Flooding misses Dumonts . . . OHL closer to banning fighting . . . Wheaties have new voice

G Tyler Weiman (Tri-City, 2000-04) has signed a one-year contract with the Daemyung Killer Whales Incheon (South Korea, Asia HL). Last season, with Val Pusteria Brunico (Italy, Serie A), he was 1.96 and .948 in three regular-season games. In 15 playoff games, he was 2.30 and .933. . . .

F Darian Dziurzynski (Saskatoon, Brandon, 2007-12) has signed a one-year contract with the Manchester Storm (England, UK Elite). Last season, he had two goals and two assists in nine games with the Tulsa Oilers (ECHL), 12 goals and 11 assists in 35 games with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (ECHL), 10 goals and three assists in 17 games with the Missouri Mavericks (ECHL), and one goal in three games with the Binghamton Senators (AHL).

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The state of Louisiana has encountered some horrid weather-related difficulties of late. Louis Dumont, who played four seasons (1990-94) in the WHL with the Regina Pats and Kamloops Blazers, lives in Lafayette. When I asked how he and his family — wife Hayley, daughter Camille and son Jacques — are doing, he replied:

“My wife, daughter and son are well. Our home is in an older neighborhood that drains well, so we

Louis Dumont is the ECHL's all-time leader in assists
and points. (Photo: echl.com)

had no flooding. Everyone around us and in the surrounding towns are in rough shape.

“The water table is already extremely high down here. We received 22 inches of rain in a matter of 24 hours. The weather system rolled in an stayed. Multiple hurricanes have come through this area over the years, but none of them have produced this much flooding.

“The Cajun people are very resilient, and thankfully own a lot of boats.”

Dumont, who won a Memorial Cup with the 1993-94 Blazers, is the general manager of the Louisiana IceGators, a Southern Professional Hockey League franchise that has suspended operations at least for 2016-17 due to its home arena undergoing renovations. BTW, that arena may have the greatest name in all of hockey — the Cajundome.

If you aren’t aware Dumont, who was a real smoothie, is the ECHL’s career assists (566) and points (891) leader, having done it in 771 games during stints over 12 seasons with the Tallahassee Tiger Sharks, Wheeling Thunderbirds, Louisiana, Augusta Lynx, Pensacola Ice Pilots, Mississippi Sea Wolves and Utah Grizzlies.

Dumont, now 43, retired after 2010-11. He spent his last five seasons with the CHL’s Mississippi RiverKings. He put up 282 points over 318 games in those final five seasons.

In the WHL, he had 380 points, including 172 goals, in 279 games.

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To its credit, the OHL is closer to eliminating fighting from its games after lowering the suspension threshold from 10 games to three. The league recently concluded its annual meeting and its board of governors has chosen to suspend players who get into a fourth fight. Last season, that number was 10 fights; this season, a fourth fight, and all subsequent scraps, will be subject to a two-game suspension. If an opponent is hit with an instigating penalty that fight won’t count in a player’s total.

From an OHL news release: “Since the adoption of the 10-fight threshold for 2012-13, the league has seen the number of fights decrease by 49.5% and for the last two seasons has not had a single player with more than 10 fights based on the threshold criteria established.” . . . According to a tweet from Adam Gretz (@AGretz): “82 players in the OHL had at least 3 fights last season. 56 went over that number.”

The OHL also has added a rule aimed at eliminating blindside hits. Again, from a news release: “There will be a penalty assessed for those players who check an opponent from the blindside. Based on the discretion of the referee, a minor, major and game misconduct or match penalty may be assessed. Such infraction would also be subject to review and possible supplementary discipline by the league.”

The OHL also has ditched no-touch icing in favour of hybrid icing, as is used by the NHL.

The OHL gets it. It really does. The OHL hands down stiff suspensions for headshots. Now it is doing something about blindside checks. And it continues to work towards the elimination of fighting.

It is all about player safety, something the OHL has been working to improve over the past few seasons. In a season or two, don’t be surprised if the OHL bans fighting altogether.

The QMJHL and WHL would be wise to get in step with the OHL on these matters.

Wouldn't miss fighting if eliminated in WHL. Gone are the days of two players scrapping because they are generally angry with one another.

— Regan Bartel (@Reganrant) August 19, 2016

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D Dmitri Zaitsev has arrived in Moose Jaw and has signed a WHL contract with the Warriors.

Zaitsev, 18, is from Togliatti, Russia. The Warriors selected him during the CHL’s 2016 import draft. . . . Last season, with the NAHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights, he had 22 points, including seven goals, in 53 games. He was named to the East Division’s all-rookie team. He was selected by the Washington Capitals in the seventh round of the NHL’s 2016 draft. . . . Zaitsev joins Russian F Nikita Popugaev, who will be 19 on Nov. 20, as the Warriors’ two import players. Popugaev is recovering from offseason surgery to repair a knee injury suffered during last season’s playoffs, but should be ready for the start of camp. He had 47 points, 16 of them goals, in 70 games as a freshman last season.

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Branden Crowe is the new voice of the Brandon Wheat Kings on radio station 880 CKLQ. Crowe, who is from Boissevain, Man., replaces Bruce Luebke, who had called the play of Wheat Kings’ games for the past 23 seasons. . . . CKLQ and Luebke parted company last month; neither party has made any public comment explaining what happened. . . . Most recently, Crowe was marketing manager and radio voice for the MJHL’s Virden Oil Capitals. . . . The defending-champion Wheat Kings are heading into their 50th anniversary season; CKLQ is preparing for its 25th year as the team’s radio home. . . . Crowe will make his Wheat Kings play-by-play debut on Sept. 9 when Brandon meets the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors in an exhibition game.

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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

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Hrbas changing teams . . . Three Hells Angels convicted in beating death of former WHLer

F Jesse Mychan (Everett, Tri-City, 2011-13) has signed a one-year contract with the Cardiff Devils (Wales, UK Elite). Last season, with the Colorado Eagles (ECHL), he had 18 points, including 11 goals, in 55 games. He was pointless in three games while on loan to the Portland Pirates. . . .
G Tyler Weiman (Tri-City, 2000-04) has signed a one-year contract with Landshut (Germany, DEL2). Last season, with the Nuremburg Ice Tigers (Germany, DEL), he was 2.79 and .913 in 37 games.
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Marek Hrbas is changing teams.
Hrbas, who played defence with the Edmonton Oil Kings and Kamloops Blazers (2010-13), is preparing for his second season with Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga.
No, he’s not changing hockey teams; this is about basketball.
On Friday, having just returned to Prague following a vacation in Turkey, Hrbas learned that NBA star LeBron James had left the Miami Heat in order to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
No one who isn’t family has been a bigger fan of LeBron and the Heat than the 21-year-old Hrbas. Sheesh, his Facebook page is headed up by a banner photo of Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and LeBron celebrating a playoff victory. There also are a number of Heat-related photos on Hrbas’ Facebook page. I can tell you from experience that he loves to talk basketball.
All the Heat stuff, however, became history with LeBron’s announcement, at least to Hrbas.
“I think it's great,” the seemingly always-smiling Hrbas told me in a Facebook exchange. “He deserves respect for that and, of course, I will be a Cleveland fan now.”
When it was suggested that LeBron’s move will cost Hrbas some money, he replied: “I know! Haha gotta buy new bobblehead, jersey, hats, everything.”
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1. Alex Prewitt of the Washington Post has written a really good piece on F Miles Koules of the Medicine Hat Tigers, who has been in the Washington Capitals’ development camp. That story is right here. You have to love a story that begins with: “The son of Hollywood and hockey. . . .”

2. The Prince George Cougars have scheduled a “major” news conference for Tuesday, 10 a.m., outside their CN Centre dressing room. . . . Perhaps they will announce the signing of a general manager to replace Dallas Thompson, who wasn’t renewed following the ownership change. Since then, Todd Harkins, the director of player personnel, has been the interim GM. The betting is that the word ‘interim’ will disappear from Harkins’ job description.

3. D Tanner Mort’s WHL career came crashing to an end on Oct. 12, 2012. Mort, then a defenceman with the Spokane Chiefs, suffered a concussion/neck injury during a game in Kamloops. . . . On Friday night, as Bruce Bourquin of the Coeur d’Alene Press reports right here, Mort got to play on the same ice surface as the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Brett Hull and assorted others. . . . Bourquin also writes of Mort’s struggles with the reality that his injury had ended his dream of playing professionally. . . . Stick tap to SpokaneChiefsFanPage (@gochiefsgoblog) for this one.

4. The Detroit Red Wings have been searching for an assistant coach, having lost former Spokane Chiefs head coach Bill Peters to the Carolina Hurricanes, where he now is head coach. . . . Now comes word that former Kamloops Blazers head coach Tom Renney, another assistant under head coach Mike Babcock, may be the next president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada. . . . Ansar Khan of mlive.com has that story right here.

5. So . . . do major junior hockey players really need a union? Sunaya Sapurji of Yahoo! Canada Sports tries to answer that question right here. . . . Read this piece, and read between the lines, and you get the feeling that this latest attempt to organize these players is doomed to failure, just like the last one.

6. “Applause and cheers broke out in B.C. Supreme Court Friday when three Hells Angels associates were convicted of manslaughter in the vicious fatal beating of a Kelowna dad,” writes Kim Bolan of the Vancouver Sun. “Justice Mark McEwan found brothers Matthew and Daniel McRae, as well as their pal Anson Schell, guilty for their roles in the brutal attack that left Dain Phillips dead in June 2011.” . . . Phillips played 82 regular-season and 21 playoff games in the WHL (1978-80), splitting them between the Lethbridge Broncos and Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Bolan’s complete story is right here.

7. Yes, LeBron James announced Friday morning that he’s going home to Cleveland and the Cavaliers. The best piece I’ve seen on the situation was written by Bill Simmons at Grantland and it’s right here.

8. Sports Illustrated scooped the world with the LeBron James story on Friday morning. But, Richard Sandomir of The New York Times, wonders right here if it really was journalism or was it the James Gang doing public relations? This really is food for thought. (Read this and you also will find out just how that letter/essay that was purportedly written by James really came to be.)

9. More than 40 years ago, a young sports writer from the Brandon Sun would spend the odd early morning at CKX radio chatting up an all-night DJ, who was an aspiring sportscaster. . . . Bob Irving now is into his 40th year of calling the play of Winnipeg Blue Bombers games. It’s not unreasonable to call him the Vin Scully of Canadian football play-callers. Yes, Irving is that good. . . . “My philosophy is simple, you describe what you see,” he told Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette, who profiles Irving right here. “If it reflects badly on the home team, that’s too bad. You describe what you see. When the Bombers are getting beat 42-3, I’ve said on the air, more than once, this is getting hard to watch.” . . . Interestingly, when I was at the Brandon Sun in 1972, I worked alongside Bruce Penton, who covered the Wheat Kings at the time; he and Irving are close friends. Today, Penton’s son, Kirk, covers the Blue Bombers for the Winnipeg Sun.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Jody Hull, the head coach of the OHL’s Peterborough Petes, has been named head coach of Canada’s U-18 team that will play at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament next month. . . . Hull takes over from Derek Laxdal, the former Edmonton Oil Kings head coach who left to join the AHL’s Texas Stars as head coach. . . . Hockey Canada also added Martin Raymond, the head coach of the QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltigeurs, as an assistant coach. . . . The other assistant coach is Eric Veilleux, the head coach of the QMJHL’s Baie-Comeau Drakkar. . . . Team Canada’s selection camp is scheduled for Calgary, Aug. 2-5, with the tournament running Aug. 11-16 in Piestany, Slovakia, and Breclav, Czech Republic.
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Jarrod Skalde is the new head coach of the Norfolk Admirals, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. Skalde and Trent Yawney shared the position last season, but the latter has moved up and now is an assistant coach with the Ducks. . . . Skalde was a head coach for five seasons in the ECHL, winning the coach-of-the-year award in 2012-13 in his third season with the Cincinnati Cyclones. Skalde, 43, is from Niagara Falls, Ont. . . . Marty Wilford has been retained for a fourth season as an assistant coach.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have added Peter Horachek and Steve Spott to their coaching staff as assistants alongside head coach Randy Carlyle. . . . Horachek was the head coach of the Florida Panthers, while Spott was head coach of the Toronto Marlies, the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate. The Marlies now are in the market for a head coach.
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Thank you all for the love and support! Excited to begin a new journey in Europe! @cardiffdevils
— Jesse Mychan (@jmychan28) July 11, 2014

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IT'S OVER! Tri-City Americans defenceman Zach Yuen celebrates the OT
goal that won the first-round series with the Everett Silvertips.
(Photo by Christopher Mast / mastimages.com)

A quick email note from a reader:
“You won’t believe I was reading your blog in Thohoyandou while the monkeys played on the washing line! Bet none of your other fans can claim that!!”
Yes, I went to Wikipedia and looked it up:
“Thohoyandou is a town in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. It is the administrative centre of Vhembe District Municipality and Thulamela Local Municipality. It is also known for being the former capital of the bantustan of Venda.”
Thohoyandou means “head of the elephant.”
———
THE MacBETH REPORT:
G Tyler Weiman (Tri-City, 2000-04) signed a two-year contract with the Nuremberg Ice Tigers (Germany, DEL). He had a 2.33 GAA and a .932 save percentage in 40 games with the Augsburger Panther (Germany, DEL) this season. That was the third-best GAA and the second-best save percentage in the DEL. . . .
D Patrick Baum (Swift Current, 1997-98) signed a one-year contract extension with the Heilbronner Falken (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). He had four goals and 15 assists in 44 games for Heilbronn this season.
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The relationship between the Everett Silvertips and former general manager Doug Soetaert has turned completely sour.
Soetaert, who was fired on Feb. 2, has filed suit in Snohomish County Superior Court against the Silvertips, claiming the team owes him money as per terms of the agreement when he returned to the team in 2006 after a brief stint in the AHL.
Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald has the story right here.
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It’s no secret that the WHL, with its teams’ expenses steadily climbing, is always on the lookout for new revenue streams.
The Kootenay Ice has an annual budget of $1.5 million, a figure that president/general manager Jeff Chynoweth has said is the second-lowest in the league. It has been speculated that there are teams with budget approaching three times that figure.
So . . . where to turn for new revenue streams?
Well . . . how about advertising on uniform tops?
According to Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: “In an attempt to generate more revenue, the NBA is pondering the idea of placing ads on the jerseys of every player from the 30 teams.”
Price reports that “this transition could create approximately $31.18 million in revenue in TV exposure alone.”
While it hardly would be worth that kind of coin to the WHL and its 22 teams, you have to think logos on uniforms could bring in a lot of money.
In the NBA, players and owners, according to Price, like the idea.
You have to think the feeling would be the same in the WHL.
The Kamloops Blazers have at least one advertising patch on their practice jerseys – it belongs to KGHM, a company that wants to open an open-pit mine on the south-western outskirts of Kamloops.
So why not advertising on game uniforms?
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Dan Hodgson, who played with the Prince Albert Raiders (1982-85), had one of the greatest of all WHL careers. Now he’s gearing up to take a turn as a referee. That’s right! He’s donning the stripes. It’s all for a good cause, of course.
Brian Swane of the Edmonton Examiner has that story right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The Prince Albert Raiders, who missed the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons, have picked up the option year on the contracts of general manager Bruno Campese, head coach Steve Young and athletic therapist Duane Bartley. . . . As well, Dave Manson, who rejoined the club as an assistant coach during the season, has been promoted to associate coach. . . . Craig Bedard, an assistant coach since 2007-08, didn’t have his contract renewed. . . . The Raiders have added Tim Leonard as an assistant coach. He has been on the coaching staff of the midget AAA Prince Albert Mintos for the 10 years, the last seven as head coach. . . . Jeff D'Andrea of panow.com has more right here. . . .
John Grahame, the 37-year-old goaltending coach with the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers, no longer is with the team. He has signed with the NHL’s New York Islanders and will be with them for the remainder of this NHL season. . . . And goaltending coaches throughout hockey are thinking: “Hmmm! Maybe I’m not done after all.” . . .
Assistant coach Graham Johnson has been promoted to head coach of the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers, who fired Regg Simon on Tuesday. The Buccaneers, who have lost six in a row, have seven games remaining and are four points out of a playoff spot. Marty Mjelleli, the Bucs’ Minnesota scout, has come on board as assistant coach. . . . For more on the Simon firing, check out Ryan Clark's blog, Slightly Chilled, over there on the right. . . .
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Two WHL players are on the shelf because of skate cuts.
The Tri-City Americans have lost F Jesse Mychan for the remainder of the season after he suffered a severed Achilles tendon during a 4-0 victory over the Silvertips in Everett on Tuesday night.
Mychan, a 19-year-old from Saskatoon, will undergo surgery next week. Fortunately, there wasn’t any nerve or tendon damage, but he is looking at a four-month rehabilitation process.
Meanwhile, F Chase Schaber, the captain of the Kamloops Blazers, was cut by a skate belonging to Victoria Royals F Zane Jones early in the first period of Game 3 on Tuesday night. The Blazers won the game, played in Victoria, 7-5.
Schaber was cut on the back of his left leg. He was taken to hospital and released later that night. He returned to Kamloops on Wednesday where the Blazers’ medical staff is looking after him.
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D Bretton Stamler (Seattle, Edmonton, Swift Current, 2003-2008) has signed with the ECHL’s Colorado Eagles. Stamler, who is from Edmonton, played four seasons with the U of New Brunswick Varsity Reds. Stamler, 24, was a seventh-round selection by the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL’s 2005 draft.
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One of the best things about covering the WHL as a journalist is meeting and chatting with the many scouts who travel the circuit. One of those is Jack Barzee of NHL Central Scouting. Barzee, 71, has announced his retirement after this season. Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com has a terrific read right here.
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PLAYOFF NOTES: F Brett Bulmer of the Kelowna Rockets will be back in the lineup tonight after the WHL set his suspension at one game. He missed Game 3 in Kelowna on Tuesday night. Bulmer was suspended after taking a kneeing major and game misconduct for a hit on Winterhawks D William Wrenn in Game 2 in Portland. Wrenn played Tuesday in Kelowna. . . . The Winterhawks take a 3-0 series lead into Game 4 tonight in Kelowna. . . .
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WEDNESDAY’S WHL GAMES:
(If you want WHL facts and stats, get on Twitter and follow @WHLFacts)
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In Saskatoon, G Tyler Bunz stopped 32 shots as the Medicine Hat Tigers beat the Blades 5-0 to sweep the first-round series. . . . Bunz has two career playoff shutouts. . . . Medicine Hat F Emerson Etem opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal, his fourth straight goal for the Tigers. At that point, he had figured in 11 straight Tigers goals. . . . Etem scored 10 shorthanded goals in the regular season; he has two in this series. . . . Etem later added an assist. He finished the four games with seven goals and five assists. . . . F Curtis Valk scored twice and added an assist for the Tigers, who were 1-6 on the PP. The Blades were 0-2. . . . The Blades will be the host team for the 2013 Memorial Cup tournament. . . .

In Cranbrook, the Edmonton Oil Kings erased a 3-1 deficit with five third-period goals and beat the defending-champion Kootenay Ice, 6-3. . . .  Edmonton leads the series 3-0 with Game 4 in Cranbrook tonight. . . . Edmonton D Griffin Reinhart got the third-period comeback rolling with a goal at 1:57. D Keegan Lowe tied the game 3-3 at 8:14, and F Kristians Pelss put Edmonton out front at 12:44. . . . Oil Kings F Curtis Lazar, 16, continued his stellar season with a goal, his third, and two assists. . . . Ice F Max Reinhart was ejected at 13:22 of the third period. He was given a roughing minor and also a game misconduct. . . .

In  Regina, F Brayden Point’s goal at 6:14 of the second OT gave the Moose Jaw Warriors a 5-4 victory over the Pats. . . . The Warriors lead the series 3-1 as the series heads back to Moose Jaw for Game 5 on Friday. . . . Point, who turned 16 on March 12, had one goal in five regular-season games. He has two goals (both winners) and an assist in this series. From Calgary, he was the 14th overall selection in the 2011 bantam draft. . . . Moose Jaw F Eric Arnold forced OT with his second goal, and fourth of the series, on the PP at 15:51 of the third period. . . . The PP came when Regina F Dyson Stevenson was given a clipping major and game misconduct at 12:44 of the third. . . . Regina D Martin Marincin had given Regina a 4-3 lead with goals at 5:48 and 7:20 of the third period. . . . Regina F Jordan Weal, who has 135 regular-season goals, scored his first WHL playoff goal in the second period. . . . The Warriors had F Cody Beach back in their lineup after he served a one-game suspension for a derogatory comment directed at the Regina bench in Game 2. . . . The Pats were without F Andrew Rieder, who reinjured a shoulder in Game 3. . . . A post-game tweet from Warren Woods of Global-TV in Regina: “Brent Parker running hot after that one..gave officials in booth upstairs a blast.” . . .

In Victoria, the Kamloops Blazers scored two second-period goals and beat the Royals 4-1. . . . The Blazers swept the series, the first time the franchise has won a playoff series since 1999. Back then, the Blazers swept the Tri-City Americans in the Western Conference final. The Blazers then lost the WHL final in five games to the Calgary Hitmen. . . . The Blazers’ head coach was Marc Habscheid, now the general manager and head coach of the Royals. . . . The Blazers outscored the Royals 22-11 in the four games, including 16-3 in second periods. . . . F Dylan Willick scored twice for the Blazers, giving him five goals and at least one in each of the four games. He finished the regular season by going scoreless in six straight. . . . F Brendan Ranford, who led Kamloops with 40 goals, scored his first goal of the season, breaking a 1-1 tie in the second period. . . . The Blazers were without F Chase Schaber, who suffered a skate cut to a leg in Game 3 on Tuesday. He returned to Kamloops on Wednesday. . . .

In Everett, D Zach Yuen’s first goal of the series, at 18:53 of OT, gave the Tri-City Americans a 4-3 victory over the Silvertips. . . . Tri-City swept the first-round series. . . . The Silvertips erased a 3-0 deficit with three goals in a span of 13:09 in the third period. . . . F Ryan Harrison scored at 6:10, on the PP. D Ryan Murray got a shorthanded goal at 9:10. D Josh Caron scored on the PP at 19:19 with G Kent Simpson out for the extra attacker. . . . Tri-City F Brendan Shinnimin scored the game’s first goal, running his point streak, including the regular season, to 27 games. . . . Tri-City got a goal, his third, and two helpers from F Mason Wilgosh, while F Adam Hughesman had two assists. . . . Tri-City G Ty Rimmer stopped 42 shots, seven more than Simpson. . . . Harrison took a charging major and game misconduct at 8:39 of the third period. He missed Game 3 as he served a one-game suspension for a clipping major he had taken in Game 2. . . . The Silvertips were without F Manraj Hayer, whose suspension was finalized at three games. He was suspended for a Game 1 hit on Drydn Dow, who had his season come to an end with a broken arm. . . . The Americans were without F Patrick Holland. He served a one-game suspension for a clipping major and game misconduct in Game 3. . . .

In Spokane, F Mitch Holmberg scored at 6:43 of OT to give the Chiefs a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . The series is tied 2-2 with Game 5 in Vancouver on Friday and Game 6 in Spokane on Sunday. . . . Holmberg got his third goal of the series with a wrist shot from between the faceoff spots, right in the slot. . . . Vancouver F Brendan Gallagher forced OT with his fourth goal of the series with 31.6 seconds left in the third and G Adam Morrison on the bench for the extra attacker. . . . The Chiefs led 2-0 midway through the second, on goals from F Darren Kramer and F Liam Stewart, the first of the series for both. . . . F Austin Fyten got Vancouver on the board with his second at 9:21 of the third. . . . Fyten also had an assist. . . . The Giants put F Alex Kuvaev back into the lineup, while taking out F Anthony Ast (leg). That move went the other way for Game 3 on Tuesday. . . .
The Chiefs are without D Brenden Kichton, who suffered a broken jaw when he was struck in the face by a puck in Game 1. He has had surgery in Vancouver and is awaiting medical clearance to travel home to Spruce Grove, Alta.
On Wednesday, he tweeted:
“Doesn't feel great...slowly progressing tho. 6 weeks of torture! #looklike500lb #roadtorecovery”
Kichton also tweeted the photo that is included here.
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WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Dylen McKinlay, Kootenay.
F Lyndon Martell, Regina (double minor).
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WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
F Cody Beach, Moose Jaw.

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.

Lots of news . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
G Tyler Weiman (Tri-City, 2000-04) signed a one-year contract with the Augsburger Panther (Germany, DEL). He had a 2.62 GAA and a .909 save percentage in 29 games with the Manitoba Moose (AHL) last season. . . .
D Tomas Kudelka (Lethbridge, 2005-07) signed a one-year contract with Vitkovice (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He was pointless in nine games with Pardubice (Czech Republic, Extraliga) and had one goal and five assists in 43 games with TPS Turku (Finland, SM-Liiga) last season. . . .
F Bud Holloway (Seattle, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract with Skellefteå (Sweden, Elitserien). He had 28 goals and 33 assists in 78 games with the Manchester Monarchs (AHL) last season. . . .
D Gord Baldwin (Medicine Hat, 2004-07) signed a one-year contract with Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had two goals and 11 assists in 75 games with the Abbotsford Heat (AHL) last season.
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The Regina Pats will introduce Pat Conacher as their head coach this afternoon.
The Pats issued a news release late Monday afternoon indicating they will hold a press conference this afternoon. Later, a few Internet reports indicated Conacher, the assistant general manager and assistant coach with the Victoria Royals, had signed with the Pats.
Early Monday evening, two sources familiar with the situation confirmed Conacher’s signing. He will replace Curtis Hunt, who was fired last month despite having a year left on his contract last month.
That means each of the 22 WHL teams now has a head coach under contract, with the Pats being the fourth team to make a change this summer.
The Everett Silvertips lost Craig Hartsburg to the NHL’s Calgary Flames, and replaced him with Mark Ferner, who had been with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers.
The Moose Jaw Warriors, who fired Dave Hunchak after last season, now have former NHL defenceman Mike Stothers as head coach. Stothers spent last season as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers. Hunchak has since signed on as associate coach with the Kamloops Blazers.
The Seattle Thunderbirds hired former WHL forward Steve Konowalchuk, who had been an assistant coach with the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. With the Thunderbirds, he replaces Rob Sumner.
Conacher, a 52-year-old native of Edmonton, played in the WHL with the Billings Bighorns and Saskatoon Blades before going on to a professional career that included 521 NHL games split among the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Calgary Flames and New York Islanders.
He has head-coaching experience with the AHL’s Utah Grizzlies and San Antonio Rampage. Conacher spent last season as general manager/head coach Marc Habscheid’s right-hand man with the Chilliwack Bruins, who relocated to Victoria earlier this summer.
Just last week, the Royals signed Ben Cooper as an assistant coach. He had been a video coach with Hockey Canada for the previous three years.
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Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Post-Dispatch reported Sunday that Tyler Wright (Swift Current, 1989-93) is about to be promoted by the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets.
According to Portzline, Wright, who has been the team’s development coach for three seasons, is soon to be promoted to director of amateur scouting and will share that title with Paul Castron, who has been there for five years.
There will be more changes coming, too, as the Blue Jackets have yet to replace Don Boyd, who was dropped as director of player personnel, and Bob Strumm, the former director of pro scouting who was relieved of his duties after the season.
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Two new chapters to the Boogaard situation were penned on Monday.
Late Monday night, Michael Russo of the Minneapolis StarTribune posted to his blog an email he received from Ryan Boogaard, who is younger than his late brother, Derek, but older than Aaron. That posting is right here.
Earlier in the day, Aaron Boogaard appeared in court on charges relating to Derek’s death on May 13. He did not enter a plea and is to return to court on Aug. 17.
The StarTribune’s story on that appearance is right here.
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Now a few words about a story that will take place today.
Forward Kris Draper of the Detroit Red Wings is expected to announce his retirement today, bringing to an end a 20-year career.
It says something that Draper was a member of four Stanley Cup-championship teams in Detroit.
But what always struck me the most about Draper was that he played the game the right way. A wonderful skater, he played whatever role was requested of him, and he played hard and within the rules.
More players should fashion themselves after Draper.
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D Jamieson Oleksiak, all 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds of him, has left Northeastern University, where he spent one season, to sign with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. He was the 14th overall selection in the NHL’s 2011 draft, taken by the Dallas Stars.
Oleksiak, who is from Toronto but has dual U.S.-Canadian citizenship, will attend the Canadian national junior team’s development camp in August.
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It would seem that Kamloops Blazers F Dylan Willick was rather fit when he showed up at the development camp of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild earlier this month.
In the fitness testing, Willick did 41 metronome pushups, which is a timed sequence involving doing a pushup every three seconds or so.
 In the last three NHL combines, only two players have bettered that number — G Mike Morrison (45) of the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers and F Max Le Sieur (42) of the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes topped it at this year’s predraft combine. In 2009, F Kyle Palmieri of the U.S. U18 NTDP team also did 41.
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The Portland Winterhawks revealed Monday that they will play 14 home games at the Rose Garden this season, with the other 22 scheduled for Memorial Coliseum.
However, you shouldn’t take that to the bank.
With the NBA presently in lockout mode, those numbers could change.
“If the current NBA labor dispute extends into the scheduled start of basketball season,” the Winterhawks’ news release reads, “the Winterhawks could move games to the Rose Garden. Should that be the case, the Winterhawks will announce those changes as those games approach.”
In other words, stay tuned.
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Travis Hunington is the new radio voice of the Everett Silvertips.
Huntington, 28, is coming off four seasons with the now-defunct Bossier-Shreveport, La., Mudbugs, who folded after winning the Central league’s 2010-11 championship.
Huntington, a native of Platteville, Colo., will work as the Silvertips’ director of broadcasting and public relations. He replaces Jon Rosen, whose last day with the Silvertips is today.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Ken Pearson, who resigned Monday as GM/head coach of the SJHL’s Battlefords North Stars, has a two-year deal as GM/head coach of the MJHL’s Winkler Flyers. Pearson spent the last three seasons with the North Stars after joining them from the MJHL’s Winnipeg South Blues in April 2008. . . . Pearson has two children who live in Emerson, Man., which is 56 km south east of Winkler, so this move will allow them to see more of each other. . . . In Winkler, Pearson will replace John Marks, who left last week to sign on with the USHL’s Fargo Force. . . . Pearson is a veteran coach who actually is returning to Winkler for a third time. He was on the Flyers’ coaching staff (1996-98) and was GM/head coach for a time after that. He also has extensive scouting experience. . . .
There are reports that Ron Rolston will be the next head coach of the Rochester Americans, the AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. He is the head coach of USA Hockey’s U-18 national development team. . . . He is a brother to NHLer Brian Rolston. . . .
A Monday afternoon tweet from Michael Russo of the Minneapolis StarTribune: “Per sources, ex #NHL dman Mike Van Ryn is leading contender to be John Torchetti's top asst in Houston.” . . . The Houston Aeros are the AHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild.
Former NHL head coach Andy Murray will be the next head coach of the Western Michigan University Broncos. He is reported to have signed a five-year contract. . . . The Broncos have needed a head coach since earlier this month when Jeff Blashill signed on as an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings. . . .
Jim Madigan, who has been an NHL scout for the last 19 years, is expected to be named Northeastern’s head coach today. Numerous reports having him replacing Greg Cronin, who now is an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Madigan is a former Northeastern player (1981-85). He spent 13 years scouting with the New York Islanders, before moving over to the Pittsburgh Penguins. After playing, he worked for six seasons as an assistant coach at Northeastern.
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Take two minutes out of your day and take a look at this Lethbridge TV feature on Tri-City Americans prospect Tyler Mrkonjic. You won’t be sorry you did.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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