Raiders' hunt for GM ends . . . Leafs may have job for McCrimmon . . . Ex-Raider to coach Lakers

D Layne Viveiros (Portland, 2011-2015) signed a one-year contract with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). This season, he had eight goals and 35 assists in 71 games with the Winterhawks. Viveiros is a dual Canadian-Austrian citizen. . . . He is eligible for his 20-year-old season in the WHL, but obviously has decided to go a different route. . . .
F Jakub Rumpel (Medicine Hat, 2006-07) signed a one-year extension with Herne (Germany, Oberliga). This seaosn, he had 26 goals and 40 assists in 24 games.
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Multiple WHL sources tell me Curtis Hunt will be named the new General Manager of the Prince Albert Raiders, replacing Bruno Campese.

— Tyler King (@tyler_king) June 5, 2015

According to Tyler King, the Prince Albert Raiders have their general manager.
As noted above, King tweeted Friday morning that Curtis Hunt will be the Raiders’ next general manager.
Hunt resigned Friday as general manager and head coach of the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons. King spent four seasons as the Oil Barons’ play-by-play man and also was their manager of communications. He left the club Monday and now is the manager of communications for the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits.
Having spent four seasons working with the Oil Barons, it’s safe to say that King has connections there.
Hunt just completed his first season with the Oil Barons, who were 35-28-6 under him, including all regular- and post-season play.
Hunt, 48, isn’t a stranger to Prince Albert or the WHL.
From North Battleford, Sask., he was a defenceman for three seasons (1984-87) with Raiders. He was a first-year defenceman on the Prince Albert team that won the 1985 Memorial Cup.
He also has been a WHL head coach for eight seasons — Moose Jaw Warriors (2002-04) and Regina Pats (2004-08, 2009-11).
The Raiders have been without a GM since Bruno Campese’s departure last month after eight years in the organization.
The new general manager joins a team that has its coaching staff in place, with head coach Marc Habscheid starting a four-year contract, associate coach Dave Manson starting a four-year extension and assistant coach Kelly Guard on a one-year deal.
The Raiders have a news conference scheduled for Monday morning at which there will be, according to a release, “a major announcement regarding” their hockey operations department.
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A note from Damien Cox, who writes Saturdays in the Toronto Star:
“Internally, the (Toronto Maple) Leafs continue to add personnel, although not a general manager yet. On Friday, with the departure of Steve Staios to the new Hamilton OHL franchise, Scott Pellerin was promoted within the player development area. It appears Brandon Wheat Kings owner/GM Kelly McCrimmon has a front office job waiting for him with the Leafs if he’s willing to leave Manitoba. Ditto for Sault Ste. Marie (head) coach Sheldon Keefe in a yet undefined coaching role.”
McCrimmon, of course, also is the Wheat Kings’ head coach.
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The Auston Matthews saga continues, with his agent, Pat Brisson, telling Mike G. Morreale of nhl.com that the projected No. 1 pick in the NHL’s 2016 draft will play with the ZSC Lions in Switzerland’s top pro league or the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. . . . Of course, there isn’t anything new in that, although perhaps this is the first time that Brisson has said the Matthews camp has ruled out the NCAA route. . . . Morreale’s story from Friday is right here.
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Jeff Pearlman, a respected author with a number of solid sports-related books to his credit, took some time on Friday to write about “when guys like Stephen A. Smith and Michael Wilbon turned celebrity.” . . . It’s true. Guys like Smith and Wilbon used to be journalists . . . and highly credible journalists, at that. . . . Pearlman takes a look at that subject in a devastating piece that is right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:

Jeff Tomlinson is the new head coach of the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, who play in Switzerland’s National League B. Tomlinson, 45, was an assistant coach with Germany at the IIHF World championship in Prague last month. He has coached in Germany for a number of years. . . . Tomlinson, from Winnipeg, played three seasons (1987-90) with the Prince Albert Raiders. He later played nine seasons in Europe.
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Tim Kehler, a former Swift Current Broncos assistant coach, has been added to the list of presenters at the fifth annual Hockey Coaches Conference that is scheduled for Vancouver, July 24-25. Kehler spent three seasons (2007-10) on the Broncos’ coaching staff. . . . He has spent the last four seasons in Europe, the past three as head coach of Löwen Frankfurt of DEL2. . . . Also on the list of presenters is Victoria Royals head coach Dave Lowry. . . . For more on the conference, click right here.
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The Medicine Hat Regional Event Centre is no more. Canalta Hotels has purchased naming rights for the new facility that is scheduled to open later this year. The arena now is known as the Canalta Centre. . . . Collin Gallant of the Medicine Hat News has more right here.
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THE CONCUSSION REPORT:

From a news release issued on Friday: “The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) supports the education-driven recommendations made by the jury serving on the inquest into the death of Rowan Stringer highlighting the important role an educated coach plays in the prevention, identification, and management of sport-related concussions and return to play for participants.” . . . This is important stuff. The complete release is right here.
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Anthony Davis, the San Francisco 49ers starting right tackle, has retired after five NFL seasons. The 25-year-old Davis, who was the 11th overall selection in the NFL’s 2010 draft, said in a release: “This will be a time for me to allow my brain and body a chance to heal. I know many won’t understand my decision, that’s OK.” . . . Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle has more right here.
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“Two former players have filed a landmark $200-million lawsuit against the Canadian Football League, former CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon, a leading brain injury expert and a Toronto neurology clinic, alleging they knew and withheld information about how repeated brain trauma leads to long-term cognitive problems,” Rick Westhead, TSN’s senior correspondent, reported on Friday. “The lawsuit was filed May 29 in Ontario Superior Court by Korey Banks and Eric (The Flea) Allen.” . . . Westhead’s story is right here.
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Head of WADA-approved lab says she can't in good conscience keep testing CFL players samples. Lots of positive tests, no repercussions.

— Paul Friesen (@friesensunmedia) June 5, 2015

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Friday . . .

You have to think that things are out of control in the NHL when teams like the Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets are driving the free-agent market.
And when some teams are spending like drunken sailors just to get to the salary cap floor you only can shake your head and wonder how we will react a year from now when owners are involved in CBA negotiations and pleading poverty.
Bizarre, or what?
Sheesh, the Dallas Stars, who don’t even have an owner, signed five players, spending almost US$20 million in the process.
All told, teams spent more than $260 million and, you’re right, F Brad Richards has yet to sign. When he does, likely this morning, that will take the total to more than $300 million; in fact, more than $320 million.
If major junior players need motivation, all they have to do is remember that 20 goals and 50 points in the same season now will get you at last $4 million per season in The Show.
I didn’t follow the free-agent frenzy on TV; instead, I kept pace, or tried to, via Twitter.
Here, then, are some of my favourite tweets (the last one features the day's best statistics):
From: @Proteautype
Sent: Jul 1, 2011 4:13p
Some say NHLers are overpaid; compared to the real world, of course they are. But Gary Bettman makes $7+ million a yr. Perspective, people.
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From: @Russostrib
Sent: Jul 1, 2011 4:02p
Christian Ehrhoff makes $1.3 million more than Sidney Crosby next year. These next labor talks should be a doozy
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From: @DamoSpin
Sent: Jul 1, 2011 3:06p
RT @yyzsportsmedia: Panthers prez sounds pretty giddy today.  Guarantee he will site to today as a key reason when he eventually fires talon years from now
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From: @DarrenDreger
Kris Versteeg doesn't have a twitter acct, so he asked me to post this quote," I'm takin my toe drag to south beach". Not much else to say.
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From: @dshoalts
Sent: Jul 1, 2011 3:21p
Serious problem with priorities here. RT @darrenrovell: Avg US consumer drank 476 cans of soda and 243 bottles of beer in 2010.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Colin O’Hara is expected to be named the new head coach of the BCHL’s Salmon Arm SilverBacks. He was the club’s associate coach last season. Prior to that, he was the GM/head coach of the SJHL’s Nipawin Hawks until resigning on Feb. 10, 2010 with the club in last place in the Bauer Conference. O’Hara, who had a year left on his contract when he left Nipawin, will replace Tim Kehler, who resigned earlier this week with two years left on a three-year contract signed July 1, 2010.
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JUST NOTES: In the middle of Friday’s free-agent silliness, the St. Louis Blues announced that they have signed F Cody Beach of the Moose Jaw Warriors to a three-year contract. He was a fifth-round pick by the Blues in the NHL’s 2010 draft. . . . The Tampa Bay Lightning announced the signing of Prince George Cougars F Brett Connolly, something that you read about here a couple of weeks back. Connolly was the sixth overall selection in the 2010 NHL draft. For details on Connolly's contract or, for that matter, any of the other myriad of deals that were signed on Friday, head on over to capgeek.com. . . . F Colin Smith of the Kamloops Blazers, another player who wasn’t selected in the NHL draft, will attend the Edmonton Oilers’ prospect camp next week. He is from Edmonton. . . . D Benn Olson (Kamloops, Seattle, 2004-08) has signed a one-year deal with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Last season, Olson, 24, played with the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones (43-1-3—4-153), the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals (1-0-0—0-0) and Bridgeport (17-0-3—3-78).
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Former WHL D Victor Bartley continues to chase the NHL dream. Check out this story by Robert Mangelsdorf of the Maple Ridge News.
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It looks as though the U.S. college hockey scene is in for a seismic change. The Big Ten Hockey Conference is scheduled to begin play in 2013-14 and a lot of schools with big-time hockey programs now are exploring their options.
Brad Elliott Scholssman of the Grand Forks Herald has more right here.

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

Thursday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
G Joel Martin (Lethbridge, Tri-City, Vancouver, Calgary, 2000-03) signed a one-year contract with Herlev (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). He had a 3.54 GAA and a .880 save percentage in 18 games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) and a 3.53 GAA and a .890 save percentage in 21 games with the Odessa Jackalopes (Central Hockey League) last season.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Former Kamloops Blazers D Darryl Sydor, who now owns a piece of the team, has been added to the NHL-Minnesota Wild’s coaching staff. Last month, the Wild hired Mike Yeo as its head coach to replace Todd Richards. Yeo had been the head coach of the Wild’s AHL affiliate, the Houston Aeros, and Sydor, who retired after the 2009-10 season, was on his coaching staff. . . . Former Prince Albert Raiders head coach Rick Wilson remains on the Wild coaching staff. He was on the Dallas Stars’ staff when Sydor played there. During his 18-year pro career, Sydor also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who had Yeo on their staff at the time. . . . Former Wild assistant coach Dave Barr is expected to be named head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . .
The Abbotsford Heat, the AHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames, has named assistant coach Troy Ward is its head coach. He takes over from Jim Playfair, who left to join the coaching staff of the Phoenix Coyotes. . . .
James Boyd is the new GM/head coach of the OHL’s Mississauga St. Michael's Majors. Boyd, 35, spent the last four seasons with the Majors, as the assistdant GM and co-coach, working alongside Dave Cameron. Cameron now is on the coaching staff of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. . . .
Tim Kehler has resigned as GM/head coach of the BCHL’s Salmon Arm SilverBacks. His coaching experience includes a stint as head coach of the BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters and with the Swift Current Broncos as an assistant coach. Kehler had signed a three-year contract with the Silverbacks on July 1, 2010. . . . For more on the Kehler resignation, check out Shawn Mullin’s blog over there on the right. . . .
The NAHL’s Fairbanks Ice Dogs have signed Trevor Stewart as their head coach. Stewart was an assistant coach with the St. Louis Bandits last season. He replaces Josh Hauge, who now is an assistant coach under Drew Schoneck with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter