G Tyler Plante (Brandon, 2003-07) signed a one-year contract with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite). Last season, with Lørenskog (Norway, GET-Ligaen), he was 18-9, 2.36, .918 with two shutouts in 27 games. He was third in the league in save percentage. . . .
F Mike Piluso (Vancouver, Edmonton, 2006-11) signed a one-year contract with Hamburger SV (Germany, Oberliga). Last season, with Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (ACAA), he had 46 points, including 23 goals, in 27 games. He was second in the league’s scoring race. He also was the playoff MVP.
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The WHL’s annual general meeting wrapped up in Vancouver on Wednesday and, if you go by the news release
At least nothing happened unless it had to do with the fact that the 2015-16 season will be the WHL’s 50th anniversary season.
From the news release:
* The WHL season will open Sept. 24 with the Regina Pats visiting the Moose Jaw Warriors. Why open in Moose Jaw? “The East Division is considered the birthplace of the WHL,” according to the news release, “and Moose Jaw is the home of the first ever WHL championship team.”
* The WHL will announce it’s top 50 players of all-time at some point during the season. Fans will help determine that list, while a select panel of long-time WHL observers also will take part.
* In September, the WHL will publish a 50th anniversary book that will “detail the history of the league as well as its clubs, builders, players and key members.”
* Each of the WHL’s 22 teams will play host to one game that will celebrate the 50th season and “honour the history of its franchise and alumni.”
* As well, the Subway Super Series — Team WHL against a touring Russian side — will be played in Kelowna on Nov. 9 and Kamloops on Nov. 10. . . . The CHL Top Prospects Game is to be played in Vancouver on Jan. 28. . . . Red Deer is the host city for the 2016 Memorial Cup tournament, May 19-29.
Unfortunately, there was nothing in the WHL’s news release detailing whether the pooh-bahs discussed such matters as dealing with mental health through education, efforts to prevent concussions, or possible rule changes.
Nor does the news release indicate when the WHL will release its regular-season schedule. Last year, the WHL released its regular-season schedule two weeks after its AGM.
If you are wondering about a playoff format, the one that was in use this spring will be used for at least two more seasons. The WHL announced that format after its 2015 AGM, saying that it would be in place for three seasons.
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“The Western Hockey League is prepared to ‘exhaust every avenue’ to keep the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook, but commissioner Ron Robison reaffirmed there is a demand from other markets, including in the Fraser Valley and Lower Mainland, for a franchise if relocation becomes a reality,” writes Cam Tucker of Metro Vancouver. . . . That story is right here.——
The WHL announced Wednesday that former player Greg Gardner is its manager of education services. According to a news release, Gardner “will be responsible to administer the WHL league-wide education program policies and procedures, including monitoring the academic progress” of all players through each team’s education advisor. . . . After playing five seasons (2003-08) with the Prince George Cougars, Gardner spent five seasons with the U of Alberta Golden Bears. He played the last two seasons with the ECHL’s Colorado Eagles. At the U of A, he earned a bachelor's degree in physical education with a concentration in sports performance.
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Todd Holt and Sheldon Kennedy, a pair of former Swift Current Broncos forwards who were sexually abused by GM/head coach Graham James, will be in Swift Current on Friday to support the latest ex-player to come forward with accusations about James. . . . Bill Graveland of The Canadian Press has more right here.
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There is a definite WHL flavour to the U of Lethbridge Pronghorns’ recruits for the 2015-16 season. Head coach Spiros Anastas, who is heading into his second season, announced the commitment of 12 players, including seven with WHL experience. . . . F Bryson Gore (Moose Jaw), D Tyler Hansen (Kamloops), F Sam McKechnie (Lethbridge, Seattle, Saskatoon), F Jay Merkley (Lethbridge, Swift Current), D Blake Orban (Vancouver, Edmonton), F Brett Roulston (Prince George), and F Dalton Sward (Vancouver). . . . Hansen is returning to the ice after leaving the Kamloops Blazers following the 2012-13 season in order to serve a two-year mission with the Church of Latter Day Saints. . . . McKechnie and Orban are second-generation Pronghorns, their fathers, Dana and Scott, having also played at the U of L. . . . Merkley is eligible to return to the WHL for his 20-year-old season, but obviously has decided to go to school.
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Things got a little weird in Major League Baseball on Tuesday. How weird? Well, I would suggest it was one of the goofiest days in MLB history. Jayston Stark of espn.com recaps what truly was a bizarre day right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Tom Keca has taken over as the general manager and head coach of the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons. Keca, 44, has previous experience with the Oil Barons, as an assistant coach for nine seasons (2000-06, 2011-14). He also spent four seasons (2006-10) as head coach of the AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats. . . . Keca, who also played for the Oil Barons, takes over from Curtis Hunt, who resigned and signed on as general manager with the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders.——
USA Hockey has rounded out the coaching staff for its national junior team. Earlier, it named former NHL coach Ron Wilson as head coach. Joining him as assistant coaches are former NHL players Chris Chelios and Danton Cole, along with Kevin Reiter. . . . Since his retirement as a player, Chelios has worked as an advisor to hockey operations with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. . . . Cole is preparing for his sixth season as a head coach in the U.S. National Team Development Program. . . . Reiter has completed two seasons as the NTDP’s goaltending coach. . . . The U.S. will hold its summer evaluation camp in Lake Placid, N.Y., Aug. 1-8. . . . The 2016 World Junior Championship will be decided in Helsinki, Finland, from Dec. 26 through Jan. 5.———
F Klarc Wilson (Brandon, Edmonton, Prince George, 2009-2014) will attend NAIT and play for the Ooks. Wilson, 22, is from Edmonton. He split last season between the ECHL’s Indy Fuel and Stockton Thunder.
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Americans Championship fever has invaded downtown Dallas tonight thanks to the @OmniHotels Dallas. #KellyCupChampions pic.twitter.com/Ag2VmaFUNN
— #RockYourRed (@AllenAmericans) June 18, 2015
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In Brandon, F Duncan Campbell scored twice to lead the Wheat Kings to a 5-2 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Campbell has 10 goals this season. . . . He opened the scoring at 3:55 of the first period and made it 4-2 at 17:18 of the third. . . . F Morgan Klimchuk drew three assists for Brandon, while F Tim McGauley had two assists as he ran his point streak to 13 games. . . . McGauley came up short on a second-period penalty shot attempt. . . . Brandon F Peter Quenneville scored his 17th goal, into an empty net, and added an assist. . . . D Reid Gow scored his first goal since joining the Wheat Kings from the U of Manitoba Bisons after the Christmas break. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny stopped 35 shots, seven fewer than Prince Albert’s Rylan Parenteau. . . . Brandon was 0-for-8 on the PP; Prince Albert was 1-for-4. . . . Three players were given misconducts at various points for mouth guard infractions. . . . Raiders F Colton Heffley scored his sixth goal of the season in what was his 300th regular-season game. The first 270 of those were with the Kelowna Rockets. . . . F Reid Duke was among Brandon’s scratches. He has an undisclosed injury. The Wheat Kings remain without D Kale Clague, F Jayce Hawryluk, G Alex Moodie and D Ivan Provorov. . . . The Wheat Kings (42-9-6) are 13-0-2 in their last 15 games. . . . The Raiders (23-32-2) had won their previous two games. . . . 
In Cranbrook, F Sam McKechnie scored 24 seconds into OT to give the Saskatoon Blades a 5-4 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . McKechnie, who now has 20 goals, scored twice in the game. . . . Ice F Tim Bozon forced OT when he scored his third goal of the game, and 25th of the season, with 53.2 seconds left in the third period. . . . McKechnie’s first goal, at 4:24 of the second, gave the Blades a 4-1 lead. . . . Bozon and F Vince Loschiavo, with his fifth, got the Ice to within 4-3 in the second period. . . . F Cameron Hebig had two assists for the Blades. . . . Saskatoon D Brycen Martin had one assist to run his point streak to 11 games. . . . F Jaedon Descheneau had two assists for the Ice. . . . Each team was 1-for-2 on the PP. . . . The game featured two goaltenders who were teammates last season with the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts. Brock Hamm of the Blades stopped 33 shots. Declan Hobbs, who is expected to go back to the Contacts today, turned aside 25 shots in what was his first WHL start. . . . The Blades were playing their seventh game in 10 days. . . . Saskatoon went 4-0-0 against the Ice this season, outscoring it 19-12 in the process. . . . The Blades (17-36-3) won 16 games all of last season. . . . The Ice (28-27-2) had head coach Ryan McGill back behind the bench. He had missed the previous two games. . . .
In Kent, Wash., F Jack Walker scored three times and added an assist to help the Victoria Royals to a 6-3 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Walker completed his hat trick with an empty-netter at 18:39 of the third period. . . . Victoria F Austin Carroll, with his 33rd goal, and Walker, with two, gave the Royals a 3-0 first-period lead. . . . Walker has 15 goals. . . . Carroll also had two assists, as did D Joe Hicketts. He’s got five assists over his last two games. . . . Royals F Tyler Soy scored his 24th goal and added an assist, giving him five points in two games. . . . F Mathew Barzal and D Shea Theodore each had two assists for Seattle. . . . Victoria lost D Ryan Gagnon at 4:15 of the third period when he took a headshot major and game misconduct for a hit on F Luke Osterman, who left the game. . . . Victoria G Coleman Vollrath stopped 28 shots. . . . Each team was playing its third game in three days. The Royals, who played in three different cities, went 2-1-0. The Thunderbirds, who also played two road games, one of them in Everett, went 1-1-1. . . . The Royals (32-21-4) have won two in a row. . . . The Thunderbirds (29-21-7) had points in their previous three games (2-0-1). . . . Headline on Seattle news release after the game: Royals Colonize T-Birds.
what is happening these days with the NFL franchise in Washington, D.C., and its nickname, you shouldn't be surprised to hear that someone has demanded the Portland Winterhawks should dump their logo.
replacing Tim Leonard, who cited personal reasons in resigning on Wednesday. Guard has been with the Raiders for two seasons as their goaltending/strength and conditioning coach. . . . Guard played two seasons with the Kelowna Rockets (2002-04), backstopping them to the 2004 Memorial Cup title. In 2003-04, he set the WHL record for lowest regular-season GAA (1.56), a record that still stands. With Kelowna, he wore big white pads upon which, I once wrote, you would be able to ski. . . . The Raiders also released D Ryan Coghlan, who turns 19 on Oct. 31. He was acquired last season from the Saskatoon Blades. From Nanaimo, B.C., he is expected to play in the BCHL. . . . Leonard has returned to the midget AAA Prince Albert Mintos, as their head coach. He replaces Ken Morrison, who resigned earlier in the week. Morrison led the Mintos to a national championship last spring. Andrew Schopp of the Prince Albert Daily Herald has that story 
Tigers with two 20-year-old goaltenders, the other being Jared Rathjen, who was acquired over the summer from the Vancouver Giants. . . . However, Rathjen continues to undergo medical testing for a heart condition that was detected at the opening of training camp. . . . The Tigers' other import is sophomore German F Markus Eisenschmid, 19. . . . Langhamer's arrival also leaves the Tigers with five 20-year-olds, the others being D Kyle Becker, D Tyler Lewington, F Miles Koules and Rathjen. . . . Ryan McCracken of the Medicine Hat News also has reported that Tigers F Anthony Ast has suffered a wrist injury and will require surgery. Ast, 19, was acquired last season from the Vancouver Giants. He had 17 points, 12 of them goals, in 27 games with the Tigers. He has battled injuries throughout his WHL career, playing 52 games last season, 38 in 2012-13 and 42 in 2011-12.
three imports, one over the limit. Also on Edmonton's roster are veteran Danish F Mads Eller, 19, and Russian rookie D Marsel Ibragimov. . . . The Oil Kings will have to trade Kulda or Eller, or release Ibragimov. CHL rules prevent the trading of an import player during his first season. . . . Furthermore, Kulda turns 20 on Nov. 13, so his arrival leaves the Oil Kings with four 20s, the others being D Blake Orban, D Ashton Sautner and G Tyler Santos. . . . Santos is one of three goaltenders on Edmonton's roster, joining starter Tristan Jarry, 19, and freshman Patrick Dea, 17.
HV71 Jönköping (Sweden, SHL) has chosen not to renew loan agreement with Chicago (NHL) for F Kyle Beach (Everett, Lethbridge, Spokane, 2005-10). Beach had two goals and an assist in seven games with HV71. The team said Beach would have a limited role now that HV71 has signed new players. . . .
D Jaroslav Obsut (Swift Current, Medicine Hat, Edmonton Ice, 1995-97) signed for the rest of season with Zvolen (Slovakia, Extraliga). This season, he was pointless in two games with Zvolen. Last season, he had a goal and an assist in seven games with Zvolen. He also played in the KHL, totalling 12 points, four of them goals, in 39 games with Donetsk (Ukraine) and Spartak Moscow (Russia).
On Thursday, the league, which governs junior A hockey, announced that it had "overwhelmingly voted to support an automatic game misconduct for fighting (the one-fight rule) . . ."
evening that they have acquired disgruntled forwards Jaimen Yakubowski and Sam Mckechnie, both 19, from the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for forwards Riley Sheen, who turns 19 on Dec. 21, and Carter Folk, 17, and a third-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft.
into the third period, only to give up the game's last four goals and drop a 4-3 overtime decision. . . . Russian F Alex Chirva, playing his ninth game, forced OT with his first WHL goal at 15:20 of the third period and D Travis Brown won it 3:40 into extra time. . . . The Hurricanes are 2-11-2, which is the WHL's poorest record. The Warriors (6-7-3) are tied for fourth in the Eastern Conference.
reports that Jared Rathjen suffered an undisclosed injury in practice this week and wasn't able to even back up Payton Lee in Wednesday's 4-3 OT victory over the visiting Calgary Hitmen. . . . The Giants are using Jake Morrissey, 16, who Ewen reports is on loan to them until Monday. Morrissey, the brother of Prince Albert Raiders D Josh Morrissey, was a fifth-round selection by the Kelowna Rockets in the 2012 bantam draft and now is at the South Delta, B.C., Hockey Academy. . . . Payton Lee will be back in goal on Friday as Vancouver begins a stretch of five games in six nights — at home to Everett tonight, in Kent, Wash., against Seattle on Saturday, in Kamloops on Sunday, and in Prince George on Tuesday and Wednesday.
undisclosed injury and won't play this weekend. The Silvertips are scheduled to be in Vancouver tonight and in Kamloops on Saturday. . . . Everett F Patrick Bajkov, who has missed two games with a concussion, isn't expected to play tonight but could return Saturday.
on Wednesday night that he has “committed to Boston College.”
G Eric Comrie of the Tri-City Americans, who was shot down earlier this year because of hip problems, has undergone two surgical procedures and is well on the road to recovery.
In Brandon, D Brycen Martin scored at 1:05 of OT to give the Swift Current Broncos a 3-2 victory over the Wheat Kings. . . . The Wheat Kings trailed 2-0 in the first period, but tied it on goals by F Quintin Lisoway, his second, at 8:07 of the second, and F Taylor Cooper, his ninth, at 14:26 of the third, on a PP. . . . Martin has two goals this season. . . . The night’s results mean the Wheat Kings won’t be in the playoffs for the first time since the spring of 2000 and only the second time since 1992. . . . The Broncos, seventh in the Eastern Conference, are two points behind Medicine Hat and a point ahead of Kootenay. . . . 
In Prince Albert, G Luke Siemens stopped 22 shots to lead the Raiders to a 7-0 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . Siemens tied the franchise’s single-season shutout record, with six. He shares the record with Rejean Beauchemin (2003-04). . . . Siemens has 12 shutouts in his career. . . . F Carson Perreaux had a goal, his 12th, and two assists, while F Dakota Conroy scored his 20th goal. . . . Prince Albert F Tim Vanstone was back in the lineup after missing a month with a concussion. . . . The Raiders are fourth in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of Red Deer. . . . 
In Medicine Hat, G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 42 shots as the Kootenay Ice dumped the Tigers, 2-0. . . . Skapski has seven shutouts this season, including two in a row. He put up four shutouts in February. . . . F Brock Montgomery scored his 28th goal at 4:07 of the first, on a PP, while F Levi Cable got his 12th into an empty net at 19:49 of the third. . . . Tigers G Cam Lanigan stopped 38 shots. . . . Skapski is tied for the WHL lead in shutouts with Portland’s Mac Carruth and Saskatoon’s Andrey Makarov. . . . The Ice, which at one time was last in the overall standings, has won 22 of its last 28 games. . . . The Tigers are sixth in the Eastern Conference, five points behind Red Deer. . . . The Ice, eighth in the conference, stayed five points ahead of the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . .
In Calgary, F Nathan Burns scored in the circus to give the Saskatoon Blades a 3-2 victory over the Hitmen. . . . The Blades have won 17 straight games. . . . Saskatoon GM/head coach Lorne Molleken now has 599 WHL coaching victories. Saskatoon is at home to Brandon on Friday. . . . Burns was the only one of 10 shooters to score in the shootout. . . . Calgary F Brady Brassart scored his 27th goal at 13:11 of the third period to force OT. . . . F Brett Stovin scored twice for Saskatoon, giving him nine goals, while F Lukas Sutter had two assists. . . . Saskatoon G Andrey Makarov made 46 saves. He leads the WHL with 34 victories. . . . This was Saskatoon’s 40th victory of the season, the fifth straight winter in which the Blades have gotten there. . . . The Blades lead the East Division by seven points over Prince Albert. In the overall standings, Saskatoon is two points behind Calgary, although the Hitmen hold a game in hand. . . . 
In Portland, the Edmonton Oil Kings scored the game's last three goals and beat the Winterhawks, 4-3. . . . It was the first meeting of these teams since the Oil Kings beat the Winterhawks in a seven-game championship final last spring. . . . Edmonton F Dylan Wruck, who missed that series with an injury, got his side to within one, at 3-2, with his 20th goal at 19:57 of the second period. . . . Edmonton F Trevor Cheek tied it with his 27th at 1:23 of the third. . . . The winner went to F Michael St. Croix, who got his 33rd, on a PP, at 18:57. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 26 shots, while Portland’s Mac Carruth turned aside 38. . . . Portland D Troy Rutkowski scored his 20th goal of the season, tying Saskatoon’s Darren Dietz and Spokane’s Brenden Kichton for the lead among defencemen. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie had two assists, giving him 97 points and moving him into third in the scoring race. Linemates Brendan Leipsic (111), Nic Petan (109) and Rattie are 1-2-3 in the points derby. . . . Petan scored his 44th goal, tying Leipsic for the league lead in that department. . . . Edmonton F Henrik Samuelsson was ejected with a spearing major at 18:01 of the first. . . . D Derrick Pouliot (ankle) wasn’t in the Winterhawks’ lineup. I have been told that he will play Saturday in Everett. . . . Oil Kings head coach Derek Laxdal won a Memorial Cup with the Winterhawks in 1982-83. . . . Portland leads the overall standings by 10 points over Edmonton. . . . 
In Everett, D Brenden Kichton scored twice to help the Spokane Chiefs to a 4-1 victory over the Silvertips. . . . Kichton has 20 goals this season. . . . His 19th goal broke a 1-1 tie on a PP with 0.5 seconds left in the first period. . . . Spokane F Todd Fiddler got his 40th goal in the second period. . . . Spokane F Blake Gal, who has been playing some defence to cover for injuries, had two assists. . . . Everett holds down the Western Conference’s last playoff spot. It is five points ahead of the Prince George Cougars. . . . The fifth-place Chiefs are one point behind the Tri-City Americans.
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