City gives Blazers break on lease ... Ice sweeps out eight scouts ... Oil Kings waive goalie

F Danis Zaripov (Swift Current, 1998-99) has been suspended by the IIHF until May 22, 2019, for using illegal substances. One of Zaripov's samples tested positive for banned stimulants, as well as substances prohibited as diuretics and masking agents. Multiple sources have said Zaripov will appeal. There is no comment so far from the IIHF, KHL or his team, Ak Bars Kazan (Russia, KHL). . . . Patrick Conway of Conway’s Russian Hockey Blog has more right here. . . .
D Tomáš Voráček (Prince Albert, 2007-09) has signed a tryout contract with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). Last season, he had two goals and three assists in 43 games with Mladá Boleslav (Czech Republic, Extraliga). . . .

F Matt Fraser (Red Deer, Kootenay, 2006-11) has signed a one-year contract with Dornbirn (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). Last season, he was pointless in four games with Rögle Ängelholm (Sweden, SHL). Fraser was sidelined by injury until Feb. 28.

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If they haven’t already, landlords to WHL teams just might be hearing from their tenants one of these days. It seems that the league and its teams are concerned about flat ticket sales and are looking for some relief.

Sandman Centre, home of the Kamloops Blazers.
(Photo: sandmancentre.ca)

The City of Kamloops has revealed that it approved a new 10-year lease for the Blazers in February, one that cut the rent by about $150,000 per season.

Jeff Putnam, the city’s parks and civic facilities manager, told Andrea Klassen of Kamloops This Week that the WHL and its teams have been working to renegotiate leases.

“The league was having some concerns about their ticket revenue being flat,” Putnam said. “They’re not struggling, but they’re having challenges with attracting a different demographic. And that was a league-wide issue.”

Klassen reported that the Blazers, whose lease was to expire in 2018, will pay a base rental fee of $128,000 to use the Sandman Centre for 2017-18, down from $278,000 in 2016-17.

Although the Blazers came to an agreement with city officials in February, Klassen reported that “a record of the vote was only recently released.”

According to Klassen, “Under the new deal . . . if more than 3,500 tickets are sold for a game, the city will receive an additional $1.40 per ticket sold above the 3,500 mark.”

Last season, the Blazers’ announced average attendance was 3,782 for 36 regular-season home games. However, there frequently were far fewer bums in the seats than the announced figure, meaning there were a lot of no-shows.

The Blazers also pay the city $250,000 per season in exchange for all advertising rights in the arena.

(The city announced two years ago that it had entered into a 10-year agreement with the Sandman Hotel Group for naming rights to the arena, but has never revealed the financial terms. Tom Gaglardi, the Blazers’ majority owner, is the CEO of the Sandman Hotel Group. Could it be that the naming rights are part of the advertising rights deal?)

The vote on the new lease passed by a 5-3 vote among councillors.

“I have to admit, I had a little bit of trouble swallowing somebody coming to me with their hands out and they’re a billionaire,” Dieter Dudy, one of the councillors who voted for the agreement, told Klassen.

Gaglardi also owns the NHL’s Dallas Stars. He is the CEO of the Northland Properties Group, which owns, among other things, the Sandman and Sutton Place hotels, as well as Denny’s and Moxie’s restaurants, and Shark clubs.

Gaglardi and four ex-Blazers — Shane Doan, Jarome Iginla, Mark Recchi and Darryl Sydor — purchased the franchise from the Kamloops Blazers Sports Society, a community group, in 2007.

According to the winter 2016-17 issue of Canadian Business, the Gaglardis are worth $3.55 billion, leaving them in 20th spot among the countries’ wealthiest “business dynasties.”

Meanwhile, according to hockeyzoneplus.com, a site that tracks the earnings of NHL players, Recchi made US$50,943,000 during his playing days, while Sydor brought in $31,715,000. Both men have retired from playing. Doan’s career earnings are at $41,294,000, with Iginla at $69,025,000. Doan and Iginla, both of whom played last season, are unrestricted free agents who have yet to sign new contracts.

Dudy told Klassen that he voted in favour of the new lease because of concerns that the Blazers might leave Kamloops.

However, under the terms of the sales agreement between Gaglardi’s group and the society, the society has the first option on purchasing the franchise should ownership wish to sell it or move it.

In other words, the Blazers aren’t going anywhere. Besides where would they go? Yes, there is an empty arena in Abbotsford, one that seats 7,000 for hockey, but the Vancouver Giants, who play out of Langley, would have a move and that isn’t likely to happen.

In November 2007, Bob Smillie, the society’s executive director, told its annual meeting that “the option to purchase is at the same price less 10 per cent of what has been paid in the current transaction and is subject to the same conditions. It is transferable to any new owner who may be seeking a franchise in Kamloops.”

According to Smillie, the society felt holding that option was important even though Gaglardi’s group promised to keep the team in Kamloops.

”It’s good and well for everybody to indicate that they would be here forever,” Smillie said at the time. “But we all know that forever is not necessarily forever.”

Smillie, who also chaired the society’s governance committee, pointed out

that WHL bylaws don’t contain anything guaranteeing the franchise could not be moved.

“They have guidelines only; there are no specific requirements within the Western Hockey League bylaws for the new owners of the franchise to keep the operation within the city,” Smillie said. “The board, in its due diligence in discussions with the league, has determined that the guidelines of the league, in fact, would request the new owners to maintain the franchise in Kamloops for a minimum of five years.” 

Kamloops taxpayers also are on the hook for more than $1 million in upgrades to the arena, all of them at the request of the WHL. That includes $300,000 to improve lighting — the WHL has requested that all arenas have LED lightning to facilitate HD telecasts — and about $1 million to retrofit boards and glass.

Klassen’s complete story is right here.

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Two former WHL coaches will be part of the Team Canada’s coaching staff at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. . . . Willie Desjardins, a former head coach of the Medicine Hat Tigers (2002-10), will be Canada’s head coach, while Dave King, who coached the WHL’s Billings Bighorns (1977-79), will be one of the assistant coaches. . . . The NHL has opted out of the Games, so Hockey Canada will put together a national team of players from outside that league. Its schedule begins with a tournament in Sochi, Russia, from Aug. 6-9. Canada then will move on to St. Petersburg, Russia, for another tournament, Aug. 14-17. . . . Team Canada’s roster for the Sochi Cup includes a number of former WHL players, including F Gilbert Brule (Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, KHL), F Bud Holloway (Skellefteå AIK, SHL), F Rob Klinkhammer (Dinamo Minsk, KHL), F Brandon Kozun (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL), F Ben Maxwell (Spartak Moskva, KHL), F Brandon McMillan (Dinamo Riga, KHL) and F Linden Vey (Barys Astana, KHL). 

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Taking Note has been told that the Kootenay Ice has dropped all of its part-time scouts, choosing to keep only Garnet Kazuik, the director of scouting. Kazuik, a former WHL player, has been with the Ice for 12 seasons, 10 of them as director of scouting. . . . Matt Cockell, the Ice’s president and general manager, apparently told the ex-scouts that he is changing the business model and is moving to a system that employs three full-time scouts in Western Canada. . . . The WHL’s 2016-17 Guide showed the Ice with eight scouts — Wayne Dougherty, Peter Dubbeldam, Ward Edwards, Scott Frizzell, Chad Harden, Zenon Herasymiuk, Scott Perry and Tim Schick. Taking Note has been told by a source familiar with the situation that “all eight part-time scouts were let go.” . . . Cockell hasn’t responded to a request asking if he had made changes in the scouting department.

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The Edmonton Oil Kings have placed G Patrick Dea, 20, on waivers. Dea, who is from St. Albert,

Alta., played in 55 games with Edmonton last season, going 19-31-3, 3.86, .882. In 123 career regular-season games, he is 48-55-8, 3.34, .890. . . . Dea was a first-round selection by Edmonton in the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft. . . . With Dea’s departure, the Oil Kings appear poised to start the season with Travis Child as their No. 1 guy. He was acquired from the Brandon Wheat Kings on May 30, for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2018 bantam draft. Child, 20, played two-plus seasons with the Swift Current Broncos before being traded to Brandon last season. . . . Chances are that Boston Bilous, 16, is No. 2 on the Edmonton depth chart. From Langley, B.C., he was a fourth-round pick by the Oil Kings in the 2016 bantam draft. He spent last season with the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. He finished with a 2.20 GAA.

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G Jeffrey Veitch, who will turn 20 on Oct. 4, has signed with the Waldorf University Warriors, who play out of Forest City, Iowa. Veitch was an eighth-round selection by the Kootenay Ice in the eighth round of the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft. He played last season with the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners and Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. Before that, he played three seasons with the junior B Mission Outlaws. He is from Mission, B.C.

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The Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame held its gala night on Saturday in North Battleford and there were a number of inductees with ties to the WHL, including Bob Bourne, Stan Dunn, Graham Tuer and Ken Wheler. . . . John Cairns of the Battlefords News Optimist has a terrific recap right here.

Meanwhile, on Sunday night in Canmore, the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame held its induction dinner, with the hall doors swinging open for Mel Davidson, Bill Hay, Tony Kollman, Perry Pearn, Glen Sather and the Sutter family — yes, the entire family. . . . There is more right here. 

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ICYMI --> @gdrinnan joined @JasonGregor & @Jason_Strudwick during #WHLWeek https://t.co/JDY4YHMLi1

— Marc Majeau (@MarcMajeau) July 25, 2017

Yes, I was on the air with Jason Gregor and Jason Strudwick of TSN1260 in Edmonton on Tuesday afternoon. If you missed it, you can find the conversation — it was about 20 minutes worth — via the above Tweet.

And thanks to all of you who messaged me afterwards. The kind words are much appreciated.

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If you’re a regular here, and even you aren’t, feel free to contribute to the feeding of the Drinnan family by making a donation to the cause. You are able to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.

If you would like to contact Taking Note with information, have a question or just feel like commenting on something, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com. I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).

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From Tuesday’s edition of The New York Times:

“Dr. Ann McKee, a neuropathologist, has examined the brains of 202 deceased football players. A broad survey of her findings was published on Tuesday in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

“Of the 202 players, 111 of them played in the N.F.L. — and 110 of those were found to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or C.T.E., the degenerative disease believed to be caused by repeated blows to the head.

“C.T.E. causes myriad symptoms, including memory loss, confusion, depression and dementia. The problems can arise years after the blows to the head have stopped.”

The full report from The Times is right here, and it’s well worth a look.

This should end, once and for all, the debate about whether blows to the head are responsible for CTE. A person needn’t have been concussed in order to end up with CTE; it’s quite simple -- blows to the head aren’t a good thing. Period.

This also should be enough for the powers-that-be in any hockey league that allows fighting to act to get it out of the game.

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The OHL’s Saginaw Spirit is looking for a head coach after Spencer Carbery left to join an unnamed AHL team as an assistant coach. The 35-year-old Carbery, who is from Victoria, spent one season with the Spirit, after working for five seasons as director of hockey operations and head coach of the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays, who have an affiliation with the NHL’s Washington Capitals. . . . Last season, the Spirit finished 27-32-9 and out of the playoffs.

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David Bell has joined the AHL’s Ontario Reign as an assistant coach. Bell, 40, spent the previous four seasons with the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs, three as an assistant coach and last season as head coach. . . . With the Reign, Bell will work alongside head coach Mike Stothers. They spent three seasons (2004-07) together with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack, Stothers as head coach and Bell as an assistant. . . . Bell has previous AHL coaching experience having worked as an assistant for two seasons (2007-09) with the Springfield Falcons.

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Mad respect for my man @clouston25 and the Nicola Knights fighting fires and saving lives out in the Interior right now #BCfires #bigman pic.twitter.com/LGlvUdNgfL

— Torrin White (@Tbreez27) July 17, 2017

If you’re wondering, @clouston25 is the Twitter handle for former WHL D Connor Clouston, whose father is Shaun Clouston, the GM and head coach of the Medicine Hat Tigers.

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.

Perfect timing for Burrows' return

Forward Alex Burrows returned at just the right time for the Vancouver Canucks.
When the Montreal Canadiens visit Vancouver, the energy around Rogers Arena is at an all-time high. It was no different on Oct. 30 as the Canucks defeated the Canadiens 3-2 in overtime.
“It was fun,” said Burrows, who is from Pincourt, Que.“There was a lot of energy in the building. The Montreal (fans) were great and they were battling with our fans. I thought the pace of the game was really good. They're a quick team and a very good team, too. We stuck with our game plan, we made a lot of plays, and I'm glad to came out on top.”
Sure, the Canucks got the victory, but it didn't come without some controversy.
You see, it was scoreless in the second period until Canadiens' defenceman Alexei Emelin turned the puck over to Vancouver forward Nick Bonino, which eventually led to the Canucks scoring at 8:29.
However, right after Emelin gave away the puck, Burrows hit him, and Emelin was slow to get up.
There wasn’t a penalty on the play, and Canadiens' head coach Michel Therrien was furious.
“Well, I was trying to finish my check,” Burrows explained. “My intent was not to hurt him. Obviously, you never want to hurt someone and I'm glad that he came back. He looked alright in the third, so I'm really happy that he was back and that he seemed alright.”
Emelin was able to return to the game. But, even then, Burrows' hit begged the question: Was it worthy of a suspension?
“I saw (the hit) afterward,” Burrows said. “I don't know, the angle wasn't great. I saw it quickly. Just as I said, I was trying to finish a check on a good player. He came back so I'm glad he's alright.
“I'm not going to speculate on what people are going to say about it. For me, my intention was not to hurt him. I was just trying to finish my hit, and he seemed alright. I'm glad he's fine.”
It was apparent on video replay that the hit was late.
“It's a fine line,” Burrows said. “Sometimes you can slow it down to 32 frames per second and it looks late. But when you are playing at a real game speed, for me, on the play, I was just trying to finish a check. I thought the timing was alright.”
Let's not forget, though, that despite his reputation of playing a hard-nosed games and as a player who likes to get under the skins of the opposition, Burrows never had been suspended.
The next day, it was revealed that that doesn't matter. The NHL's department of player safety, led by Stephane Quintal, announced that Burrows had been given a three-game suspension.
“There's not much we can do about it,” Canucks' general manager Jim Benning said. “We respect the league's decision. Our focus is going to remain the same and that's to keep working hard and competing hard to win hockey games.”
Vancouver was 2-1-0-0 without Burrows.
The Canucks defeated the host Colorado Avalanche 5-2 on Tuesday in the last game of Burrows’ suspension and then left Wednesday for San Jose where they were scheduled to visit the Sharks at the SAP Center on Thursday.
“First of all, I'm really excited to get back at it,” Burrows said. “Joining the boys tomorrow in San Jose should be fun, especially after how they played last night (against the Avalanche). They battled hard, and stuck with the game plan and stayed focused and found a way to win. I'm looking forward to joining that.
“I never try to target anyone's head on the ice. I respect the league's decision. It was tough. I try to play with passion and bring energy and play on that fine line. But sometimes, I just, maybe, went over that line that time and I'm glad he's alright. My intentions were never to hurt him, but it's a fast game out there. Sometimes, in split seconds, guys moves or you stop. (Unfortunate) things are going to happen, but I'm glad he's alright.”
The suspension is history.
There were more important things on which to focus.
After all, Vancouver only had two victories against California teams last season.
So, it was a chance for  the Canucks to to redeem themselves.
Fortunately for Vancouver,  Burrows has had success when visiting the Sharks in his career.
“In San Jose, I like that building,” Burrows said. “I find I play some of my best hockey in that building personally.”
Willie Desjardins, the Canucks' head coach, knows what Burrows can add to the lineup, too.
“It'll be good to have him back,” Desjardins said prior to the game.
“We missed him when he was gone, for sure. Having him back in the lineup should give us some life. We'll need it, because this is a tough rink to play in.”
Burrows didn't just give the team some life, but also contributed his an assist on a goal from Bonino to put the Canucks up 3-2 at 17:20. That would hold up to be the final score.
They got the victory, but they may have not deserved it.
“I didn't think it was our best,” Desjardins said. “The first two (periods) weren't too good, so it was easier to be better in the third, I think. Tonight, we were lucky. Our goaltender played real well tonight. “That's not a game we deserved to win tonight and we're lucky to get it.”
NOTES: Canucks G Ryan Miller made 34 saves. . . . Vancouver F Zack Kassian (lower body) didn't play. . . . Canucks F Bo Horvat played in his second NHL game. . . . Sharks' F Joe Thornton scored during the dying moments of the game, but time had run out. . . . Canucks' F Radim Vrbata left the game in the second period, but returned . . . The Canucks visit the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

(Dickson Liong is Taking Note’s Vancouver correspondent. Follow him on Twitter at @DLLiong.)

Stars' home rink not a friendly place for Canucks

Six doesn't seem to be a lucky number for the Vancouver Canucks, at least not when they play at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
Last season, Vancouver had a two-game road trip on which it visited the Phoenix Coyotes and Dallas Stars on March 4 and 6, respectively.
The Canucks were shut out by the Coyotes, 1-0, and things didn't get any better in Dallas.
In fact, they got worse, as the Canucks trailed the Stars 4-0 after 20 minutes in a game they would lose, 6-1. That brought back memories of a Jan. 15 game in which Vancouver visited the Anaheim Ducks. The Canucks gave up two first-period goals in that one, en route to a 9-1 loss.
“It was a tough one,” Canucks' defenceman Kevin Bieksa said after that March 6 game in Dallas. “Our effort and our execution wasn't good enough. We were flat out outplayed in the first 30 minutes of the game and the second-best team on the ice. It's very disappointing right now. This road trip is very disappointing, and if this isn't rock bottom, I don't know what is.”
“With what was at stake . . . was this even worse than the 9-1 game in Anaheim?” a reporter asked. 
“I don't know what's worse,” Bieksa replied. “It was a humiliating game to be a part of, just to be outplayed. I don't care what the shots were, but in the first 30 minutes of the game when the game was on the line, we were just flat out outplayed by a team that executed better than us. Here we are again.”
At the time, the Canucks were still battling for a playoff spot. They came into that game with a 28-26-10 record, but had been 1-8-1 in their previous 10 games.
Vancouver needed a victory if it wanted a chance of playing in the post-season. Vancouver went on to finish 36-35-11 for 83 points, good for only No. 12 in the Western Conference.
But, really, that is history.
With the 2014-15 season underway, the Canucks got off to a 3-0-0 start, and looked to be heading in more of a positive direction.
Let's not forget, though, that those three victories were against the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers, two teams that remain in the rebuilding stage, and are considered to be two of the NHL’s weaker teams.
When Vancouver played host to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, it was the beginning of a stretch in which the Canucks will face teams that should be more competitive. The Canucks lost 4-2 as Lightning captain Steven Stamkos scored twice and added an assist.
Vancouver didn't seem to have any answer for him.
The talent and skill on teams that the Canucks were going to face next wasn't going to do down, either. Vancouver was scheduled to to head out on a three-game road trip beginning in Dallas.
With the Stars led by forwards Jason Spezza, Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, the Canucks knew they needed all four lines to produce if they were to obtain a victory.
So, Canucks' head coach Willie Desjardins decided to move forward Linden Vey from the third-line centre spot to the fourth line. Desjardins replaced Vey with forward Brad Richardson. As well, Desjardins moved Shawn Matthias, who had been the fourth-line centre, to left wing on the third line.
“I don't think we've had quite what we want out of (the fourth line),” Desjardins said. “But I think it's a lot of different things, it's not necessarily the players. I think it's a mixture. I think it's the ice time, lots of different things.
“At the same time, during the season, they've gone against the high-end line, too. I haven't just played them against the other teams' fourth lines.  They've done a good job defensively, maybe we just haven't got enough offence.”
Despite the changes, the Canucks re-lived the horrors when visiting the Stars, as they fell 6-3.
“I thought they put lots of pressure on us,” a clearly unhappy Desjardins said after the game. “They've got good speed on their attack, and they went to the net hard. The goals may have looked fortunate, but they got goals and put pressure on our net.”
Vancouver was able to put 46 shots on Stars' goaltender Kari Lehtonen. But, even at that, Desjardins didn't sound all too impressed.
“I don't know,” Desjardins said. “I think when you are down, you always gamble more. You know, when you're gambling more sometimes you have more shots out of it. I think we had to gamble a little bit more, and as a result, we got quite a few shots.”
However, Vancouver's fourth line did appear on the scoresheet, as Vey and left-winger Derek Dorsett assisted on right-winger Jannik Hansen's first goal of the season at 6:45 of the third period.
“We got a couple bounces here and there,” Hansen said. “This could have been a different game. But again, push comes to shove, we can't put ourselves in a hole like that.”
NOTES: RW Radim Vrbata, C Henrik Sedin and LW Daniel Sedin have combined for seven  goals and 14 assists in four games. Vrbata finished with a goal, while the Sedins each had an assist. . . . Canucks G Ryan Miller made eight saves on 13 shots before getting pulled at 1:17 of the second period. G Eddie Lack stopped 14 shots in relief. . . . It was Desjardins’ first time back in Dallas since he was hired by Vancouver. He had been the head coach of Dallas’s AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars. . . . Vancouver will visit the St. Louis Blues on Thursday as part of their three-game road trip.

(Dickson Liong is Taking Note’s Vancouver correspondent. Follow him on Twitter at @DLLiong.)

Sedin magic back in Rogers Arena

Henrik and Daniel Sedin, it seems, are back to being the offensive threats that hockey fans had grown accustomed to watching.
From 2006-07 through 2012-13, the Vancouver Canucks had been under head coach Alain Vigneault.
During his tenure, questions constantly were being asked about why he didn't use the Sedins, who were his top players, in more defensive roles, like killing penalties.
Well, when Vigneault was fired on May 22, 2013, those who were asking those questions finally got their wish.
A month later, the Canucks replaced Vigneault with John Tortorella, who was known for his defensive, hard-nosed system, one that stressed the importance of shot-blocking.
Right from his introductory press conference, Tortorella was asked if he expected the Sedins to block shots. He simply replied: “Yes.”
But by doing so, the risk of injury is increased, which is exactly what ended up happening. Henrik and Daniel had been consistently in the lineup game after game for their entire careers. Not under Tortorella.
Henrik and Daniel were out  of the lineup for 12 and nine games, respectively, due to injuries,
If that wasn't enough,  Henrik finished with 50 points and Daniel 47, career lows for both. Despite that, they were still Nos. 1 and 2 in points on the team.
It was apparent that Tortorella's system didn't work with the players he was given; he was relieved of his duties after just one season.
And now the bigger concern for many observers had to do with the age of the Sedins, as they were then 33. Was their inability to produce offensively signalling the beginning of a decline?
Vancouver’s new management group of president of hockey operations Trevor Linden, general manager Jim Benning and head coach Willie Desjardins would have none of it.
Well, the early returns are in and it appears that they were right.
The Canucks signed unrestricted free-agent forward Radim Vrbata on July 3 to a two-year deal worth US$10 million, specifically to play with the Sedins. The trio showed instant chemistry.
They combined for four points, including an empty-net goal and an assist from Henrik, during a 4-2 season-opening victory over the Flames in Calgary.
Could they do it again in their Saturday home-opener against the Edmonton Oilers? After all, teams have been known to have slow starts due to pre-game festivities that would lead to a loss.
“I think that there's a lot going on at home during the opener,” Desjardins said prior to Saturday’s puck drop. “The thing that counts is for us to find a way to get points. Every team is so hungry on the road that you've got more pressure at home, but that's the place that you have to find a way to win. So, we have to stay focused, we have to know what we have to do and we have to be prepared to play hard.”
The Canucks did have a slow start, falling behind 2-1 after the first period. However, they were able to crawl back and notch a 5-4 shootout victory.
“I thought the first five to 10 minutes were OK,” Daniel said. “Then, we took a few penalties and then they got going. But I think in the second and third, we took over and played real well.”
The play of the Sedins and Vrbata had a large part to do with the comeback, as they combined for six points, including three assists from Daniel.
“You've got to like that,” Desjardins told reporters. “They're pretty magical at times, like, it's unbelievable. Even for our (players who) have seen them for a long time, they still can't believe the things they do.”
Especially on the power play, where the Canucks went 2-for-7.
“Even if we didn't score, we had the puck,” Daniel said. “We retrieved pucks, we worked hard, and it gave us momentum, and that's key in today's game.”
A victory at home on opening night was critical.
Not to say that in previous seasons it wasn't, but this was their opportunity to leave a positive first impression in an attempt to redeem themselves with the fans after a lacklustre 2013-14. The Canucks' faithful weren't happy, and some showed it by not attending the games.
Not anymore.
The Canucks played a run-and-gun, puck possession-style of game, which most fans find entertaining.
“If you win, for sure,” Daniel said when he asked if he enjoys playing that style. “If we had lost this game, we would have been standing here talking about the run-and-gun. I mean, (that wouldn't) be a nice feeling. But we won tonight's game and we'll build on this one. I think offensively we did a lot of good things (and) defensively, obviously, we can be a little bit better.”
Unlike much of last season, Canucks fans were all smiles as they left Rogers Arena.
The free drink that the Canucks provided to each fan in attendance -- including beer for those over the age of 19 -- didn‘t hurt, either.
NOTES: Canucks G Ryan Miller made 25 saves, and also was 3-for-3 in the shootout. . . . Vancouver D Chris Tanev, who suffered an undisclosed injury in Calgary on Wednesday was scratched. . . . Edmonton D Brad Hunt, who is from Maple Ridge, B.C, scored his first NHL goal. . . . The Canucks don't play again until Friday night, when they visit Edmonton.

(Dickson Liong is Taking Note’s Vancouver correspondent. Follow him on Twitter at @DLLiong.)

Competition for Canucks' bottom six spots continues as season opens

VANCOUVER -- The 2014-15 NHL season may have started for the Vancouver Canucks, but there still are decisions to be made.
At the conclusion of last season, many observers believed the team needed to get younger. The Canucks' management also had been open about doing so.
So, signs pointed to the Canucks giving London Knights forward Bo Horvat, whom they had taken with the ninth-overall pick in the 2013 NHL draft, every chance to make the roster. (Let's not forget that they traded goaltender Cory Schneider to the New Jersey Devils for that ninth selection.)
But with Vancouver being arguably the most active team in the off-season, it was apparent that the 19-year-old was in tough to earn a spot.
Especially when the Canucks acquired forward Linden Vey from the Los Angeles Kings for the 50th pick in the 2014 draft.
Vey is listed as a right-winger, but can play at centre, the same position as Horvat.
Things didn't look like they were headed in the right direction for Horvat, as he finished without a single point at the Young Stars tournament in Penticton, B.C.
Despite that, the Canucks' management wanted to see more of Horvat, and listed him on the pre-season roster.
 Canucks' head coach Willie Desjardins was impressed, even though he only had one goal in five games.
However, they needed to be down to 23 players for their opening night roster. A  decision needed to made on Horvat -- either he was going to stick with the team or be re-assigned to the Knights.
Wait, not so fast.
 When the Canucks visited the Edmonton Oilers for a pre-season game on Oct. 2, Horvat suffered a shoulder injury when he was hit by Oilers' forward Tyler Pitlick at 18:18 of the first period.
Under the new collective bargaining agreement, junior-aged players who are injured don't take up a roster spot, meaning Vancouver doesn't have to make a decision on Horvat just yet.
 With Horvat out, that gave someone else the spotlight.
The Canucks were also happy with the play of  Shawn Matthias at centre.
“Maybe the light came on for the coaching staff to put him in the middle,” a joking Desjardins said after Monday's practice. “I don't know. He played pretty well in the middle, he played better when (he was) in the middle. You've got to like that. Like, if you get him excited and confident, I think he can add to us. When he played in the middle, he played better.”
Yes, even more competition for Horvat.
“I think (Horvat) has played real well,” Desjardins said. “I do, I think he's played well. He's proven that he is sound defensively, he's a heavier-body guy. This injury is not what he needed at this time, though. That's a move for him because now the other guys have a step ahead and now he's got to come back. How he comes back from that, we'll wait to see. But what he did before, yeah, I thought he was pretty good.”
Horvat may have played well, but Desjardins is only worried about the players who are in the line-up.
“I've always said with the team, it's not who is out, but the ones who are in that counts,” he said. said. “The guys who are in are the guys that have to win it for you. So, whoever it is, that group has to find a way to win.”
As well, players may exceed expectations in the pre-season, but that doesn't mean the assessments are accurate.
“You can't tell,” Desjardins stated. “Because if their minds aren't in it, then you can't judge from the pre-season because of that. It's so competitive and so close that you have to be 100 per cent in it for us to see. We'll see right at the start, though.
“This will be the group that we start with, We're excited about the group. The guys have worked hard, and they're looking ahead to the regular season. We'll see what we've got. The group has worked hard.”
He got his first shot to see what the Canucks have when they visited the Calgary Flames for their season-opener on Wednesday.
The hard work paid off as Vancouver defeated the Flames, 4-2, which marked the first time it got a victory on opening night after five straight losses.
“Well, I think it's great,” Desjardins said after the game. “Calgary plays hard like a real tough game. To come on the road and get a win, it's always important.”
Vey was on the third line, flanked by forwards Zack Kassian and Brad Richardson. Vey finished with an assist on a goal scored by Kassian at 5:16 of the second period.
Matthias, on the other hand, failed to get on the scoresheet, and finished with a minus-2.
“I felt what was really important was that we were able to use our whole team,” Desjardins said. “Everybody played, and everybody contributed . . . and that was important.”
Horvat couldn't contribute, and will have to prove himself again once he returns to the lineup.
NOTES: Canucks' D Kevin Bieksa (shoulder) was a game-time decision and dressed in place of D Yannik Weber. . . . Flames F Sean Monahan (ill) also was a game-time decision and ended up playing. He finished with an assist and was plus-1. . . . Canucks' D Alexander Edler had a minus-2 rating. . . . Vancouver forwards Henrik and Daniel Sedin combined for three points. . . . Desjardins got his first NHL coaching victory. . . . The Canucks will play host to the Edmonton Oilers in their home-opener on Saturday.

(Dickson Liong is Taking Note’s Vancouver correspondent. Follow him on Twitter at @DLLiong.)

Valk working to make most of invitation

Curtis Valk is another former member of the Medicine Hat Tigers to with connections to the Vancouver Canucks.
When the Canucks drafted Tigers' forward Hunter Shinkaruk with the 24th selection in the 2013 NHL draft, it seems to have started a trend.
At the time Shinkaruk was selected, Mike Gillis was entering his sixth season as Vancouver's president and general manager. But after the Canucks weren't able to exceed expectations and missed the playoffs, he, head coach John Tortorella and associate coach Mike Sullivan, all were relieved of their duties.
At the same time, the relationship between the Canucks and their fans was clearly damaged.
So, it was time to add someone who had a strong connection with the team and someone whom the Vancouver faithful had trust in to turn the franchise around.
That person is Trevor Linden.
He had  spent three seasons with the Tigers, and another 16 with the Canucks. Throughout his time with Vancouver, he had become one of the most respected sports figures the city has ever had.
While the relationship with the fans may take a while to get back to where it was, filling the presidential position was complete.
The Canucks still needed a general manager, though.
They officially announced the hiring of Jim Benning on May 21. He had spent seven seasons with the Boston Bruins as their assistant general manager.
No, he didn't have any previous history with the Tigers.
What he did have, though, was a connection with Linden. The two played for the Canucks in 1988-89 and 1989-90.
With the vacancies in the Canucks' management filled, they still had to do the same with their coaching staff.
Vancouver named Willie Desjardins as its head coach on June 23.
It had to be patient in order to be granted an interview with the 57-year-old, as he was the head coach of the AHL's Texas Stars, who battled all the way to the Calder Cup final. They went up against the St. John's IceDogs in a best-of-seven series, and defeated them in five games to win the championship.
After Desjardins was named the head coach of the Canucks, he decided to bring Doug Lidster, one of his assistant coaches in Texas, to Vancouver in the same role.
It just happens that, prior to running the same bench in Texas, the duo coached together with the Tigers in 2002-03. Desjardins would spend seven more seasons with the team, while Lidster took a promotion and became the head coach of the OHL's Saginaw Spirit the following season.
With such a strong presence in the Canucks organization that had a track record with Medicine Hat, it didn't come as much of a surprise when they invited Valk to their development camp in July.
He was in his last season with the Tigers in 2013-14 and ended up with 92 points, including 45 goals.
Earlier, Valk dressed for four games with Medicine Hat in Desjardins' last season with the Tigers in 2009-10.
For the 21-year-old, earning an invite from Vancouver meant that he would be on the Canucks' roster for the annual Young Stars tournament in Penticton, B.C.
This was an opportunity for the Canucks to allow media, and management to see how their prospects compete with the futures of the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets.
“You train all summer, you train hard,” Desjardins told the prospects prior to playing the Edmonton Oilers in the tournament opener for both teams on Friday. “You got to be excited about getting to play to see where you are at. Especially as a coach, you always wonder how guys have (improved) over the summer. You can make a difference in your summer training in terms of where you are at.
“So I think for the guys that are here, you can make a name and spot for yourself, and maybe get yourself on a different line or whatever. I encourage you to go hard. A couple things that the organization is about is pretty simple. We're about winning, and we're about playing hard. Winning will take care of itself if you play hard so just focus on playing hard. Good luck at the tournament and I look forward to watching you.”
Valk, a 21-year-old Medicine Hat native, took Desjardins' words to heart.
He scored two goals, as the Canucks lost 4-3 in overtime.
“It was a good game for myself,” Valk stated. “I think there is still room for improvement, though. I think for myself and the team, we got off to a little bit of s slow start and it seemed to cost us in this one.”
Some observers may consider the Young Stars tournament as an opportunity to simply get back into game action.
Not Valk.
"I think it's just a huge opportunity to make an impression,” he said. “I think that my job here in Penticton is to prove that I deserve to play at this level and I am just going to try to do that.”
So far, so good.


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A mother talks about her son and mental illness . . . Lambert takes over in Kelowna

D Jonathan Harty (Everett, 2004-08) has signed a one-year contract with Björklöven Umeå (Sweden, Allsvenskan). Last season, with Mora (Sweden, Allsvenskan), he had nine points, including three goals, in 46 games.
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After writing a bit about hockey and mental illness in this space yesterday, I heard from a mother.
It was heart-wrenching. It’s one thing to deal with mental illness in a parent; I can’t imaging what it must be like when one of your children is affected.
This mother has a teenage son who is a hockey player and who “suffers from depression and anxiety.“
“He has always had anxiety disorder and this year it crept into the dark side of depression,” she wrote. “The sad truth is no one wants to talk about it. When I spoke to his coaches about it and what was happening, it almost seemed as though they thought he was just mentally weak. I feel like coaches/teachers and such need to learn more and realize this is an illness, not a sign of weakness.
“It makes me mad,” she continued. “If you were diagnosed with cancer your employer . . . would rally around you.”
Yes, mental illness is just that . . . an illness, and the sooner people realize it is,  the better off we all will be. Unfortunately, when it comes to mental illness, there are employers in the hockey world who prefer to look the other way.
When we are ill, we take medication. I have had open-heart surgery and take medication. My wife has had a kidney transplant and takes medication. When someone has a mental illness, of course there is medication involved.
“Our son is on medication right now and is doing so much better,” the mother wrote, adding that there are times when he wants to go off his meds.
“We just say to him when he wants to stop taking meds that a diabetic doesn't stop his insulin when he is feeling good,” she wrote. “I take meds and am not afraid to admit they help me.”
A couple of other notes . . .
Her husband is involved in hockey and she noted that because of his experience at home he “is very aware of little changes in his own players now and is not afraid to ask questions and investigate when he thinks something is a little off.”
This family has a history in hockey, something she said led to her son facing “unreal” expectations.
Unfortunately, I’m guessing that there are a lot of stories out there that are just like this one, and the thought that there are people out there who may not get the help they need is terrifying.
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Dan Lambert is the new head coach of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets. His promotion from assistant coach was announced Monday afternoon, about three hours after the NHL’s Calgary Flames announced that they had signed Rockets head coach Ryan Huska as the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Flames.
In time, observers will recognize Huska as one of the best coaches in WHL history.
With 295 regular-season victories, he is the winningest coach in franchise history. Only once, in 2011-12, did one of his teams not finish above .500; that team went 31-31-10. The Rockets followed that up with 52- and 57-victory seasons, both of which were franchise records.
Huska was never one to promote himself, so he hadn’t pursued other positions. In the end, the Flames came calling. He was in Calgary on Thursday and a contract offer arrive on Friday.
"I felt really good about the meetings I had and told my wife, Denise, when I got home that I hoped things would work out," Huska told the Kelowna Capital News. "What they stand for just feels right. . . . It's a great opportunity that I'm looking forward to."
No one has won more Memorial Cup championships than Huska, who won three with the Kamloops Blazers (1992, 1994, 1995) and one (2004) as an assistant coach with the Rockets.
A native of Cranbrook, Huska, who turns 39 on July 2, understands how important it is to surround yourself with good people.
"If you don't have good people who aren't passionate about what they do, then you don't get to have individual success," Huska told the Capital News. "Reflecting back, we're proud of the records we've had and the banners we've had, but I'm going to be remembering the team, and all the people that allowed us to get to that point, and allowed me the opportunity to move on. That's what's really special about this organization."
The Flames’ AHL affiliate, which is relocating from Abbotsford, B.C., where it was the Heat, will play out of Glens Falls, N.Y. Huska will replace Troy Ward, whose contract wasn’t renewed.
The 44-year-old Lambert, meanwhile, is a former all-star defenceman with the Swift Current Broncos, who had been an assistant coach with the Rockets for five seasons. He won a Memorial Cup with the 1989 Broncos.
"We spent a lot of time together over the last five years,” Lambert told the Capital News, “and it is sad to see him go but there's no doubt Ryan was ready to move on.
“Him being successful has allowed me to grow as a young coach and now to get this opportunity, I'm very grateful to the Hamilton family and that they trust in me that I can follow in Ryan's footsteps."
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1. That’s quite the Medicine Hat Mafia that the Vancouver Canucks are putting together. . . . Willie Desjardins, signed to a four-year deal as head coach, is, of course, a former Tigers GM and head coach. Canucks president Trevor Linden played for the Tigers and is from Medicine Hat. . . . It’s also expected that Doug Lidster, an assistant coach under Desjardins with the AHL’s Texas Stars, will be on the Vancouver coaching staff. Lidster, a native of Kamloops, is a former Tigers coach. He was on Desjardins’ staff with the Tigers in 2002-03; that was Desjardins’ first season as head coach. Lidster also is a former Canucks captain; in fact, Linden followed Lidster in that role.

2. With Vancouver, the Nashville Predators (Peter Laviolette), Washington Capitals (Barry Trotz), Florida Panthers (Gerard Gallant) and Carolina Hurricanes (Bill Peters) having signed head coaches, all eyes turn to the Pittsburgh Penguins. They lost out on Peters and Desjardins, and now GM Jimmy Rutherford will be going back on the interview circuit. It’s believed that one person he wants to chat with is Mike Johnston, the GM and head coach of the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Darren Dreger of TSN tweeted Monday evening that Johnston “is considered a strong candidate.”

3. Steve Smith has left the Edmonton Oilers after four seasons as an assistant coach. He has signed on as an assistant with the Carolina Hurricanes. That will lead to speculation involving Derek Laxdal, the head coach of the Memorial Cup-champion Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins wanted Smith to move from behind the bench to the press box as an eye in the sky during games. Smith chose to leave for Carolina. . . . You wonder if Laxdal would want to make such a move if it means being the eye in the sky and being that far from the game action.

4. Of course, the Oilers own the Oil Kings. So if Laxdal were to end up on Eakins’ staff, one has to surmise that Oil Kings assistant coach Steve Hamilton, who is highly thought of, would be promoted to head coach.

5. The AHL’s Texas Stars now need a head coach, with Desjardins having moved to the Canucks. Perhaps Laxdal ends up there. . . . Don’t you just love the coaching game of musical chairs?

6. Elliotte Friedman, who is leaving Hockey Night in Canada (RIP) for Sportsnet and its NHL coverage team, has filed his latest 30 Thoughts and it’s right here. Among the news: The Vancouver Canucks, in pursuit of the No. 1 selection in this weekend’s NHL draft, may have offered Medicine Hat Tigers F Hunter Shinkaruk to the Florida Panthers.

7. The Vancouver Giants are the lone WHL team without a head coach. I’m thinking the best candidate is Jim Hiller, who has had success as a WHL head coach with the Chilliwack Bruins (remember them?) and Tri-City Americans. . . . Of course, perhaps he is shopping for a pro job, and maybe that’s holding things up in Vancouver.

8. "Back when we were young, we thought it (smokeless tobacco) was a safe alternative to smoking,” San Diego Padres manager Bruce Bochy told Richard Justice of MLB.com. "We didn't realize how dangerous it was. It's one of the hardest habits to break."
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THE COACHING GAME:
If you are a coach with junior/high performance experience, you may be interested in stepping behind the bench with the major midget Okanagan Rockets, who are based in Kelowna. . . . Mack O’Rourke, who led the Rockets to a league championship, a Pacific Regional title and a third-place finish at the TELUS Cup, is leaving for a job in the oil and gas field. . . . That means that GM David Michaud is searching for a successor. . . . “Our program,” Michaud tells me, “has pushed itself to the point where we need a high-level coach.”
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The BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks have added Misko Antisin to their coaching staff as an assistant under head coach Brandon West. Antisin (Victoria Cougars, 1983-85) had a lengthy playing career in Europe before getting into coaching. From Vancouver, Antisin has coached in the BCHL, as an assistant coach with the Westside Warriors, and also in the B.C. Major Midget League, as well as in Switzerland.
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The NHL’s Anaheim Ducks have signed Trent Yawney as an assistant coach. Yawney had been the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals. . . . In Anaheim, Yawney will work under head coach Bruce Boudreau and alongside assistants Brad Lauer and Scott Niedermayer, and video co-ordinator Joe Piscotty. . . . Yawney (Saskatoon, 1982-85) is no stranger to the Ducks, having been an associate coach with their AHL team when it was in Syracuse. He also has scouted for the Ducks. . . . Jim Hodges, in the Hampton Roads Virginian-Pilot, reported last night that Admirals assistant coach Jarrod Skaldi is expected to move up as Norfolk’s head coach.
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According to a Monday morning tweet from News1130 Sports, the Vancouver Giants “won't name Don Hay's replacement as head coach till after the NHL draft.” . . . The Lethbridge Hurricanes and Rock 106, which is owned by Rogers Media, have signed a three-year contract involving broadcast rights. They haven’t haven’t yet named a play-by-play voice. The Hurricanes had been heard on 94.1 CJOC for the past seven seasons. . . .
The Seattle Thunderbirds have signed D Sahvan Khaira, who was selected in the ninth round of the WHL’s 2013 bantam draft. Last season, with the Penticton, B.C.-based Okanagan Hockey Academy midget prep team, the 6-foot-1, 210-pounder had 22 points, two of them goals, in 28 games. A native of Cloverdale, B.C., he is the younger brother of F Jujhar Khaira, who played last season with the Everett Silvertips after being a third-round pick by the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL’s 2012 draft. . . . The Vancouver Giants have signed F James Malm, a second-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft, to a WHL contract. Malm, from Langley, B.C., had 144 points, including 70 goals, in 56 games with the Burnaby Winter Club’s Bantam A1 Tier 1 team. . . . The Saskatoon Blades have signed D Schael Higson, a Grande Prairie, Alta., native they listed after he wasn’t selected in the 2013 bantam draft. Higson attended the Blades’ camp prior to last season, then spent the season with the midget AAA Grande Prairie Storm, putting up 20 points, including eight goals, in 33 games.
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Thank you to the @HockeyHallFame @DallasStars @DetroitRedWings @PARaidersHockey what a humbling honor. Words don't do it justice.
— Mike Modano (@9modano) June 23, 2014

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Will Willie be a Star in Vancouver?

The offseason of change continues for the NHL's Vancouver Canucks.
Last season, the Canucks, who signed Willie Desjardins to a four-year contract as head coach on Monday, weren't the high-scoring, highly entertaining team their fans had grown accustomed to watching. Instead, they struggled to score goals and played a much more defensive, slow-paced style.
People who spent their hard-earned money to buy tickets were beginning to lose interest by season’s end.
If Vancouver had won with that style, things may have been different. But the Canucks finished 36-35-11, which wasn't good enough to make the playoffs.
Fans weren’t impressed; neither was ownership.
So . . . there were changes, most notably the firings of general manager Mike Gillis and head coach John Tortorella. The Canucks had decided to go in a different direction.
Trevor Linden, a centre for 16 seasons with the team, was named the president of hockey operations on April 9, and he introduced Jim Benning as the team's general manager on May 23.
The two had many beliefs in common, one being that they want to provide a team that will entertain the fans again.
“When you think about what's going on at Rogers Arena, it's on the ice (and) with us,” Linden explained at a town hall meeting for season-ticket holders on June 17. “We want to bring excitement back to the game and to the ice and have a product that is fun to watch, (a game) that is coached the way we want it, and that the players are excited about playing. That's going to energize the building.”
No matter what sport it is, fans want to enjoy what they're watching. They want to feel that they have received fair value for what they have paid.
Linden’s mother, Edna, is no different.
She, of course, is a big hockey fan, especially of the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers. Considering the Linden family is from Medicine Hat, it's understandable that she would be a passionate follower of the team. Let's not forget, too, that her son played for the Tigers.
Yes, Edna loves attending Tigers games. Perhaps one of her most enjoyable times as a fan came when Medicine Hat won the Ed Chynoweth Cup by sweeping the Everett Silvertips and earning the chance to play in the 2004 Memorial Cup tournament, which was played host to by the Kelowna Rockets.
Most Tigers fans followed the team’s run on TV or online or via radio or newspaper. Edna wasn't one of them.
She, along with some friends and family, made the trip to Kelowna. Desjardins, the Tigers’ head coach at the time, met with the family for the first time during the tournament.
Medicine Hat failed to win the Memorial Cup, which eventually went to the host Rockets, but one thing was for sure -- Desjardins had proven he had the ability to lead a team to success and he did it in a fashion that was fun to watch.
Desjardins proved that again as he coached the Tigers to the Memorial Cup one more time three seasons later, this time losing to the host Vancouver Giants 3-1 in the championship game.
After eight seasons with the Tigers, two of them winding up with WHL titles and Memorial Cup appearances, it was time to move up.
The NHL’s Dallas Stars named him their associate coach in 2010-11, and he worked under head coach Marc Crawford. However, Crawford was fired and Glen Gulutzan, the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars, was promoted to replace him, with Desdjardins staying on.
But even then, Desjardins wanted to be a head coach. So after two seasons with Dallas, Desjardins chose to go to the AHL with Texas, which plays out of Austin.
He was 55 years of age at the time and having his doubts as to whether he would be given a chance to coach in the NHL.
But, just like he did with Medicine Hat, he led the Stars to success and proved adept at developing players for the big club. Last season, Desjardins helped Texas to 48-18-10 regular-season record, and the Stars then went on to win the Calder Cup as AHL champions.
While Desjardins was chasing that cup, there were NHL teams making coaching changes. But with the Stars in the playoffs, those teams were having to wait if wanting to speak with him.
The Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes either weren’t interested or weren’t willing to wait for him, perhaps afraid they might lose out on other candidates.
So by the time Texas won the AHL title on June 17, only the Canucks and Pittsburgh Penguins were still without head coaches.
Luckily for Desjardins, both teams were interested and received permission from Dallas to speak to him.
Texas scheduled an event to celebrate its championship on June 19. However, Desjardins had to skip it as he flew to Pittsburgh to meet with management, something that caused some observers to speculate that he was going to be named the head coach of the Penguins.
It wasn't to be, though.
Instead, Desjardins picked the Canucks.
He had spoken to Linden last week, then met with team officials on the weekend.
“I've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time,” Desjardins said at a press conference on Monday. “To be part of such a great organization and an NHL city is just a real honour, and I can't say enough about how fortunate I am to get this chance.”
That being said, why did he turn down the Penguins' offer to be the head coach, something that would have allowed him to work with Sidney Crosby, arguably the best player in the NHL?
“(The Penguins) are a great organization,” Desjardins stated. “Jim Rutherford, their general manager, is a great man. There's just a couple things that didn't work out. It wasn't his fault and it wasn't mine, it was just something that wouldn't work. Crosby is a heck of a player, but for me, when I looked at what was
here, I looked at the two guys that are leading this. I (also) looked at the quality of the players. It's a Canadian city, with (great) fans. It was a great choice to come here.”
The Canucks are hoping that Desjardins is able to create an entertaining, competitive style that will lead to victories.
Just like he did with the Tigers back when they entertained their fans, including Linden's mother.

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MARTIN RICHARD

Who knows why things turn out like this, but Martin Richard is likely to become the face of the 2013 Boston Marathon.
Martin is the eight-year-old boy — and hockey fan — who was killed Monday in the explosions in Boston.
His father, Bill, released a statement that reads, in part:
“My dear son Martin has died from injuries sustained in the attack on Boston. My wife and daughter are both recovering from serious injuries. We thank our family and friends, those we know and those we have never met, for their thoughts and prayers. I ask that you continue to pray for my family as we remember Martin. We also ask for your patience and for privacy as we work to simultaneously grieve and recover.”
The Boston Globe has more on the Richard family right here.
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If you like good writing, you should check this out right here. There are links here to a few columns written after Monday’s tragedy in Boston.
The piece by Leigh Montville really provides a sense of what it’s like on the course and what the Marathon means to the people of Boston and area.
Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe writes about how the Boston Marathon will never be the same.
Again, it’s all good stuff. It’s just too bad it had to be written.
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The WHL and its officiating crew have taken some heat in a letter to the editor that was published in the Kelowna Capital News. The letter writers, who claim they are angry enough that they won’t be buying Rockets’ season-tickets, are upset over the disparity n penalties during Game 4 of the game between the Rockets and Blazers in Kamloops. . . . That letter is right here.
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The 1963 Memorial Cup-winners — the Edmonton Oil Kings — have an active alumni association and Murray Greig of the Edmonton Sun reports right here that Gregg Pilling, Bert Marshall and a few others will be active in the Edmonton area on the weekend.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Chad Mercier has resigned as general manager and head coach of the AJHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs. Mercier had been in that position for the past seven seasons. He was the AJHL’s coach of the year for 2010-11. . . . The Pontiacs finished third in the North Division this season. . . . Mercier is a former WHL goaltender (Regina, 1992-97) who has coaching experience with the Pats and Saskatoon Blades. . . .

Willie Desjardins of the Texas Stars has been named winner of the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL’s coach of the year. The Stars are affiliated with the NHL’s Dallas Stars. . . . Desjardins, a veteran WHL coach (Medicine Hat, 2002-10) before moving on up, is in his first season as head coach of the AHL team. Under his leadership, the Stars are close to clinching their first division title. . . . Desjardins, 56, was the WHL’s coach of the year for the 2005-06 season. . . . The AHL award is voted on by other AHL coaches and members of the media who cover teams in the league.
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The WHL’s playoff situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Calgary (3)
Series opens Thursday in Edmonton; all games on Shaw TV.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Kamloops (3)
Series opens Friday in Portland.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
No games scheduled.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (16):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (5):
None
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From Portland Winterhawks F Brendan Leipsic (@leip28): “This whole playoff layover is getting ooooooold!! #legooo #conffinals #friday”
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From Dan Russell (@DanRussellCKNW), the hosts of Sportstalk and Shaw TV’s play-by-play man on WHL games: “Its clear no one at the NHL front office has ever heard the term ‘everything in moderation’. #6outdoorgames”
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Russell, again: “Just like the NHL spoiling ‘uniqueness’ of playoff OT by serving it up every night, they seem to be doing same with the outdoor concept. #$$$$”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Shaone Morrisonn (Kamloops, 1999-2002) signed a one-year contract with Spartak Moscow (Russia, KHL). He had four goals and 11 assists in 65 games with the Rochester Americans (AHL) last season. . . .
D Sergei Klimentyev (Medicine Hat, 1993-95) signed a one-year contract with Berkut Kiev (Ukraine, Professionalnaya Liga). He had three goals and 17 assists in 24 games with Sokil Kiev (Ukraine, Professionalnaya Liga) last season. Klimentyev was also captain of the Ukraine national team at the World Division 1 Championships held in April. . . .
D Ricard Blidstrand (Regina, Prince George, 2010-12) signed a one-year contract with Västerås (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had five goals and 21 assists in 62 games with the Pats and the Cougars last season.
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The WHL’s board of governors spent a couple of days this week holding its annual general meeting in Vancouver.
When it was all done, the WHL issued a press release.
And there, slightly more than halfway through the release, is this sentence:
“Despite a slight increase in concussions, the WHL remains confident the Seven Point Plan will assist in reducing concussions in the future.”
That is followed by this explanation from Ron Robison, the WHL’s commissioner:
"We anticipated the rate of concussions may increase this past season as there is more emphasis being placed now than ever before on the care and treatment of concussion injuries. We remain confident that the WHL's Seven Point Plan will address this matter effectively and reduce concussions in the seasons ahead."
If you are late to this party, WHL players experienced more than 100 concussions during the 2010-11 season. During that season, the WHL’s weekly injury report broke down injuries, and concussions were reported as concussions.
But the WHL chose prior to last season to stop reporting on concussions, instead listing all injuries as being of the upper- or lower-body variety.
So, in fact, we don’t know how many concussions there were during the 2011-12 season; nor do we know Robison’s definition of “slight” as in "slight increase."
But we now know that there WAS an increase and that simply is abhorrent.
In case you have forgotten, here is the Seven-Point Plan that was announced a year ago (according to the WHL, it is a comprehensive approach to addressing blows to the head and concussions):
1. The adoption of new playing rules;
2. More severe suspensions for repeat offenders;
3. Production of an educational video on risks of concussion;
4. Educating the players to be more responsible for themselves on the ice;
5. A seminar for all WHL head coaches and general managers;
6. New soft cap elbow and shoulder pads;
7. Expanded research data; and,
8. A review of all WHL arena facilities safety standards.
The news release issued Wednesday contained some different wording from the Seven-Point Plan of a year ago:
1. Continued emphasis on discipline as it applies to repeat offenders;
2. Production of an education video on player safety;
3. Seminar for all general managers and head coaches on September 11, 2012;
4. Continuing to provide players with best available protective equipment;
5. Working with the WHL Arena Advisory Committee to adopt acrylic glass as a standard for all WHL arenas;
6. Continuing to collect and study research data on concussion injuries and their causes.
Note that there aren’t any new playing rules this time, so it’s now a six-point plan. There also is nothing about softening elbow and shoulder pads. Nor is there anything about moving to ban fighting.
Unfortunately, the WHL didn’t provide a breakdown of what is causing the more than 200 concussions its players have suffered over the last two seasons.
Regardless, the WHL has proven it isn’t doing enough to reduce the number of concussions suffered by its players. Yes, hockey is a contact sport, so there are always going to be concussions. But more than 100 in a season, and then there’s an increase the following season? That borders on the ridiculous, especially with all the developments in concussion research in recent times revealing just how debilitating these injuries can be.
Perhaps the folks who run the WHL aren’t aware of what is happening in NFL circles.
Here’s the start of a piece by Darren Heitner that appeared in Forbes Magazine earlier this week:
“On August 17, 2011, the first ‘NFL concussion lawsuit’ was filed by seven former football players and their wives. Roughly 10 months later, there are a total of 89 lawsuits with over 2,400 former NFL players named as plaintiffs, and a consolidated ‘Master Complaint’ that summarizes all of the players' claims against the NFL, NFL Properties (the merchandising and licensing arm of the NFL), and Riddell (the NFL helmet manufacturer).
“The listed defendants have until August 9, 2012 to file a responsive pleading, which will undoubtedly be in the form of a Motion to Dismiss. With the potential of billions of dollars in damages awarded to the thousands of plaintiffs (think Big-Tobacco-like liability), the NFL will pump a lot of money into trying to put the litigation to bed at an early stage.”
Think about that for a moment — “Big Tobacco-like liability.”
Heitner’s complete piece is right here and should be mandatory reading for anyone involved in managing a team or a sports league. By the way, Heitner is an attorney.
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Meanwhile . . . the WHL left its playoff format in place; in fact, it said it will remain the same for the next two seasons. . . . The WHL said it will release its preseason schedule on June 21 and its regular-season schedule on June 27.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Dave Allison is the new head coach of the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen. He replaces Jared Bednar. The NHL’s St. Louis Blues had announced Tuesday that Bednar’s contract wouldn’t be renewed. Allison, 53, is a veteran coach who had been on the scouting staff of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He will stay with the Penguins through June 30. . . . Allison coached the AHL’s Iowa Stars from 2005-08. At that time, he worked under Doug Armstrong, who then was the GM of the NHL’s Dallas Stars and now is the Blues’ GM. . . .
Willie Desjardins, a former GM and head coach of the Medicine Hat Tigers, is the new head coach of the Texas Stars, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars. . . . Desjardins, 55, has spent the last two seasons as an associate coach with Dallas. . . . Desjardins replaces Jeff Pyle. He and assistant coach Jeff Truitt were dismissed after a season in which the Stars went 31-40-5 and missed the playoffs. . . .
Sylvain Lefebvre has been hired as head coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs, the AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens. . . . Lefebvre, 44, takes over from Clement Jodoin, who is to meet with Canadiens’ head coach Michel Therrien about an assistant coaching position in Montreal. . . . Lefebvre, who had a 19-season pro playing career, has been an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche for the last three seasons. . . .
Eric Veilleux revealed Wednesday afternoon that he won’t be returning as head coach of the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes, who won the Memorial Cup last month as the host team. . . . There has been considerable speculation of late that he was in line for an NHL assistant coaching position.
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There is nothing like baseball when it comes to statistics, trivial and otherwise.
Check out this piece right here from ESPN Stats & Information. It is loaded with interesting numbers and tidbits from the perfect game thrown by Matt Cain of the San Francisco Giants last night.
For starters, the home plate umpire was Ted Barrett, who now is the only ump in MLB history to have called balls and strikes for two perfectos.


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Fredrik Pettersson (Calgary, 2005-07) exercised his KHL opt-out clause and has left Frölunda Gothenburg (Sweden, Elitserien) after completing just one year of a four-year contract. He now has signed a contract with Donbass Donetsk (Ukraine, KHL). No terms were announced. Pettersson had 16 goals and 24 assists in 54 games as an alternate captain for Frölunda this season. The head coach of Donbass is former Portland assistant coach Julius Supler.
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Hearty congratulations to old friend Roy MacGregor, who was named Friday as this year’s winner of the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award. It is a Hockey Hall of Fame honour that is selected by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
MacGregor is a prolific writer, who now is with The Globe and Mail. A veteran of the newspaper game, he also has written a number of books, hockey-related and otherwise, as well as a highly successful series of childrens books — The Screech Owls.
The surprise with this award is that he hadn’t won the award a whole lot earlier than this.
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Also on Friday, veteran hockey writer Red Fisher of the Montreal Gazette announced his retirement. Fisher has written about the NHL for 57 years, beginning with the infamous Richard riots in 1955.
Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette writes about Fisher right here.
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James Mirtle of The Globe and Mail writes right here about the Toronto Marlies trying to move forward after losing an AHL playoff game Thursday on a goal that should have been disallowed.
That piece is right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Adam Deadmarsh (Portland, 1991-95) had to end his NHL playing career because of concussion-related problems. Now he has left his assistant-coaching job with the Colorado Avalanche for the same reason. Deadmarsh was 28 when he retired as a player; he’s now 37. . . . His wife, Christa, sent this message to Adrian Dater of the Denver Post: “Adam was hurt (concussion issues) this season and decided that health/family and safety are his priority … Adam enjoyed coaching, but this was the right decision … We are back in Idaho and will love being close to our family again:) Hello Idaho friends … we are home:)” . . .
Mike Heilka of the Dallas Morning News reports here that the Dallas Stars “are speaking with Willie Desjardins about taking the head-coaching job with the Texas Stars.” Desjardins, the former GM and head coach of the Medicine Hat Tigers, has one year left on his contract with Dallas. He is the associate coach to head coach Glen Gulutzan. . . .
The OHL’s Kitchener Rangers have hired Mike McKenzie as an assistant coach. Yes, he is a son of Bob McKenzie, TSN’s crack hockey analyst. Mike, 26, played four seasons of NCAA hockey at St. Lawrence U — he twice was on the NCAA all-academic team — before turning pro and playing with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers and Albany River Rats and the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. He retired after playing last season with the AHL’s Houston Aeros. . . . In Kitchener, he will work alongside GM/head coach Steve Spott. . . .
Craig Hartsburg, a former head coach of the Everett Silvertips, has been dismissed as associate coach by the NHL’s Calgary Flames. He left the Silvertips prior to this season to work with the Flames and then-head coach Brent Sutter. . . . When the Flames dumped Sutter, they also got rid of assistant coach Dave Lowry, a former head coach of the Calgary Hitmen. . . .
Former NHL coach Paul Maurice has signed on as head coach of the KHL’s Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Maurice began this season as head coach of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, only to be fired 25 games into it. . . . Former NHL G Tom Barrasso has signed on as Maurice’s assistant coach. . . .
Two WHL assistant coaches — Dwayne Gylywoychuk of the Brandon Wheat Kings and Malcolm Cameron of the Regina Pats — have been named to the coaching staff of Team West that will represent Manitoba and Saskatchewan at the U17 World Hockey Challenge. That tournament is to beging in Drummondville and Victoriaville, Que., on Dec. 29. . . . Don MacGillivray, the head coach of the MJHL’s Winnipeg Blues for four years, is Team West’s head coach for a second consecutive year. . . .
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As you no doubt are aware, the Oklahoma City Thunder has advanced to the NBA final. (BTW, it’s final, not finals, and I don't care what David Stern thinks. It’s one series so it’s singular. OK?)
You also should be aware that the Thunder began life as the Seattle SuperSonics.
So . . . how are the sporting fans of Seattle feeling?
Let’s just say they aren’t enjoying this one bit.
Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times pretty much sums it up with his Friday column right here.


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