all of this came to light, the Winterhawks revealed that they were pondering an appeal. However, the WHL’s rules and regulations apparently don’t make any mention of an appeals process. Still, the Winterhawks had hoped they would at least get to make their case to the WHL’s board of governors.
Well, the BoG held that conference call and . . .
I have been told by a source familiar with the goings-on that the “WHL refused to even hear the appeal . . . let alone reconsider the facts.”
Paul Buker of The Oregonian later reported, via Twitter, that Winterhawks president Doug Piper chose not to comment on the conference call, while Graham Kendrick, the director of media and public relations, said the “best we can say now is due to the fact there is no formal appeal process we are in discussions.”
The next move, then, would appear to be up to the Winterhawks.
I am told that the WHL, after that conference call, sent out an email that changes what apparently had been an open-ended Christmas gift policy. I don’t know any of the details but am guessing there now is an expense cap on that policy.
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Which brings us to the can of worms being opened by the Portland Winterhawks Booster Club.
It seems that these folks are about to embark on a fund-raising effort with the dough to be turned into plane tickets for the parents of Winterhawks players.
Consider these two paragraphs from Oregon Live, where Samantha Meese, a community blogger, writes about the Winterhawks:
“I encourage other fans to join me in donating to the Portland Winterhawks Booster Club for the express purpose of financially supporting air travel for the families of our players. You may do this at any time and simply earmark the funds accordingly. I plan to get the party started this Friday, and I hope others will join me. The Booster Club has the donation form online and in hard copy form at their table — they can also answer any questions you may have.
“Here's a thought for you: The Teddy Bear Toss is pretty much sold out at this point. Imagine if all of us gave just one dollar that night to this effort: We'd have collected nearly $11,000 in one night; I figure that should be enough to transport a few families in need to the Rose City, don't you think? And the best part is there is nothing — not one rule or law — stopping us from doing what is right. Because it is a charitable donation to the Booster Club, it is free and clear of WHL rules and regulations. Oh, and it's a great tax write off for 2012 if you donate before the year is over.”
The complete blog entry is right here.
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Beth Slovic of The Oregonian has a piece right here about the sanctions against the Winterhawks having caused some uncertainty in Portland about the future of the scheduled redevelopment of Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Bill Gallacher, the Winterhawks’ owner, has been talking of putting up $10 million for the project. But now it seems there are questions.
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To add even more intrigue to the Portland situation, there has been speculation the last couple of days that perhaps F Quentin Shore is soon to leave the U of Denver Pioneers and join the Winterhawks.
It is that time of season when there will be a few players leaving NCAA schools for the major junior ranks. Only time will tell if Shore is one of those.
Early Wednesday, Paul Buker of The Oregonian tweeted: “No comment from Portland today on speculation U Denver F Quentin Shore is leaving school to play for Hawks.”
Later, Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News tweeted: “Quentin Shore not leaving Denver just yet — controversy surrounding Portland a factor.”
Shore, an 18-year-old from Denver who is a Portland list player, has seven points in 14 games with the Pioneers. He played the last two seasons in the U.S. National Team Development Program.
Shore’s parents, Sarah and David, both attended Denver. Two of his brothers also have played hockey there.
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The Prince George Cougars lost their captain on Wednesday when F Brock Hirsche, 20, announced his retirement. He had undergone his second major shoulder surgery in two years on Tuesday. . . . "It's tough when you've got to walk away from the game you love, it sucks, it really does," the Lethbridge native told Sheri Lamb of the Prince George Citizen. "I guess being able to brace for it for the last couple of weeks has helped me a little bit. Those first few nights when I found out there was a pretty good chance I wouldn't play again I honestly didn't sleep at all so as tough as it is today, it's not as bad because I've been expecting it for a while." . . . The Cougars have named D Dan Gibb as their captain, with Troy Bourke, Dallas Ehrhardt and Ryan Hanes as the alternates. . . . Hirsche worked as an assistant when he was injured last season and has done the same last season. He said he will decide over Christmas whether to return to the team in that role.
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D Ryan Pulock should be back in the Brandon Wheat Kings’ lineup on Friday night when they play host to the Spokane Chiefs. Pulock has missed six games since being struck in the face with a puck. He will be wearing a full visor when he returns. . . . Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reports that F Jens Meilleur , who has sat out eight games with an undisclosed injury, didn’t skate on Wednesday. He had taken part in a full practice on Tuesday.
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F Matthew Barzal, taken by the Seattle Thunderbirds with the first pick of the 2012 bantam draft, had one assist last night as his Coquitlam Express beat the host Chilliwack Express, 3-2. That was Barzal’s fifth BCHL game; he has two assists. . . . Barzal has 50 points, 17 of them goals, in 17 games with the major midget Vancouver—North East Chiefs. . . . Barzal has yet to commit to the Thunderbirds as he keeps his options open.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAME:
In Kelowna, the Rockets scored four third-period goals and beat the Swift Current Broncos, 6-5. . . . The Rockets have won 11 in a row at home. . . . Swift Current F Adam Lowry scored three of the game’s first goals, giving him 14 this season. His second goal came on a penalty shot. . . . He also had one assist. . . . F Cody Fowlie had a goal and two assists for the Rockets, all in the third period. . . . The Rockets gave up two shorthanded goals in a game for the second time this season. . . . The Broncos had F Glenn Gawdin in the lineup. Gawdin, 15, was the fifth overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. He is coming off an eight-point weekend as his Greater Vancouver Canadians swept the Prince George-based Cariboo Cougars 9-6 and 5-3 in B.C. Major Midget League play. . . . Gawdin has 25 points in 18 games with the Canadians. . . . Swift Current also had F Daniel Dale back from a two-game suspension. . . . However, the Broncos were without F Josh Derko (ankle) and F Levi Bews (knee), both of whom were injured Tuesday in Kamloops. As well, F Chance Lund (ill) sat this one out. . . . D Brett Lernout, acquired Monday from the Saskatoon Blades, made his Swift Current debut. . . . The Broncos may have lost D Reece Scarlett last night as radio voice Shawn Mullin reports that he didn’t play in the last 10 minutes of the third period. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Giorgio Estephan, the fourth overall pick in the 2012 bantam draft, scored his first WHL goal in his first game to help the Hurricanes to a 6-2 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Estephan, who is from Edmonton, scored his club’s sixth goal on a PP. . . . F Sam Mckechnie had two goals for Lethbridge, giving him 14, while F Russell Maxwell got his 15th. . . . F Curtis Lazar scored twice for Edmonton, giving him back-to-back two-goal games after a goal-less November. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit, who will attend the Canadian national junior team’s selection camp next week in Calgary, got the hook at 10:28 of the second period after being beaten four times on 20 shots. . . .

In Saskatoon, Spokane F Todd Fiddler moved into the WHL goal-scoring lead as his Chiefs beat the Blades, 4-1. . . . Fiddler, who has goals in five straight games, has 23 on the season, one more than Kamloops F JC Lipon. . . . The Blades (13-14-1) are 3-7-0 at home this season, including a 1-4 record against visiting U.S. Division teams. . . . The Chiefs are 4-0-0 on their East Division swing. They are the last of the U.S. Divisions to make the tour. The Tri-City Americans went 5-0-1 on their swing, while the Portland Winterhawks were 4-1-1, the Everett Silvertips 4-2-0 and the  Seattle Thunderbirds 2-4-0. . . .

In Regina, the Red Deer Rebels spoiled the Pats’ party with a 5-1 victory. . . . The Pats saluted former star F Jordan Eberle by retiring his number (7). . . . Red Deer is 8-0-0 under Brent Sutter, the owner, president and interim head coach. . . . F Rhyse Dieno had two goals and two assists for the Rebels, who held a 49-20 edge in shots. . . . Dieno has 11 points, including four goals, in eight games since joining the Rebels from the SJHL’s La Ronge Ice Wolves. . . . The game drew a season-high crowd of 5,858. . . . Regina F Trent Ouellette (knee) returned after missing 15 games. . . . Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that the Pats also got back F Emil Sylvegard (hand) and D/F Kade Pilton (virus), “but the team added D Luke Fenske (wrist) to its injured list.” . . . The game’s start was delayed by 30 minutes due to the Eberle celebration. Red Deer D Matt Dumba, who will be going to the Canadian junior team’s selection camp next week, told Harder that he was thinking about Eberle’s accomplishments while taking it all in. “That’s basically all I was thinking about when I was sitting on the bench,” Dumba said. “Just remembering all the goals he scored with Team Canada and what an experience he must have had. I was picturing maybe the possible future for me but I know I still have a ton of hard work in front of me.” . . .

In Victoria, F Cain Franson scored twice to help the Vancouver Giants to a 7-2 victory over the Royals. . . . The Giants had lost their last seven games. . . . Vancouver D Blake Orban had two assists and was plus-4, while F Kale Kessy, who had a goal, also was plus-4.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
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From Oregonian sports writer Paul Buker (@Pnbuker): “If you've followed along and know the league, Hawks seeking relief from BOG is akin to Auburn asking for help from Alabama #rigged jury”
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From Seattle Thunderbirds D Jesse Forsberg (@forsmasterrex): “@bigsexytweet10 sad to see you hang them up, one of the best ppl iv met in the game and one of the best friends I have #loveyou #gursh”
Forsberg played with F Brock Hirsche, who retired Wednesday, in Prince George.
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From G Drew Owsley (@D_Owsley30), who played in Prince George last season: “Sad to hear one of the most genuine guys I’ve ever played with @bigsexytweet10 had to hang em up. Definitely has a bright future #loveu”

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