D Shaun Heshka (Everett, 2003-06) signed a one-year contract with MODO Örnsköldsvik (Sweden, SHL). This season, with Ak Bars Kazan (Russia, KHL), he had one goal and five assists in 22 games. He was traded to Admiral Vladivostok (Russia, KHL) on Oct. 31, and had 13 points, including two goals, in 35 games there. . . .
F Malte Strömwall (Tri-City, 2011-13) signed a one-year contract with AIK Stockholm (Sweden, Allsvenskan). This season, with Växjö (Sweden, SHL), he had two goals in 21 games. He also had one goal and one assist in 21 games with Lulea (Sweden, SHL). On loan to Asplöven Haparanda (Sweden, Allsvenskan), he had one goal in four games, and he had three goals in 12 games with HV71 Jönköping (Sweden, SHL). . . .
Darrell Hay (Tri-City, 1996-2000) has signed a one-year contract as a full-time assistant coach with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite). This season, with Sheffield, the defenceman had six goals and 19 assists in 65 games. . . . Hay, the son of Kamloops Blazers head coach Don Hay, remains registered as an active player for Sheffield for next season.———
(1.) Rimouski & Quebec playing each other for 17th time this season. Announcer says "Unheard of!". How cute....
— Thom Beuning (@ThomBeuning) May 29, 2015
(2.). @SeattleTbirds and @pdxwinterhawks played each other 18 times this season. Have played 19 times in a season in the past.
— Thom Beuning (@ThomBeuning) May 29, 2015
——
Here is the Memorial Cup schedule (all games on Sportsnet; all times Eastern):
Friday, May 22: Kelowna 3 vs. Quebec 4 (9,497)
Saturday, May 23: Rimouski 3 vs. Oshawa 4 (8,409)
Sunday, May 24: Quebec 4 vs. Oshawa 5 (OT) (10,970)
Monday, May 25: Rimouski 3 vs. Kelowna 7 (6,981)
Tuesday, May 26: Oshawa 2 vs. Kelowna 1 (7,002)
Wednesday, May 27: Quebec 0 vs. Rimouski 4 (10,277)
Thursday, May 28 (tiebreaker): Quebec 5 vs. Rimouski 2 (6,533)
Friday (semifinal): Kelowna vs. Quebec, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday (championship): Oshawa vs. Kelowna/Quebec winner, 7 p.m.
———
The Regina Pats did a bit of shuffling in their front office on Thursday. . . . John Paddock now is the senior vice-president of hockey operations, general manager and head coach, while assistant coach Dave Struch has added assistant GM to his duties. . . . Gord Pritchard, the director of corporate affairs, now is the assistant to the general manager. . . . The Pats also have extended the contracts of goaltender coach Rob Muntain, athletic therapist Greg Mayer and equipment manager Gord Cochran. . . . As well, they announced that assistant coach Darrin McKechnie won’t be returning. According to a news release, McKechnie, “an Inspector with the Regina Police Service (RPS), recently received a promotion.” . . . The Pats now are looking to add an assistant coach to their staff.Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that Struch’s promotion is all part of the Pats’ succession plan.
From Harder’s story:
“There’s no question that we think Dave is our next head coach,” offered Pats president Todd Lumbard. “John has indicated that potentially his coaching days may be coming to an end, not right away, but at some point (in the not-too-distant future). Dave is the logical successor. If the timing can work out, that would be our plan for sure. John would move fully into the GM’s role and Dave would become our head coach. It’s not written in stone but that’s something we have talked about.”
Harder added: “The tentative plan is for the 60-year-old Paddock to remain behind the bench for the duration of his four-year contract, which he signed last summer to become the team’s head coach and senior vice-president of hockey operations. He absorbed the general manager’s title on Thursday as part of a minor shuffling of the hockey operations department, highlighted by Struch accepting a larger role.”
Harder also reported: “Although Struch was already under contract for the next three seasons, the Pats felt compelled to make a pre-emptive strike in order to keep him. He was regarded as a potential candidate for WHL head-coaching vacancies with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Kootenay Ice and Vancouver Giants.
All three clubs are believed to have asked the Pats for permission to speak to him. According to sources, he was a leading candidate for the job in Lethbridge before pulling himself out of the running to stay in Regina.”
——
Bruce Vance worked his last day with the Prince Albert Raiders on Thursday. He spent seven years with
the Lethbridge Hurricanes and 14 with the Raiders. He now is moving on to work for the City of Prince Albert.
In honour of his leaving the Raiders, we have this note from Liane Sadlemyer Vance:
 |
| BRUCE VANCE |
10. ARGOOOOOOOSSSS!!!! (This would be yelled at random times, not necessarily when the Argos are playing)
9. Corksoaker!
8. 4,5, 6!!
7. Meow (this is more of a sound as opposed to a saying)
6. Smile and nod...
5. It's a great day for hockey
4. NUGGET what are you doing????
3. NOTHING!!!
2. Let's do this, it's our time
1. Win or lose..........
———
THE COACHING GAME:
Geoff Grimwood, who had been working with the Victoria Royals, is the new general manager and head coach of the SJHL’s Kindersley Klippers. . . . Grimwood spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the Royals. He also oversaw the major midget South Island Royals for parts of three seasons. . . . Before that, he was an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Powell River Kings for two seasons. . . . He replaces Rockie Zinger, whose contract wasn’t renewed.——
If your organization is making a change or has vacancies that you are trying to fill, email Taking Note at gregg@takingnote.ca, and I’ll let the hockey crowd that follows this blog know all about it.
———
In the AHL, the visiting Utica Comets scored a 4-1 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins last night, to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal. F Sven Baertschi scored Utica’s first three goals. . . . Baertschi, who was acquired by the parent Vancouver Canucks from the Calgary Flames during the season, scored three second-period goals in a span of 8:36. . . . Utica F Jake Virtanen, who played this season with the Calgary Hitmen, drew an assist on Baertschi’s third goal. That was Virtanen’s first professional point. . . . Attendance was 5,122. . . . The Comets and Griffins will play again tonight and Sunday in Grand Rapids. . . .——
F Radel Fazleev of the Calgary Hitmen has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. Fazleev, 19, was selected by the Flyers in the sixth round of the NHL’s 2014 draft. . . . A native of Kazan, Russia, he had 51 points, including 18 goals, in 71 games this season, his second with the Hitmen. . . .——
The Brandon Wheat Kings revealed earlier in the week that they have sold more than 1,200 season-tickets with two weeks left before their early bird deadline. A year ago, with two weeks to the deadline, the Wheat Kings said they had sold 1,100 season-tickets. A year ago, when the deadline arrived in June, that total was at 1,600. . . . The Wheat Kings, who lost in the WHL’s championship final earlier this month, are expected to contend again next season.———
“Rowan Stringer’s fatal head injury on a high school rugby field could have been prevented if those around her had some basic knowledge of concussion management, an internationally renowned concussion expert told an inquest Thursday into the teenager’s death,” writes Chris Cobb of the Ottawa Citizen. “Despite the proliferation of publicly available information about concussions and concussion management, Toronto neurologist Charles Tator said, it is a major concern that none of it appears to have reached Rowan, her peers, coaches or teachers.” . . . Stringer, 17, died in May 2013, four days after being injured. . . . The inquest in Ottawa has been ongoing and the jury is expected to bring back recommendations next week. . . . Cobb’s story is right here.
——
These are interesting days with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, with Klay Thompson appearing to have suffered a concussion on Wednesday night, just a couple of nights after Steph Curry, the league’s MVP, took a hard fall and landed on his head. . . . Jesus Gomez of sbnation.com has more right here.
———
— LethbridgeHurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) May 28, 2015
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In Prince Albert, D Sawyer Lange had a goal and three assists as the Raiders bounced the Saskatoon Blades, 5-2. . . . The game was the first for the Raiders under head coach Marc Habscheid, whose signing was announced earlier in the day. . . . Lange has 16 points, three of them goals, in 17 games. He also has 100 regular-season points in 216 games. . . . F Craig Leverton added a goal, his ninth, and two assists for the Raiders, who scored the game's last four goals. . . . D Thomas Andrlik broke a 2-2 tie with his second goal of the game at 15:36 of the second period. . . . Saskatoon F Alex Forsberg scored his eighth goal. . . . Blades G Alex Moodie kicked out 43 shots. . . . 
In Cranbrook, F Jaedon Descheneau scored 10 seconds into overtime to give the Kootenay Ice a 6-5 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . The Ice actually led this one 4-0 but needed a goal from F Levi Cable with 52.9 seconds left in the third period to force OT. Cable scored with two Hurricanes in the penalty box and Ice G Wyatt Hoflin on the bench for the extra attacker. . . . The Ice had lost its previous seven games. . . . F Zane Jones scored three times for the Hurricanes, who erased a 4-0 deficit in the second period. . . . Jones has nine goals this season. . . . F Taylor Cooper gave the visitors a 5-4 lead at 12:48 of the third. . . . Cable had two goals, giving him five, and an assist, while Descheneau, F Luke Philp and D Rinat Valiev each had a goal and two helpers. . . . The Ice was without D Tanner Faith, who apparently was injured during a fight with Red Deer D Devan Fafard on Friday night. . . . Ice F Tim Bozon remains out with an undisclosed injury, while F Sam Reinhart, returned by the NHL's Buffalo Sabres on Friday morning, wasn't in the lineup, either. . . . Lethbridge F Ryley Lindgren didn't play after suffering an undisclosed injury on Friday night. . . . The Hurricanes have at least a point in six of their last seven games. . . . 
In Everett, G Austin Lotz stopped 21 shots to lead the Silvertips to a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Lotz has one shutout this season and seven in his career. . . . The Silvertips (10-1-3) have won four in a row. . . . Everett scored once in each period, with F Ivan Nikolishin getting the winner, his fifth goal of the season, at 15:11 of the first. . . . D Cole MacDonald had a goal, his fifth, and an assist, while Kevin Davis, his defence partner, had two assists. . . . Davis has 12 points, including 10 assists, in 14 games. Last season, in 65 games, he had a goal and eight assists. . . . The Silvertips, the WHL's least-penalized team, didn't take any penalties in this one, the first time that has happened in franchise history. . . . At the same time, Everett has at least one PP goal in 13 straight games. . . . Edmonton F Mads Eller was back in the lineup after missing six games with an undisclosed injury. . . . D Mirco Mueller, who spent the past two seasons with Everett, played his 10th NHL game with the San Jose Sharks last night, meaning the first year of his three-year contract kicks in. Mueller, 19, was the 18th overall selection in the NHL's 2013 draft. . . . 
In Kent, Wash., G Cody Porter stopped 38 shots to lead the Vancouver Giants to a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Porter, a 17-year-old from North Vancouver, earned his first victory and first shutout in his fourth appearance. . . . F Alex Baer scored the game's lone goal, his sixth, on a PP at 12:46 of the third period. . . . It was the Giants' first road victory of the season. It came in their seventh game away from home. . . . Thunderbirds D Evan Wardley returned to the lineup, having served a seven-game WHL suspension. . . . Before the game, the Thunderbirds released G Logan Flodell, 17, from their roster. Flodell, who made one appearance with Seattle, is expected to join the SJHL's Nipawin Hawks. Flodell, from Regina, was a third-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft. . . . That leaves the Thunderbirds with Taran Kozan, 20, and Danny Mumaugh, 18, as their goaltenders. . . . 
In Portland, F Paul Bittner scored at 2:58 of OT to give the Winterhawks a 3-2 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . It was Portland's first home victory in eight tries this season. . . . F Ethan Price scored his first goal at 11:35 of the third period to give the Winterhawks a 2-1 lead. . . . Kelowna D Devante Stephens got his first goal at 12:59 to pull the Rockets even. . . . F Rourke Chartier scored his 12th goal for Kelowna in the first period. . . . Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand had opened the scoring at 5:35 with his 10th goal, and his third shorthanded score of the season. . . . Portland G Michael Bullion stopped 31 shots in his first WHL start. . . . The Rockets, the CHL's top-ranked team, now are 13-1-1. . . . In searching for offence, the Winterhawks split up what had been their big line of Bjorkstrand with Nic Petan and Chase De Leo. . . . The Winter hawks (6-10-2) lost D Blake Heinrich to a charging major and game misconduct for a hit on Kelowna F Tyson Baillie at 19:14 of the second period. . . . The Rockets had won 5-0 in Portland on Thursday night. . . . The Winterhawks are at home to the Edmonton Oil Kings tonight. The Oil Kings, the defending Memorial Cup champions, beat the Winterhawks in seven games in last season's WHL championship series. . . . That was the third straight WHL final to feature these two teams. . . . 
In Moose Jaw, D Spenser Jensen drew two assists to help the Warriors snap a five-game losing skid with a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Hitmen. . . . F Kolten Olynek, with his second goal of the season, opened the scoring shorthanded at 4:07 of the first. . . . F Jack Rodewald, with his eighth, gave the hosts a 2-0 lead at 14:38 of the second. He also had an assist. . . . Calgary F Radel Fazleev, with his fifth, got the Hitmen to within one at 17:10 of the third. . . . Moose Jaw G Zach Sawchenko stopped 20 shots, eight fewer than Mack Shields of Calgary. . . . The Hitmen have lost four in a row. . . . Moose Jaw was playing its sixth game in nine nights. . . .
In Regina, the Pats got shootout goals from F Morgan Klimchuk and F Connor Gay to beat the Swift Current Broncos, 2-1. . . . Klimchuk, with his fourth goal of the season, opened the scoring at 15:33 of the first period. . . . Broncos F Colby Cave, with his fourth, via the PP, pulled the Broncos even at 6:49 of the second. . . . Broncos G Landon Bow stopped 43 shots through OT. . . . Regina G Daniel Wapple made 29 saves. . . . The Pats were without F Dryden Hunt, who drew a 'tba' suspension for a high hit on Saskatoon Blades D Adam Henry on Friday night. . . . 
In Prince George, the Cougars scored three first-period goals and went on to a 4-1 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . They'll play again this afternoon in Prince George. . . . Cougars D Mark McNulty broke a 1-1 tie with his second goal of the season at 17:49 of the first period. . . . McNulty also had an assist. . . . Cougars G Ty Edmonds stopped 23 shots. . . . D Ryan Rehill scored for Kamloops at 15:16 of the first. . . . Prior to the game, the Cougars named D Sam Ruopp as the 22nd captain in franchise history. . . .The Blazers were without F Cole Ully (flu), their leading scorer, for a second straight game. . . .
In Spokane, G Taz Burman kicked out 38 shots to help the Red Deer Rebels to a 2-1 victory over the Chiefs. . . . The Rebels have won five in a row. . . . F Tyler Sandhu gave Red Deer a 1-0 lead at 14:11 of the second period and F Evan Polei made it 2-0 with a PP score at 12:55 of the third. . . . F Markson Bechtold, with his first goal, got the Chiefs to within one at 17:20 of the third. . . . The Chiefs held a 19-2 edge in second-period shots. . . . Red Deer F Scott Feser had an assist to run his point streak to eight games. . . . The Chiefs were without Hungarian D Tamas Laday, who got a two-game WHL suspension for a kneeing major and game misconduct he incurred Wednesday against the visiting Edmonton Oil g Kings. . . . 
In Victoria, F Axel Blomqvist scored twice to help the Royals to a 4-1 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Blomqvist, who has seven goals, broke a 1-1 tie at 1:05 of the second period and made it 3-2 on the PP at 2:52 of the third. . . . The Americans have lost four in a row. . . . The teams meet in Victoria again this afternoon. When that game ends, the Americans already will have played 11 of their scheduled 36 road games. . . . Tri-City is without F Justin Gutierrez, who is out with an undisclosed injury. He didn't make the trip to Victoria. 
D Shaun Heshka (Everett, 2003-06) and F Tomas Vincour (Edmonton, Vancouver, 2007-10) each signed one-year contracts with Ak Bars Kazan (Russia, KHL). . . . Heshka had eight goals and 23 assists in 60 games helping Ässät Pori (Finland, SM-Liiga) win the Finnish championship. . . . Vincour had 18 goals and 21 assists in 53 games with the Texas Stars (AHL) and the Lake Erie Monsters (AHL) and two goals and two assists in 17 games with the Dallas Stars (NHL) and Colorado Avalanche (NHL) this season.
Is the CHL’s decision to ban European goaltenders legal? Is it in violation of Canada’s Competition Act? Might it be a violation of human rights laws? Yahoo! Sports has an interesting piece 
D Brennan Evans (Seattle, Kootenay, 1999-2003) scored the winning goal as the visiting Grand Rapids Griffins won the AHL championship with a 5-2 victory over the Syracuse Crunch on Tuesday night. . . . The Griffins won the series 4-2 after winning the first three games. . . . F Mitch Callahan (Kelowna, 2008-11) had a goal and an assist for the Griffins, while F Landon Ferraro (Red Deer, Everett, 2007-11) had two assists. F Triston Grant (Lethbridge, Vancouver, 2000-05) added an assist for Grand Rapids. . . . This is the Griffin’s first championship in the franchise’s 17-year history and the first title in Grand Rapids’ 27-year history in the pro game. . . . The Griffins are the Detroit Red Wings’ AHL affiliate; the Crunch is hooked up with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Mike Haviland is the new head coach of the AHL’s Hershey Bears. Haviland, 45, has been a pro coach for 14 seasons. He spent this season as associate coach with the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals. . . . Haviland replaces Mark French, whose contract wasn’t renewed after four seasons behind the bench of the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Washington Capitals. French has since signed on as head coach of the KHL’s Medvescak Zagreb, a Croatian team that is new to the KHL, having played in the Austrian league.
The NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes have extended the contracts of the coaching staff of their AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates. Head coach Ray Edwards and assistants John Slaney and Mike Minard. . . . Edwards, 42, is preparing for his fifth season as the head coach of the Coyotes’ AHL affiliate. He has been head coach for two seasons with each of the Pirates and, before that, the San Antonio Rampage. . . . Slaney is going into his third season as an assistant with the Pirates. He ended his pro career after the 2010-11 season when he played with Plzen HC in Czech Republic. . . . Minard is heading into his third season as the goaltending and video coach with the Pirates.
Dwight Jaynes of Comcast Sportsnet, who is a long-time observer of the Portland sports scene, has weighed in on WHL commissioner Ron Robison’s meeting with the media there on Friday evening. Jaynes’ piece is 
In the OHL, F Mark Scheifele had five points, two of them goals, as the host Barrie Colts dumped the London Knights, 6-3. . . . The Colts lead the OHL final, 2-1, with Game 4 in Barrie on Wednesday night. . . . Scheifele, the Winnipeg Jets’ first pick, seventh overall, in the NHL’s 2011 draft, leads the OHL scoring race, with 34 points in 18 games. . . . Barrie F Anthony Camara wasn’t suspended for the charging major he was given after a hit on London F Max Domi in Game 2.
With the Memorial Cup scheduled to open in their arena on May 17, the Saskatoon Blades — remember them? — continue to practice and practice and practice. On Monday, they had some familiar faces on the ice with them as they attempted to pick up the pace a bit. Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has that story 
Dwayne Kirkup is the new head coach of the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives. Kirkup guided the MJHL’s Swan Valley Stampeders to a 33-23-4 record this season, the last year of his contract. He was the MJHL’s 2009-10 coach of the year with the Stampeders. . . . With the Natives, Kirkup takes over from Ken Brooks, who went 13-40-7 this season.
In winning Game 2 of the WHL final, the Portland Winterhawks “showcased their ‘A’ game, and a discombobulating, speed-based blur it is, when it gets rolling,” writes John MacKinnon of the Edmonton Journal.
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