Seattle captain gets AHL deal ... Warriors' pick signs with Lightning ... WHL flavour to conference

Today's Malcolm pic.twitter.com/XuifFqkIIu

— Edmonton Journal (@edmontonjournal) July 1, 2017

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D Filip Novák (Regina, 1999-2002) has signed a one-year extension with České Budějovice (Czech Republic, 1. Liga). He had two goals and four assists in 14 games there last season. Novák started last season with Pardubice (Czech Republic, Extraliga), scoring a goal and adding two assists in nine games, then moved to Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL), where he had three assists in 11 games. . . .

F Linden Vey (Medicine Hat, 2006-11) has signed a one-year contract with Barys Astana (Kazakhstan, KHL). Last season, he was pointless in four games with the Calgary Flames (NHL). In 61 games with the Stockton Heat (AHL), he had 15 goals and a team-high 40 assists. . . .

D Darren Dietz (Saskatoon, 2009-13) has signed a one-year contract with Barys Astana (Kazakhstan, KHL). Last season, he had six goals and six assists in 39 games with the Hershey Bears (AHL), and had two assists in 13 games with the Texas Stars (AHL) 13. . . .

F Radek Duda (Regina, Lethbridge, 1998-2000) has signed a one-year extension with Freiburg (Germany, DEL2). Last season, he had 18 goals and 29 assists in 48 games.

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F Scott Eansor, who played out his junior eligibility in winning a WHL title with the Seattle Thunderbirds last season, went to the New York Islanders’ development camp without a contract. On Saturday, he signed with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the Islanders’ AHL affiliate, for 2017-18. . . . Eansor played four seasons with the Thunderbirds, totalling 129 points, including 47 goals, in 219 games. Last season, the native of Englewood, Colo., captained the Thunderbirds and had 18 goals and 20 assists in 40 games, then added five goals and seven assists in 20 playoff games.

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The NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning have signed D Oleg Sosunov, 19, to a three-year entry-level contract. He was a sixth-round selection in the NHL’s 2016 draft. . . . On Wednesday, the Moose Jaw Warriors picked Sosunov, who is from Ryazan, Russia, in the CHL’s import draft. . . . Interestingly, the Tampa Bay news release on Sosunov’s signing doesn’t mention the Warriors. . . . The 6-foot-8, 230-pound Sosunov was pointless in 32 games with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (MHL) last season.

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There will be a real WHL flavour to the annual Hockey Coaches Conference when it runs in Vancouver, July 14-15.

At least five of the presenting coaches have ties to the WHL.

Glen Gulutzan, the head coach of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, played with the Moose Jaw Warriors, Brandon Wheat Kings and Saskatoon Blades. His presentation is entitled ‘Motivating your team by creating a vision.’

Richard Matvichuk, the head coach of the Prince George Cougars, is to present on teaching puck retrieval and breakout skills. He spent three seasons (1989-92) as a defenceman with the Blades.

Jamie Kompon, an assistant coach with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets, spent two seasons as the Portland Winterhawks’ general manager and head coach. His presentation is: Details of the game — A breakdown of some essential skills.

Jay Varady, the head coach of the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers, will present on technology in coaching. He is a former Everett Silvertips assistant coach.

Craig Cunningham, who played with the Vancouver Giants and the Winterhawks, now is a pro scout with the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes. He will speak on the impact of coaches.

For more info on the conference, click right here.

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Hurricanes blow past Rebels; Vandervlis sparks Game 7 victory . . . Ingram gets NHL deal

Where does the new @CHLHockey record for longest game in history rank across North America? Here you go. pic.twitter.com/MhY9Kvfa9S

— Mike Benton (@Benton_Mike) April 4, 2017

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A couple of years ago, Dean (Scooter) Vrooman, who would be one of the first inductees into a WHL Hall of Fame if their was such an animal, did the research into the WHL and seven- and nine-game playoff series.

I have updated it to include the first round of this season’s playoffs.

From 2012 through April 4, the road team is 3-10 in Game 7s. (The three victories? The Edmonton Oil Kings beat the Portland Winterhawks, 4-2, in Game 7 of the 2014 championship final; the Kelowna Rockets scored a 3-2 OT victory over the Victoria Royals in Game 7 of the B.C. Division final in 2016; and on Monday night the Swift Current Broncos went into Moose Jaw and beat the Warriors, 3-2.)

From 2004 through 2011, the road team was 10-10 in Game 7s.

From 1986 through 2003, the road team was 3-29 in Game 7s (or Game 9s).

From the beginning of the WHL in 1966-67 through 1984, the road team was 5-10 in Game 7s or Game 9s.

Overall, in 80 deciding games in series that went the distance (7 or 9 games) in league history, the home team is 59-21.

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Meanwhile, Hartley Miller, who worked on the Prince George Cougars’ radio crew this season, provided some information now that the first round of the WHL playoffs is over.

He points out that the first round featured 44 games with the home-road split right down the middle — 22-22. There were two Game 7s, with the home team going 1-1.

In six of the eight series, the home team went .500.

The exceptions? In the series between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Red Deer Rebels, the home team was 5-2; in the matchup between the Moose Jaw Warriors and Swift Current Broncos, the home team was 2-5.
Bring on the second round!

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G Connor Ingram of the Kamloops Blazers has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, which selected him in the third round of the NHL’s 2016 draft. Ingram is on his way to join the Syracuse Crunch, the Lightning’s AHL affiliate. . . . Ingram was 2-4, 2.18, .946 in a just-completed first-round series against the Kelowna Rockets. Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman was in Kamloops for Game 4. That night, Ingram stopped 48 shots in a 1-0 loss to the Rockets. . . . In three seasons with the Blazers, Ingram is 81-50-18, 2.68, .918. . . . He turned 20 on March 31, so next season will be eligible to play in anywhere in Tampa Bay’s organization or in the WHL as a 20-year-old.

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The Portland Winterhawks have signed D Ryan Miley, who is from Brookings, S.D. He played this season with the Sioux Falls Stampede U16 AAA team, putting up 39 points, including 14 goals, in 50 games. Miley, who will turn 17 on July 12, is an undrafted list player, who was in Portland’s training camp prior to this season.

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F Tyler Robertson, who played three-plus seasons with the Edmonton Oil Kings, has committed to attend NAIT and play for the Ooks next season. Robertson, from Sherwood Park, Alta., was part of the 2014 Memorial Cup-championship Oil Kings team. . . . Robertson, who will turn 21 on Oct. 1, had 87 points, including 40 goals, in 235 regular-season games with the Oil Kings.

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With the Regina Pats and Swift Current Broncos preparing to begin a second-round WHL playoff series on Thursday, Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post takes a look at the franchise that really is a miracle on the Saskatchewan prairie. That piece is right here. 

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Mike Fraser, the wandering and writing scout, is back with another solid piece. This week, he takes a look at a terrific underdog story from the Alberta Midget Hockey League, and also bemoans the fact that there won’t be a Pacific regional midget AAA series this month. That piece, from the Westman Journal, is right here.

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The Sioux City Musketeers wrapped up the Anderson Cup as the USHL’s regular-season champions on Sunday with a 4-1 victory over the visiting Tri-City Storm. With three games remaining, the Musketeers, who also won the Western Conference title, were at 40-10-7 and had won seven in a row. Jay Varady, the Musketeers’ head coach, spent seven seasons (2003-10) in the WHL on the coaching staff of the Everett Silvertips. He is in his fourth season with the Musketeers. Mark LeRose, in his third season as Sioux City’s general manager, was an assistant in Everett for three seasons (2007-09, 2013-14). . . . The USHL playoffs begin next week.

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In the OHL on Tuesday night, the host London Knights beat the Windsor Spitfires, 3-2, in Game 7 of that first-round series. The Knights are the defending Memorial Cup champions, while the Spitfires are in this year’s tournament as the host team. . . . In another OHL Game 7, the host Kingston Frontenacs scored a 3-2 OT victory over the Hamilton Bulldogs. . . . In the OHL’s second round, the Knights face the Erie Otters, the Frontenacs go against the Peterborough Petes, the Owen Sound Attack plays the Soo Greyhounds, and the Oshawa Generals meet the Mississauga Steelheads.

There was one Game 7 in the QMJHL’s first round, with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles scoring a 5-4 OT victory over the Gatineau Olympiques on Tuesday night. . . . In the second round, the Screaming Eagles will face the Charlottetown Islanders, the Acadie-Bathurst Titan go against the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, the Val-d’Or Foreurs play the Saint John Sea Dogs, and the Chicoutimi Sagueneens face the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

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@mnwild wore 67' North Stars sweaters for warm ups. Parise also donned his late father J.P.'s helmet and gloves. @StribSports @Russostrib pic.twitter.com/Vc0kNeMJTI

— Aaron Lavinsky (@ADLavinsky) April 4, 2017

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TUESDAY’S GAME:

At Lethbridge, the Hurricanes scored four PP goals en route to a 6-2 victory over the Red Deer Rebels in Game 7 of their first-round series. . . . Lethbridge won the series by winning each of the last three games. . . . The Hurricanes, who finished second in the Central Division, advance to meet the first-place Medicine

RYAN VANDERVLIS

Hat Tigers in a second-round series. They will open with games in Medicine Hat on Friday and Saturday nights. . . . The Hurricanes and Tigers haven’t met in the playoffs since 1991. Back then, the 14-team WHL featured two divisions and the Hurricanes beat the Tigers in seven games in the division final. The Spokane Chiefs then swept the Hurricanes from the championship final. . . . Last night, the Hurricanes, who hadn’t won a series since 2009, opened a 2-0 lead on first-period PP goals just 1:03 apart. . . . D Brennan Menell scored at 7:21, the first of two goals the home team would score with a 5-on-3 advantage. . . . F Giorgio Estephan (2) made it 2-0 at 8:24. . . . F Lane Zablocki (6) scored for Red Deer at 19:08, but Lethbridge got that one back just 22 seconds later when F Ryan Vandervlis counted. . . . Vandervlis enjoyed a four-point outing. . . . The Hurricanes got some insurance from F Jordy Bellerive (2), who scored while shorthanded at 9:29 of the second period. . . . F Brandon Hagel (7) got the Rebels to within two goals at 2:31 of third period, but the Hurricanes put it away with two more PP goals. . . . Vandervlis scored his fourth goal of the series at 8:18 and Menell got his third goal at 10:33. . . . The Hurricanes got two assists from each of F Tyler Wong, F Zak Zborosky, Vandervlis and Estephan, with Bellerive and Menell each getting one. . . . Vandervlis, an 18-year-old from Red Deer, finished the series with four goals and three assists. In the regular season, he had 25 points, including eight goals, in 60 games. . . . G Stuart Skinner recorded the victory with 31 saves. . . . Red Deer starter Riley Lamb gave up four goals on 19 shots in 29:29. Lasse Petersen came on to finish up, allowing two goals on 12 shots in 30:31. . . . Lethbridge was 4-6 on the PP; Red Deer was 0-3. . . . The Rebels were without F Evan Polei, who had nine points, including three goals, in the first six games. He was serving a WHL suspension after taking a headshot major and game misconduct in Game 6. . . . Lethbridge F Tanner Nagel, the subject of that hit, didn’t finish Game 6. But he was cleared to play and was in the lineup for Game 7. . . . Announced attendance: 5,244.

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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

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THURSDAY GAMES (all times local):

Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m. (Game 1)

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Johnson a giant with Lightning . . . De Leo takes streak to Kamloops . . . Reinhart closing on Stoll

Is there a better story being written in the NHL this season than the one being penned by F Tyler Johnson of the Tampa Bay Lightning?
A native of Spokane, Johnson played four seasons with the WHL’s Chiefs, who selected him in the 11th round of the 2005 bantam draft.
He was a terrific WHL player, too, putting up 282 points, including 128 goals, in 266 regular-season games. In 2010-11, as a 20-year-old, he finished second in the scoring race, his 115 points leaving him one point behind F Linden Vey of the Medicine Hat Tigers. Johnson led the WHL in goals that season, with 53.
I can remember watching Johnson in his final WHL season and thinking he was as good a centre as I had seen in quite some time. On top of his offensive ability, he was lights out on defence and practically unbeatable in the faceoff circle. He also may have been the WHL’s best penalty-killer at the time.
Tim Speltz, the Chiefs’ general manager, has watched Johnson for a long time.
“Johnny has always exceeded expectations and he's a great person who was always an excellent skater and had an amazing understanding of the game,” Speltz told Taking Note via email. “By the end of his 19-year-old year he gave you the feeling he would find a way to play in the NHL. His (20-year-old season), he finished second in league scoring and he was always our most responsible defensive player.”
Johnson, now 24, wasn’t selected in the NHL draft — at 5-foot-9, he is one of those players who has had to live with being too small. But he was able to sign a free-agent deal with the Lightning.
Al Murray, Tampa Bay’s head amateur scout, lives in Regina so had ample opportunity to watch Johnson during his WHL career. It was on Murray’s recommendation that the Lightning signed Johnson.
He played two seasons in the AHL and now is in his second full NHL season.
He got his first taste of the NHL in 2012-13 when he had three goals and three assists in 16 games.
Last season, he played 82 games with the Lightning and showed a hint of what he was about when he put up 50 points, including 24 goals.
Still, who saw this season coming?
He leads the Lightning in points, with 45, 17 of them goals, in 42 games. On Sunday, he was named to the NHL all-star game.
Unfortunately, he left in the second period of Monday’s 7-3 loss to the Flyers in Philadelphia with an undisclosed injury. Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper didn’t know whether Johnson would be able to play tonight against the host Boston Bruins.
Before leaving the game, Johnson set up Tampa Bay sniper Steven Stamkos for a goal with as nifty a pass as you will see.
Johnson first skated at the age of 18 months.
His mother, Debbie, taught power-skating; his father, Ken, coached minor hockey for a long time. Yes, he coached Tyler during his minor hockey career.
Don’t think for a minute that just because Johnson now is 2,316 miles from Spokane, as the crow flies, that the Chiefs’ followers have forgotten him.
“There are lots of Johnson jerseys in our crowd, both Chiefs and Lightning,” Speltz noted. “Spokane is very proud of their hometown hockey hero.
“All that said, who Tyler is is what makes him special . . . a great young man who is a fantastic role model you cannot say enough about.”
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The Portland Winterhawks meet the Blazers in Kamloops on Wednesday night and then are in Prince George to face the Cougars on Friday and Saturday. This is the Winterhawks’ last regular-season trip outside the U.S. Division. . . . Portland F Chase De Leo goes into Kamloops on a 17-game point streak. He has two goals and 18 assists in the 17 games. . . . F Oliver Bjorkstrand, who is tied with Petan for the team scoring lead, with 48 points, has seven points, three of them goals, over his last two games. He has points in 15 of his last 16 games, with multiple points in 12 of those contests. . . . F Sam Reinhart of the Kootenay Ice has 282 career regular-season points. That leaves him four points behind F Jarret Stoll, who holds the franchise record (286). . . . The Ice next plays Wednesday in Moose Jaw.
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Happy 61st to Dennis Sobchuk who was never same after a shoulder injury. Dennis scored 191 in 200 games w/ @WHLpats. pic.twitter.com/m94qafgHRv
— O-Pee-Chee Stars (@opeecheestars) January 13, 2015

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Friday . . .

Brett Connolly of the Prince George Cougars has his first NHL contract.
(Dub Nation photo)

F Brett Connolly of the Prince George Cougars has signed an entry-level contract with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. The signing has yet to be announced but a source familiar with the situation tells me that it’s a done deal.
Connolly, 19, was the sixth overall selection in the NHL’s 2010 draft despite the fact that hip problems had limited him to 16 games in the 2009-10 season. He was the first No. 1 selection made by Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman, who was running his first draft with the Lightning.
Connolly, who is from Prince George, enjoyed a healthier 2010-11 and put up 73 points, 46 of them goals, in 59 games. Unfortunately for him and the Cougars, his season ended in the first game of the playoffs when he suffered a shoulder injury in Kelowna against the Rockets. Kelowna went on to sweep the Cougars.
In 144 regular-season WHL games, Connolly has 152 points, including 86 goals.
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Hockey Canada is running its elite goaltending camp this weekend in Calgary as it continues to evaluate players with an eye towards the 2012 national junior team.
There is some consternation because Canada just isn’t producting goaltenders the way it did in the recent past.
Why not?
Well, Hockey Canada head scout Kevin Prendergast has a theory that he explained to Allan Maki of The Globe and Mail:
“Every junior team has a goalie coach. In some cases, midget teams have a goalie coach. All those coaches try to teach a technique. We’re taking the athleticism away from all our kids. We’re turning them into robots. We’ve turned the position into a job rather than just let them play. Dominik Hasek had no technique. Tim Thomas has no technique. We’ve gotten to the point where teaching the position has gotten in the way.”
Maki’s complete story is right here.
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THE COACHING GAME: The Simon Fraser University hockey team is looking for an assistant coach to fill a spot that had been occupied by former Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets D Burt Henderson. If you’re interested in joining the SFU staff, check out www.sfuhockey.com or contact GM Jeff Dubois via email at hockey@sfu.ca.
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As the teams head back to Boston for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final, it strikes me, and I’m sure some other sports fans, that this series bears something of a resemblance to the 1960 World Series.
At least, it does if you consider the scores.
That World Series featured the Pittsburgh Pirates, who had home-field advantage, and the New York Yankees.
The Yankees won Games 2, 3 and 6 by scores of 16-3, 10-0 and 12-0.
The Pirates won the other four games — 6-4, 3-2, 5-2 and 10-9, winning Game 7 on Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off home run.
Add it all up and the Yankees lost the World Series despite outscoring the Pirates, 55-27.
In this Stanley Cup final, the Vancouver Canucks won the first two games — 1-0 and 3-2 in OT — and then took Game 5, 1-0, on Friday night. The Bruins were victors in Games 3 and 4, by 8-1 and 4-0 counts.
So, through five games, the Canucks hold a 3-2 edge, although they have been outscored, 14-6.
Game 6 is to be played Monday night in Boston with a seventh game, if needed, scheduled for Vancouver on Wednesday.

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

Friday . . . early

With two goaltenders injured, the Portland Winterhawks have added Michael Tadjdeh, 19, to their roster. He has played with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Spokane Chiefs. Spokane released him last week. . . . Portland’s goaltenders, Ian Curtis, 20, and Mac Carruth, 18, are out with undisclosed injuries. Carruth is week-to-week, while Curtis, according to the Portland Tribune, “might miss the first couple weeks of the season.” . . . Keith Hamilton, 18, will partner with Tadjdeh in the season’s early days. . . . The Winterhawks went into Friday with seven players away at NHL camps: F Riley Boychuk (Buffalo), F Oliver Gabriel (Columbus), F Nino Niederreiter (N.Y. Islanders), F Ryan Johansen (Columbus), D Brett Ponich (St. Louis), F Brad Ross (Toronto) and F Luke Walker (Colorado).
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LW Shayne Wiebe, 20, is the new captain of the Brandon Wheat Kings. Wiebe, who is from Brandon, was acquired last season in a trade with the Kamloops Blazers. He is the 54th captain in franchise history. F Brayden Schenn and F Matt Calvert shared the captaincy last season. Schenn, 19, now is with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, while Calvert has graduated. . . . Alternate captains are D Brodie Melnychuk, F Mark Stone and F Scott Glennie.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have dealt F Thomas Frazee, 20, to the Regina Pats. Also going to the Pats are two bantam draft picks -- a fourth-rounder in 2011 and a sixth-rounder in 2012. In exchange, Moose Jaw gets a second-round pick in the 2011 draft and a fifth-rounder in 2013. . . . Frazee had been acquired from the Medicine Hat Tigers, but was one of five 20-year-olds on Moose Jaw’s roster. The Warriors are left with F Spencer Edwards, G Thomas Heemskerk, F Dylan Hood and F Brendan Rowinski as their 20s. . . . Regina’s now has two 20-year-olds -- Frazee and F Colin Reddin, who was acquired from the Prince Albert Raiders.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors traded F Mike Forsyth, 18, to the Chilliwack Bruins for a conditional draft pick. Forsyth was an eighth-round pick in the 2007 bantam draft by the Medicine Hat Tigers. He had 21 points in 57 games with the AJHL’s Camrose Kodiaks last season. . . . The Warriors had acquired Forsyth from the Tigers in a deal for F Matt MacKay last season. MacKay has since been moved to the Vancouver Giants.
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The Regina Pats acquired F Trent Ouellette, 17, from the Medicine Hat Tigers for a conditional 13th-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. He played last season with the midget AAA UFA Bisons, who play out of Strathmore, Alta., which is just east of Calgary. He had 29 points in 32 games with the Bisons.
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The Prince George Cougars got their big gun, F Brett Connolly, back from the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday and immediately named the hometown star their captain. . . . Alternates will be F James Dobrowolski, 20, and F Charles Inglis, 18, with F Brock Hirsche, 18, wearing an ‘A’ at home and D Jesse Forsberg, 17, wearing one on the road.
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When Kamloops Blazers head coach Guy Charron signed his first NHL contract, with the Montreal Canadiens in the fall of 1969, it was a two-year deal calling for salaries of $6,000 and $7,500 in the AHL and $10,000 and $12,000 in the NHL. . . . Kamloops D Josh Caron, 19, has signed a three-year deal with the Minnesota Wild. According to CapGeek.com, Caron gets US$55,000 for each of three seasons as an AHL salary, with an NHL roster spot paying $520,000, $545,000 and $545,000. The signing bonus is three annual $20,000 payments. . . . D Colton Jobke, 18, of the Kelowna Rockets also signed with the Wild. According to CapGeek.com, he gets $55,000 in the AHL, with NHL salaries of $530,000, $555,000 and $555,000. He got a $90,000 signing bonus, payable in three annual instalments. . . . Caron and Jobke both attended the Wild’s camp on free-agent tryout deals.
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Also on their way back from NHL camps: D Dylan McIlrath, to Moose Jaw from New York Rangers; F Roman Horak, to Chillwack from New York Rangers; F Randy McNaught, to Saskatoon from New York Rangers; F Carter Ashton, to Regina from Tampa Bay; F Jordan Weal, to Regina from Los Angeles; F Linden Vey, from Los Angeles to Medicine Hat.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter