Another surgery for Patrick ... Wheat Kings, Silvertips swap goalies ... Wellsby moves to BCHL

EPIC!"@CFL: What a time @TheMapleLeafUK w/the #GreyCup & @HenryBurris celebrating #Canada150! #BringItIn #CFL pic.twitter.com/HTyAd1oD9H"

— Lisa (@charmschool1) June 30, 2017

It’s July 1, which means Happy Canada Day to Bobby Bonilla, who retired as a baseball player in 2003 and last played for the New York Mets in 1999. But his contract called for him to receive US$1,193,248.20 every July 1 through 2035. . . . And how much will your bank account grow by today?

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In looking back at all that happened during the NHL’s draft weekend in Chicago, the move that may have the biggest impact on the 2017-18 season was the Pittsburgh Penguins’ acquisition of tough guy Ryan Reaves from the St. Louis Blues. The Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups without a bodyguard for Sidney Crosby and Co. Will Reaves’ arrival in Pittsburgh signal the start of an arms race?

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Of course, the Detroit Red Wings tried to play for a number of seasons — post-Bob Probert and Darren McCarty — without a bodyguard for the likes of Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. And we all know how that turned out.

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It seems that every CFL season is the same as the last one. Observers are critical of the officials for throwing too many flags. But why are those same observers to reluctant to point fingers at coaches for the lack of discipline being shown by players who put the officials in positions where they can call those penalties?

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Wonder Woman and I journeyed to Kelowna on Friday, a trip we always enjoy. Yes, dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory was terrific. But, I’m here to tell you, the Kelowna traffic crawl is right there with that of the Lower Mainland.

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We also were left to wonder if there was anyone left at home in Alberta, or if the citizenry all had made the trek to the Okanagan.

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“Toronto columnist Steve Simmons claims the Maple Leafs are closer to a Stanley Cup than many think,” writes RJ Currie of SportsDeke.com. “Right. And I’m closer to dating Kate Upton than many think.”

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Currie, again: “Tim Hortons is offering poutine doughnuts on July 1 to salute Canada’s 150th birthday — but only in the U.S. Unless I’m mistaken, this is how Canada won the War of 1812.”

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F Justin Feser (Tri-City, 2008-13) has signed a one-year contract with the Krefeld Pinguine (Germany, DEL). Last season, he had 22 goals and 30 assists in 45 games with Olten (Switzerland, NL B). He led the team in goals, assists and points. . . .

D Jesse Dudas (Lethbridge, Prince George, Swift Current, Regina, 2003-09) has signed a one-year contract with Nové Zámky (Slovakia, Extraliga). Last season, with Debrecen (Hungary,MOL Liga), had one goal and five assists in six games. He started the season with TPS Turku (Finland, Liiga), but was injured in the first Champions League game and never played in the regular season. . . .

F Keegan Dansereau (Calgary, Swift Current, 2003-09) signed a one-year contract with MAC Budapest (Hungary, MOL Liga). Last season, with Dunaújváros (Hungary, MOL Liga), he had 34 goals and 37 assists in 39 games. He led the league in points and was tied for the lead in goals. . . . 

F Layne Ulmer (Swift Current, 1997-2001) has signed a one-year extension with the Cardiff Devils (Wales, UK Elite). An alternate captain, he had 19 goals and 33 assists in 51 games last season. Ulmer completed his MBA at Cardiff Metropolitan University during last season. . . .

D Mark Louis (Brandon, Red Deer, 2003-08) has signed a one-year extension with the Cardiff Devils (Wales, UK Elite). Last season, he had one goal and 12 assists in 45 games. . . .

F Carson McMillan (Calgary, 2005-09) has signed a one-year extension with Esbjerg (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). Last season he had nine goals and eight assists in 39 games. . . . 

F Luke Lockhart (Seattle, 2007-13) has signed a one-year contract with Kunlun Red Star Beijing (China, KHL). Last season, with University of British Columbia (CIS), he had nine goals and nine assists in 28 games. Kunlun Red Star opens training camp today (Saturday) with three days in Beijing, and is to begin on-ice sessions in Switzerland on July 8. . . .

F Adam Řehák (Medicine Hat, 2011-12) has signed a one-year extension with the Invicta Dynamos Gillingham (England, National). In 27 games last season, he had 27 goals and 25 assists. He led his team goals, assists and points, while finishing second in the league scoring race.

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F Nolan Patrick, the second overall selection in the NHL’s 2017 draft, has undergone another surgical procedure.

Ron Hextall, the Philadelphia Flyers’ general manager, revealed on Friday that Patrick won’t be taking part in the on-ice part of a development camp next week.

“Nolan had abdominal surgery on June 13, which related to his injury he dealt with this past season,” Hextall said in a news release.”

The Flyers expect Patrick to “be able to resume full activity” sometime between mid-July and early August.

This means that Patrick had surgery 11 days before the Flyers selected him during the draft in Chicago.

"To me, that brought clarity to us in terms of what’s been nagging him the whole year,” Hextall told reporters on a conference call. “There was something there. For us it was almost — I don’t want to say it was a positive — but when you look at everything that happened to him during the year and in and out, now we know what the issue was."

Patrick first was injured late in the WHL’s 2015-16 playoffs. He had surgery to repair a sports hernia in July 2016 and returned for the start of the WHL’s regular season. He played five games, the last one on Oct. 11, and then sat out until Jan. 13. He was injured again on March 17 and missed Brandon’s four playoff games as it was swept from a first-round series by the Medicine Hat Tigers.

In the 33 regular-season games in which he was able to play, Patrick put up 20 goals and 26 assists.

If Patrick doesn’t crack the Flyers’ lineup out of training camp, he must be returned to the Wheat Kings.

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(Photo: @bdnwheatkings)

The Brandon Wheat Kings and Everett Silvertips swapped goaltenders on Friday, with Brandon Peacock, 17, heading west in exchange for Zach Bennett. . . . Peacock, from Quesnel, B.C., has played three seasons at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton, B.C. Last season, with the White prep team in the CSSHL, he was 12-6-1, 3.24, .896. The Wheat Kings selected him in the fourth round of the WHL’s 2015 bantam draft. . . . In mid-June, the BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters announced that they had signed Peacock for 2017-18. . . . Bennett, from Winnipeg, will turn 17 on Oct. 1. The Silvertips picked him in the seventh round of the 2015 bantam draft. Last season, he was 2.20, .936 with the midget AAA Winnipeg Thrashers, and he was a second-team Manitoba Midget Hockey League all-star.

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The BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs have added F Austin Wellsby, 20, to their roster. Wellsby, who is from Chilliwack, played the past three seasons with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice. Last season, he had six goals and 12 assists in 60 games. In 164 regular-season games, Wellsby had 15 goals and 20 assists. . . . The Ice selected him in the fourth round of the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft.

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BTW, if you want to contact me with some information or just feel like commenting on something, you may email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).

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Bram Stephen is the new head coach of the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints. He spent the previous five seasons with the Grant MacEwan College Griffins. Prior to that, he was an assistant coach for two seasons (2009-11) with the AJHL’s Drayton Valley Thunder. . . . In Spruce Grove, Stephen takes over from Michael Ringrose, who left as the organization underwent an ownership change in June.

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Chris Taylor has signed on as head coach of the Rochester Americans, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. He replaces Dan Lambert, who was fired after one season as the Sabres underwent a regime change. Lambert has since signed as the head coach of the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. . . . Taylor is a former Americans player and played three seasons (2002-05) with Jason Botterill, Buffalo’s new GM, in Rochester. . . . Taylor spent four seasons (2012-16) as an assistant coach with the Americans. Last season, he was an assistant with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Simon Ferguson (Lethbridge, Kelowna, 1999-2004) signed a one-year contract with Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had 18 goals and 33 assists in 40 games for Esbjerg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga) last season, good for second place in league scoring. . . .
D Jeff May (Prince Albert, Lethbridge, 2002-08) and D Jonathan Harty (Everett, 2004-08) each signed one-year contracts with Angers (France, Ligue Magnus). May had seven goals and 20 assists in 50 games for the Las Vegas Wranglers (ECHL), while Harty had seven goals and 20 assists in 26 games with the University of New Brunswick (CIS) and was pointless in three games with the Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL) last season. Angers is coached by former Everett associate head coach Jay Varady.
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You will be aware that former WHLers like Darryl Sutter, Jarret Stoll, Dwight King and Colin Fraser helped the Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup title.
But how about the other ex-WHLers who were involved?
So here’s a tip of the cap to . . .
Ron Hextall (Brandon, 1981-84), the Kings’ assistant GM. He has been with L.A. for six seasons now.
Bill Ranford (New Westminster, 1983-96), the Kings' goaltending coach.
Kim Dillabaugh, the Kelowna Rockets’ goaltending coach who is the Kings’ goaltender development coach.
Darren Granger, who has completed six seasons as the Kings’ equipment manager. He spent five seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Rob Laird (Regina, 1972-74) is the Kings’ senior pro scout. He has been with the Kings for 18 years, the last 16 as a pro scout.
Brent McEwen, a former GM of the Saskatoon Blades, has been the Kings’ Western Canada amateur scout since 2004.
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Craig West, the radio voice of the Tri-City Americans, was crying in his beer on Tuesday.
Actually, he wasn’t; at least, I don’t think he was.
But he did send along a note from the Pacific Northwest Inlander on the closing of the Viking Tavern in Spokane.
The tavern is located across from the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena and was a favourite stop for folks before and after Chiefs games.
There is more right here.
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A memorial service for Bruce McDonald, the Seattle Thunderbirds’ radio analyst who died on June 6, will be held Friday, noon, at Overlake Christian Church in Redmond, Wash. The service is open to the public.
A note from a Thunderbirds’ news release:
“A memorial fund has been set up in Bruce’s name. Fans wishing to contribute should make out checks to “Bruce McDonald Memorial Trust Fund” and send them to the Seattle Thunderbirds Offices at 625 James, Kent WA 98032. Fans can also send their donations to: Bruce McDonald Memorial Trust Fund, CPO Box 634, Fall City, WA 98024.”
McDonald, who suffered from cerebral palsy and was in a wheelchair, had been diagnosed with leukemia in April. He was 41.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The St. Louis Blues have opted not to pick up the option on the contract of Jared Bednar, the head coach of the Peoria Rivermen, the NHL team’s AHL affiliate. Bednar went 81-63-12 in two seasons with the Rivermen.
Graham Thomas is the new head coach of the University of British Columbia’s varsity women's hockey program. Thomas, from Calgary, takes over from Jen Rawson, who resigned after last season, citing personal reasons. Thomas has been with the women’s team at Syracuse U, as associate coach and recruiting co-ordinator, since 2008-09. . . .
Fran Gow, a veteran of the AJHL wars, has signed a three-year contract to remain as GM/head coach of the Drayton Valley Thunder. Gow is a veteran of 19 years in the AJHL. He has been with the Thunder since 2007. . . . Gow immediately announced that Mike Mueller be staying put as associate coach.
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The Vancouver Giants have signed F Jakob Stukel to a WHL contract. Stukel, who is from Surrey, was the 37th overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. He had 62 points in 20 games with a bantam team in Cloverdale last season. . . . The Giants now have signed three of their 2012 draft picks.
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The BCHL held its annual meeting last weekend in Richmond, B.C. Josh Aldrich of the Nanaimo Daily News reports right here on the goings-on, including a new playoff format and taking rosters from 21 players to 22.
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Craig Forsythe of the Philadelphia Flyers Examiner blog is reporting that D Ricard Blidstrand has signed with VIK Vasteras, a team in Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan, the country’s second-highest league. . . . Blidstrand was selected by the Flyers in the seventh round of the 2010 NHL draft but never signed with Philadelphia. Blidstrand played with the Regina Pats in 2010-11. They dealt him to the Prince George Cougars at the January trade deadline last season. . . . Blidstrand turned 20 on April 20, but wasn’t expected back in the WHL as he would have been a two-spotter -- a 20-year-old import.
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For today’s good read, check out this piece by Bob Klapisch, a columnist at northjersey.com. It’s the latest on longtime baseball exec Jim Duquette and his daughter, Lindsey. You may recall that the Duquettes were mentioned here a few days ago, on the eve of surgery during which Jim donated a kidney to his daughter. This is a wonderful, wonderful story.


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Another chapter in hockey's ugly summer

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Bernhard Keil (Kamloops, 2010-11) has been assigned on loan by the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL) to Regensburg (Germany, Oberliga). Keil had five goals and three assists in 46 games with the Blazers last season. The DEL starts its regular season on Sept. 16; the Oberliga starts Sept. 23.
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D Yuri Urychev and F Daniil Sobchenko, who died in Wednesday’s crash of the plane carrying the KHL’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, played for Team Russia in last season’s Subway Super Series.
They also played for the Russian team that won the 2011 World Junior Championship in Buffalo.
In the Super Series, Urychev had three assists in the six games, including two helpers in a 7-6 shootout victory over the WHL in Kamloops.
Sobchenko finished the six games with a goal and three assists. He scored once in the game in Kamloops and added another in the shootout.
Sobchenko was a sixth-round selection by the San Jose Sharks in the 2011 NHL draft and later attended their development camp.
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For a look at the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl roster, you can click right here.
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For a pictorial look at the roster, you can click right here.
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Jesse Wallin, the GM and head coach of the Red Deer Rebels, talking to Red Deer Advocate sports editor Greg Meachem:
“This hits pretty close to home. Brad was a tremendous human being, a mentor for me when I was growing up. He and Kelly had a cabin at Jackfish Lake near North Battleford and he used to come by and pick up some of us young guys and take us down to the track to train (for the next hockey season). . . .
“Brad was from the Kindersley (Sask.) area where my mom and dad grew up so we kind of had some family connections. My family had known the McCrimmons for some time.
“I spent a lot of time with him as a teen and I know he was a great resource for a lot of young guys coming through Brandon. Kelly (McCrimmon) had him at (Wheat Kings) training camp for a lot of years. He liked working with the young guys. Here was a guy 15 years into his career and he’d walk into a room, see a young guy sitting in the corner and walk over and start a conversation. That’s just the kind of person he was.”
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A tweet from former NHL/WHL/Team Canada goaltender Corey Hirsch: “I’m at a loss for words about this plane crash. Played with or against most of them. Beast, your giant smile will never be forgotten.”
Beast, of course, was Brad McCrimmon's nickname throughout hockey's world.
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Ron Hextall is the Los Angeles Kings’ assistant GM. He is a former Brandon Wheat Kings goaltender who was a teammate of McCrimmon’s in Philadelphia. Here’s Hextall, to Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times: “When I think of the teammates I had over the years and great teammates, Brad McCrimmon is at the top of the list. Any athlete wants to be remembered as a great teammate. He truly was.”
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Eric Duhatschek of The Globe and Mail, who knew McCrimmon perhaps better than any other journalist, offers up his thoughts right here.
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Allan Maki of The Globe and Mail, who like Duhatschek is based in Calgary, says goodbye to McCrimmon right here.
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Craig Custance of Sporting News has a solid read right here.
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Mark Spector of sportsnet.ca takes a look at NHL players and something that goes unspoken as they prepare for yet another in a season’s worth of plane flights. That piece is right here.
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Finally, for a completely different angle on Wednesday’s tragedy check out this entry from a blog named ACHICKSPERSPECTIVE.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

Wednesday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Eric Schneider (Tri-City, 1995-96) signed a two-year contract extension with Munich (Germany DEL). He had 21 goals and 35 assists in 52 games for Munich this season. . . . F Sean O'Connor (Moose Jaw, 1999-2002) signed a one-year contract extension with the Augsburger Panther (Germany DEL). He had six goals and six assists in 33 games for Augsburg this season.
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Mike Williamson, the head coach of the Calgary Hitmen, has been named head coach of the Canadian team that will compete in the 2011 IIHF World U-18 championship in Dresden and Crimmitschau, Germany, , April 14-24.
Also on the coaching staff are assistants Mark Lamb, who is the GM/head coach of the Swift Current Broncos, and Dale Hawerchuk, the director of hockey operations and head coach of the OHL’s Barrie Colts. The goaltending coach will be former NHLer Ron Tugnutt, who works with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes.
Canada opens the tournament against the Czech Republic on April 15 in Dresden. Also in Canada’s preliminary pool are Finland, Norway and Sweden.
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A note from Rich Hammond at lakingsinsider.com points out that Ron Hextall, the Los Angeles Kings assistant GM, completed his first marathon on Sunday when he ran in the Los Angeles Marathon. According to Hammond, runners competed in “cold, dismal conditions.” . . . Hextall, who played goal for the Brandon Wheat Kings (1981-84), was joined by his wife Diane and Kings broadcaster Daryl Evans. The three ran together and finished in four hours 37 minutes 11 seconds. . . . Diane is the former Diane Ogibowski of Minnedosa, Man. In her day, she was one of Canada’s top female figure skaters.
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The Red Deer Rebels made it official Wednesday. They are preparing a bid on the 2013 Memorial Cup tournament.
“It’s something that has been discussed for awhile,” Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ owner, told Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate. “Before even considering a bid, you have to feel confident that you will have a quality team at the time, a team that will be able to compete in such a prestigious event.
“I had lengthy discussions with Jesse (Rebels head coach/vice-president of hockey operations) and also with (director of scouting/player development) Randy Peterson, and they both felt very confident and comfortable that we’d be able to compete.”
The Lethbridge Hurricanes also have said they will bid on the host rights, while it is widely believed that the Saskatoon Blades also will be involved.
According to Meachem’s story, “If five or more cities bid for the event, the WHL will review preliminary bid information and shortlist the bids to a maximum of four by June 15.”
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JUST NOTES: Deven Dubyk of the Medicine Hat Tigers is the CHL’s goaltender of the week. Dubyk put up back-to-back shutouts over the Calgary Hitmen last weekend as the Tigers rested starter Tyler Bunz. . . . Those were Dubyk’s first career shutouts. . . . The Tri-City Americans won’t have F Adam Hughesman (knee) back for the opening of their series with the Vancouver Giants. Hughesman, who has been out for a month, is back skating and might return for Game 3. . . . Vancouver F James Henry (knee) didn’t practise Wednesday. . . . The Giants also will be without D Joel Rogers, 20, who suffered a concussion on the weekend on a hit by Kelowna Rockets F Evan Bloodoff. Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun reports that Rogers “almost certainly won't play again this season.” That was Rogers’ second concussion in a two-month period. Bloodoff drew a four-game suspension.
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Darren Zary of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has a story right here about the Rosetown Redwings, who are 31-0 as they chase a Hardy Cup (senior B) championship. And there are lots of names here that will be familiar to WHL fans.
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Here, for your reading enjoyment, is a great little piece from the Washington Post on the time Liz Taylor took part in the coin flip prior to an NFL game between the Washinton Redskins and the host Dallas Cowboys.
Be prepared to chuckle when you read it. It’s right here.
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The WHL held its draft lottery Wednesday morning and the Kamloops Blazers were the winners. They had just one of the 21 balls in the lottery, but their ball came up, allowing them to move up two spots to fourth.
Here then, courtesy of Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post, is the order of selection for the first round of the draft, which is scheduled for May 5 in Calgary:
1. Calgary Hitmen
2. Swift Current Broncos
3. Lethbridge Hurricanes (From Regina)
4. Kamloops Blazers
5. Lethbridge Hurricanes
6. Seattle Thunderbirds
7. Everett Silvertips
8. Prince Albert Raiders
9. Edmonton Oil Kings
10. Prince George Cougars
11. Brandon Wheat Kings
12. Chilliwack Bruins
13. Swift Current Broncos (From Kootenay/Vancouver)
14. Moose Jaw Warriors
15. Kelowna Rockets
16. Regina Pats (From Tri-City)
17. Kootenay Ice
18. Medicine Hat Tigers
19. Spokane Chiefs
20. Vancouver Giants (From Portland)
21. Red Deer Rebels
22. Brandon Wheat Kings (From Saskatoon)
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter