Source: Chiefs have their man ... Patrick talks injuries ... Rebels sign draft picks

The number of WHL teams looking for a head coach is expected to fall to three today (Monday).

The Spokane Chiefs are expected to name Dan Lambert as their new head coach today, a source familiar with the situation told Taking Note on Sunday evening.

Neither Lambert nor Scott Carter, who just finished his first season as the Chiefs’ general manager,

DAN LAMBERT

responded to a request for confirmation.

Lambert, 47, was fired last week by the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. He had spent one season as the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans.

From St. Malo, Man., Lambert is a former WHL defenceman and coach. He played four seasons (1986-90) with the Swift Current Broncos and, in fact, captained their Memorial Cup-championship team in 1989.

After a professional career that included 29 NHL games with the Quebec Nordiques — he had six goals and nine assists — Lambert signed on as an assistant coach with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets. After five seasons, he was named head coach for 2014-15 and guided the Rockets to a 53-13-6 record and the WHL championship. They reached the Memorial Cup final, only to lose 2-1 in OT to the Oshawa Generals in Quebec City.

Chances are good that Carter had more than one conversation about Lambert with Bruce Hamilton, the Rockets’ president and general manager. Carter and Hamilton are friends and both are involved with the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame in Penticton. In fact, when the decision was made to induct Carter, who is a co-founder of the hall, it was Hamilton who phoned with the news.

Lambert left Kelowna prior to 2015-16 to sign with the Sabres as an assistant coach under head coach Dan Bylsma. After that season, Lambert was assigned to Rochester as the head coach.

In Spokane, Lambert will replace Don Nachbaur, who had been there for seven seasons. Nachbaur, the third-winningest head coach in WHL regular-season history, and the Chiefs parted company when their season ended despite his having one season left on his contract.

This season, the Chiefs finished 27-33-12 and missed the playoffs.

With Lambert in Spokane, it will leave the Calgary Hitmen, Kootenay Ice and Victoria Royals without head coaches.

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F Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings is expected to be one of the first two selections when the NHL’s two-day 2017 draft opens in Chicago on June 23.

In 2015-16, Patrick put up 102 points, including 41 goals, in 72 games with Brandon, then added 30

NOLAN PATRICK

points, 13 of them goals, in 21 playoff games as the Wheat Kings won the WHL championship.

This season, however, wasn’t even close to that for Patrick, who will turn 19 on Sept. 19. He missed the start of the season after undergoing sports hernia surgery in July, then was plagued by another hernia during the season and played in only 33 games. Still, he had 20 goals and 26 assists.

Patrick spent the latter part of last week in Buffalo at the NHL Scouting Combine, where he spoke about his injury-plagued 2016-17 season for the first time.

“It is what it is, I don’t get mad about it or frustrated when people ask me,” Patrick told reporters. “I had two hernias at the same time, they missed one, but I’m not disappointed in the doctor. He was trying to do the best job he could. It happens sometimes.

“I don’t want anyone feeling sorry for me. I think a little adversity for a young kid is what makes you stronger as a player. For me, I didn’t try and talk about it during the year, the missed diagnosis, I just wanted to focus on my year. This is the first time I’ve spoken about it.”

You know that some NHL teams will have been quizzing Patrick about his health, and now it seems the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers, who hold the first and second selections respectively, want Patrick to spend some time with them so that their own medical people can give him a going over.

Because he’s 19 and will have been drafted off a major junior roster, Patrick will have to be returned to the Wheat Kings if he doesn’t make an NHL roster for 2017-18.

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The Red Deer Rebels, who held a prospects camp on the weekend, have signed F Ethan Rowland and F Jordan Borysiuk. . . . Rowland, from Calgary, was the Rebels’ first-round pick, 22nd overall, in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. He will turn 15 on Sept. 24. This season, Rowland had 14 goals and 25 assists in 34 games with the bantam AAA Calgary Northstar Sabres. . . . Borysiuk, 15, is from Mannville, Alta., and was a third-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. . . . He had 16 goals and 24 assists in 30 games with the Pursuit of Excellence bantam prep team out of Kelowna this season. . . . Both players announced their signings via Twitter.

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The Quebec Remparts used an eighth-round draft pick to take D Braeden Virtue of Worcester, Mass., during the QMJHL draft on Saturday. . . . The 6-foot-0, 180-pounder is the son of former WHL player and coach Terry Virtue. A defenceman, he played for the Victoria Cougars, Tri-City Americans and Portland Winterhawks (1988-91) and was an assistant coach with Tri-City for three seasons (2007-10). . . . This season, Braeden, 16, played for the U-16 Islanders of the U.S. Premier Hockey League. He had four goals and nine assists in 26 regular-season games.

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If you’re a regular here, and even you aren’t, feel free to contribute to the feeding of the Drinnan family by making a donation to the cause. You are able to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.

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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Prior to Saturday’s Stanley Cup game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the host Nashville Predators, James Duthie of TSN was on Twitter, proving once again that it's a great time to be alive . . .

The guy who threw the catfish on the ice in Pittsburgh is currently holding an autograph session in Nashville.

— James Duthie (@tsnjamesduthie) June 2, 2017

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Nachbaur out after seven seasons in Spokane . . . WHL's third-winningest coach gone . . . Year left on contract

Don Nachbaur is out as head coach of the Spokane Chiefs.
(Photo: Larry Brunt/Spokane Chiefs)

Don Nachbaur, the third-winningest regular-season head coach in WHL history, is out as head coach of the Spokane Chiefs.

The team announced Thursday morning that it and Nachbaur “have mutually agreed to part ways.”

Nachbaur, who had been with the Chiefs since 2010, had a year left on his contract.

Nachbaur also has coached with the Seattle Thunderbirds and Tri-City Americans. He was 261-190-48 with the Chiefs. He holds the Spokane franchise records for regular-season games coached (496) and victories (261). In WHL history, his 691 regular-season victories rank third, behind the retired Ken Hodge (742) and Don Hay (720) of the Kamloops Blazers.

This season, the Chiefs went 27-33-12 and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Tim Speltz, the Chiefs’ longtime general manager, left the organization on Aug. 16 as he signed on as director of western scouting with the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs. He had been with the Chiefs for 26 years.

Scott Carter took over as general manager on Sept. 8.

On Sept. 23, the Chiefs signed Nachbaur to a contract extension through the 2017-18 season.

Nachbaur’s departure signals the first coaching change of the 22-team WHL’s offseason.

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Here’s a look at the 22 WHL head coaches who have more than 300 regular-season victories to their credit (following 2016-17):

1. Ken Hodge (Edmonton, Portland), 742

2. Don Hay (Kamloops, Tri-City, Vancouver) 720

3. Don Nachbaur (Seattle, Tri-City, Spokane) 692

4. Lorne Molleken (Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, Regina) 626

5. Ernie McLean (Estevan, New Westminster) 548

6. Mike Williamson (Portland, Calgary, Tri-City) 534

7. Pat Ginnell (Flin Flon, Victoria, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, New Westminster) 518

8. Peter Anholt (Prince Albert, Seattle, Red Deer, Kelowna, Lethbridge) 466

    Jack Shupe (Medicine Hat, Victoria) 466

10. Dean Clark (Calgary, Brandon, Kamloops, Prince George) 465

11. Kelly McCrimmon (Brandon) 456

12. Bob Lowes (Seattle, Brandon, Regina) 453

13. Brent Sutter (Red Deer) 441

14. Marc Habscheid (Kamloops, Kelowna, Chilliwack, Victoria, Prince Albert) 424

15. Doug Sauter (Calgary, Medicine Hat, Regina, Brandon) 417

16. Marcel Comeau (Calgary, Saskatoon, Tacoma, Kelowna) 411

17. Bryan Maxwell (Medicine Hat, Spokane, Lethbridge) 397

18. Graham James (Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Calgary) 349

19. Bob Loucks (Lethbridge, Tri-City, Medicine Hat) 340

20. Willie Desjardins (Saskatoon, Medicine Hat) 333

21. Kevin Constantine (Everett) 326

22. Shaun Clouston (Medicine Hat) 320

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Some Scattershooting . . . Chiefs' forward doesn't return . . . Silvertips add defenceman

Scattershooting on a Monday night, with the snow having been shovelled and the turkey devoured . . . 

The WHL was kind enough to shut down for eight days for the Christmas break. The teams will start paying the price for that tonight, though. Each of the 22 teams will play three games over the next four nights. Yes, there are 11 games scheduled for each of Tuesday, Wednedsay and Friday nights.

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There are eight teams who return from the break to play four games in five nights. The Brandon Wheat Kings, Kamloops Blazers, Moose Jaw Warriors, Portland Winterhawks, Seattle Thunderbirds, Spokane Chiefs, Tri-City Americans and Victoria Royals are scheduled to play tonight, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

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Gee, do you think such scheduling has ever prompted anyone to think about starting a union or a players’ association on behalf of major junior players?

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The best part of Day 1 of the World Junior Championship? The work of Dennis Beyak and Craig Button who handled two games — Sweden’s 6-1 victory over Denmark and Czech Republic’s 2-1 triumph over defending-champion Finland — out of Montreal. They know the players and their stories; they stayed on point and out of each others way through both games.

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Canada opens with a 5-3 victory over Russia at the World Junior Championship and the all-seeing and all-knowing experts dump all over the winning goaltender. Has it been like this through all 40 years of this event?

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Just when you think you’ve seen some bad TV commercials, along comes Nike with a real mess. And, of course, they will beat us over the head with it. That one had to have snuck on the air without high-ranking approval. No?

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Geoffrey Brandow, who tweets at @GeoffreyBrandow, notes that the last five WHL championship teams “were within top three of goal-differential at Christmas.” The three previous champions were fifth. . . . The top five WHL teams in goal-differential are the Regina Pats, Medicine Hat Tigers, Everett Silvertips, Prince George Cougars and Kamloops Blazers.

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Brandow points out that the top five are a combined plus-238, while the remaining 17 teams are a combined minus-238.

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The WHL’s Christmas trade embargo has ended. The trade deadline arrives on Jan. 10.

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The Kamloops Blazers’ braintrust has an interesting situation on its hands. F Matt Revel, 20, could miss up to two months with an undisclosed injury suffered on the pre-Christmas Central Division tour. Do the Blazers go out and find another 20-year-old before Jan. 10, or do they wait, and hope, for Revel’s return?

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The Blazers (21-13-2) are third in the B.C. Division, two points behind the Kelowna Rockets (22-12-2). These two meet tonight in Kelowna and Wednesday in Kamloops. Might this be a first-round playoff preview? The Rockets are eight points behind the division-leading Prince George Cougars; the Blazers are six points head of the Victoria Royals

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D Kirill Vorobyov (Portland, 2012-13) was traded by Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod to CSKA Moscow for monetary compensation and was then traded by CSKA Moscow to Sibir Novosibirsk (all Russia, KHL) for monetary compensation. In 35 games, he had three goals and four assists with Nizhny Novgorod. . . .
F Brendan Shinnimin (Tri-City, 2007-12) has signed a contract for the rest of this season with Barys Astana (Kazakhstan, KHL). Shinnimin was released by mutual agreement by Langnau (Switzerland, NL A) on Dec. 21. He had two goals and seven assists in 12 games there. . . .

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It appears that F Wyatt Sloboshan has decided not to return to the Spokane Chiefs following the WHL’s

WYATT SLOBOSHAN

eight-day Christmas break.

“He has chosen to not come to Spokane after Christmas and we are looking at options,” Scott Carter, the Chiefs’ general manager, told Taking Note on Monday night.

The Chiefs are expected to wait until there is no doubt that Sloboshan won’t be returning, meaning that he didn’t make his post-Christmas flight or catch a later one, before issuing a news release.

Sloboshan, a 19-year-old from Vanscoy, Sask., was acquired by the Chiefs from the Saskatoon Blades on Dec. 14. In that deal, the Chiefs landed Sloboshan, D Nolan Reid, 18, and a third-round pick in the 2017 WHL bantam draft for F Markson Bechtold, 20, D Evan Fiala, 19, and a conditional sixth-round pick in an undisclosed draft.

Sloboshan, who had been the Blades’ captain, played one game with the Chiefs — he was pointless — before the Christmas break. In 30 games with the Blades, he had four goals and 12 assists.

In 146 career regular-season games, Sloboshan has 33 goals and 58 assists. He was a third-round selection of the Swift Current Broncos in the 2012 bantam draft.

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Mind Blown 😱 #WJC2017 pic.twitter.com/Bbfp4cgs7m

— Bar South N Celly™ (@BarSouthNCelly) December 26, 2016

Here’s a look at the 23 WHL players who are playing at the World Junior Championship in Montreal and Toronto:

Brandon (1): D Kale Clague (Canada).

Calgary (1): D Jake Bean (Canada).

Everett (2): G Carter Hart (Canada), D Noah Juulsen (Canada).

Kamloops (3): F Rudolfs Balcers (Latvia), F G Connor Ingram (Canada), D Ondrej Vala (Czech Republic).

Kelowna (3): F Dillon Dube (Canada), F Calvin Thurkauf (Switzerland), F Tomas Soustal (Czech Republic).

Medicine Hat (1): D Kristians Rubins (Latvia).

Portland (2): F Joachim Blichfeld (Denmark), D Caleb Jones (U.S.).

Prince Albert (1): F Simon Stransky (Czech Republic).

Red Deer (3): F Adam Musil (Czech Republic), G Lasse Petersen (Denmark), F Michael Spacek (Czech Republic).

Regina (2): F Filip Ahl (Sweden), D Sergey Zborovskiy (Russia).

Seattle (2): F Mathew Barzal (Canada), F Alexander True (Denmark).

Tri-City (1): D Juuso Valimaki (Finland).

Vancouver (1): F Radovan Bondra (Slovakia).

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The Saskatoon Blades should have D Libor Hajek back in their lineup as they return to action by going home-and-home with the Prince Albert Raiders. Hakej, a second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL’s 2016 draft, was released by Czech Republic’s national junior team before the World Junior Championship got started. . . . Hajek has a goal and 11 assists in 31 games with Saskatoon this season. . . . The Blades and Raiders are in Prince Albert tonight and Saskatoon on Wednesday night.

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The Everett Silvertips have added D Gianni Fairbrother, 16, to their roster, bringing him in from the Vancouver Northwest Giants of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. Fairbrother, a fourth-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft, was pointless in one game earlier this season. He also played three playoff games last spring. He has seven assists in 18 games with the Giants. . . . The Silvertips are without D Noah Juulsen, who is with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship. Adding Fairbrother leaves Everett with seven defencemen.

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Good morning and Merry Christmas to everyone except the NHL Board of Governors and Winnipeg

— Atlanta Thrashers (@NotThrashers) December 25, 2016

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Dec. 19 through Monday:

No Games Scheduled.

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TUESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Kamloops at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.

Lethbridge vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, B.C., 7 p.m.

Calgary at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.

Saskatoon at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.

Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.

Spokane vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

Moose Jaw at Swift Current, 7 p.m.

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

Everett vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7 p.m.
Prince George at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Chiefs get Carter . . . Cougars change imports . . . A conversation with M.J.

My wife, Dorothy, is one of the co-honourees — along with her friend Margaret Thompson — of the 2016 Kamloops Kidney Walk. Each year, the walk salutes someone who has worked to shine a light on kidney transplants and organ donorship. Dorothy, who had a kidney transplant almost three years ago, will take part in her third straight Kidney Walk on Sept. 25.

The hockey community, especially those of you who stop by here, have always been terrific in supporting her. If you would like to be part of her team and sponsor her, please click right here.

F J.T. Barnett (Vancouver, Kamloops, Everett, Kelowna, 2008-13) assigned by CSKA Moscow (Russia, KHL) to their farm club, Zvezda Chekhov (Russia, Vysshaya Liga). . . .

F James Wright (Vancouver, 2005-10) has signed a one-year contract with Admiral Vladivostok (Russia, KHL). Last season, with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL), he had 14 goals and 27 assists in 73 games. . . . There now are three former Vancouver Giants with Admiral: Wright, Jon Blum, and Mikhail Fisenko. All were teammates in 2008-09.

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Scott Carter is the new general manager of the Spokane Chiefs. He takes over from Tim Speltz, who left after 26 years in the position. Speltz now is the director of western area scouting with the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs.

Carter, who turned 55 on Thursday, was born and raised in Penticton. He helped bring the junior A 

Vees back to relevancy and was their managing partner. He also did a stint as president and general manager, and was named the BCHL’s executive of the year in 2005.

Carter was a co-founder of the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame, which is based in Penticton. He was inducted into the hall in 2012.

In the business world, he became involved with Vaughn Custom Sports in 1983, and has been part-owner and president since 1996.

In 1994, he helped bring the Western Professional Hockey League into being, later selling his shares in order to become a full partner in Vaughn.

He also has scouted for the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks. Most recently, he has done consulting work with the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, working with the academies to help them maintain certain standards.

“We draft and sign what we call ‘Chief type’ players,” Brett said in a news release, “and wanted a guy that would fit into that culture but also bring new ideas. We’re always looking for ways to get better. The more I got to know Scott and checked in with his references, it was clear that we made the right choice.”

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The Prince George Cougars added one import to their roster while dropping another on Thursday. . . . F Yan Khomenko, 18, of St. Petersburg, Russia, is in, while Swedish F Axel Jonsson Fjallby is out. . . . The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Khomenko had five goals and four assists in 45 games with the Everett Silvertips last season. They selected him in the CHL’s 2015 import draft. . . . Fjallby, 18, was a fifth-round pick by the Washington Capitals in the 2016 NHL draft. The Cougars selected him in the CHL’s 2016 import draft. He is likely to play this season with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms. . . . Prince George’s other import is sophomore F Bartek Bison, who is from Amsterdam, Netherlands.

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The Saskatoon Blades have signed F Logan Doust to a WHL contract. Doust, from North Vancouver, was a ninth-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft. He played last season with the North Shore Winter Club’s bantam AAA team. His regular-season stats aren’t available, but Small Thoughts At Large has him with a goal and three assists in five games at the St. Albert tournament and two goals in five games with the Wild at the U-16 B.C. Cup. . . . The Blades also signed F Josh Bruce, 18, who is from Surrey, B.C. Last season, the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder had 28 points, including 12 goals, in 39 games with the Valley West Hawks of the B.C. Major Midget League.

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The Lethbridge Hurricanes have signed F Jayden Davis and F Connor Lyons, both of whom are list players. . . . Davis, who will turn 17 in November, is from Alameda, Sask. Last season, his second with the midget AAA Moose Jaw Generals, the 5-foot-10, 175-pounder had 23 points, 10 of them goals, in 39 games. . . . Lyons, 17, is a list player from Lethbridge. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder played last season with the midget AAA Lethbridge Hurricanes, putting up 23 points, including seven goals, in 34 games. His father, Corey, is a former Hurricanes forward.

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The Kootenay Ice has signed F Blake Allan, a third-round selection in the 2016 bantam draft. Allan, from Humboldt, Sask., had 40 points, including 18 goals, in 30 games with the bantam AA Humboldt Broncos last season.

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Portland-based journalist Dwight Jaynes is the host of a podcast these days — the Podfather Godcast — and he interviewed Mike Johnston, the vice-president, general manager and head coach of the Portland Winterhawks, the other day. There is lots right here, including Johnston’s being fired last season from his position as head coach of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, who went on to win the Stanley Cup. As usual, Johnston is open and honest.

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It is going on a year since former Brandon Wheat Kings scoring star Brian Propp had a stroke. Today, after a month in Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia and a whole lot of hard work, and with some help from a “robotic gait-training system,” Propp is well on the road to recovery. He now is working at giving back. . . . Brian Hickey of PhillyVoice has more right here.

www.phillyvoice.com/recovering-stroke-former-flyer-brian-propp-establishes-scholarship-program/

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

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THURSDAY’S GAMES:

In Kennewick, Wash., F Devon Skoleski’s goal ended a six-round shootout and gave the Everett Silvertips a 5-4 victory over the Portland Winterhawks (3-0-1). F Orrin Centazzo also scored for Everett (2-2-1) in the shootout, while F Skyler McKenzie did the same for Portland. The Winterhawks held 3-0 and 4-1 leads, only to have Everett score three straight goals. F Brian King got the Silvertips’ last two goals, at 8:30 and 15:33 of the third period. F Connor Dewar scored his fourth goal of the preseason for the Silvertips. F Graham Millar had three assists for Everett. Portland got two goals from F Bronson Sharp and two assists from McKenzie. . . . F Jansen Harkins scored his second goal 53 seconds into OT to give the Prince George Cougars a 5-4 victory over the Kootenay Ice. The Cougars held 3-0 and 4-3 leads, only to have F Jared Legien force OT with his second goal of the game at 19:26 of the third period. F Jesse Gabrielle and D Max Martin each had three assists for the Cougars (2-2-0). The Ice (0-0-1) got two assists from F Max Patterson. . . .

In Prince Albert, F Simon Stransky had a goal and two assists to lead the Raiders to a 5-3 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. F Drew Warkentine and F Reid Gardiner had two assists each for the winners. The Blades got two assists from D Anthony Bishop. Saskatoon held a 42-26 edge in shots. The Raiders are 1-1-0; the Blades 2-2-0.

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Hearing disgruntled @WHLGiants D Brennan Menell is talking with the Fargo Force of the USHL.

— Steve Ewen (@SteveEwen) September 8, 2016

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Chiefs to name Carter as general manager

The Spokane Chiefs are poised to name Scott Carter as their general manager, a source told Taking Note on Thursday morning. . . . The announcement is expected later today. . . . Carter, 54, will take over from Tim Speltz, who left last month after 26 years to become the director of western area scouting for the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs. . . . Carter, born and raised in Penticton, has been the president of Vaughn Custom Sports Canada Ltd., a hockey equipment manufacturer. . . . He was a founding member of the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame in Penticton in 1991 and was inducted into the hall in 2012. . . . He has worked in the NHL as a scout for the Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks. . . . Carter played for the junior A Penticton Knights and was part of the team that won the national championship in 1986. He also bought into the franchise, now the Vees, when it was struggling and helped make it relevant again. He stepped aside as the franchise’s managing partner in 2004 but remained on board as a shareholder. . . . Carter also has been involved with the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, helping the academies maintain standards. . . . Bobby Brett, the Chiefs’ managing partner, was in Penticton on Wednesday, perhaps finalizing the deal with Carter.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.