If WHL playoffs started today . . . Ch-ch-ching! . . . Rids can't believe it!

D Colton Jobke (Kelowna, Regina, 2009-13) has reassigned by the Minnesota Wild (NHL) from the Alaska Aces (ECHL) to the Augsburger Panther (Germany, DEL). This season, with Alaska, he had four assists in 20 games. . . .
F Tyler Spurgeon (Kelowna, 2001-06) has signed a contract for the rest of this season with Thurgau (Switzerland, NL B). This season, with the Ontario Reign (ECHL), he had two goals and eight assists in 12 games. He was pointless in one game with the Adirondack Flames (AHL). . . .
G Alexander Pechursky (Tri-City, 2009-11) has been traded by Metallurg Magnitogorsk to Amur Khabarovsk (both Russia, KHL) for G Alexei Murygin. This season, in nine games with Magnitogorsk, Pechursky was 2-6-0, 2.40, .910.
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THE PLAYOFF PICTURE:

In case you have forgotten, the WHL has redone its playoff format.
This season, it is using a formula that involves conference standings, division standings and wild cards.
Yes, it’s wild.
With the league on its Christmas break -- the next games are scheduled for Dec. 27 -- let’s take a look at what would happen were the playoffs to start today.
Under the new format, eight teams from each conference will qualify for the playoffs. It all starts with the top three teams from each division advancing. After that, the remaining two spots on each side go to wild-card entries -- the two teams in each conference with the most points.
As of this moment, here are the qualifiers, with their point totals:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
East Division
Brandon         52
Regina         42
Swift Current     38
Central Division
Medicine Hat    50
Calgary        41
Red Deer        40
Wild cards
Edmonton        37
Kootenay        36
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
B.C. Division
Kelowna        59
Victoria        37
Prince George    34
U.S. Division
Everett        44
Portland        41
Spokane        39
Wild cards
Tri-City        35
Vancouver        32
(Note: Vancouver and Seattle are tied, with 32 points, for what right now is the Western Conference’s last playoff spot. Were this the end of the regular season, they would meet in a play-in game in Vancouver. For the sake of this exercise, I have given the spot to Vancouver on the basis of more victories -- 16-14.)
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In the first round of the playoffs, the division winners go up against the wild-card entries, with the team with the most points meeting the team with the fewest points. All playoff series are best-of-seven affairs.
In the Eastern Conference, that would be:
Brandon vs. Kootenay
Medicine Hat vs. Edmonton
In the Western Conference, that would be:
Kelowna vs. Vancouver
Everett vs. Tri-City
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Meanwhile, the second- and third-place teams in each division would meet:
Regina vs. Swift Current
Calgary vs. Red Deer
Victoria vs. Prince George
Portland vs. Spokane
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For the second round, the teams stay within their brackets with the winners meeting. Home-ice advantage in each series goes to the team with the most regular-season points. . . . And on it goes.
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The Medicine Hat Tigers have done their bit for Christmas. Give it a look right here.
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There were issues with a gate early in a Wednesday night game between the Kamloops Blazers and the host Medicine Hat Tigers. Sean Rooney of the Medicine Hat News covered that story like a blanket and it’s all right here. Yes, it’s worth reading. (Kamloops head coach Don Hay suggested that the game, which was delayed almost an hour, should have been forfeited to the Blazers. Whoa! He was joking.)
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If you are interested in the KHL and the latest developments, make sure you are following Slava Malamud on Twitter. You are able to do that right here. . . . On Thursday, he live-tweeted the KHL owners’ meeting. ---
Neil Doef, a promising young hockey player with the Smiths Falls, Ont., Bears, suffered a serious injury during a Junior A Challenge game in Kindersley, Sask., on Sunday. . . . Don Butler of the Ottawa Citizen has more right here, including various avenues open should you wish to make a donation in support of Doef and his family.
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Peter Anholt says his Lethbridge Hurricanes aren’t quite the 1977 Montreal Canadiens. Yes, the Hurricanes’ new general manager and head coach brought his sense of humour to Lethbridge with him. Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has more right here.
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Sy Berger, who was the father of the modern baseball card, died Sunday at the age of 91. If you are of a certain age, you will remember when Topps was the only name in the area of collectible baseball cards. Tyler Kepner of The New York Times remembers right here.
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And now for something completely different. . . . If you’ve been wondering what’s going on with Sony, North Korea, hackers, the movie The Interview . . . well, Mike Fleming Jr. of deadline.com has spoken with George Clooney. That story is right here and it’s a good read.
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The WHL has suspended two players for a game each and fined two teams a total of $2,000 following a line brawl on Wednesday night. The Moose Jaw Warriors and host Prince Albert went at it in the final minute of the Raiders’ 5-1 victory. . . . Moose Jaw F Jaimen Yakubowski and Prince Albert D Mackenze Stewart won’t play on Dec. 27 as each sits out a one-game suspension for instigating a fight in the last five minutes of a game. The Warriors are at home to the Brandon Wheat Kings, while the Raiders are scheduled to entertain the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Meanwhile, the Warriors and Raiders each was fined $500 for having a player instigate a fight in the last five minutes and another $500 for being involved in their first multi-fight situation of the season. . . . Ch-ch-ching! The cheques should arrived in the WHL office just in time for some last-minute Christmas shopping.
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THE BLOG FUND:

The way things are going, the shopping trip for a new computer will happen before too long. If you are a regular in these parts and feel like chipping in, don’t be bashful. Just click on the donate button and away you go. . . . As of late Thursday, the blog master’s computer fund was at $1,015, thanks to the generosity of 19 readers just like you.
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Can't believe the audacity of fans requesting money. Back as a result of the delay at the tiger game last nite.
— Bob Ridley (@BobRidley_CHAT) December 18, 2014

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

'Our Timmy is keeping fighting . . . '

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Roman Wick (Red Deer, Lethbridge, 2004-06) has signed a three-year extension with ZSC Zurich (Switzerland, NL A). His current contract expires in 2015. The extension keeps Wick with ZSC through the 2017-2018 season. This season, in 47 games, he has 48 points, including 23 goals, leaving him second in the league’s scoring race. . . .

Klagenfurt (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) won’t renew seven players’ contracts, including F John Lammers (Lethbridge, Everett, 2001-06) and F Tyler Spurgeon (Kelowna, 2001-06). This season, Lammers had 34 points, including 14 goals, in 43 games, while Spurgeon had 22 points, 11 of them goals, in 34 games.
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F Tim Bozon of the Kootenay Ice remains in critical condition in Royal University  Hospital in Saskatoon as he battles Neisseria meningitis.
On Thursday, his parents, using their son’s Twitter account, tweeted: “Our Timmy is keeping fighting but . . . thank you so much for your wonderful wishes. Helene and Phil Bozon.”
The Bozons aren’t expected to offer comment unless Tim’s condition changes.
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Before being hospitalized and diagnosed with Neisseria meningitis, F Tim Bozon of the Kootenay Ice played against the Blades in Saskatoon and also attended a rock concert with one of their players. . . . On the heels of Bozon’s diagnosis, Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix writes, the Blades are taking precautions. That story is right here.
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There’s a story right here (video) from CTV Saskatoon about a hockey fan who was sticken by meningitis 20 years ago and now is offering to help the Bozon family in way he can.
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While Tim Bozon fights meningitis in a Saskatoon hospital, his Kootenay Ice teammates are preparing for weekend games. Trevor Crawley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman has that story right here.
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F Kohl Bauml of the Everett Silvertips has a broken leg and, according to Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald, “is likely done for the rest of the season.” Bauml was injured early in Tuesday’s 5-1 victory over the visiting Kelowna Rockets. Patterson reports that the diagnosis is a compound fracture to a tibia. . . . Bauml, 19, had 28 points, including 14 goals, in 65 games. . . . Patterson also reports that F Tyler Sandhu and F Logan Aasman, both of whom have been out with undisclosed injuries, have been cleared to return to play. . . .

The Regina Pats have brought in G Tyler Fuhr, 18, from the SJHL’s La Ronge Ice Wolves. The Pats need a goaltender to back up Dawson MacAuley this weekend after Daniel Wapple was injured in Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings. Wapple went down in a goal-mouth collision and was later seen with a walking boot on one foot. . . . Fuhr, a fourth-round selection by the Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2010 bantam draft, was 13-21-0, 3.68, .903 with the Ice Wolves this season. . . .

F Austin Daae of the Estevan Bruins has won the SJHL’s scoring championship. It’s worth mentioning because Daae, a 20-year-old native of Estevan, played 11 games with the WHL Saskatoon Blades in 2010-11, 52 with the Prince George Cougars in 2011-12 and 30 with the Prince Albert Raiders in 2012-13. Daae, a 10th-round pick by the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL’s 2008 bantam draft, also is the first Estevan player in 26 years to win the SJHL scoring crown. . . . Josh Lewis of the Estevan Mercury has more right here.
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IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Red Deer (8)
Regina (2) vs. Brandon (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
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Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Everett (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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FRIDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Calgary at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Edmonton at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Regina at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Portland, 7 p.m.
Spokane at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Everett at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
Kamloops at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
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THURSDAY’S GAMES:
No games scheduled.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
Please keep Tim Bozon (@timbozon94) and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

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

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F John Lammers (Lethbridge, Everett, 2001-06) and F Tyler Spurgeon (Kelowna, 2001-06) each signed one-year contract extensions with Klagenfurt (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). . . . Lammers has 12 goals and 13 assists in 43 games. . . . Spurgeon has two goals and seven assists in seven games this season.
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I was in the press box at Interior Savings Centre in Kamloops late Saturday night when I learned of the passing of Cal Murphy, who had been in a Regina hospital after experiencing a fall.
While I wasn’t surprised as I had heard Murphy was having health issues of late, I was saddened.
During a total of 22 years at the late, great Winnipeg Tribune and the Regina Leader-Post, I came in contact with a lot of football people. The one I remember the most is Murphy, who would have been 80 on March 12.
When he smiled, he lit up the room. And no one had a laugh — nay, a cackle — like he did.
Most people are aware that Murphy, after having had heart issues and at least two heart attacks, underwent a heart transplant in July of 1992 at the London, Ont., Health Sciences Centre.
No one loved the CFL more than did Murphy. Once he was able to leave the hospital in London, he returned to Winnipeg and one of his first stops was Winnipeg Stadium where he watched the Blue Bombers beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 59-11 in the East final.
In recent times, Murphy’s health hasn’t been terrific and in early 2010 he actually was on a respirator in a Regina hospital. A month after that episode, however, he was back searching for players on behalf of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.
Murphy spent three seasons on the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ coaching staff, starting in 1997. He was the director of football operations and head coach in 1999.
On Sept. 29, 1999, I underwent triple bypass surgery in a Regina hospital.
There was a gift basket from the Roughriders in the first batch of mail I received upon returning home.
Included was a card from Murphy, who had written: “I didn’t know you had a heart!!!”
I laughed because I could see that smile and I could hear him cackling as he wrote it.
Cal Murphy . . . he was one of a kind.
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You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize that the WHL has been hit by an epidemic of injuries.
The Red Deer Rebels, of course, are the best (worst?) example, but right now the Brandon Wheat Kings and Tri-City Americans also are hurting in a big, big way. The Saskatoon Blades also have had their injury woes.
The Medicine Hat Tigers have at least four regulars out of the lineup.
The Kelowna Rockets have fought the injury bug for most of the season, as have the Vancouver Giants.
And on and on it goes.
Yes, coaches regularly are heard to say that “all teams go through this” and “this gives other guys the opportunity to step up.”
That’s fine if a team is missing one, two or maybe even three players. But when a team has three or four players out on a long-term basis, it is going to catch up with it.
So . . . what do do?
I was told Sunday that there is some talk about WHL teams carrying 25 players next season. That would be an increase of two.
I would suggest that would be a good idea if the two added players both were 20 years of age. Why not increase the number of allowable 20-year-olds per roster to five from three?
That would raise the league’s maturity level, improve the level of entertainment and give some more veteran players a chance to prolong their WHL careers.
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JUST NOTES:
I meant to mention this in yesterday’s notes, and it slipped through the cracks. . . . Saturday’s game between the visiting Calgary Hitmen and the Kamloops Blazers may have been the best-officiated game in Kamloops this season. Surely, the fact that referee Brent Montsion was working by himself was a coincidence. . . .
Say what you want about the Montreal Canadiens, but nobody does special ceremonies any better. The playing of Eagles’ New Kid in Town during Sunday’s tribute to the late Gary Carter was wonderful. . . .
If you were paying attention on the weekend, you may have seen former Montreal Canadiens head coach Jacques Martin in a WHL arena or two. He was checking out Tri-City Americans F Patrick Holland, a player the Habs acquired from the Calgary Flames earlier this season. . . . Martin is keeping busy. He was in Sweden not that long ago and has Denver and Boston on his itinerary.
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SUNDAY’S GAMES:
The Western Conference now has five teams with playoff berths in their hip pockets. The Vancouver Giants clinched a spot Saturday and the Spokane Chiefs are in as of Sunday. . . . The sixth spot will go to the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The conference’s other four teams are going to scrap over the last two spots and it may well go down to the wire. Right now, there are two points separating the four teams. . . .
In the Eastern Conference, the chances are that the teams that are one through eight right now are the ones who will be in the playoffs. But the Red Deer Rebels, as injury ravaged as they are, obviously aren’t prepared to lay down for anyone. They won Sunday and are seven points back with 13 to play. . . . They couldn’t, could they?

In Vancouver, F Tyson Ness broke a 1-1 tie at 18:28 of the second period and the Red Deer Rebels went on to beat the Giants, 3-1. . . . F Charles Inglis scored his 18th goal just 18 seconds into the game for Red Deer. . . . F Riley Kieser got his fourth for the Giants at 14:25 of the second. . . . Ness has 15 goals. . . . F Turner Elson provided insurance with his 21st, but it didn’t come until 19:53 of the third. . . . Red Deer G Deven Dubyk stopped 29 shots, two fewer than Vancouver’s Adam Morrison. . . . Vancouver F Anthony Ast and F Marek Tvrdon both completed WHL suspensions by sitting out this one. . . . The Rebels, who were playing their third game in three nights, went 2-1-1 on a four-game swing into the B.C. Division. . . . Vancouver was playing its fifth game in six nights — it went 3-1-1, losing the last two, one of them in a shootout. . . . Vancouver D Neil Manning played in his 300th regular-season game, the first player to do that entirely in a Giants uniform. . . .

In Kent, Wash., G Mac Engel stopped 18 shots as the Spokane Chiefs beat the host Seattle Thunderbirds, 3-0. . . . It was Engel’s first shutout of the season; he has five in his career. . . . F Dominick Uher got the game’s first goal, his 25th, at 10:05 of the first period. F Colin Valcourt, with his 14th, and F Liam Stewart, with his 11th, also scored. . . . Seattle dressed 17 skaters, one under the maximum. . . . Seattle G Calvin Pickard stopped 31 shots. . . . The Chiefs snapped a four-game losing skid. . . . Seattle last won two in a row on Dec. 28 and 30. Since then, the Thunderbirds have lost 21 of 25.
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SUNDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Mitch Elliot, Seattle.
D Corbin Baldwin, Spokane.
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SUNDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
F Scott Cooke, Vancouver.
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Every Sunday, I fire up the Keurig coffee maker and read the Sunday papers online. One of my first stops is the Seattle Times, where I  check in with Ron Judd. His Sunday column is a piece of work. It really is. He obviously has a lifetime supply of darts and he uses them well. This week, Judd, who isn’t believed to be related to Naomi, Ashley or Wynonna, writes about the future of the NBA and NHL in Seattle. It is today’s good read and I dare you not to nod your head in agreement as you’re reading.
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D Chris Pronger of the Philadelphia Flyers hasn’t shown any improvement with his post-concussion symptoms. This story, from Tim Panaccio of csnphilly.com, is rather frightening.
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Just for kicks, click right here and read an obituary from the Casper Tribune. You won’t be disappointed.
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Jim Jamieson of the Vancouver Province takes a look right here at D Nolan Baumgartner, who now plays for the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. He will saluted there on Friday for playing in his 1,000th professional game.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From F Matt Kassian (@kassassination) after his Minnesota Wild beat the visiting Boston Bruins 2-0 on Sunday in a game that was televised by NBC-TV: “Funny thing — during a TV timeout tonight Pierre Mcguire leaned over and told me 7 or 8 detailed facts about my life that I didnt even know.”


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Saturday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Kyle Bruce (Kamloops, Prince Albert, Vancouver, 1999-2004) signed a one-year contract extension with the Braehead Clan (UK Elite). He had 14 goals and 24 assists in 43 games with the Glasgow-based Clan this season. . . .
G Norm Maracle (Saskatoon, 1991-94) signed a one-year contract extension with Starbulls Rosenheim (Germany 2.Bundesliga). He posted a 2.51 GAA in 41 games this season. . . .
F Tyler Spurgeon (Kelowna, 2001-06) signed a one-year contract extension with Klagenfurt (Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had 11 goals and 10 assists in 34 games this season.
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The Eastern Conference finalists have been decided. The Kootenay Ice, having swept the top-seeded Saskatoon Blades, will be in Medicine Hat on Friday to open against the Tigers, who ousted the No. 2 Red Deer Rebels on Saturday night. . . . The Tigers finished third in the conference, while the Ice was fourth. . . . Meanwhile, the two Western Conference series resume tonight. The Portland Winterhawks taking a 3-2 lead into Kelowna to face the Rockets. And, in Kennewick, Wash., the Spokane Chiefs and host Tri-City Americans clash in a series that is 2-2.
In Kelowna, the Rockets will be without D Colton Jobke, who will serve a one-game WHL suspension. That’s for a boarding major he incurred in Game 5 for a hit on Portland F Brad Ross.
The Rockets have added D Madison Bowey, a 15-year-old from Winnipeg, to fill the vacated roster spot. A second-round pick in the 2010 bantam draft, Bowey had one assist in three regular-season games with the Rockets.
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On Saturday night in Red Deer, F Kellan Tochkin’s goal at 9:32 of overtime gave the Medicine Hat Tigers a 5-4 victory over the Rebels. . . . The Tigers won the second-round series 4-1 and now will meet the Kootenay Ice in the Eastern Conference final. That series opens with games in Medicine Hat on Friday and Saturday nights. . . . Red Deer, the conference’s second seed, led this one 4-1 after F John Persson scored on the PP at 2:21 of the third period. . . . F Boston Leier (2:44) and F Linden Vey (9:41) scored to get the Tigers close and F F Emerson Etem tied it at 15:46. . . . Vey and Etem each had a goal and two assists. . . . F Cole Grbavac scored his ninth goal of the playoffs for Medicine Hat. He has 16 points in 11 games, after finishing the regular season with 28 points, including 13 goals, in 67 games. . . . The Rebels went into the game having scored just three goals in the first four games. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz stopped 41 shots, while Dawson Guhle turned aside 28 for the Rebels. . . . Red Deer lost started Darcy Kuemper to a high ankle sprain in Game 3. . . . Attendance was 6,225.
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SATURDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
One minor:
Medicine Hat F Wacey Hamilton.
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The Kamloops Blazers have signed G Cole Cheveldave, a list player from the AJHL’s Drumheller Dragons. Cheveldave, who turns 18 on June 8, had a 2.90 GAA nad a .917 save percentage, and was honoured as the AJHL’s rookie of the yer. . . . The Victoria Salmon Kings erased a 1-0 deficit with three second-period goals and went on to beat the host Utah Grizzlies 4-2 last night. The Salmon Kings lead the ECHL second-round series 2-0 as the series heads for Victoria and games Wednesday, Friday and, if necessary, Saturday. F Kiel McLeod, a former captain of the Kelowna Rockets, scored Victoria’s third goal, while Tommy Maxwell, who played for the Medicine Hat Tigers, got the fourth one. . . . The AHL’s Providence Bruins will have a new head coach next season as Rob Murray has been told he won’t be back for a fourth season. . . . The ECHL’s Elmira Jackals also are looking for a head coach. GM Robbie Nichols, who took over behind the bench from Malcolm Cameron in February, is moving aside. He’ll stay on as GM but won’t coach.
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A note from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: “Rookie Jared Spurgeon, a revelation on the (Minnesota) Wild blue-line because of his IQ on the ice, only had one penalty in his 53 games. He’s one of only three defencemen (Bill Quackenbush and Tomas Kaberle are the others) in history who’ve played at least 50 games in a season to do that. How do you not get, say, six hooking penalties in a season?” . . . Spurgeon is a product of the Spokane Chiefs.
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Doug McConachie, a friend and a former sports editor of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, is dying. The pancreatic cancer isn’t going to let go and he knows it. Cam Hutchinson of the StarPhoenix, a longtime friend and co-worker, captures McConachie's personality, including that infectious laugh, in today’s good read and it’s right here.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
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