Red Deer, Vancouver, Victoria chasing 2016 Memorial Cup tournament

Cam Hope (right), the general manager of the Victoria Royals,
talks to the media on Monday about his club's bid to play
host to the 2016 Memorial Cup tournament.
(Victoria Royals photo)

F Aaron Gagnon (Seattle, 2001-07) has signed a two-year extension with Lukko Rauma (Finland, Liiga). Last season, with HV71 Jönköping (Sweden, SHL), he had two goals and an assist in nine games. He joined Lukko in October and put up 36 points, 17 of them goals, in 48 games. . . .
D Mike Berube (Prince George, Red Deer, Vancouver, 2004-09) has signed a one-year contract with the Nottingham Panthers (England, UK Elite). Last season, with the Allen Americans (CHL), he had 22 points, including 19 assists, in 66 games. He was the team captain for the CHL champions. . . .
D Zack FitzGerald (Seattle, 2001-05) has signed a one-year contract as player-assistant coach with the Braehead Clan Glasgow (Scotland, UK Elite). Last season, he had one assist in 38 games with the Adirondack Phantoms (AHL).
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What once was thought to be a one-horse race got a whole lot more interesting on Monday.
That would be the contest to earn the right to play host to the 2016 Memorial Cup tournament, which will be played in a WHL city.
A short time ago, it was believed to be safe to book hotel rooms in Vancouver for the 2016 affair because Giants majority owner Ron Toigo has intimated on more than one occasion that they will be bidding.
But then the Red Deer Rebels expressed an interest, and considering that the Memorial Cup hasn’t been decided in Alberta since 1974, and considering that Alberta is home to five WHL franchises, well, maybe it’s time.
However, Brent Sutter, the owner/general manager and head coach of the Rebels, has said that he wants assurances from the WHL and its board of governors that the host rights will be awarded to the most deserving party and that it won’t simply be awarded based on the highest profit guarantee.
Then, on Monday, word came that the Victoria Royals are preparing a bid, and, just like that, things got really interesting.
The Royals are preparing for their fourth season in B.C.’s capital city and have made impressive strides under general manager Cam Hope, head coach Dave Lowry and director of player personnel Grant Armstrong.
This is a solid organization off the ice, and it has made huge strides on the ice, to the point where it enjoyed its first 100-point season in 2013-14.
The announcement that they will be bidding on the 2016 Memorial Cup marks them as serious players in the WHL. Yes, they are ready to run with the big dogs.
“I think we’d be crazy not to express interest for 2016,” Hope told me in an email exchange yesterday. “Victoria is a great city, with a great hockey community, a great airport, excellent hotels and amenities, and a great arena right downtown.”
Still, Hope doesn’t expect to be awarded the rights in a walk-through.
“At the same time,” he noted, “there are other places in the west that would do a very good job, and so we’ll have to see who else tosses a hat in the ring, and see where we are after that.”
If you have ever been to Victoria at that time of year, well, you know it’s got a lot going for it, especially when winter’s memory still in in the rearview mirror for parts of the country.
The bottom line of all this is that competition is good for everyone, and with three teams now in the hunt, at least in the preliminary stages, well, it’s great news for the WHL.
A winner is scheduled to be announced in October.
The 2015 Memorial Cup will be played in Quebec City, with the QMJHL’s Remparts as host team, from May 21-31.
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1. The Prince George Cougars are expected to introduce Todd Harkins as their general manager at a news conference this morning. Harkins, 45, has been the Cougars’ director of player personnel. He has been interim GM since an ownership change earlier this summer in which Dallas Thompson, the team’s long-time GM, wasn’t retained. . . . It also is expected that the Cougars’ new ownership group will announce a contract extension for head coach Mark Holick, who is preparing for his second full season in the position. Holick has two seasons left on the contract he got in January 2013 when he replaced Dean Clark. . . . Holick and Mike Hengen, the Cougars’ new assistant coach, will be in attendance at today’s news conference.

2. The Portland Winterhawks have five prospects on the Team USA roster for the U-17 Five Nations tournament that is scheduled for Crimmitschau, Germany, Aug. 13-17. . . . F Kieffer Bellows, F Hank Crone, F Mitch Mattson, D Sam Rossini and F Garrett Wait all were named to the team. . . . Bellows, from Edina, Minn., is the son of former NHLer Brian Bellows, Kieffer was a seventh-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. He played high school hockey in Edina last season and has committed to Boston U. . . . Crone, from Dallas, also has committed to Boston U. He is expected to play this season with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers. . . . Mattson, from Grand Rapids, Minn., has committed to the U of North Dakota. . . . Rossini, from Inver Grove Heights, Minn., has committed to the U of Minnesota and is expected to play this season for the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks. . . . Wait, from Edina, Minn., was selected by Portland in the eighth round of the 2013 bantam draft. He was a teammate of Bellows’ at Edina High last season. . . . The Team USA roster was selected after a week-long USA Hockey Select Festival in Williamsville, New York. . . . There’s more on the U.S. team right here.

3. With the Regina Pats searching for a head coach, Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post chose to play the Name Game. Take a look right here to see who may be in line for the Regina head-coaching position.

4. George Johnson of the Calgary Herald spent the last few weeks in Brazil covering the World Cup. As he leaves Rio, he recalls the good, the bad and the ugly, and it’s all right here.

5. FIFA showed during the World Cup that it has a long way to go in terms of keeping its players safe. For starters, it has a lot of work to do on its concussion protocol, if it even has such. John E. Hoover takes a look at FIFA and brain injuries right here.

6. With Derek Jeter poised to lead off for the AL in tonight’s All-Star Game, Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post writes: “The mystery of Derek Jeter has always been: Who’s behind the near-perfect facade, the movie-star smile and the impenetrable reserve, almost worthy of DiMaggio? How do you survive nearly 20 years in New York without any serious controversy, not a mark worth mentioning against your name?” . . . Boswell’s column is right here.

7. Sexual assaults on college campuses has come out of the shadows and turned into a huge problem. The New York Times takes a look right here at one such situation and how a college handled it. No, it isn’t pretty.

8. After The New York Times story hit the Internet and the streets, the college in question issued a news release. Of course, it tried to shoot the messenger. That news release is right here.
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 The Dallas Stars have signed D Julius Honka of the Swift Current Broncos to a three-year entry-level NHL contract. Honka, who is from Finland, was the 14th overall pick in the NHL’s 2014 draft. He had 56 points, including 16 goals, in 62 regular-season games with the Broncos last season as a freshman.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The Chicago Blackhawks have added Kevin Dineen to their coaching staff as an assistant under head coach Joel Quenneville. Dineen, who was the head coach of the Canadian women’s team that won gold at the Sochi Olympics, replaces Jamie Kompon, who left to become GM/head coach of the Portland Winterhawks.
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The Detroit Red Wings now have lost two of their assistant coaches from last season. Bill Peters left earlier in the summer and now is the head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes. Tom Renney will be introduced today as the president of Hockey Canada, replacing Bob Nicholson. . . . Tony Granato is expected to be one of the Red Wings’ new assistant coaches. He was on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ staff last season.
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Toby Petersen has joined the Springfield Falcons as an assistant coach. The Falcons are the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. . . . Petersen, 35, retired following last season when he played for the Calder Cup-winning Texas Stars, the AHL champions.
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Simon Ferguson is the new head coach of the major midget Okanagan Rockets, who play in the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League and are based in Kelowna. . . . Ferguson (Lethbridge, Kelowna, 1999-2004) retired from playing after the 2012-13 season. He played nine seasons as a pro, making stops in the AHL, ECHL, Denmark and Austria. . . . Ferguson, 31, was part of a Memorial Cup championship with Kelowna (2003-04) and an AHL championship with the Hershey Bears (2009-10). . . . Ferguson takes over from Mack O’Rourke, who left for a non-hockey job in Calgary. . . . David Michaud is returning as the club’s general manager. . . . The Rockets are the defending B.C. champions. They won the Pacific Regional tournament before finishing third at the Telus Cup national championship in Moose Jaw.
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Jim Armstrong is the new head coach of the junior B North Okanagan Knights of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. Armstrong takes over from Shawn Webb, who resigned in May. . . . The Knights play out of Armstrong, B.C. . . . No, Armstrong wasn’t named after Armstrong, no matter which way you look at it. . . . Roger Knox of the Vernon Morning Star has more right here.
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The Castlegar, B.C.-based Selkirk College Saints have promoted Alex Evin from assistant coach to head coach following the departure of Jeff Dubois, who now is the head coach of the junior B Creston Valley Thunder Cats of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. . . . The Saints won two straight B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League titles under Dubois. . . . Evin, 27, is from Castlegar. . . . Bob Hall of the Nelson Daily News has more right here.


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Tomas Mojzis (Moose Jaw, Seattle, 2000-03) was recalled from his loan assignment to Sparta Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga) by Lev Prague (Czech Republic, KHL). He had one goal and two assists in nine games while on assignment to Sparta. This season with Lev, Mojzis is pointless in five games. . . .
F Simon Ferguson (Lethbridge, Kelowna, 1999-2004) signed a contract for the rest of the season with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite). He had three assists in ten games with Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, Austria Erste Bank Liga) earlier this season. Last season, Ferguson had 18 goals and 33 assists in 40 games with Esbjerg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). . . .
F Jan Fadrny (Brandon, Kelowna, 1998-2001) was granted his release for personal reasons by Martin (Slovakia, Extraliga). He had four goals and seven assists in 22 games for Martin this season.
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Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has written an excellent piece on Saskatoon Blades F Jessey Astles and the aftermath of the wrist surgery that may have ended his season.
Astles, you may recall, was cut by one of his own skates in the aftermath of a line brawl with the visiting Regina Pats on Nov. 9.
It seems that two players suffered skate cuts during that same bunch of scraps.
Regina D Colton Jobke, 20, was cut across the top of one hand. He suffered some severe tendon damage and underwent surgery. The Pats have no idea when he might return to action.
It was because of that injury that the Pats signed D Alex Theriau, 20. With Jobke out indefinitely, Regina had room for a third 20-year-old. Then, during one of their first two games in B.C. on the weekend, they thought they had lost Theriau with a broken collarbone, but it turned out only to be bruised.
Interestingly, the Pats have lost two other players to skate cuts this season. F Chandler Stephenson and F Patrick D’Amico both are out.
D‘Amico was stepped on during practice on Sept. 19 and is out week-to-week.
Stephenson suffered a cut foot during a game against the visiting Tri-City Americans on Oct. 19 and isn’t expected back until perhaps January.
All of these skate cuts — and three of them having happened to Regina players — brings back memories of Josh Holden. A highly skilled centre with the Pats (1994-98), Holden suffered an awful cut to a wrist during Game 2 of a first-round playoff series with the Moose Jaw Warriors. Holden suffered severe tendon damage and underwent immediate surgery. That turned out to be the Holden’s last game in the WHL, as he turned pro the following season. I think it’s fair to say that Holden was never the same player.
Having covered that game, I cringe every time a player loses a glove during game, even today. On Saturday night, Kamloops D Marek Hrbas lost a glove and looked as though he was going to stay on the ice, and it was all I could do to keep from standing up in the press box and yelling at him to get off the ice.
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The Regina Pats are going to honour former star F Jordan Eberle by retiring his number on Dec. 5. The ceremony had been scheduled for earlier this season but had to be postponed because Eberle ended up with the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons due to the NHL lockout. . . . The Red Deer Rebels will provide the opposition in Regina on Dec. 5 and Eberle is scheduled to be in attendance.
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It seems that Roman Vopat (Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, 1994-96) is out as general manager and head coach of the junior B Kimberley Dynamiters of the Kootenay International Junior League. It seems the organization is setting up a committee to study the operation. . . . Jordan Foreman, who has done this before, is the interim head coach, with help from assistant coach Kris Knoblauch, the former Kootenay Ice head coach. . . . All of this is interesting because the Dynamiters were 14-9 at the time of the move. Last season, under Vopat, they got to Game 7 of their division final. . . .
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The Prince Albert Raiders have brought in G Nick McBride from the major midget Vancouver-North East Chiefs. . . . The Raiders are in Moose Jaw tonight and likely will have McBride, 15, on the bench backing up starter Luke Siemens. McBride was a second-round selection in the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft. . . . Andy Desautels, the Raiders’ No. 2 goaltender, has a broken finger. . . . The Raiders used G Rylan Parenteau of the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts as the backup for a couple of weekend games. . . . Prince Albert may have F Reid Gardiner, 16, back tonight after suffering an undisclosed injury against the visiting Tri-City Americans on Oct. 16. . . . The Warriors, by the way, haven’t played in eight days. Yes, there are some bizarre things about this season’s schedule. . . . Moose Jaw F Miles Warkentine, who has been out since Oct. 13 with a suspected concussion, could return to the lineup tonight.
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D Ryan Murray of the Everett Silvertips has a tear in the labrum in one shoulder. Murray, who was injured Friday in Victoria, had an MRI in Everett. He was selected second overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL’s 2012 draft. He will be in Columbus early next week where the Blue Jackets’ medical staff will evaluate him. A decision then will be made regarding surgery. Chances are Murray will need surgery, meaning he likely will be gone for as long as five months. . . . According to Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald: “Murray suffered a dislocated shoulder during the second period of Everett's 5-0 loss at Victoria last Friday. Murray was defending Victoria's Logan Nelson on a one-on-one when the players collided. Murray felt the shoulder give on the contact, then the problem was compounded when Murray landed awkwardly on the shoulder on the ice.” . . . The injury means Murray won’t play for Canada at the World Junior Championship.
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F Cain Franson, who hasn’t played since suffering a concussion on Oct. 24, may be back in the Vancouver Giants’ lineup tonight as they play the Winterhawks in Portland. . . . Franson has missed 11 games. . . . D Tyler Yaworski of the Brandon Wheat KIngs served a three-game suspension for the hit that took out Franson. . . . Vancouver F Trevor Cheek takes a six-game goal-scoring streak into tonight’s game. He is from Vancouver, Wash., so should have some supporters in the stands in Portland. . . . Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun also reports that Giants G Liam Liston is almost ready to return to action. He suffered an ankle injury on Nov. 1 and hopes to practise Friday.
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The Kelowna Rockets hope to have F J.T. Barnett (knee) and F Carter Rigby (shoulder) back this weekend. . . . Barnett has been out for 21 games, while Rigby has watched 14. . . . The Rockets, riding a six-game winning streak on home ice, are at home to the Regina Pats on Friday and the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday.
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G Carey Price is back in the WHL. Yes, he’s 25, but that hasn’t kept him off the ice with his old club, the Tri-City Americans. . . . Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald has that story right here.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors announced Tuesday that D Reid Jackson, 19, has been shut down for the season “due to concussion and post-concussion symptoms.” . . . The Warriors acquired Jackson from the Prince George Cougars in May. He had two assists and 12 penalty minutes in 12 games. He also has played with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Jackson hasn’t played since an Oct. 24 game against the visiting Hurricanes.
The WHL, of course, guards its injury information the way bodyguards protect President Obama. . . . But in attempting to track the number of concussions suffered this season it would appear that number is higher than 24.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Edmonton, F Stephane Legault scored two PP goals as the Oil Kings scored a 2-1 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . Legault scored his first two goals this season in his first game back after a 15-game absence due to a foot injury. . . . Legault’s first goal apparently deflected in off the foot that he had injured. . . . Edmonton Oilers assistant coach Kelly Buchberger, who is good friends with Swift Current GM/head coach Mark Lamb, took part in the Broncos’ morning skate. . . . F Jake DeBrusk, who signed with the Broncos on Monday, also was on the ice. He plays for the Edmonton-South Side Athletic Club’s midget club. . . . The Oil Kings also got F Mitch Moroz back after a three-game injury-related absence. . . .

In Lethbridge, Calgary G Chris Driedger stopped 42 shots as the Hitmen beat the Hurricanes, 3-2. . . . F Carson Samoridny gave Calgary a 3-2 lead at 1:47 of the third period and the Hitmen went on to victory. . . . Lethbridge was 1-for-8 on the PP; the Hitmen were 0-for-3. . . .

In Medicine Hat, G Patrik Bartosak turned aside 43 shots to lead the Red Deer Rebels to a 4-0 victory over the Tigers. . . . Bartosak, a Czech who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury after getting into 25 games last season, has one shutout this season and two in his career. He is11-7-1, 2.56, .930 this season. . . . F Wyatt Johnston’s third goal this season, a shorthanded score at 3:36 of the first period, stood up as the winner. . . . Medicine Hat lost F Curtis Valk with a boarding major and game misconduct at 15:59 of the third period. . . . Red Deer F Rhyse Dieno had one assist. He has four points and is plus-5 in three games since joining the Rebels last week from the SJHL’s La Ronge Timber Wolves. . . . Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ owner/president/GM/interim head coach, is 3-0 since going back behind the bench. . . . The Tigers, who have lost five straight games, remain without F Hunter Shinkaruk, who suffered a skate cut of some sort during a game in Portland on Saturday. . .

In Prince George, F Carson Bolduc scored in the fourth round of the circus to give the Cougars a 4-3 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . The Cougars had lost seven games in a row. . . . The Pats got two first-period goals 41 seconds apart from F Lane Scheidl to go up 2-0. . . . Prince George F Brad Morrison, 15, got his first WHL goal on the PP at 9:49 of the second. Morrison, who was outstanding in his WHL debut on Saturday in Kamloops, was the game’s first star. . . . Bolduc’s first WHL goal, at 15:28 of the second, got the Cougars to within one and F Jarrett Fontaine, with his second goal, tied it at 19:33 of the second. . . . Regina G Matt Hewitt stopped 37 shots, while Prince George’s Mac Engel made 13 saves. . . . Prince George F Alex Forsberg was unsuccessful on a second-period penalty shot. . . . Attendance was 1,454. . . . Regina is 1-0-2 on its B.C. swing that continues tonight in Kamloops. . . . The Pats have points in each of their last four games. . . . The Cougars will play their next four games against the Victoria Royals. They play Friday and Saturday in Victoria and the following Friday and Saturday in Prince George. . . . Seriously. Four straight. . . .

In Victoria, F Jamie Crooks scored twice as the Royals dropped the Saskatoon Blades, 5-2. . . . Crooks, a 20-year-old from Vermilion, Alta., began his WHL career with the Blades, playing eight games in 2009-09 and six in 2009-10 before being dealt to the Chilliwack Bruins (remember them?). . . . The Bruins, of course, morphed into the Royals prior to last season. . . . Saskatoon lost F Shane McColgan in the second period after a collision with Victoria F Luke Harrison. McColgan fell and struck his head. He played one PP shift after that, left the game and didn’t return.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Pavlo Padakin, Calgary
D Tyler Stahl, Victoria (double minor)

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
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From Tri-City D Justin Hamonic (@Hammertime6): “If I can move as well as Alice Cooper when I’m 64 I’ll be a happy man. What a show!!”
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From Medicine Hat D Derek Ryckman (@rycks25): “Wishing @reidjackson29 a healthy and quick recovery #niceguybigbush”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Simon Ferguson (Lethbridge, Kelowna, 1999-2004) was released by Olimpia Ljubljana (Slovenia, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had three assists in 10 games with Olimpia this season. . . .
F Adam Courchaine (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, 2001-05) signed a one-year contract with Duisburg (Germany, Oberliga). He was pointless in three games while on a try-out contract Graz 99ers (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) earlier this season. Courchaine played for Duisburg in 2007-08, when the club was in the DEL, the top German league.
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Independence is something all journalists crave.
Why?
Because without independence a journalist doesn’t have credibility. And without credibility, a journalist doesn’t have anything.
Which brings us to the case of Rich Hammond.
Hammond used to cover the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings for the Los Angeles Daily News. In time, the Daily News chose not to cover Kings’ road games.
So the Kings ended up hiring Hammond to write for their website.
The Kings provided him with total independence and Hammond, in his three years there, wrote with honesty and integrity. While he was a Kings’ employee, there was no cheerleading and no dirt swept under the carpet.
Hammond left that job the other day. He will be writing about USC basketball and football for the Orange County Register. No, he didn’t want to leave the Kings. But he felt he had no other choice.
You see, Hammond interviewed Kevin Westgarth, a Kings forward who also is the team’s NHLPA representative, and posted the story on the Kings’ website. Someone from the NHL office saw the posting and told the Kings to take it down.
That’s because Hammond, as an employee of the Kings, was an NHL employee and, as such, was not allowed to be in contact with any players during the lockout.
The NHL makes such rules at times like these. While the NHLPA allows its players to talk to anyone during the lockout, the NHL has muzzled all of its owners and employees, allowing only its leaders, Gary Bettman and Bill Daly, to speak.
The bottom line, though, is that Hammond is gone and the Kings and their fans are the poorer for it.
All because the NHL wants to control the message during a lockout that it has forced upon the hockey world.
For more on the Hammond saga, click right here.
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JUST NOTES:
The Red Deer Rebels trimmed two players from their roster on Thursday. F Scott Feser, 17, is off to the AJHL’s Camrose Kodiaks, while D Stephen Hak, 18, is going to the MJHL’s Steinbach Pistons. . . .
F Dryden Hunt of the Regina Pats, who has been out with a concussion since Sept. 6, has been cleared and could return tonight against the visiting Swift Current Broncos. Hunt was injuried during an exhibition game with Brandon when he hit his head on the ice late in a scrap with F Rene Hunter of the Wheat Kings. . . .
The WHL returns to Sportsnet tonight with the Edmonton Oil Kings playing host to the Calgary Hitmen. . . . The Hitmen (4-0-2) are one of three teams not to have lost in regulation time and they already own two victories over the defending-champion Oil Kings (5-2-1). . . . The Hitmen beat the Oil Kings 6-5 in overtime on Sunday in Calgary. But Edmonton F T.J. Foster almost stole the show with the first four-goal game in the modern history of the Oil Kings.
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THE 20-YEAR-OLD GAME:
As expected, D Connor Cox wasn’t without a team for long. Placed on waivers by the Saskatoon Blades on Wednesday, Cox, 20, was claimed by the Everett Silvertips in the WHL’s draft of available 20-year-olds. . . . The Silvertips then released F Cody Fowlie, who turns 20 on Nov. 5, in order to stay at three 20-year-olds. Fowlie, from Airdrie, Alta., had 40 points, including 14 goals, in 72 games last season. . . . Cox joins F Ryan Harrison and D Landon Oslanski as Everetts 20s. . . . The Silvertips open their East Division swing against the Wheat Kings in Brandon tonight. They will play in Saskatoon on Oct. 20, which will be the sixth and final game of the trip. . . .
The Vancouver Giants have released D John Neibrandt, 20. The Giants had acquired Neibrandt from the Kootenay Ice over the summer for a fifth-round bantam draft pick in 2013. . . . The 6-foot-5, 190-pound Neibrandt, who is from Yorkton, Sask., had one goal and was minus-6 in six games. . . . With Neibrandt gone, D Reid Zalitach, 16, is likely to get more playing time. He has played in just two of the club’s first seven games. Zalitach was a second-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft. . . .
It’s not that long ago that F J.D. Watt was the Vancouver Giants’ leading goal scorer in a Memorial Cup championship season. Today, Watt’s pro career is over — he’s back in school and playing for the SAIT Trojans in Calgary. Scott Mitchell of the Calgary Sun has that story right here, and it’s one every young hockey player should read.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
D Josh Morrissey (@Morrissey_10) of the Prince Albert Raiders, who is from Calgary: “Hard to believe but for once there is more snow at home than in PA . . . Must be because the Raids are so HOT! #wehavefun.”
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TWEET OF THE DAY II:
D Brandon Underwood (@BUND3RWOOD) of the Red Deer Rebels: “Finally settled into my new billets. Only took 50 days before I could unpack my bags. Hope the Nuge left some skill in his old room!??”

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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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Great day for Morrow

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Doug Lynch (Red Deer, Spokane, 1998-2003) signed a contract extension with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had seven goals and 21 assists in 44 games with Red Bull last season. . . .
F Simon Ferguson (Lethbriodge, Kelowna, 1999-2004) signed a one-year contract with Esbjerg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). He had 20 goals and 15 assists in 51 games with the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL) last season. . . .
F Björn Svensson (Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, 2003-06) signed a one-year contract with Eisbären Berlin (Germany, DEL). He had four goals and 14  assists with Timrå (Sweden, Elitserien) last season. . . .
F Roman Tomanek (Calgary, Seattle, 2004-06) signed a one-year contract with Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had 29 goals and 18 assists in 48 games with Banska Bystrica (Slovakia, Extraliga) last season.
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You just know that this is going to be a great day for Portland Winterhawks D Joe Morrow.
Morrow, who has played three seasons in Portland, is in Edmonton at the Canadian national junior team’s development camp.
And the Pittsburgh Penguins are expected to announce today that they have signed him to a three-year entry-level contract. They selected him 23rd overall in the NHL’s 2011 draft.
Morrow, who doesn’t turn 19 until Dec. 9, had 49 points, including nine goals, and 67 penalty minutes in 60 games with Portland last season. In 165 regular-season games, he has 16 goals and 71 assists, to go along with 152 penalty minutes.
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Hockey Canada finalized the 22-player roster for the team that will play in the U-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament and five of the skaters are from the WHL. D Matt Dumba (Red Deer), D Derrick Pouliot (Portland), D Griffin Reinhart (Edmonton), D Morgan Rielly (Moose Jaw) and F Hunter Shinkaruk (Medicine Hat) made the club that will play in the tournament that runs from Monday through Aug. 13 in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Piestany, Slovakia. . . . Don Nachbaur, the head coach of the Spokane Chiefs, is an assistant coach. The head coach is Steve Spott of the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers. . . . There is no radio or TV coverage of the tournament. . . . Canada, which has won the tournament each of the last three years, will play an exhibition game against Slovakia in Piestany on Saturday and then opens the tournament against Sweden on Monday.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Jim Parker of the Windsor Star reports that Bob Boughner is expected to return as head coach of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires today. After winning back-to-back Memorial Cups, Boughner, who owns a piece of the Spitfires, spent last season as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. . . . Bob Jones, the associate coach under Boughner, was the club’s head coach last season. . . .
Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald reports that the Everett Silvertips may be in the market for a goaltending coach. According to Patterson, “Sources indicate that Sigalet is in line to become the goaltending coach for the AHL's Abbotsford Heat.” . . . Sigalet spent last season working with the Silvertips on a part-time basis. . . .
Greg Ireland is to be named head coach of the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack today. Fred Wallace of CFOS Radio reported Tuesday that the job had been offered to Ireland, 46. A coach since 1992, Ireland spent the last eight seasons in the AHL, with the San Antonio Rampage and Grand Rapids Griffins. He will replace Mark Reeds, who guided the Attack to the OHL championship last season and has since signed on as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. . . . Owen Sound assistant coach Terry Virtue, a former WHL player and assistant coach, was on the short list. According to Wallace, Virtue “is expected to remain with the Attack, conceivably with elevated responsibilities.” . . .
The AHL’s Houston Aeros have named Sebastien Laplante and Mike Van Ryn as assistant coaches. They will work with head coach John Torchetti. . . . Laplante, 38, spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Northeastern University. . . . Van Ryn, 32, was an assistant coach with the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs last season. . . .
The OHL’s Erie Otters have agreed to two-year contract extensions with head coach Robbie Ftorek, who had one year left on his present deal, and assistant coach Peter Sidorkiewicz.
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JUST NOTES: As speculated late last week, the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat has named Ryan Walter (Kamloops, Seattle, 1984-78) as president. Walter spent last season as the head coach of Canada’s national women’s team after working two seasons as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. The Heat is the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames. . . . The BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies have dealt F Evan Richardson, 17, to the Powell River Kings for G Michael Garteig, 20, D Braden Pears, 18, and F Scott Renner, 18. Richardson was selected 15th overall by the Swift Current Broncos in the 2009 WHL bantam draft, but has committed to attend Boston College for the 2013-14 season. Last season, he had 42 points, including 12 goals, in 55 games with the Grizzlies. . . . The Grizzlies apparently were concerned that Richardson may end up in the USHL this season. . . . F Colton Graf (Chilliwack, 2006-08) has chosen to attend Simon Fraser University and play for its hockey club in the B.C. Intercollegiate league. Graf, 21, played the last two seasons with the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings. He put up 92 points in 111 regular-season games with Dauphin.
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Another former WHL player has had to quit hockey because of post-concussion syndrome.
Eric Doyle (Everett, Swift Current, Portland, 2005-10) has told Jon Keen, the radio voice of the Kamloops Blazers: “Over my career I had five diagnosed concussions . . . and probably two more that weren't. The last three concussions all came pretty close together and were the worst by far.”
Doyle last skated in November with the ECHL’s Ontario Reign. He was able to play only 12 games with the Reign, though.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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