Bruce Hamilton, the president and general manager of the Kelowna Rockets and the chairman of the WHL’s board of governors, has been named Kelowna’s 2010 Business Leader of the Year. . . . He will be honoured at the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award dinner on Oct. 21. . . . Hamilton moved the Rockets to Kelowna from Tacoma in time for the 1995-96 season and the franchise now is one of the best in the 60-team CHL.
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D Josh Caron of the Kamloops Blazers attended the Minnesota Wild’s camp on a free-agent tryout deal and came away with a three-year NHL contract. The Wild announced Thursday that it had signed Caron, 19, who is from Campbell River, B.C. Last season, Caron had six points and 190 penalty minutes. He has returned to the Blazers and will be in their lineup Friday against the visiting Prince George Cougars. . . . The Wild also signed D Colton Jobke, 18, from the Kelowna Rockets, and D Jared Spurgeon, who completed his WHL eligibility with the Spokane Chiefs last season. . . . Jobke had eight assists and 71 penalty minutes in 69 games with Kelowna last season. Like Caron, Jobke was on a free-agent tryout deal with the Wild. . . . Spurgeon had 51 points with the Chiefs. He was a sixth-round pick of the New York Islanders in 2008.
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D Mike Reddington has been named the 19th captain in the history of the Lethbridge Hurricanes. He takes over from F Carter Bancks, who has graduated. Reddington was acquired a year ago from the Spokane Chiefs.
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As was reported earlier, G Brandon Anderson of the Lethbridge Hurricanes has signed a three-year contract with the NHL’s Washington Capitals after attending their camp on a free-agent tryout deal. . . . CapGeek.com reports the contract is worth a maximum of US$1.62 million. . . . Anderson, 18, will get $50,000, $55,000 and $60,000 in the AHL over the three seasons, with NHL salaries of $535,000, $560,000 and $525,000. . . . The signing bonus is $35,000 this season and another $35,000 next season.
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You may recall that Kelly McCrimmon, the GM/head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings, got the ol’ heave-ho from a WHL exhibition game last weekend. But, if you’ve been paying attention, his name has yet to show up on the WHL’s list of those who have been disciplined. Well, it turns out he has escaped unscathed. When it was suggested to one WHL official that perhaps McCrimmon hadn’t shown enough “truculence” to warrant discipline, the official replied: “Well, there are different levels. . . .” . . . McCrimmon, who missed the third period of a game with the Moose Jaw Warriors after losing a debate with on-ice officials, apparently didn’t go far enough to get even a fine.
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F Landon Ferraro has been named the captain of the Everett Silvertips. Ferraro was acquired from Red Deer over the offseason; he wore an ‘A’ with the Rebels last season. Ferraro, 19, was a second round pick by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2009 NHL draft and has just returned from their camp. He is the eighth captain in franchise history. . . . Named as alternate captains were D Rasmus Rissanen, 19, Clayton Cumiskey, 20, F Kellan Tochkin , 19, and D Ryan Murray, 17.
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C Tyler Johnson, 20, is back for a fourth season with the Spokane Chiefs. Johnson, one of the WHL’s top faceoff men, had been in camp with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. He returned with an “upper body injury,” according to the Chiefs, so many not play Saturday when Spokane opens against the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash. . . . D Jared Cowen, 19, is the lone Spokane player in an NHL camp. He is with the Ottawa Senators and is expected to start the season there. . . . The Chiefs have assigned G Chris Sharkey and F Skyler Hladun to unnamed junior A teams, leaving their roster at 24, including two goaltenders and 14 forwards. . . . Spokane opens the season with veteran James Reid, 20, and freshman Mac Engel, 17, as its goaltenders. Reid put up a WHL-high 38 victories with a 2.41 GAA and a .920 save percentage last season. Engel was with the midget AAA Red Deer Optimist Chiefs.
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Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that C Jordan Weal should be in the Regina Pats’ lineup when they open Friday in Brandon against the Wheat Kings. Weal has been in camp with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. He had 102 points with the Pats last season. . . . That leaves F Carter Ashton (Tampa Bay Lightning) as the only Regina player still in the NHL.
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The Wheat Kings will open without D Mark Schneider (hip flexor) and RW Jens Meilleur, who will miss up to six weeks with a broken hand. . . . Brandon continues to carry five goaltenders and GM/head coach Kelly McCrimmon hadn’t named a Game 1 starter as of Thursday night.
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D Tyson Barrie is the new captain of the Kelowna Rockets. Barrie led the Rockets in scoring last season, with 72 points. . . . The alternates are D Colton Jobke, 18, D Kevin Smith, 19, and F Evan Bloodoff, 20. . . . Barrie has been out with a partially torn hamstring since Sept. 2 and may not be ready when the Rockets open Saturday against the visiting Prince George Cougars. . . . He succeeds F Lucas Bloodoff as team captain. Bloodoff graduated after last season. . . . The Rockets will be without RW Shane McColgan, who had 69 points as a 16-year-old last season. He had his tonsils out earlier this month and needs more time.
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F Spencer Edwards has been named captain of the Moose Jaw Warriors. Edwards, who turns 20 on Nov. 16, wasn’t even on the team’s 50-player list a year ago. But he earned a spot on the roster and put up 40 points in 72 games. . . . Alternates will be D Collin Bowman, F Quinton Howden, D Kendall McFaull and D Dylan McIlrath.
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The Swift Current Broncos are down to 26 players after re-assigning D Brody Luhning, 18, who played 30 games with them last season, and F Robbie Newton, 16. . . . Luhning had one assists in those 30 games. He was a seventh-round pick in the 2007 bantam draft. . . . Newton was acquired last season from the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Both players may join the SJHL’s Battlefords North Stars, who hold their junior A rights. . . . Swift Current F Cody Eakin, 19, remains with the NHL’s Washington Capitals, while the Broncos have placed F Dillon Wagner (knee surgery) on injured reserve.
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The Kootenay Ice had assigned G Mackenzie Skapski, 16, to the junior B Ridge Meadow Flames, meaning Brett Teskey, 17, will be the No. 2 goaltender, behind either Todd Matthews, 20, or Nathan Lieuwen, 19. . . . Ice D Brayden McNabb, 19, remains with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. . . . The Ice is down to 25 players (three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 15 forwards). That number includes MacNabb.
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The Tri-City Americans will have an interesting decision(s) on their hands now that the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins have returned Russian G Alex Pechurskiy, 20. He becomes one of four 20-year-olds on their roster, along with D Tyler Schmidt, F Mike Brown and F Kruise Reddick. . . . Pechurskiy is one of two imports on the roster, with D Nikita Kardashev, 18, being the other. However, Russian D Nikita Nesterov, another 2010 import draft selection, is still working to get clearance to play over here.
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The latest players to rejoin WHL teams from NHL camps: F Emerson Etem, to Medicine Hat from Anaheim; D Colton Jobke, to Kelowna from Minnesota; F Tyler Johnson, to Spokane from Minnesota; D Ricard Blidstrand, to Regina from Philadelphia; D Josh Caron, to Kamloops from Minnesota; D Austin Madaisky, to Kamloops from Columbus.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Friday, September 24, 2010
Western Conference prognostications
Back by popular demand (OK, Laura, this is for you), here’s a look at how one observer thinks this season may unfold in the B.C. and U.S. divisions (last season’s regular-season record and this season’s exhibition record are in parentheses):
B.C. DIVISION:
1. VANCOUVER GIANTS (41-25-3-3; 2-3-0-0): They’ve finished atop the division for five straight seasons. In other words, they’re No. 1 until someone knocks them off. . . . But head coach Don Hay sounds worried, at least in the early going, as his club faces six games in nine nights. "I think the young guys are still learning how to prepare to practise,” head coach Don Hay told the Vancouver Sun’s Elliott Pap. “With the veteran guys we've had hurt, and others away at pro camps, I think it's hindered our development as a team. I think we're behind where we have been in the past." . . . They got 41-goal man Brendan Gallagher back from the Montreal Canadiens, and then they got C Craig Cunningham, their leader, back from the Boston Bruins. Cunningham is arguably the WHL’s best all-around player. . . . Even with Cunningham, a 97-point man, the Giants still have room for one more 20-year old. . . . They picked up F Matt MacKay, 20, from Medicine Hat over the summer and Vancouver fans will learn to love him. . . . The Giants appear prepared to open with three goaltenders, so you know there’ll be some movement there. Mark Segal, 19, Derek Tendler, 18, and Brendan Jensen, 17, won’t be a trio for too long. . . . D David Musil, in his second season, is an impact player. . . . D Neil Manning, 19, came into his own last season with 56 points.
OUTLOOK: They’re the division champs until someone proves otherwise.
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2. KELOWNA ROCKETS (35-31-2-4; 5-1-0-0): They’ve got veteran G Adam Brown, along with Tyson Barrie, the WHL’s top defenceman last season, and super sophomore Shane McColgan up front. . . . Barrie was hampered by a partially torn hamstring in camp so may get off to a bit of a slow start. McColgan left in the middle of camp and returned home to Manhattan Beach, Calif., where he had his tonsils removed. He put up 69 points as a 16-year-old rookie, despite being plagued by faulty tonsils. He’s healthy now, so look out! . . . Look for F Zach Franko to develop into one of the WHL’s most exciting players. This guy can scoot. . . . Veteran forwards Geordie Wudrick and Mitchell (Dirty Harry) Callahan will provide scoring and grit. . . . Veterans Brendon Wall, 20, and Kevin Smith, 19, were added to the back end in offseason deals.
OUTLOOK: They have the team to finish first and Ryan Huska is one of the best young coaches in the game, but need everything to fall into place to catch the Giants.
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3. KAMLOOPS BLAZERS (32-33-2-5; 4-2-0-0): Is this the season in which the Blazers advance past the first round of playoffs for the first time since 1999? Or is the team really coached by Phil Connors (aka Bill Murray in Groundhog Day)? . . . Actually, Guy Charron is into his first full season as head coach and he might be the difference-maker. . . . The Blazers will get good goaltending from Jeff Bosch and Jon Groenheyde. And they’ll be solid on the back end, with the likes of Austin Madaisky, Josh Caron, Linden Saip and Bronson Maschmeyer. If they get 6-foot-4, 220-pound Corey Fienhage, 20, back from the Buffalo Sabres, they’ll be rock-solid back there. . . . Caron went to camp as a free agent with the Minnesota Wild and came out of it with a three-year NHL contract. He may have been the WHL’s most-improved player last season; he may be its toughest player this season. . . . Young guns like Colin Smith, Jordan DePape, JT Barnett and Brendan Ranford are going to have to get their games to the next level and score.
OUTLOOK: The pieces of the puzzle are starting to fit, but are they up there with the Vancouvers and Kelownas? Will need vastly improved discipline and special teams to get to that level.
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4. CHILLIWACK BRUINS (32-33-2-5; 1-5-0-0): The Bruins will continue to show improvement under GM/head coach Marc Habscheid, but they aren‘t there yet. . . . They do have two of the division’s top forwards in Ryan Howse, who will score 50 goals if he stays healthy, and Kevin Sundher. . . . If you get a chance to watch the Bruins, pay particular attention to Sundher, who is vastly under-rated. . . . F Steven Hodges, the ninth overall pick in the 2009 bantam draft, should be fun to watch. . . . G Lucas Gore had a .902 save percentage and won 20 games last season. . . . They need to get D Brandon Manning, 20, back from the N.Y. Rangers’ camp. He was plus-20 with 54 points. ’Nuff said.
OUTLOOK: No one doubted Habscheid‘s ability to get the ship pointed in the right direction; it‘s just a matter of long it will take.
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5. PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS (12-56-1-3; 1-4-0-1): Welcome to ‘If’ city. . . . If the Cougars get F Brett Connolly back from the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, if Slovakian D Martin Marincin can adapt to the game and the lifestyle over here, if the goaltending is a whole lot more stable. . . . The Cougars, who used 10 goaltenders last season, are headed in the right direction, but it’s a matter of taking baby steps before giant steps. . . . Connolly, who is a game-breaker, was limited to 16 games last season by hip problems. He seems healthy now, but the 18-year-old is in Tampa Bay’s camp. The Lightning selected him with the sixth pick of the 2010 NHL draft. . . . F Charles Inglis, if he keeps it in the middle of the road, should provide a spark. He was acquired from the Saskatoon Blades after falling out of favour with GM/head coach Lorne Molleken, which takes some doing. . . . F Troy Bourke, 16, will be worth watching. He had three goals in five games last season. . . . G Morgan Clark, acquired from Swift Current, and G James Priestner, back after leaving the team a year ago, need to be solid as this is a fragile team. . . . Sophomore defencemen Jesse Forsberg and Daniel Gibb provide hope for the future. . . . D Art Bidlevskii is out for up to three weeks with a broken thumb, so veteran F James Dobrowolski opens the season on defence.
OUTLOOK: Head coach Dean Clark is into Year 2 of a five-year contract, so you know this is a work in progress.
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U.S. DIVISION
1. TRI-CITY AMERICANS (47-22-1-2; 6-2-0-0): The Americans have finished atop the division each of the last three seasons. . . . They just might make it four in a row. . . . They are coming off their first appearance in the WHL championship series, where they fell in five games to the Calgary Hitmen. Experience like that can only help a team. . . . Drew Owsley gives them quality goaltending, although he may need more rest than he got last season. Do they dare keep Alex Pechurskiy, a two-spotter as a 20-year-old import, to pair with Owsley? . . . Their top six forwards — Brendan Shinnimin, Justin Feser, Brooks Macek, Kruise Reddick, Jordan Messier and Adam Hughesman — are as good as anyone else’s top six. . . . F Patrick Holland finished strong in his rookie season. . . . They return four defencemen, led by the ultra-reliable Tyler Schmidt, and will be looking to Russian Nikita Kardashev for some positive results.
OUTLOOK: The pieces are there for another first-place finish.
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2. EVERETT SILVERTIPS (46-21-3-2; 4-3-0-0): The Silvertips open the season with an eight-game homestand. So, yes, it’s important that they get off to a good start. . . . F Landon Ferraro has spoken about how he needed a change of scenery from Red Deer. Well, he got it, so now it’s show time for the Silvertips’ new captain. . . . F Tyler Maxwell and F Kellan Tochkin will have 80-point seasons. . . . F Scott MacDonald has resurrected his career here and is a major contributor. . . . Everett is home to an NCAA refugee in F Josh Birkholz, 19, who left the U of Minnesota. . . . The Silvertips led the WHL in defence last season, allowing just 175 goals. They’ve got G Kent Simpson back, as well as D Rasmus Rissanen and Paul Sohor, and they picked up D Chad Suer, 20, from Moose Jaw. . . . They also have Ryan Murray back there who played like a 20-year-old last season despite being a 16-year-old freshman. Yes, NHL scouts are licking their lips even though Murray isn‘t eligible for the draft until 2012.
OUTLOOK: This organization, as well as any group in hockey, understands that you win with team defence. The Silvertips will challenge for the division title.
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3. PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS (44-25-2-1; 4-0-0-2): This franchise spent a lot of time learning how to lose. That all changed last season. . . . But a lot went right for this team last season. So will there be a cooling-off period? . . . The Winterhawks had eight players selected in the 2010 NHL draft. They had so many players in NHL camps that they barely had enough players for their own camp. . . . Special teams were middle of the pack last season, so there is lots of room for improvement. . . . Likely to lose F Nino Niederreiter to the New York Islanders but can’t allow that to become a distraction. . . . In one season, F Ryan Johansen went from being a raw rookie to scoring 69 points to being the first WHL player selected in the NHL draft. He went fourth overall to Columbus. How much will he improve this season? . . . F Brad Ross, who led the WHL in penalty minutes, is one of the league’s most-despised players — by everyone but his teammates. He still found time to put up 68 points. . . . D Brett Ponich, 6-foot-7 and 225 pounds, has gotten better each season. He’s dominant in his zone. . . . D Derrick Pouliot, the first overall pick in the 2009 bantam draft, will play regularly. He’s a good one. . . . Ian Curtis, 20, and Mac Carruth, 18, are back in goal, but Keith Hamilton, 18, is challenging for a spot.
OUTLOOK: No more sneaking up on the opposition. Portland has a target on its back now and it will be interesting to see how it responds as other teams come gunning for it.
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4. SPOKANE CHIEFS (45-22-3-2; 3-3-0-1): The Chiefs made one of the offseason’s most-intriguing moves when they signed Don Nachbaur to a five-year deal as head coach. . . . He also has coached Tri-City and Seattle so that only will help some rivalries. . . . And, yes, he can coach. . . . The Chiefs have lost a couple of big guns in Kyle Beach and Mitch Wahl. They won’t replace that offence all at once so will have to tighten up on defence. That won’t be hard for veteran forwards like Tyler Johnson and Levko Koper. . . . But they also lost three key defencemen from a year ago, and may not get D Jared Cowen, 19, back from the Ottawa Senators. . . . D Brenden Kichton came back from the Detroit Red Wings’ camp with an injury so will miss the start of the season. . . . G James Reid, 20, had a fine 2009-10, with 38 victories and an amazing .920 save percentage. He will need to be at least as good this season.
OUTLOOK: If they aren’t rebuilding, the Chiefs are at least reloading.
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5. SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS (19-41-7-5; 4-3-1-0): The Thunderbirds, who play out of Kent, Wash., have G Calvin Pickard. He’s one of the best, but he saw so much rubber last season that word is he hibernated through the summer. . . . The Thunderbirds were awfully young up front last season so the maturity of those forwards will be a key to this season. . . . Charles Wells, who had 55 points, including 21 goals, is the top returning forward. . . . The Thunderbirds have gotten bigger with the acquisition of F Travis Toomey, 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, from Saskatoon and they added experience by getting D Travis (Ricky) Bobbee, 20, from the Swift Current Broncos. . . . They also have D Austin Baecker in camp and there are suggestions he goes 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds. . . . Seattle gave up a lot of goals last season and will need improved defensive play from the forwards. . . . They could have a good one in German F Marcel Noebels, who was picked in the CHL’s 2010 import draft. . . . The Thunderbirds have veterans on the back end in Brendon Dillon, Erik Bonsor and Scott Ramsay. They also have Swiss D Dave Sutter, who is not a member of the family.
OUTLOOK: This division is ultra-competitive and the Thunderbirds have a long climb ahead of them.
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Here’s how the Western Conference may stack up in March:
1. Vancouver
2. Tri-City
3. Everett
4. Portland
5. Kelowna
6. Kamloops
7. Chilliwack
8. Spokane
9. Seattle
10. Prince George
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
B.C. DIVISION:
1. VANCOUVER GIANTS (41-25-3-3; 2-3-0-0): They’ve finished atop the division for five straight seasons. In other words, they’re No. 1 until someone knocks them off. . . . But head coach Don Hay sounds worried, at least in the early going, as his club faces six games in nine nights. "I think the young guys are still learning how to prepare to practise,” head coach Don Hay told the Vancouver Sun’s Elliott Pap. “With the veteran guys we've had hurt, and others away at pro camps, I think it's hindered our development as a team. I think we're behind where we have been in the past." . . . They got 41-goal man Brendan Gallagher back from the Montreal Canadiens, and then they got C Craig Cunningham, their leader, back from the Boston Bruins. Cunningham is arguably the WHL’s best all-around player. . . . Even with Cunningham, a 97-point man, the Giants still have room for one more 20-year old. . . . They picked up F Matt MacKay, 20, from Medicine Hat over the summer and Vancouver fans will learn to love him. . . . The Giants appear prepared to open with three goaltenders, so you know there’ll be some movement there. Mark Segal, 19, Derek Tendler, 18, and Brendan Jensen, 17, won’t be a trio for too long. . . . D David Musil, in his second season, is an impact player. . . . D Neil Manning, 19, came into his own last season with 56 points.
OUTLOOK: They’re the division champs until someone proves otherwise.
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2. KELOWNA ROCKETS (35-31-2-4; 5-1-0-0): They’ve got veteran G Adam Brown, along with Tyson Barrie, the WHL’s top defenceman last season, and super sophomore Shane McColgan up front. . . . Barrie was hampered by a partially torn hamstring in camp so may get off to a bit of a slow start. McColgan left in the middle of camp and returned home to Manhattan Beach, Calif., where he had his tonsils removed. He put up 69 points as a 16-year-old rookie, despite being plagued by faulty tonsils. He’s healthy now, so look out! . . . Look for F Zach Franko to develop into one of the WHL’s most exciting players. This guy can scoot. . . . Veteran forwards Geordie Wudrick and Mitchell (Dirty Harry) Callahan will provide scoring and grit. . . . Veterans Brendon Wall, 20, and Kevin Smith, 19, were added to the back end in offseason deals.
OUTLOOK: They have the team to finish first and Ryan Huska is one of the best young coaches in the game, but need everything to fall into place to catch the Giants.
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3. KAMLOOPS BLAZERS (32-33-2-5; 4-2-0-0): Is this the season in which the Blazers advance past the first round of playoffs for the first time since 1999? Or is the team really coached by Phil Connors (aka Bill Murray in Groundhog Day)? . . . Actually, Guy Charron is into his first full season as head coach and he might be the difference-maker. . . . The Blazers will get good goaltending from Jeff Bosch and Jon Groenheyde. And they’ll be solid on the back end, with the likes of Austin Madaisky, Josh Caron, Linden Saip and Bronson Maschmeyer. If they get 6-foot-4, 220-pound Corey Fienhage, 20, back from the Buffalo Sabres, they’ll be rock-solid back there. . . . Caron went to camp as a free agent with the Minnesota Wild and came out of it with a three-year NHL contract. He may have been the WHL’s most-improved player last season; he may be its toughest player this season. . . . Young guns like Colin Smith, Jordan DePape, JT Barnett and Brendan Ranford are going to have to get their games to the next level and score.
OUTLOOK: The pieces of the puzzle are starting to fit, but are they up there with the Vancouvers and Kelownas? Will need vastly improved discipline and special teams to get to that level.
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4. CHILLIWACK BRUINS (32-33-2-5; 1-5-0-0): The Bruins will continue to show improvement under GM/head coach Marc Habscheid, but they aren‘t there yet. . . . They do have two of the division’s top forwards in Ryan Howse, who will score 50 goals if he stays healthy, and Kevin Sundher. . . . If you get a chance to watch the Bruins, pay particular attention to Sundher, who is vastly under-rated. . . . F Steven Hodges, the ninth overall pick in the 2009 bantam draft, should be fun to watch. . . . G Lucas Gore had a .902 save percentage and won 20 games last season. . . . They need to get D Brandon Manning, 20, back from the N.Y. Rangers’ camp. He was plus-20 with 54 points. ’Nuff said.
OUTLOOK: No one doubted Habscheid‘s ability to get the ship pointed in the right direction; it‘s just a matter of long it will take.
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5. PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS (12-56-1-3; 1-4-0-1): Welcome to ‘If’ city. . . . If the Cougars get F Brett Connolly back from the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, if Slovakian D Martin Marincin can adapt to the game and the lifestyle over here, if the goaltending is a whole lot more stable. . . . The Cougars, who used 10 goaltenders last season, are headed in the right direction, but it’s a matter of taking baby steps before giant steps. . . . Connolly, who is a game-breaker, was limited to 16 games last season by hip problems. He seems healthy now, but the 18-year-old is in Tampa Bay’s camp. The Lightning selected him with the sixth pick of the 2010 NHL draft. . . . F Charles Inglis, if he keeps it in the middle of the road, should provide a spark. He was acquired from the Saskatoon Blades after falling out of favour with GM/head coach Lorne Molleken, which takes some doing. . . . F Troy Bourke, 16, will be worth watching. He had three goals in five games last season. . . . G Morgan Clark, acquired from Swift Current, and G James Priestner, back after leaving the team a year ago, need to be solid as this is a fragile team. . . . Sophomore defencemen Jesse Forsberg and Daniel Gibb provide hope for the future. . . . D Art Bidlevskii is out for up to three weeks with a broken thumb, so veteran F James Dobrowolski opens the season on defence.
OUTLOOK: Head coach Dean Clark is into Year 2 of a five-year contract, so you know this is a work in progress.
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U.S. DIVISION
1. TRI-CITY AMERICANS (47-22-1-2; 6-2-0-0): The Americans have finished atop the division each of the last three seasons. . . . They just might make it four in a row. . . . They are coming off their first appearance in the WHL championship series, where they fell in five games to the Calgary Hitmen. Experience like that can only help a team. . . . Drew Owsley gives them quality goaltending, although he may need more rest than he got last season. Do they dare keep Alex Pechurskiy, a two-spotter as a 20-year-old import, to pair with Owsley? . . . Their top six forwards — Brendan Shinnimin, Justin Feser, Brooks Macek, Kruise Reddick, Jordan Messier and Adam Hughesman — are as good as anyone else’s top six. . . . F Patrick Holland finished strong in his rookie season. . . . They return four defencemen, led by the ultra-reliable Tyler Schmidt, and will be looking to Russian Nikita Kardashev for some positive results.
OUTLOOK: The pieces are there for another first-place finish.
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2. EVERETT SILVERTIPS (46-21-3-2; 4-3-0-0): The Silvertips open the season with an eight-game homestand. So, yes, it’s important that they get off to a good start. . . . F Landon Ferraro has spoken about how he needed a change of scenery from Red Deer. Well, he got it, so now it’s show time for the Silvertips’ new captain. . . . F Tyler Maxwell and F Kellan Tochkin will have 80-point seasons. . . . F Scott MacDonald has resurrected his career here and is a major contributor. . . . Everett is home to an NCAA refugee in F Josh Birkholz, 19, who left the U of Minnesota. . . . The Silvertips led the WHL in defence last season, allowing just 175 goals. They’ve got G Kent Simpson back, as well as D Rasmus Rissanen and Paul Sohor, and they picked up D Chad Suer, 20, from Moose Jaw. . . . They also have Ryan Murray back there who played like a 20-year-old last season despite being a 16-year-old freshman. Yes, NHL scouts are licking their lips even though Murray isn‘t eligible for the draft until 2012.
OUTLOOK: This organization, as well as any group in hockey, understands that you win with team defence. The Silvertips will challenge for the division title.
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3. PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS (44-25-2-1; 4-0-0-2): This franchise spent a lot of time learning how to lose. That all changed last season. . . . But a lot went right for this team last season. So will there be a cooling-off period? . . . The Winterhawks had eight players selected in the 2010 NHL draft. They had so many players in NHL camps that they barely had enough players for their own camp. . . . Special teams were middle of the pack last season, so there is lots of room for improvement. . . . Likely to lose F Nino Niederreiter to the New York Islanders but can’t allow that to become a distraction. . . . In one season, F Ryan Johansen went from being a raw rookie to scoring 69 points to being the first WHL player selected in the NHL draft. He went fourth overall to Columbus. How much will he improve this season? . . . F Brad Ross, who led the WHL in penalty minutes, is one of the league’s most-despised players — by everyone but his teammates. He still found time to put up 68 points. . . . D Brett Ponich, 6-foot-7 and 225 pounds, has gotten better each season. He’s dominant in his zone. . . . D Derrick Pouliot, the first overall pick in the 2009 bantam draft, will play regularly. He’s a good one. . . . Ian Curtis, 20, and Mac Carruth, 18, are back in goal, but Keith Hamilton, 18, is challenging for a spot.
OUTLOOK: No more sneaking up on the opposition. Portland has a target on its back now and it will be interesting to see how it responds as other teams come gunning for it.
———
4. SPOKANE CHIEFS (45-22-3-2; 3-3-0-1): The Chiefs made one of the offseason’s most-intriguing moves when they signed Don Nachbaur to a five-year deal as head coach. . . . He also has coached Tri-City and Seattle so that only will help some rivalries. . . . And, yes, he can coach. . . . The Chiefs have lost a couple of big guns in Kyle Beach and Mitch Wahl. They won’t replace that offence all at once so will have to tighten up on defence. That won’t be hard for veteran forwards like Tyler Johnson and Levko Koper. . . . But they also lost three key defencemen from a year ago, and may not get D Jared Cowen, 19, back from the Ottawa Senators. . . . D Brenden Kichton came back from the Detroit Red Wings’ camp with an injury so will miss the start of the season. . . . G James Reid, 20, had a fine 2009-10, with 38 victories and an amazing .920 save percentage. He will need to be at least as good this season.
OUTLOOK: If they aren’t rebuilding, the Chiefs are at least reloading.
———
5. SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS (19-41-7-5; 4-3-1-0): The Thunderbirds, who play out of Kent, Wash., have G Calvin Pickard. He’s one of the best, but he saw so much rubber last season that word is he hibernated through the summer. . . . The Thunderbirds were awfully young up front last season so the maturity of those forwards will be a key to this season. . . . Charles Wells, who had 55 points, including 21 goals, is the top returning forward. . . . The Thunderbirds have gotten bigger with the acquisition of F Travis Toomey, 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, from Saskatoon and they added experience by getting D Travis (Ricky) Bobbee, 20, from the Swift Current Broncos. . . . They also have D Austin Baecker in camp and there are suggestions he goes 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds. . . . Seattle gave up a lot of goals last season and will need improved defensive play from the forwards. . . . They could have a good one in German F Marcel Noebels, who was picked in the CHL’s 2010 import draft. . . . The Thunderbirds have veterans on the back end in Brendon Dillon, Erik Bonsor and Scott Ramsay. They also have Swiss D Dave Sutter, who is not a member of the family.
OUTLOOK: This division is ultra-competitive and the Thunderbirds have a long climb ahead of them.
———
Here’s how the Western Conference may stack up in March:
1. Vancouver
2. Tri-City
3. Everett
4. Portland
5. Kelowna
6. Kamloops
7. Chilliwack
8. Spokane
9. Seattle
10. Prince George
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Caron returns with NHL deal
By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
It’s opening night in the WHL so there were a lot of smiles around the Kamloops Blazers on Thursday.
However, one smile was bigger than all the rest.
Defenceman Josh Caron, 19, arrived back from the camp of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild yesterday and he brought back a three-year contract.
Not bad for someone who missed his 16-year-old season because he twice broke an ankle, has been through two NHL drafts without being selected, and was in the Wild camp on a free-agent tryout deal.
“It was pretty exciting,” Caron said upon arriving at Interior Savings Centre on Thursday afternoon.
Caron, who will be in the lineup tonight when the Blazers open the WHL’s regular season against the visiting Prince George Cougars, joined the Wild’s prospects team for a tournament in Traverse City, Mich., which is where he first started leaving his mark.
“I think I did well in the Traverse City tournament . . . had a few tilts,” he said, adding that his third scrap was against WHL veteran Randy McNaught, now of the Saskatoon Blades. “I fought him in the third scrap. That was good; he’s a tough kid.”
Bob McKenzie of TSN was keeping an eye on proceedings in Traverse City and, at one point, tweeted: “Kamloops D Josh Caron is heavyweight, trying out for MIN. Curious to see if Wild sign. Toughness is duly noted. Takes punches, throws bombs.”
That was pretty much the game plan going into the tournament. Caron said he “wanted to show them I can do it.”
So, he added, “I made some big hits. I played tough. I tried to play on the edge a bit. Obviously, I got in some fights.”
The Wild liked what it saw and invited Caron to main camp.
“That was a great feeling,” Caron said. “I think I did pretty well. I skated well with everyone. Obviously, it’s a lot faster and there’s a lot more skill. But I felt really good. I felt confident with the puck, I felt good with my foot speed.”
Caron, who is from Campbell River, missed all of the 2007-08 season because of the ankle injuries. He began the 2008-09 season with the junior B Storm and joined the Blazers in midseason, finishing with one assist and 50 penalty minutes in 21 games.
Last season, Caron had a goal and four assists, along with 190 penalty minutes, in 60 games. His penalty totals included 20 fighting majors. However, by season’s end, he had become a valuable defender and, because of that, the coaching staff asked him to start picking his spots a little better.
Contract details weren’t released but it’s a safe bet that the deal negotiated by agent Mark MacKay was worth more than Guy Charron’s first contract.
Charron, the Blazers’ head coach, signed with the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens during training camp in the fall of 1969.
“I played all 15 exhibition games,” Charron recalled. “The very last day they called me into the office and said I was going to be assigned to the American Hockey Legaue. I was tickled with joy because I thought I was going to be assigned to the East Coast league. I’m not sure I would have had a successful career (in the ECHL) because I wasn’t much of a scrapper.”
At the time, Montreal’s AHL affiliate, the Voyageurs, was stationed in Montreal, so Charron was quite pleased.
“There was no signing bonus or anything,” Charron said, adding that he was told to “be happy with your salary, because we’re giving you more than (Yvan) Cournoyer.”
Charron signed a two-year contract that called for salaries of $6,000 and $7,500 in the AHL and $10,000 and $12,000 in the NHL.
“I asked if I could have a $250 bonus for the last year of junior hockey,” he continued. “If you played for the Jr. Canadiens that was your bonus. I think they must have had a giggle on me for asking for $250.”
But, Charron said, he had an NHL contract and was “tickled to death.”
Just like Caron who, you know, slept with a smile on his face last night.
———
Going into tonight’s home-opener, Charron reiterated that he feels “we are headed in the right direction.”
And that, more than anything else, has him excited for this season.
“The biggest thing for me is the excitement about the team,” he said. “My enjoyment is practices. When games come, I get more nervous than anything else about how will the team play or what will the outcome be.
“In practice, it’s total control. I’m in charge. I am on the bench, too, but there’s emotions for the players, there’s the referees, the opposing team. I like the challenge of coaching against good coaches and having a good game plan and being well prepared. I’m excited about that.
“With time and age I’ve learned not to be as nervous as I was in the past.”
JUST NOTES: After Thursday’s practice, Charron said that, barring a change of mind, two players will make their WHL debuts tonight with the Blazers — D Brady Gaudet and F Logan McVeigh, both 16. . . . That means that F Rhyse Dieno, who played 16 games here last season, F Lyndon Martell, who had seven points in the preseason, and F Chase Souto, the ball of energy from Yorba Linda, Calif., will be healthy scratches. . . . D Brandon Underwood (concussion) also will be scratched. . . . D Austin Madaisky was due to arrive back in Kamloops from the camp of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets last night and he will play tonight. . . . Kevin Muench, the WHL’s director of officiating, met with the Kamloops coaches and players after practice yesterday. There was a video presentation on officiating and the rules, with a question-and-answer session. . . . Veteran WHL referee Chris Savage has retired. Savage, who is from Medicine Hat, wants to spend more time with his family. . . . The Wild also signed D Colton Jobke, 18, an undrafted free agent who plays for the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Rockets president/GM Bruce Hamilton, who is the chairman of hte WHL’s board of governors, has been named Kelowna’s 2010 Business Leader of the Year.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Daily News Sports Editor
It’s opening night in the WHL so there were a lot of smiles around the Kamloops Blazers on Thursday.
However, one smile was bigger than all the rest.
Defenceman Josh Caron, 19, arrived back from the camp of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild yesterday and he brought back a three-year contract.
Not bad for someone who missed his 16-year-old season because he twice broke an ankle, has been through two NHL drafts without being selected, and was in the Wild camp on a free-agent tryout deal.
“It was pretty exciting,” Caron said upon arriving at Interior Savings Centre on Thursday afternoon.
Caron, who will be in the lineup tonight when the Blazers open the WHL’s regular season against the visiting Prince George Cougars, joined the Wild’s prospects team for a tournament in Traverse City, Mich., which is where he first started leaving his mark.
“I think I did well in the Traverse City tournament . . . had a few tilts,” he said, adding that his third scrap was against WHL veteran Randy McNaught, now of the Saskatoon Blades. “I fought him in the third scrap. That was good; he’s a tough kid.”
Bob McKenzie of TSN was keeping an eye on proceedings in Traverse City and, at one point, tweeted: “Kamloops D Josh Caron is heavyweight, trying out for MIN. Curious to see if Wild sign. Toughness is duly noted. Takes punches, throws bombs.”
That was pretty much the game plan going into the tournament. Caron said he “wanted to show them I can do it.”
So, he added, “I made some big hits. I played tough. I tried to play on the edge a bit. Obviously, I got in some fights.”
The Wild liked what it saw and invited Caron to main camp.
“That was a great feeling,” Caron said. “I think I did pretty well. I skated well with everyone. Obviously, it’s a lot faster and there’s a lot more skill. But I felt really good. I felt confident with the puck, I felt good with my foot speed.”
Caron, who is from Campbell River, missed all of the 2007-08 season because of the ankle injuries. He began the 2008-09 season with the junior B Storm and joined the Blazers in midseason, finishing with one assist and 50 penalty minutes in 21 games.
Last season, Caron had a goal and four assists, along with 190 penalty minutes, in 60 games. His penalty totals included 20 fighting majors. However, by season’s end, he had become a valuable defender and, because of that, the coaching staff asked him to start picking his spots a little better.
Contract details weren’t released but it’s a safe bet that the deal negotiated by agent Mark MacKay was worth more than Guy Charron’s first contract.
Charron, the Blazers’ head coach, signed with the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens during training camp in the fall of 1969.
“I played all 15 exhibition games,” Charron recalled. “The very last day they called me into the office and said I was going to be assigned to the American Hockey Legaue. I was tickled with joy because I thought I was going to be assigned to the East Coast league. I’m not sure I would have had a successful career (in the ECHL) because I wasn’t much of a scrapper.”
At the time, Montreal’s AHL affiliate, the Voyageurs, was stationed in Montreal, so Charron was quite pleased.
“There was no signing bonus or anything,” Charron said, adding that he was told to “be happy with your salary, because we’re giving you more than (Yvan) Cournoyer.”
Charron signed a two-year contract that called for salaries of $6,000 and $7,500 in the AHL and $10,000 and $12,000 in the NHL.
“I asked if I could have a $250 bonus for the last year of junior hockey,” he continued. “If you played for the Jr. Canadiens that was your bonus. I think they must have had a giggle on me for asking for $250.”
But, Charron said, he had an NHL contract and was “tickled to death.”
Just like Caron who, you know, slept with a smile on his face last night.
———
Going into tonight’s home-opener, Charron reiterated that he feels “we are headed in the right direction.”
And that, more than anything else, has him excited for this season.
“The biggest thing for me is the excitement about the team,” he said. “My enjoyment is practices. When games come, I get more nervous than anything else about how will the team play or what will the outcome be.
“In practice, it’s total control. I’m in charge. I am on the bench, too, but there’s emotions for the players, there’s the referees, the opposing team. I like the challenge of coaching against good coaches and having a good game plan and being well prepared. I’m excited about that.
“With time and age I’ve learned not to be as nervous as I was in the past.”
JUST NOTES: After Thursday’s practice, Charron said that, barring a change of mind, two players will make their WHL debuts tonight with the Blazers — D Brady Gaudet and F Logan McVeigh, both 16. . . . That means that F Rhyse Dieno, who played 16 games here last season, F Lyndon Martell, who had seven points in the preseason, and F Chase Souto, the ball of energy from Yorba Linda, Calif., will be healthy scratches. . . . D Brandon Underwood (concussion) also will be scratched. . . . D Austin Madaisky was due to arrive back in Kamloops from the camp of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets last night and he will play tonight. . . . Kevin Muench, the WHL’s director of officiating, met with the Kamloops coaches and players after practice yesterday. There was a video presentation on officiating and the rules, with a question-and-answer session. . . . Veteran WHL referee Chris Savage has retired. Savage, who is from Medicine Hat, wants to spend more time with his family. . . . The Wild also signed D Colton Jobke, 18, an undrafted free agent who plays for the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Rockets president/GM Bruce Hamilton, who is the chairman of hte WHL’s board of governors, has been named Kelowna’s 2010 Business Leader of the Year.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Schaber honoured to be Blazers captain
By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Chase Schaber got his first taste of the life of a professional hockey player this month.
And now he wants to bring that kind of dedication and professionalism into the dressing room of the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers.
Schaber, a 19-year-old centre from Red Deer, has been named the Blazers’ captain, so he will be wearing the ‘C’ when he and his teammates open the regular season tonight against the visiting Prince George Cougars. Game time at Interior Savings Centre is 7 o’clock.
“It’s a great honour to be looked upon as the captain from my teammates and the coaching staff and the organization,” said Schaber, who was selected as captain through a vote of his teammates, with some input from the coaching staff. “I’m going to fill the role the way it’s supposed to be played. I’m going to be there for anyone who needs help and I’m going to set an example.
“But obviously I’m not just the one guy; I’m not the head honcho. The team has a say in everything. We’re all a family. As the captain, you just reinforce that.”
As the captain, Schaber will provide a liaison, when needed, between his teammates and the coaching staff, especially head coach Guy Charron.
“Guy is a great guy, a good friend,” Schaber said. “I learned so much from Guy and from the coaching staff. I’m just thankful for that. This is the best coaching staff I’ve been with and maybe ever will be with.
“I’m just very honoured and very thankful to be in this position.”
Schaber, who was acquired from the Calgary Hitmen in January, accepted a free-agent tryout deal from the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. He was with the Oilers team at a prospects tournament in Penticton and then headed for Edmonton and a few days of main camp.
“Edmonton went really well,” Schaber said. “It was a fun experience and the best hockey I’ve played in my career. Skating with the pros and seeing how they operate and seeing how they treat their jobs . . . that’s why they’re at that level. It was just an unbelievable experience to play with them.”
Schaber also noticed the dedication and mental toughness involved in being a pro hockey player.
“They’re pros at what they do,” he said. “They come to the rink and it’s their job. If you don’t show up to your job and do what you’re supposed to do, you’re fired.”
Having witnessed the way NHLers handle themselves, Schaber now wants to bring that attitude and the importance of preparation into the Kamloops dressing room.
“Absolutely,“ he says. “Every time you step on the ice it’s 110 per cent, no matter what you’re doing . . . off the ice or on the ice.
“Paying attention to details is the biggest thing at the pro level. One thing breaks down and the other team is going to pick up on that and they’re going to take advantage.
“I’m going to bring that back here. I’m sure all the other guys who went to pro camp are going to bring it back here . . . and bring up the level of play of everyone on the team.”
While Schaber is the captain, defencemen Bronson Maschmeyer, 19, and Corey Fienhage, 20, are the alternates. As well, forward Jordan DePape, 18, and defenceman Austin Madaisky, 18, will share an ‘A’ -- DePape will wear it on the road, Madaisky at home.
Interestingly, all four of the players were acquired in trades — Schaber and Madaisky from Calgary, Maschmeyer from the Vancouver Giants and DePape from the Brandon Wheat Kings — while Fienhage joined the Blazers from the U of North Dakota.
Fienhage is the only player on the Blazers’ roster who isn’t in camp. He remains with the Buffalo Sabres, who selected him in the third round of the 2008 NHL draft. Because he was drafted after a season with the USHL’s Indiana Ice, he is eligible, should he sign with Buffalo, to play in the AHL. However, because he has played only a total of 51 games over the last three seasons, the Sabres are expected to return him to the Blazers. He is expected back in town on Sunday.
Should that scenario unfold, he would make his debut with the Blazers on Oct. 1 against the Silvertips in Everett.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Daily News Sports Editor
Chase Schaber got his first taste of the life of a professional hockey player this month.
And now he wants to bring that kind of dedication and professionalism into the dressing room of the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers.
Schaber, a 19-year-old centre from Red Deer, has been named the Blazers’ captain, so he will be wearing the ‘C’ when he and his teammates open the regular season tonight against the visiting Prince George Cougars. Game time at Interior Savings Centre is 7 o’clock.
“It’s a great honour to be looked upon as the captain from my teammates and the coaching staff and the organization,” said Schaber, who was selected as captain through a vote of his teammates, with some input from the coaching staff. “I’m going to fill the role the way it’s supposed to be played. I’m going to be there for anyone who needs help and I’m going to set an example.
“But obviously I’m not just the one guy; I’m not the head honcho. The team has a say in everything. We’re all a family. As the captain, you just reinforce that.”
As the captain, Schaber will provide a liaison, when needed, between his teammates and the coaching staff, especially head coach Guy Charron.
“Guy is a great guy, a good friend,” Schaber said. “I learned so much from Guy and from the coaching staff. I’m just thankful for that. This is the best coaching staff I’ve been with and maybe ever will be with.
“I’m just very honoured and very thankful to be in this position.”
Schaber, who was acquired from the Calgary Hitmen in January, accepted a free-agent tryout deal from the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. He was with the Oilers team at a prospects tournament in Penticton and then headed for Edmonton and a few days of main camp.
“Edmonton went really well,” Schaber said. “It was a fun experience and the best hockey I’ve played in my career. Skating with the pros and seeing how they operate and seeing how they treat their jobs . . . that’s why they’re at that level. It was just an unbelievable experience to play with them.”
Schaber also noticed the dedication and mental toughness involved in being a pro hockey player.
“They’re pros at what they do,” he said. “They come to the rink and it’s their job. If you don’t show up to your job and do what you’re supposed to do, you’re fired.”
Having witnessed the way NHLers handle themselves, Schaber now wants to bring that attitude and the importance of preparation into the Kamloops dressing room.
“Absolutely,“ he says. “Every time you step on the ice it’s 110 per cent, no matter what you’re doing . . . off the ice or on the ice.
“Paying attention to details is the biggest thing at the pro level. One thing breaks down and the other team is going to pick up on that and they’re going to take advantage.
“I’m going to bring that back here. I’m sure all the other guys who went to pro camp are going to bring it back here . . . and bring up the level of play of everyone on the team.”
While Schaber is the captain, defencemen Bronson Maschmeyer, 19, and Corey Fienhage, 20, are the alternates. As well, forward Jordan DePape, 18, and defenceman Austin Madaisky, 18, will share an ‘A’ -- DePape will wear it on the road, Madaisky at home.
Interestingly, all four of the players were acquired in trades — Schaber and Madaisky from Calgary, Maschmeyer from the Vancouver Giants and DePape from the Brandon Wheat Kings — while Fienhage joined the Blazers from the U of North Dakota.
Fienhage is the only player on the Blazers’ roster who isn’t in camp. He remains with the Buffalo Sabres, who selected him in the third round of the 2008 NHL draft. Because he was drafted after a season with the USHL’s Indiana Ice, he is eligible, should he sign with Buffalo, to play in the AHL. However, because he has played only a total of 51 games over the last three seasons, the Sabres are expected to return him to the Blazers. He is expected back in town on Sunday.
Should that scenario unfold, he would make his debut with the Blazers on Oct. 1 against the Silvertips in Everett.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Wednesday . . .
The big news in the WHL on Wednesday had to do with the return of C Craig Cunningham to the Vancouver Giants. Cunningham, 20, was a fourth-round pick by the Boston Bruins in the NHL’s 2010 draft. But the Bruins have contract and cap issues, and haven’t signed Cunningham. Had they signed him, he could have been assigned to the AHL’s Providence Bruins. Instead, the Western Conference’s player of the year from last season is back in Vancouver. A 97-point man last season, he has been named the Giants captain and will play with 41-goal man Brendan Gallagher on one wing. . . . Vancouver also made a trade Wednesday, acquiring F Michael Burns, 19, from the Edmonton Oil Kings for F Landon Robin, 16, who was a seventh-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft. . . . Burns is the older brother of Vancouver F Nathan Burns, 17, who is injured at the moment. . . . Michael Burns had 26 points and 110 penalty minutes in 120 games with the Oil Kings. . . . The Burns boys are from Edmonton; Robin is from Saskatoon.
———
The Seattle Thunderbirds have acquired D Travis Bobbee, 20, and a conditional bantam draft pick from the Swift Current Broncos for F Brenden Silvester, 19, and D Tanner Muth, 17. . . . Bobbee, who is going into his fifth WHL season, moved from the Portland Winterhawks to Swift Current last season. He finished with 32 points in 74 games. . . . Earlier, the Thunderbirds had acquired F Travis Toomey, 20, from the Saskatoon Blades, and they now have three 20-year-olds on their roster. Veteran D Brenden Dillon is the third. Each WHL team is allowed to dress a maximum of three 20-year-olds per game; on Oct. 14, each team will have to declare a maximum of three on its roster. . . . Silvester had 31 points in 159 games over three seasons with Seattle, while Muth had five assists in 49 games last season.
———
We finally have an explanation from Mike Johnston, the GM/head coach of the Portland Winterhawks, as to what transpired to cause the sage of Red No. 23. You will recall that the unidentified player who dazzled during one scrimmage at training camp turned out to be Swiss F Alessio Bertaggia, a 17-year-old who wasn’t selected in the CHL import draft. The WHL office looked into the situation and, ultimately, the Winterhawks were disciplined. (The shape and form of the discipline hasn’t been revealed.)
Now Johnston has told Scott Sepich, a freelancer who writes on the Winterhawks for the Oregonian, that the whole thing was blown out of proportion.
You can check out that story right here.
After reading the story, I think I can buy Johnston’s explanation. But I can’t help but wonder why no one with the Winterhawks bothered explaining right off the bat what had happened. That would have solved the mystery and the whole mess would have gone away. If the incident did get blown out of proportion, it was only because no one was willing to offer an explanation in the early going.
———
The Medicine Hat Tigers have settled on their goaltenders; they’ll go with Tyler Bunz, 18, and Deven Dubyk, 19, both of whom were there last season. That means that Dawson MacAuley, 16, has been returned to the midget AAA Prince Albert Mintos. . . . In Prince Albert, the Mintos will go with the 6-foot-5 MacAuley and Tara Kozun, who had a strong camp with the Kamloops Blazers, as their goaltenders. . . . Kozun will get to play with his brother, Tad, who is a freshman forward with the Mintos.
———
Doug Allan, a former WHL goaltender, will be one of the inductees into the Northern Arizona University Athletics Hall of Fame in November. The induction banquet is set for Nov. 12, with inductees to be saluted during a Nov. 13 football game between the Lumberjacks and visiting Weber State. . . . Allan played 43 games with the New Westminster Bruins in 1973-74, going 22-12-7 — yes, the last number represents ties — with a 3.45 GAA and a .890 save percentage. He was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the 12th round of the NHL’s 1974 draft and by the Cleveland Crusaders in the 12th round of the WHA’s 1974 draft. . . . According to a press release from NAU:
“Allan is a former hockey player and coach at NAU. He played on the hockey team from 1977-80 and served as club coach in 1980-81 and as an assistant coach on NAU’s Division I program. He has served the Flagstaff hockey community in numerous roles, earning the title ‘Mr. Hockey.’ For more than two decades Allan influenced hundreds of aspiring local hockey players and brought national recognition to the NAU hockey program. He coached the highly successful Ice Jacks for several years, as well as teams for the Flagstaff Youth Hockey Association.”
———
F Cass Mappin, 20, who was released by the Regina Pats, now is with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm. Former WHL player and coach Drew Schoneck is the GM and head coach of the Storm.
———
The Regina Pats are down to 26 players after making two moves on Wednesday. . . . F Bryton Mills, 18, and F Logan Sceviour, 18, were dropped and are expected to play junior A. . . . The Pats are carrying three goaltenders, nine defencemen and 14 forwards. And that includes F Jordan Weal, who is with the Los Angeles Kings, and F Carter Ashton, who scored a goal for the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night.
———
The Red Deer Rebels have lost F Locke Muller, 17, for up to six weeks. He suffered a broken hand during a fight in practice on Tuesday. He was scrapping with D Brad Deagle, 17.
———
D Teigan Zahn, 20, has been named captain of the Saskatoon Blades. He is the 51st captain in team history. F Marek Viedensky, 20, F Curtis Hamilton, 19, and D Duncan Siemens, 17, are the alternates. . . . Zahn was the unanimous choice of his teammates in a team vote.
———
The Kamloops Blazers handed out their letters on Wednesday, with C Chase Schaber, 19, being named the captain. . . . D Bronson Maschmeyer, 19, and D Corey Fienhage, 20, were named alternate captains. D Austin Madaisky, 18, and RW Jordan DePaper, 18, will share an ‘A’ — Madaisky gets it at home, while DePape wears it on the road. . . . It is perhaps interesting that not one of the five players is an original Kamloops player. Schaber and Madaisky were acquired from the Calgary Hitmen; Maschmeyer came over from the Vancouver Giants; Fienhage, who has yet to play a WHL game and is in camp with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, spent the last two seasons at the U of North Dakota; and, DePape was acquired from the Brandon Wheat Kings.
———
Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News has the latest on the Dallas Stars’ ownership situation right here. There were reports Wednesday that Bill Gallacher, who owns the Portland Winterhawks, had withdrawn interest, while Tom Gaglardi, the majority owner of the Kamloops Blazers was still in the hunt.
———
Among the players rejoining their WHL teams from NHL camps: G Darcy Kuemper, to Red Deer from Minnesota; F Brendan Ranford, to Kamloops from Philadelphia; D Austin Madaisky, from Columbus to Kamloops; D Josh Caron, to Kamloops from Minnesota; F Blake Gal, to Spokane from Philadelphia; D Troy Rutkowski, to Portland from Colorado; G Calvin Pickard, to Seattle from Colorado; F Justin Dowling, to Swift Current from Philadelphia.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
———
The Seattle Thunderbirds have acquired D Travis Bobbee, 20, and a conditional bantam draft pick from the Swift Current Broncos for F Brenden Silvester, 19, and D Tanner Muth, 17. . . . Bobbee, who is going into his fifth WHL season, moved from the Portland Winterhawks to Swift Current last season. He finished with 32 points in 74 games. . . . Earlier, the Thunderbirds had acquired F Travis Toomey, 20, from the Saskatoon Blades, and they now have three 20-year-olds on their roster. Veteran D Brenden Dillon is the third. Each WHL team is allowed to dress a maximum of three 20-year-olds per game; on Oct. 14, each team will have to declare a maximum of three on its roster. . . . Silvester had 31 points in 159 games over three seasons with Seattle, while Muth had five assists in 49 games last season.
———
We finally have an explanation from Mike Johnston, the GM/head coach of the Portland Winterhawks, as to what transpired to cause the sage of Red No. 23. You will recall that the unidentified player who dazzled during one scrimmage at training camp turned out to be Swiss F Alessio Bertaggia, a 17-year-old who wasn’t selected in the CHL import draft. The WHL office looked into the situation and, ultimately, the Winterhawks were disciplined. (The shape and form of the discipline hasn’t been revealed.)
Now Johnston has told Scott Sepich, a freelancer who writes on the Winterhawks for the Oregonian, that the whole thing was blown out of proportion.
You can check out that story right here.
After reading the story, I think I can buy Johnston’s explanation. But I can’t help but wonder why no one with the Winterhawks bothered explaining right off the bat what had happened. That would have solved the mystery and the whole mess would have gone away. If the incident did get blown out of proportion, it was only because no one was willing to offer an explanation in the early going.
———
The Medicine Hat Tigers have settled on their goaltenders; they’ll go with Tyler Bunz, 18, and Deven Dubyk, 19, both of whom were there last season. That means that Dawson MacAuley, 16, has been returned to the midget AAA Prince Albert Mintos. . . . In Prince Albert, the Mintos will go with the 6-foot-5 MacAuley and Tara Kozun, who had a strong camp with the Kamloops Blazers, as their goaltenders. . . . Kozun will get to play with his brother, Tad, who is a freshman forward with the Mintos.
———
Doug Allan, a former WHL goaltender, will be one of the inductees into the Northern Arizona University Athletics Hall of Fame in November. The induction banquet is set for Nov. 12, with inductees to be saluted during a Nov. 13 football game between the Lumberjacks and visiting Weber State. . . . Allan played 43 games with the New Westminster Bruins in 1973-74, going 22-12-7 — yes, the last number represents ties — with a 3.45 GAA and a .890 save percentage. He was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the 12th round of the NHL’s 1974 draft and by the Cleveland Crusaders in the 12th round of the WHA’s 1974 draft. . . . According to a press release from NAU:
“Allan is a former hockey player and coach at NAU. He played on the hockey team from 1977-80 and served as club coach in 1980-81 and as an assistant coach on NAU’s Division I program. He has served the Flagstaff hockey community in numerous roles, earning the title ‘Mr. Hockey.’ For more than two decades Allan influenced hundreds of aspiring local hockey players and brought national recognition to the NAU hockey program. He coached the highly successful Ice Jacks for several years, as well as teams for the Flagstaff Youth Hockey Association.”
———
F Cass Mappin, 20, who was released by the Regina Pats, now is with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm. Former WHL player and coach Drew Schoneck is the GM and head coach of the Storm.
———
The Regina Pats are down to 26 players after making two moves on Wednesday. . . . F Bryton Mills, 18, and F Logan Sceviour, 18, were dropped and are expected to play junior A. . . . The Pats are carrying three goaltenders, nine defencemen and 14 forwards. And that includes F Jordan Weal, who is with the Los Angeles Kings, and F Carter Ashton, who scored a goal for the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night.
———
The Red Deer Rebels have lost F Locke Muller, 17, for up to six weeks. He suffered a broken hand during a fight in practice on Tuesday. He was scrapping with D Brad Deagle, 17.
———
D Teigan Zahn, 20, has been named captain of the Saskatoon Blades. He is the 51st captain in team history. F Marek Viedensky, 20, F Curtis Hamilton, 19, and D Duncan Siemens, 17, are the alternates. . . . Zahn was the unanimous choice of his teammates in a team vote.
———
The Kamloops Blazers handed out their letters on Wednesday, with C Chase Schaber, 19, being named the captain. . . . D Bronson Maschmeyer, 19, and D Corey Fienhage, 20, were named alternate captains. D Austin Madaisky, 18, and RW Jordan DePaper, 18, will share an ‘A’ — Madaisky gets it at home, while DePape wears it on the road. . . . It is perhaps interesting that not one of the five players is an original Kamloops player. Schaber and Madaisky were acquired from the Calgary Hitmen; Maschmeyer came over from the Vancouver Giants; Fienhage, who has yet to play a WHL game and is in camp with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, spent the last two seasons at the U of North Dakota; and, DePape was acquired from the Brandon Wheat Kings.
———
Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News has the latest on the Dallas Stars’ ownership situation right here. There were reports Wednesday that Bill Gallacher, who owns the Portland Winterhawks, had withdrawn interest, while Tom Gaglardi, the majority owner of the Kamloops Blazers was still in the hunt.
———
Among the players rejoining their WHL teams from NHL camps: G Darcy Kuemper, to Red Deer from Minnesota; F Brendan Ranford, to Kamloops from Philadelphia; D Austin Madaisky, from Columbus to Kamloops; D Josh Caron, to Kamloops from Minnesota; F Blake Gal, to Spokane from Philadelphia; D Troy Rutkowski, to Portland from Colorado; G Calvin Pickard, to Seattle from Colorado; F Justin Dowling, to Swift Current from Philadelphia.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Madaisky heads back from Columbus
By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Defenceman Austin Madaisky will be back with the WHL's Kamloops Blazers in time for Friday's regular-season home-opener.
Madaisky, who has been in camp with the NHL's Columbus Blue jackets, is scheduled to fly out of the Ohio city this morning.
The Blazers swing into the regular season with home dates against the Prince George Cougars on Friday and the Chilliwack Bruins on Saturday.
Madaisky, a fifth-round pick by the Blue Jackets in the NHL's 2010 draft, was one of eight defencemen shown on the lineup the Blue Jackets issued prior to Wednesday night's exhibition game against the visiting Washington Capitals, who posted a 6-2 victory.
However, Madaisky didn't play. His instructions were to prepare as though this was a game day and he was going to play, which meant taking the pregame warmup and then taking off his gear.
“I kind of came into this not really expecting to play any exhibition games,” said Madaisky, 18, who has yet to sign an NHL contract. “It's rare for any 18-year-olds to get in, especially with how many defenceman Columbus has at this camp. But even to get listed as a spare . . . I'll take it as a compliment.
“I dressed for warm-ups . . . it was pretty cool.”
It's been a that kind of month for Madaisky.
He played for the Blue Jackets at a prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich., and then headed for Columbus and main camp.
“It's been great,” he said, “and I think I've done really well here so far.”
The Blue Jackets don't have any 1991-born defencemen on their roster, while there were only two 1992s - Madaisky and his roommate, Ian Archibald, a 2010 draft pick from the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. (Archibald was listed on last night's game sheet but, like Madaisky, didn't play.)
All told, they had 21 defencemen in camp and Madaisky feels he at least held his own.
“I think I've done fairly well,” he said. “The pace is obviously (quicker) . . . but the more practices and game-like scenarios that go by the easier it gets.
“In Traverse City, Game 1 was a little fast. Game 2 was better. By the time Game 3 came along, I thought I was holding my own out there. . . .
“It wasn't too much of a jump in terms of Traverse to main camp. Everybody's going hard in Traverse. Here, it's a pretty similar speed but the execution is much better. You don't see guys miss many passes; every shot is a good shot. It's a good learning experience.”
Madaisky, like so many other young players before him, also made an important discovery.
“Everybody around you is better, which makes you a better player,” he said. “As long as you come in and you've done the work in the summer . . . once you start practising with the big guys it almost gets easier. Every pass is good. Everything is quick . . . bam, bam, bam. It's great.
“As long as you're in shape, you're going to do fine.”
A year ago, Madaisky was preparing for his sophomore season with the Calgary Hitmen knowing that he would have a tough time cracking their top four. Then, in January, he was traded to the Blazers, with whom he got lots of ice time.
The rest, as they say, is history.
“Absolutely, the trade was great for me,” he said. “It really gave me an opportunity.”
JUST NOTES: The games on Friday and Saturday both start at 7 p.m. . . . The Blazers did get F Brendan Ranford back from the camp of the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. He was a seventh-round pick by the Flyers in the 2010 NHL draft. . . . D Josh Caron (Minnesota Wild) is to rejoin the Blazers sometime today. . . . That leaves D Corey Fienhage (Buffalo Sabres) as the lone player still with an NHL team. . . . D Brandon Underwood (concussion) isn't expected to play this weekend. He was injured Saturday when he took a hit from Prince George F Charles Inglis. Underwood had his first symptom-free day yesterday, so will be cleared in a week. . . . G Jeff Bosch, acquired from the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday, practised yesterday. He has been bothered by a sprained ankle for a couple of weeks.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Daily News Sports Editor
Defenceman Austin Madaisky will be back with the WHL's Kamloops Blazers in time for Friday's regular-season home-opener.
Madaisky, who has been in camp with the NHL's Columbus Blue jackets, is scheduled to fly out of the Ohio city this morning.
The Blazers swing into the regular season with home dates against the Prince George Cougars on Friday and the Chilliwack Bruins on Saturday.
Madaisky, a fifth-round pick by the Blue Jackets in the NHL's 2010 draft, was one of eight defencemen shown on the lineup the Blue Jackets issued prior to Wednesday night's exhibition game against the visiting Washington Capitals, who posted a 6-2 victory.
However, Madaisky didn't play. His instructions were to prepare as though this was a game day and he was going to play, which meant taking the pregame warmup and then taking off his gear.
“I kind of came into this not really expecting to play any exhibition games,” said Madaisky, 18, who has yet to sign an NHL contract. “It's rare for any 18-year-olds to get in, especially with how many defenceman Columbus has at this camp. But even to get listed as a spare . . . I'll take it as a compliment.
“I dressed for warm-ups . . . it was pretty cool.”
It's been a that kind of month for Madaisky.
He played for the Blue Jackets at a prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich., and then headed for Columbus and main camp.
“It's been great,” he said, “and I think I've done really well here so far.”
The Blue Jackets don't have any 1991-born defencemen on their roster, while there were only two 1992s - Madaisky and his roommate, Ian Archibald, a 2010 draft pick from the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. (Archibald was listed on last night's game sheet but, like Madaisky, didn't play.)
All told, they had 21 defencemen in camp and Madaisky feels he at least held his own.
“I think I've done fairly well,” he said. “The pace is obviously (quicker) . . . but the more practices and game-like scenarios that go by the easier it gets.
“In Traverse City, Game 1 was a little fast. Game 2 was better. By the time Game 3 came along, I thought I was holding my own out there. . . .
“It wasn't too much of a jump in terms of Traverse to main camp. Everybody's going hard in Traverse. Here, it's a pretty similar speed but the execution is much better. You don't see guys miss many passes; every shot is a good shot. It's a good learning experience.”
Madaisky, like so many other young players before him, also made an important discovery.
“Everybody around you is better, which makes you a better player,” he said. “As long as you come in and you've done the work in the summer . . . once you start practising with the big guys it almost gets easier. Every pass is good. Everything is quick . . . bam, bam, bam. It's great.
“As long as you're in shape, you're going to do fine.”
A year ago, Madaisky was preparing for his sophomore season with the Calgary Hitmen knowing that he would have a tough time cracking their top four. Then, in January, he was traded to the Blazers, with whom he got lots of ice time.
The rest, as they say, is history.
“Absolutely, the trade was great for me,” he said. “It really gave me an opportunity.”
JUST NOTES: The games on Friday and Saturday both start at 7 p.m. . . . The Blazers did get F Brendan Ranford back from the camp of the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. He was a seventh-round pick by the Flyers in the 2010 NHL draft. . . . D Josh Caron (Minnesota Wild) is to rejoin the Blazers sometime today. . . . That leaves D Corey Fienhage (Buffalo Sabres) as the lone player still with an NHL team. . . . D Brandon Underwood (concussion) isn't expected to play this weekend. He was injured Saturday when he took a hit from Prince George F Charles Inglis. Underwood had his first symptom-free day yesterday, so will be cleared in a week. . . . G Jeff Bosch, acquired from the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday, practised yesterday. He has been bothered by a sprained ankle for a couple of weeks.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Tuesday . . .
Carlos Sosa, a well-known lawyer and player agent who works out of the Seattle area, wasn’t on a recruiting trip when he was in Lethbridge watching the Hurricanes’ training camp a few weeks ago.
He was there because his son, Daniel, was in the camp. Daniel, a defenceman, had been selected by the Hurricanes in the 11th round of the WHL’s 2010 bantam draft.
“I wasn’t there looking for clients,” Sosa says. “I was watching their scrimmages and noticed this goalie was playing pretty well . . . but it was a scrimmage.”
He later learned that the goaltender he was watching was Brandon Anderson, an 18-year-old out of Langley, B.C., who was preparing for his second season in Lethbridge.
“I knew who he was; I might have seen him play once,” Sosa says.
Anderson, as it turned out, hadn’t been selected in the 2010 NHL draft but late in August had accepted a free-agent tryout deal with the NHL’s Washington Capitals.
“I was told he didn’t have representation and that he was going to Washington’s camp,” Sosa says. “I had a brief chat with him there; he had just gotten the tryout around Aug. 20.”
They spoke briefly in Lethbridge and Sosa gave a business card to Anderson. Sosa later wrote a letter “about what we do” to Anderson.
And so it was that Sosa ended up signing on to represent Anderson as he trundled off to Washington’s camp. Anderson came back earlier this week . . . with a contract in his hip pocket.
“He goes to the camp and three or four days into the camp they want to sign him,” Sosa says. “It’s a great story.”
He’s right. It is a great story.
Here’s an undrafted goaltender who, between Aug. 20 and Sept. 20, went from being the No. 1 goaltender with the Hurricanes to signing a three-year NHL contract.
“Especially for a goaltender . . . it’s so hard for guys to get spots,” Sosa said.
As for Sosa, well, as he says: “For me, it was awesome . . . but I just stumbled into it.”
Last season, Anderson went 12-19-1-1 with a 3.49 GAA and a .892 save percentage. He was a third-round pick in the WHL’s 2007 bantam draft.
Daniel Sosa, meanwhile, is at Notre Dame in Wilcox, Sask., where he is expected to play for the midget AAA Hounds.
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The Hurricanes are carrying 25 players. They had three players in NHL camps and all have returned, although F Brody Sutter (Florida) has a shoulder injury. Also back are G Brandon Anderson (Washington) and F Cam Braes (San Jose). . . . Lethbridge opens the season Friday in Calgary against the Hitmen.
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Mark Miller, who won the WHL’s Marketing/Public Relations Award in 1993-94 while with the Portland Winterhawks, has died. His body was found Saturday morning in the bathroom of his home in Monte Rio, Calif. He apparently died of a heart attack. . . . “I have never worked with anyone who had a more profound economic impact on a business than him,” Dean (Scooter) Vrooman, the former radio voice and public relations guru with the Winterhawks, told me in an email. “In the early 1990s, he was incredible for the ’Hawks when the team was also very marketable. Those were quite the days for hockey in Portland, and Mark was instrumental in developing a ticketing system that was very convenient for the fans. It was in the years right before the Rose Garden opened in 1995 that the Hawks were often turning away as many as 3,000 on Saturday nights because the 10,000 plus Memorial Coliseum was full to the rafters. He also worked with me in maximizing selling sponsorships. He was rightfully recognized at the league level for marketing excellence in those days. Overall, we worked together from 1985 (he started with the Hawks to help organize the 1986 Memorial Cup in Portland) through about 2000, as I recall.”
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F Nino Niederreiter of the Portland Winterhawks has signed a three-year contract with the NHL’s New York Islanders. He was the fifth overall pick in the 2010 NHL draft. It is anticipated that Niederretier, 18, will at least start the season with the Islanders. If he is able to stay among the club’s top six forwards, he will stay there all season. . . . F Ryan Johansen of the Winterhawks, who was taken fourth overall, signed earlier with the Columbus Blue Jackets. It is anticipated that Johansen, 18, will be returned to Portland, perhaps as early as next week. But, in the meantime, he is scheduled to make his NHL debut Wednesday night against the visiting Washington Capitals. Johansen is expected to start the night on a line with Rick Nash and R.J. Umberger, which is pretty good company for an 18-year-old rookie to be keeping. . . . D Austin Madaisky of the Kamloops Blazers is one of eight defencemen listed on the Columbus lineup for Wednesday’s game. He told me Tuesday night he expects to take the warmup but doesn’t expect to play in the game.
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F Casey Pierro-Zabotel, who won the WHL’s scoring championship in 2008-09 while with the Vancouver Giants, will miss up to four weeks with a broken finger. That injury pretty much ends his training camp with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. . . . Pierro-Zabotel had 41 points in 49 games with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers last season. He also got into nine games with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
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The Kelowna Rockets’ roster is at 27 after three moves were made Tuesday. . . . The Rockets assigned F Tyrell Goulbourne to the midget AAA CAC Canadians in Edmonton. He was a fifth-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft. . . . The Rockets also released two veteran forwards -- Codey Ito, who turns 19 on Nov. 11, and Sean Aschim, who turns 18 on Dec. 30. . . . If the Rockets aren’t able to move Ito and Aschim within the WHL, it’s expected both players will join SJHL teams. . . . Ito had seven points in 62 games last season, his first in the WHL. Aschim had six points in 26 games with the Prince Albert Raiders and zero points in 21 games with Kelowna.
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G Brandon Glover, 18, left the Moose Jaw Warriors on Tuesday and asked for a trade. The Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports that Glover, who was preparing for his second season in Moose Jaw, has returned to his home in Victoria. . . . Last season, Glover, a sixth-round pick in the 2007 bantam draft, had a 3.40 GAA and a .890 save percentage while backing up Jeff Bosch. . . . On Friday, the Warriors acquired G Thomas Heemskerk, 20, from the Everett Silvertips and then dealt Bosch to the Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Warriors now are left with two goaltenders -- Heemskerk and freshman Brandon Stone, 17, who played last season with the major midget Fraser Valley Bruins in B.C.
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The Everett Silvertips will open the season with two goaltenders -- veteran Kent Simpson and Luke Siemens, 18 -- after reassigning Andy Desautels, 16, to the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. . . . The Silvertips have released D Jeff Regier, 19. Regier is expected to join the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles. . . . The moves left Everett with 25 players on its roster. . . . D Rasmus Rissanen, 19, is expected back from the camp of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes before the weekend.
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F Jeff Nelson (Prince Albert, 1988-92) sat out last season but now has signed with the Central League’s Evansville IceMen. Nelson, 37, had 58 points with the Central league’s Mississippi RiverKings in 2008-09, but didn’t play last season. There’s more on Nelson’s signing right here. . . . Nelson still holds the WHL record for longest single-season point-scoring streak. In 1990-91, he put up 108 points in a 56-game streak.
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Among the players returning to the WHL from NHL camps on Tuesday: G Calvin Pickard, to Seattle from Colorado; D Troy Rutkowski, to Portland from Colorado; D Sebastian Owuya, to Medicine Hat from Atlanta; F Byron Froese, to Red Deer from Chicago; G Kent Simpson, to Everett from Chicago; F Steele Boomer, to Kootenay from Chicago; F Mark Stone, to Brandon from Ottawa; F Garrett Mitchell, to Regina from Washington.
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The OHL has decided to do away with its annual all-star game. That story is right here. . . . Now if the CHL would only dump the series with the touring Russian side that isn’t the national junior team.
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Ryan Walter (Kamloops Chiefs, Seattle Breakers, 1974-78) has been named head coach of the women’s hockey team that will represent Canada at the 4 Nations Cup in St. John’s and Clarenville, Nfld., Nov. 9-13. Hockey Canada made the announcement on Tuesday. The tournament features Canada, the U.S., Sweden and Finland. Walter, 52, most recently was an assistant coach with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
He was there because his son, Daniel, was in the camp. Daniel, a defenceman, had been selected by the Hurricanes in the 11th round of the WHL’s 2010 bantam draft.
“I wasn’t there looking for clients,” Sosa says. “I was watching their scrimmages and noticed this goalie was playing pretty well . . . but it was a scrimmage.”
He later learned that the goaltender he was watching was Brandon Anderson, an 18-year-old out of Langley, B.C., who was preparing for his second season in Lethbridge.
“I knew who he was; I might have seen him play once,” Sosa says.
Anderson, as it turned out, hadn’t been selected in the 2010 NHL draft but late in August had accepted a free-agent tryout deal with the NHL’s Washington Capitals.
“I was told he didn’t have representation and that he was going to Washington’s camp,” Sosa says. “I had a brief chat with him there; he had just gotten the tryout around Aug. 20.”
They spoke briefly in Lethbridge and Sosa gave a business card to Anderson. Sosa later wrote a letter “about what we do” to Anderson.
And so it was that Sosa ended up signing on to represent Anderson as he trundled off to Washington’s camp. Anderson came back earlier this week . . . with a contract in his hip pocket.
“He goes to the camp and three or four days into the camp they want to sign him,” Sosa says. “It’s a great story.”
He’s right. It is a great story.
Here’s an undrafted goaltender who, between Aug. 20 and Sept. 20, went from being the No. 1 goaltender with the Hurricanes to signing a three-year NHL contract.
“Especially for a goaltender . . . it’s so hard for guys to get spots,” Sosa said.
As for Sosa, well, as he says: “For me, it was awesome . . . but I just stumbled into it.”
Last season, Anderson went 12-19-1-1 with a 3.49 GAA and a .892 save percentage. He was a third-round pick in the WHL’s 2007 bantam draft.
Daniel Sosa, meanwhile, is at Notre Dame in Wilcox, Sask., where he is expected to play for the midget AAA Hounds.
---
The Hurricanes are carrying 25 players. They had three players in NHL camps and all have returned, although F Brody Sutter (Florida) has a shoulder injury. Also back are G Brandon Anderson (Washington) and F Cam Braes (San Jose). . . . Lethbridge opens the season Friday in Calgary against the Hitmen.
---
Mark Miller, who won the WHL’s Marketing/Public Relations Award in 1993-94 while with the Portland Winterhawks, has died. His body was found Saturday morning in the bathroom of his home in Monte Rio, Calif. He apparently died of a heart attack. . . . “I have never worked with anyone who had a more profound economic impact on a business than him,” Dean (Scooter) Vrooman, the former radio voice and public relations guru with the Winterhawks, told me in an email. “In the early 1990s, he was incredible for the ’Hawks when the team was also very marketable. Those were quite the days for hockey in Portland, and Mark was instrumental in developing a ticketing system that was very convenient for the fans. It was in the years right before the Rose Garden opened in 1995 that the Hawks were often turning away as many as 3,000 on Saturday nights because the 10,000 plus Memorial Coliseum was full to the rafters. He also worked with me in maximizing selling sponsorships. He was rightfully recognized at the league level for marketing excellence in those days. Overall, we worked together from 1985 (he started with the Hawks to help organize the 1986 Memorial Cup in Portland) through about 2000, as I recall.”
---
F Nino Niederreiter of the Portland Winterhawks has signed a three-year contract with the NHL’s New York Islanders. He was the fifth overall pick in the 2010 NHL draft. It is anticipated that Niederretier, 18, will at least start the season with the Islanders. If he is able to stay among the club’s top six forwards, he will stay there all season. . . . F Ryan Johansen of the Winterhawks, who was taken fourth overall, signed earlier with the Columbus Blue Jackets. It is anticipated that Johansen, 18, will be returned to Portland, perhaps as early as next week. But, in the meantime, he is scheduled to make his NHL debut Wednesday night against the visiting Washington Capitals. Johansen is expected to start the night on a line with Rick Nash and R.J. Umberger, which is pretty good company for an 18-year-old rookie to be keeping. . . . D Austin Madaisky of the Kamloops Blazers is one of eight defencemen listed on the Columbus lineup for Wednesday’s game. He told me Tuesday night he expects to take the warmup but doesn’t expect to play in the game.
---
F Casey Pierro-Zabotel, who won the WHL’s scoring championship in 2008-09 while with the Vancouver Giants, will miss up to four weeks with a broken finger. That injury pretty much ends his training camp with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. . . . Pierro-Zabotel had 41 points in 49 games with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers last season. He also got into nine games with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
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The Kelowna Rockets’ roster is at 27 after three moves were made Tuesday. . . . The Rockets assigned F Tyrell Goulbourne to the midget AAA CAC Canadians in Edmonton. He was a fifth-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft. . . . The Rockets also released two veteran forwards -- Codey Ito, who turns 19 on Nov. 11, and Sean Aschim, who turns 18 on Dec. 30. . . . If the Rockets aren’t able to move Ito and Aschim within the WHL, it’s expected both players will join SJHL teams. . . . Ito had seven points in 62 games last season, his first in the WHL. Aschim had six points in 26 games with the Prince Albert Raiders and zero points in 21 games with Kelowna.
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G Brandon Glover, 18, left the Moose Jaw Warriors on Tuesday and asked for a trade. The Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports that Glover, who was preparing for his second season in Moose Jaw, has returned to his home in Victoria. . . . Last season, Glover, a sixth-round pick in the 2007 bantam draft, had a 3.40 GAA and a .890 save percentage while backing up Jeff Bosch. . . . On Friday, the Warriors acquired G Thomas Heemskerk, 20, from the Everett Silvertips and then dealt Bosch to the Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Warriors now are left with two goaltenders -- Heemskerk and freshman Brandon Stone, 17, who played last season with the major midget Fraser Valley Bruins in B.C.
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The Everett Silvertips will open the season with two goaltenders -- veteran Kent Simpson and Luke Siemens, 18 -- after reassigning Andy Desautels, 16, to the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. . . . The Silvertips have released D Jeff Regier, 19. Regier is expected to join the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles. . . . The moves left Everett with 25 players on its roster. . . . D Rasmus Rissanen, 19, is expected back from the camp of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes before the weekend.
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F Jeff Nelson (Prince Albert, 1988-92) sat out last season but now has signed with the Central League’s Evansville IceMen. Nelson, 37, had 58 points with the Central league’s Mississippi RiverKings in 2008-09, but didn’t play last season. There’s more on Nelson’s signing right here. . . . Nelson still holds the WHL record for longest single-season point-scoring streak. In 1990-91, he put up 108 points in a 56-game streak.
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Among the players returning to the WHL from NHL camps on Tuesday: G Calvin Pickard, to Seattle from Colorado; D Troy Rutkowski, to Portland from Colorado; D Sebastian Owuya, to Medicine Hat from Atlanta; F Byron Froese, to Red Deer from Chicago; G Kent Simpson, to Everett from Chicago; F Steele Boomer, to Kootenay from Chicago; F Mark Stone, to Brandon from Ottawa; F Garrett Mitchell, to Regina from Washington.
---
The OHL has decided to do away with its annual all-star game. That story is right here. . . . Now if the CHL would only dump the series with the touring Russian side that isn’t the national junior team.
---
Ryan Walter (Kamloops Chiefs, Seattle Breakers, 1974-78) has been named head coach of the women’s hockey team that will represent Canada at the 4 Nations Cup in St. John’s and Clarenville, Nfld., Nov. 9-13. Hockey Canada made the announcement on Tuesday. The tournament features Canada, the U.S., Sweden and Finland. Walter, 52, most recently was an assistant coach with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Monday . . .
A veritable potpourri for you to enjoy with your morning coffee . . .
THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Ryan Jorde (Tri-City, Lethbridge, Moose Jaw, 1997-2002) signed a one-year contract with Gap (France Ligue Magnus). He had no goals and four assists in 20 games with the Hull Stingrays and Newcastle Vipers (both UK Elite) last season.
---
It’s true.
Penn State, the home of Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions, is going to have an NCAA Division 1 hockey team.
And it’s primarily because of a man named Terry Pegula, who has given US$88 million to the university, which is located in State College, Pa., to fund the construction of a new arena.
Ray Parrillo of the Philadelphia has that story and lots of Pegula right here. It turns out he fell in love with hockey because of the Broad Street Bullies.
And there’s more on that story right here, including speculation on possible conference realignment down the road.
---
The Spokane Chiefs have gotten D Brenden Kichton, 18, back from the camp of the Detroit Red Wings. But he’ll miss up to six weeks with a broken finger. He was injured while playing for the Detroit team at the prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich. . . . Earlier on the weekend, the Chiefs got veteran F Levko Koper, 20, back from the camp of the Atlanta Thrashers. He is preparing for a fifth season with the Chiefs. . . . Spokane also has reassigned F Connor Chartier, 16, to the midget AAA ranks in Alberta. He was a second-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft. . . . The Chiefs are down to 25 players, including three goaltenders and 14 forwards.
---
When writing earlier about Swiss F Roman Wick, I noted that he had played with the Red Deer Rebels. It turns out he also played in Lethbridge. As noted by Ryan Ohashi, the Hurricanes’ efficient director of communications:
“Roman Wick actually spent two seasons in the WHL and the better part of the second one he played here in Lethbridge.
“The interesting side note to that is that years later when we drafted a then-little known Swiss D-man named Luca Sbisa, Wick ran into him in Switzerland and told him all about what a great experience he had here and in the WHL. Luca was sold and came over unranked then went in the first round of the (NHL) draft that year.
“The extra side note is that the same family that billeted Roman also billeted Luca -- we have decided it has to be something in the food.”
---
The Edmonton Oilers trimmed 20 players from their training camp roster on Monday. Among the players assigned to junior teams are G Tyler Bunz (Medicine Hat), F Drew Czerwonka (Kootenay), D Brandon Davidson (Regina), F Curtis Hamilton (Saskatoon), D Martin Marincin (Prince George) and F Kristians Pelss (Edmonton). . . . D Dallas Ehrhardt (Moose Jaw) and F Chase Schaber (Kamloops) were released from tryout agreements and are headed back to the WHL. Ehrhardt didn’t see much ice time with the Oilers as he suffered a knee injury while the prospects were in Penticton, B.C. World from the Warriors camp is that he will be out for up to six weeks with a strained MCL in his right knee. A torn MCL in that same knee cost him almost two months of last season.
---
The Phoenix Coyotes have returned F Evan Bloodoff, 20, to the Kelowna Rockets, and D Justin Weller, 19, to the Red Deer Rebels.
---
The San Jose Sharks have signed D Curt Gogol, who turns 19 today (Sept. 21), to a three-year NHL contract. The Saskatoon Blades acquired Gogol last season from the Kelowna Rockets. The website CapGeek.com reports that the deal is worth US$530,000, $555,000 and $555,000 in the NHL, and $50,000, $55,000 and $60,000 in the AHL. The contract carries with it an annual $30,000 signing bonus. . . . Gogol had six assists and 120 penalty minutes in 35 games with Kelowna and one goal and 29 penalty minutes in eight games with the Blades last season. In 2008-09, he had five points and 144 penalty minutes in 63 games with the Rockets. . . . He wasn’t selected in the NHL draft.
---
The Detroit Red Wings have returned F Mitchell Callahan (Kelowna), F Landon Ferraro (Everett), F Antonin Honejsek (Moose Jaw) and F Brooks Macek (Tri-City).
---
The Kootenay Ice is down to 26 players after assigning five 16-year-old players -- F Levi Cable (midget AAA Yorkton Harvest); F Colby Cave (midget AAA Battlefords Stars); D Jeff Hubic (midget AAA Tisdale Trojans), F Jared Iron (midget AAA Beardy’s Blackhawks) and D Mike Simpson (junior B Delta Ice Hawks). . . . Cave was the 13th overall pick in the 2009 bantam draft, while Hubic was taken in the fourth round, Simpson in the sixth and Iron in the eighth. . . . The Ice still has two players in NHL camps -- D Brayden McNabb (Buffalo) and F Steele Boomer (Chicago).
---
The Chilliwack Bruins got down to 26 players on their roster by assigning F Zane Jones, 16, and D Brett Cote, 16, to undisclosed destinations. Cote was a third-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft; Jones was taken in the fifth round. . . . The Bruins are carrying three goaltenders, eight defencemen and 15 forwards. . . . They also have three players in NHL camps -- D Roman Horak and D Brandon Manning (both New York Rangers) and F Kevin Sundher (Buffalo).
---
Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has penned a three-part series on the Parker family’s ownership of the Regina Pats. Part 1 is right here.
---
The Montreal Canadiens have returned F Brendan Gallagher to the Vancouver Giants. He was a fifth-round pick in the 2010 NHL draft.
---
The Brandon Wheat Kings are down to 32 players after returning F Daniel Asham to the midget AAA Winnipeg Wild and D Dylan Kuczek to the midget AAA Winnipeg Thrashers. Kuczek was a second-round pick in the 2009 draft, while Brandon took Asham in the eighth round. . . . As well, D Josh Elmes, 17, is off to join the MJHL’s OCN Blizzard. He was an eighth-round pick in 2008.
---
The Wheat Kings continue to prepare for the opening of the season with five goaltenders among the 32 players still on their roster. GM/head coach Kelly McCrimmon was believed to be planning on opening with one of two 20-year-olds -- Andrew Hayes or Jacob DeSerres -- and Liam Liston, 17. . . . However, he hasn’t been able to move either of the veterans -- there are a number of 20-year-old goaltenders in the league and two of them (Morgan Clark, from Swift Current to Prince George, and Jeff Bosch, from Moose Jaw to Kamloops) already have been on the move. . . . But McCrimmon also has Ty Rimmer, 18, and Corbin Boes, 17, on his roster. Ironically, Rimmer made the roster a year ago as Hayes’ backup, but was sent to junior A after DeSerres was acquired from the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Brandon opens at home to the Regina Pats on Friday. . . . Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun also reports that Brandon still has three players -- F Scott Glennie (Dallas), F Brayden Schenn (Los Angeles) and F Mark Stone (Ottawa) -- in NHL camps. As well, F Jens Meilleur, 17, suffered a broken hand in an exhibition game Saturday so is out for a while. . . . Brandon did get F David Toews (New York Islanders) and F Michael Ferland (Calgary Flames) back from NHL camps. Both players practised in Brandon on Monday, although neither skated with their NHL teams because of injuries. Henderson reports that Toews, 20, was diagnosed with a torn labrum in one shoulder, but later was found not to be badly injured. “It was really, really frustrating not to be able to get to play out there,” Toews told Henderson. “I was being pretty negative on myself for a few days there but I was lucky enough to get a second look at it and get a couple doctors opinions and I’m lucky that it’s not as severe as we thought it was at first. So that’s a good thing and I’m taking the positive out of the fact that I don’t need to get surgery and that I can keep playing here is huge for me.” . . . Ferland, 18, has been out for two weeks with a twisted knee. He didn’t take part in contact drills on Monday.
---
The Prince Albert Raiders are down to 25 players after releasing C Troy Gasper, 18. He plans on returning to the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos. . . . The Raiders, who open Friday in Saskatoon, are carrying two goaltenders, nine defencemen and 14 forwards. . . . The Blades visit Prince Albert on Saturday. . . . D Ryan Button, 19, is in camp with the Boston Bruins. . . . John MacNeil of the Prince Albert Daily Herald reports that four players are injured -- D Mathew Berry-Lamontagna (wrist), F Shane Danyluk (ankle), F Tyler Paslawski (head) and F Igor Revenko (leg). Danyluk, who was injured Aug. 28, won’t play for a while, while Revenko, who was hurt Saturday, may be back on the ice Tuesday.
---
A note from Howie Stalwick, a veteran WHL observer, from the Kitsap Sun of Bermerton, Wash. . . .
Top 10: All-time best NHL players developed in the major junior WHL — 10. Jarome Iginla, RW (Kamloops). 9. Cam Neely, RW (Portland). 8. Clark Gillies, LW (Regina). 7. Grant Fuhr, G (Victoria). 6. Mike Modano, C (Prince Albert). 5. Mark Recchi, RW (Kamloops). 4. Scott Niedermayer, D (Kamloops). 3. Joe Sakic, C (Swift Current). 2. Bryan Trottier, C (Swift Current-Lethbridge). 1. Bobby Clarke, C (Flin Flon). Note: Players who made token appearances in the WHL, like Hall of Fame C Mark Messier (Portland), were not considered.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Ryan Jorde (Tri-City, Lethbridge, Moose Jaw, 1997-2002) signed a one-year contract with Gap (France Ligue Magnus). He had no goals and four assists in 20 games with the Hull Stingrays and Newcastle Vipers (both UK Elite) last season.
---
It’s true.
Penn State, the home of Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions, is going to have an NCAA Division 1 hockey team.
And it’s primarily because of a man named Terry Pegula, who has given US$88 million to the university, which is located in State College, Pa., to fund the construction of a new arena.
Ray Parrillo of the Philadelphia has that story and lots of Pegula right here. It turns out he fell in love with hockey because of the Broad Street Bullies.
And there’s more on that story right here, including speculation on possible conference realignment down the road.
---
The Spokane Chiefs have gotten D Brenden Kichton, 18, back from the camp of the Detroit Red Wings. But he’ll miss up to six weeks with a broken finger. He was injured while playing for the Detroit team at the prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich. . . . Earlier on the weekend, the Chiefs got veteran F Levko Koper, 20, back from the camp of the Atlanta Thrashers. He is preparing for a fifth season with the Chiefs. . . . Spokane also has reassigned F Connor Chartier, 16, to the midget AAA ranks in Alberta. He was a second-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft. . . . The Chiefs are down to 25 players, including three goaltenders and 14 forwards.
---
When writing earlier about Swiss F Roman Wick, I noted that he had played with the Red Deer Rebels. It turns out he also played in Lethbridge. As noted by Ryan Ohashi, the Hurricanes’ efficient director of communications:
“Roman Wick actually spent two seasons in the WHL and the better part of the second one he played here in Lethbridge.
“The interesting side note to that is that years later when we drafted a then-little known Swiss D-man named Luca Sbisa, Wick ran into him in Switzerland and told him all about what a great experience he had here and in the WHL. Luca was sold and came over unranked then went in the first round of the (NHL) draft that year.
“The extra side note is that the same family that billeted Roman also billeted Luca -- we have decided it has to be something in the food.”
---
The Edmonton Oilers trimmed 20 players from their training camp roster on Monday. Among the players assigned to junior teams are G Tyler Bunz (Medicine Hat), F Drew Czerwonka (Kootenay), D Brandon Davidson (Regina), F Curtis Hamilton (Saskatoon), D Martin Marincin (Prince George) and F Kristians Pelss (Edmonton). . . . D Dallas Ehrhardt (Moose Jaw) and F Chase Schaber (Kamloops) were released from tryout agreements and are headed back to the WHL. Ehrhardt didn’t see much ice time with the Oilers as he suffered a knee injury while the prospects were in Penticton, B.C. World from the Warriors camp is that he will be out for up to six weeks with a strained MCL in his right knee. A torn MCL in that same knee cost him almost two months of last season.
---
The Phoenix Coyotes have returned F Evan Bloodoff, 20, to the Kelowna Rockets, and D Justin Weller, 19, to the Red Deer Rebels.
---
The San Jose Sharks have signed D Curt Gogol, who turns 19 today (Sept. 21), to a three-year NHL contract. The Saskatoon Blades acquired Gogol last season from the Kelowna Rockets. The website CapGeek.com reports that the deal is worth US$530,000, $555,000 and $555,000 in the NHL, and $50,000, $55,000 and $60,000 in the AHL. The contract carries with it an annual $30,000 signing bonus. . . . Gogol had six assists and 120 penalty minutes in 35 games with Kelowna and one goal and 29 penalty minutes in eight games with the Blades last season. In 2008-09, he had five points and 144 penalty minutes in 63 games with the Rockets. . . . He wasn’t selected in the NHL draft.
---
The Detroit Red Wings have returned F Mitchell Callahan (Kelowna), F Landon Ferraro (Everett), F Antonin Honejsek (Moose Jaw) and F Brooks Macek (Tri-City).
---
The Kootenay Ice is down to 26 players after assigning five 16-year-old players -- F Levi Cable (midget AAA Yorkton Harvest); F Colby Cave (midget AAA Battlefords Stars); D Jeff Hubic (midget AAA Tisdale Trojans), F Jared Iron (midget AAA Beardy’s Blackhawks) and D Mike Simpson (junior B Delta Ice Hawks). . . . Cave was the 13th overall pick in the 2009 bantam draft, while Hubic was taken in the fourth round, Simpson in the sixth and Iron in the eighth. . . . The Ice still has two players in NHL camps -- D Brayden McNabb (Buffalo) and F Steele Boomer (Chicago).
---
The Chilliwack Bruins got down to 26 players on their roster by assigning F Zane Jones, 16, and D Brett Cote, 16, to undisclosed destinations. Cote was a third-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft; Jones was taken in the fifth round. . . . The Bruins are carrying three goaltenders, eight defencemen and 15 forwards. . . . They also have three players in NHL camps -- D Roman Horak and D Brandon Manning (both New York Rangers) and F Kevin Sundher (Buffalo).
---
Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has penned a three-part series on the Parker family’s ownership of the Regina Pats. Part 1 is right here.
---
The Montreal Canadiens have returned F Brendan Gallagher to the Vancouver Giants. He was a fifth-round pick in the 2010 NHL draft.
---
The Brandon Wheat Kings are down to 32 players after returning F Daniel Asham to the midget AAA Winnipeg Wild and D Dylan Kuczek to the midget AAA Winnipeg Thrashers. Kuczek was a second-round pick in the 2009 draft, while Brandon took Asham in the eighth round. . . . As well, D Josh Elmes, 17, is off to join the MJHL’s OCN Blizzard. He was an eighth-round pick in 2008.
---
The Wheat Kings continue to prepare for the opening of the season with five goaltenders among the 32 players still on their roster. GM/head coach Kelly McCrimmon was believed to be planning on opening with one of two 20-year-olds -- Andrew Hayes or Jacob DeSerres -- and Liam Liston, 17. . . . However, he hasn’t been able to move either of the veterans -- there are a number of 20-year-old goaltenders in the league and two of them (Morgan Clark, from Swift Current to Prince George, and Jeff Bosch, from Moose Jaw to Kamloops) already have been on the move. . . . But McCrimmon also has Ty Rimmer, 18, and Corbin Boes, 17, on his roster. Ironically, Rimmer made the roster a year ago as Hayes’ backup, but was sent to junior A after DeSerres was acquired from the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Brandon opens at home to the Regina Pats on Friday. . . . Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun also reports that Brandon still has three players -- F Scott Glennie (Dallas), F Brayden Schenn (Los Angeles) and F Mark Stone (Ottawa) -- in NHL camps. As well, F Jens Meilleur, 17, suffered a broken hand in an exhibition game Saturday so is out for a while. . . . Brandon did get F David Toews (New York Islanders) and F Michael Ferland (Calgary Flames) back from NHL camps. Both players practised in Brandon on Monday, although neither skated with their NHL teams because of injuries. Henderson reports that Toews, 20, was diagnosed with a torn labrum in one shoulder, but later was found not to be badly injured. “It was really, really frustrating not to be able to get to play out there,” Toews told Henderson. “I was being pretty negative on myself for a few days there but I was lucky enough to get a second look at it and get a couple doctors opinions and I’m lucky that it’s not as severe as we thought it was at first. So that’s a good thing and I’m taking the positive out of the fact that I don’t need to get surgery and that I can keep playing here is huge for me.” . . . Ferland, 18, has been out for two weeks with a twisted knee. He didn’t take part in contact drills on Monday.
---
The Prince Albert Raiders are down to 25 players after releasing C Troy Gasper, 18. He plans on returning to the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos. . . . The Raiders, who open Friday in Saskatoon, are carrying two goaltenders, nine defencemen and 14 forwards. . . . The Blades visit Prince Albert on Saturday. . . . D Ryan Button, 19, is in camp with the Boston Bruins. . . . John MacNeil of the Prince Albert Daily Herald reports that four players are injured -- D Mathew Berry-Lamontagna (wrist), F Shane Danyluk (ankle), F Tyler Paslawski (head) and F Igor Revenko (leg). Danyluk, who was injured Aug. 28, won’t play for a while, while Revenko, who was hurt Saturday, may be back on the ice Tuesday.
---
A note from Howie Stalwick, a veteran WHL observer, from the Kitsap Sun of Bermerton, Wash. . . .
Top 10: All-time best NHL players developed in the major junior WHL — 10. Jarome Iginla, RW (Kamloops). 9. Cam Neely, RW (Portland). 8. Clark Gillies, LW (Regina). 7. Grant Fuhr, G (Victoria). 6. Mike Modano, C (Prince Albert). 5. Mark Recchi, RW (Kamloops). 4. Scott Niedermayer, D (Kamloops). 3. Joe Sakic, C (Swift Current). 2. Bryan Trottier, C (Swift Current-Lethbridge). 1. Bobby Clarke, C (Flin Flon). Note: Players who made token appearances in the WHL, like Hall of Fame C Mark Messier (Portland), were not considered.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Schaber on way back to Blazers
By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Two down and four to go.
That’s what the Kamloops Blazers are thinking as Friday’s WHL regular-season home-opener draws closer.
A week ago, the Blazers had six roster players in NHL camps. As of Monday night, that number was at four.
Centre Chase Schaber was released from a free-agent tryout deal by the NHL‘s Edmonton Oilers yesterday. Schaber, 19, played for the Oilers team at the prospects tournament in Penticton last week and was held over for the start of the team‘s main camp in Edmonton.
Schaber, who is from Red Deer, is likely to be named the Blazers’ captain before they open the season Friday against the visiting Prince George Cougars. A forward who plays hard at home and on the road, Schaber finished last season with 49 points in 68 games. He came over from the Calgary Hitmen in a January trade that also brought defenceman Austin Madaisky to Kamloops.
Madaisky remains in camp with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who selected him in the fifth round of the NHL’s 2010 draft. He is on a team roster that is included with today’s Columbus practice schedule.
Also still in NHL camps as of last night were defencemen Josh Caron (Minnesota Wild) and Corey Fienhage (Buffalo Sabres), and winger Brendan Ranford (Philadelphia Flyers).
Winger JT Barnett, who had been with Minnesota’s prospects team at Traverse City, Mich., last week returned to Kamloops in time to play in two weekend games.
--------
The WHL and SHAW Communications released a 30-game regular-season TV schedule on Monday.
The Blazers will be featured three times, each one of them a home game -- Nov. 23, against the Regina Pats; Feb. 2, against the Everett Silvertips; and, March 8, against the Tri-City Americans.
The western telecast team will continue to feature Dan Russell doing play-by-play with analysis by Bill Wilms. The eastern crew will include Kirk Fraser, the Blazers’ former play-by-play man, and former WHL and NHL player Jeff Odgers.
The telecast host will be Joey Kenward, the former radio voice of the Vancouver Giants.
--------
The Blazers will unveil a third set of jerseys on Saturday against the visiting Chilliwack Bruins. Kamloops will wear their jerseys for six Saturday home games in the season’s first half. The Blazers last introduced a third jersey in 2001-02.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Daily News Sports Editor
Two down and four to go.
That’s what the Kamloops Blazers are thinking as Friday’s WHL regular-season home-opener draws closer.
A week ago, the Blazers had six roster players in NHL camps. As of Monday night, that number was at four.
Centre Chase Schaber was released from a free-agent tryout deal by the NHL‘s Edmonton Oilers yesterday. Schaber, 19, played for the Oilers team at the prospects tournament in Penticton last week and was held over for the start of the team‘s main camp in Edmonton.
Schaber, who is from Red Deer, is likely to be named the Blazers’ captain before they open the season Friday against the visiting Prince George Cougars. A forward who plays hard at home and on the road, Schaber finished last season with 49 points in 68 games. He came over from the Calgary Hitmen in a January trade that also brought defenceman Austin Madaisky to Kamloops.
Madaisky remains in camp with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who selected him in the fifth round of the NHL’s 2010 draft. He is on a team roster that is included with today’s Columbus practice schedule.
Also still in NHL camps as of last night were defencemen Josh Caron (Minnesota Wild) and Corey Fienhage (Buffalo Sabres), and winger Brendan Ranford (Philadelphia Flyers).
Winger JT Barnett, who had been with Minnesota’s prospects team at Traverse City, Mich., last week returned to Kamloops in time to play in two weekend games.
--------
The WHL and SHAW Communications released a 30-game regular-season TV schedule on Monday.
The Blazers will be featured three times, each one of them a home game -- Nov. 23, against the Regina Pats; Feb. 2, against the Everett Silvertips; and, March 8, against the Tri-City Americans.
The western telecast team will continue to feature Dan Russell doing play-by-play with analysis by Bill Wilms. The eastern crew will include Kirk Fraser, the Blazers’ former play-by-play man, and former WHL and NHL player Jeff Odgers.
The telecast host will be Joey Kenward, the former radio voice of the Vancouver Giants.
--------
The Blazers will unveil a third set of jerseys on Saturday against the visiting Chilliwack Bruins. Kamloops will wear their jerseys for six Saturday home games in the season’s first half. The Blazers last introduced a third jersey in 2001-02.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Sunday . . .
THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Martin Podlesak (Tri-City, Lethbridge, 2000-02) has been assigned on loan to Ceske Budejovice (Czech Republic Extraliga) by Sparta Prague (Czech Republic Extraliga). The loan agreement is until the end of October, and Ceske Budejovice has the option to extend the loan until the end of the season. Podlesak had six goals and four assists in 46 games for Sparta last season.
———
Former WHL coach Rob Daum is back at the U of Alberta where he is serving as senior director of player personnel. Daum was a long-time Golden Bears head coach before he ventured into the pro game. He spent last season with the Springfield Falcons, then the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. He’ll help Golden Bears head coach Eric Thurston, who lost assistant coaches Russ Hewson and Stan Marple to NAIT where they are coaching the Ooks. . . . Meanwhile, Rocky Thompson, who was dropped as an assistant coach by the Edmonton Oil Kings after last season, is on staff with the Oklahoma City Barons, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers.
———
The Saskatoon Blades made a move with their goaltenders on Sunday, assigning Tyler Oswald, 17, to the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings. That leaves the Blades with three goaltenders on their roster — Steven Stanford, 20; Adam Morrison, 19; and, Adam Iwan, 17. . . . Morrison remains in camp with the Philadelphia Flyers.
---
The Red Deer Rebels have assigned F Mason Burr, 16, to the midget AAA UFA Bisons, who play out of Strathmore, Alta. Burr had two assists in four exhibition games with the Rebels. He was a second-round pick, 27th overall, in the 2009 bantam draft. . . . After that move, the Rebels were down to 27 players on their roster, including four players in NHL camps — F Byron Froese (Chicago Blackhawks), G Darcy Kuemper (Minnesota Wild), D Alex Petrovic (Florida Panthers) and D Justin Weller (Phoenix Coyotes).
———
F Mark Parrish (Seattle, 1997-98) is in camp with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. Parrish, 33, played last season with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning and its AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals. He didn’t score in 16 NHL games, but had 17 goals in 56 AHL games. His NHL career includes six 20-goal seasons. "He's a guy that can score goals and maybe can supply some depth that we want to take a look at," Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff told the Buffalo News. "He's been a goal scorer at the NHL level so we're taking a look."
———
The Washington Capitals returned G Brandon Anderson, 18, to the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Sunday. He was in the Capitals’ camp on a free-agent tryout deal.
———
F Jason Jaffray (Kootenay, Swift Current, 1998-2002) suffered what appears to be a serious knee injury during a Saturday scrimmage in the camp of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. According to Lindsay Kramer of the Syracuse Post-Standard, “An MRI showed a MCL sprain and also an ACL tear to his left knee. He will be examined Tuesday to determine his exact treatment plan.”
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
F Martin Podlesak (Tri-City, Lethbridge, 2000-02) has been assigned on loan to Ceske Budejovice (Czech Republic Extraliga) by Sparta Prague (Czech Republic Extraliga). The loan agreement is until the end of October, and Ceske Budejovice has the option to extend the loan until the end of the season. Podlesak had six goals and four assists in 46 games for Sparta last season.
———
Former WHL coach Rob Daum is back at the U of Alberta where he is serving as senior director of player personnel. Daum was a long-time Golden Bears head coach before he ventured into the pro game. He spent last season with the Springfield Falcons, then the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. He’ll help Golden Bears head coach Eric Thurston, who lost assistant coaches Russ Hewson and Stan Marple to NAIT where they are coaching the Ooks. . . . Meanwhile, Rocky Thompson, who was dropped as an assistant coach by the Edmonton Oil Kings after last season, is on staff with the Oklahoma City Barons, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers.
———
The Saskatoon Blades made a move with their goaltenders on Sunday, assigning Tyler Oswald, 17, to the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings. That leaves the Blades with three goaltenders on their roster — Steven Stanford, 20; Adam Morrison, 19; and, Adam Iwan, 17. . . . Morrison remains in camp with the Philadelphia Flyers.
---
The Red Deer Rebels have assigned F Mason Burr, 16, to the midget AAA UFA Bisons, who play out of Strathmore, Alta. Burr had two assists in four exhibition games with the Rebels. He was a second-round pick, 27th overall, in the 2009 bantam draft. . . . After that move, the Rebels were down to 27 players on their roster, including four players in NHL camps — F Byron Froese (Chicago Blackhawks), G Darcy Kuemper (Minnesota Wild), D Alex Petrovic (Florida Panthers) and D Justin Weller (Phoenix Coyotes).
———
F Mark Parrish (Seattle, 1997-98) is in camp with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. Parrish, 33, played last season with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning and its AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals. He didn’t score in 16 NHL games, but had 17 goals in 56 AHL games. His NHL career includes six 20-goal seasons. "He's a guy that can score goals and maybe can supply some depth that we want to take a look at," Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff told the Buffalo News. "He's been a goal scorer at the NHL level so we're taking a look."
———
The Washington Capitals returned G Brandon Anderson, 18, to the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Sunday. He was in the Capitals’ camp on a free-agent tryout deal.
———
F Jason Jaffray (Kootenay, Swift Current, 1998-2002) suffered what appears to be a serious knee injury during a Saturday scrimmage in the camp of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. According to Lindsay Kramer of the Syracuse Post-Standard, “An MRI showed a MCL sprain and also an ACL tear to his left knee. He will be examined Tuesday to determine his exact treatment plan.”
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Groenheyde to start Blazers' first two games
By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Jon Groenheyde will be in goal for the Kamloops Blazers when they open the WHL’s regular season with a weekend doubleheader.
Head coach Guy Charron said Sunday that Groenheyde will start when the Prince George Cougars visit Interior Savings Centre on Friday night and again Saturday night here against the Chilliwack Bruins.
The 19-year-old Groenheyde, who played all but about 30 minutes of the Blazers’ six exhibition games, is in his third season with the Blazers. Last season, Groenheyde backed up Justin Leclerc for the home-opener; two seasons ago, the Blazers started Leclerc and had James Priestner on the bench.
“For sure, he’s earned it,” Charron said of Groenheyde getting the starting assignment. “Absolutely.”
Groenheyde came into training camp late in August as the No. 1 goaltender and hasn’t done anything to damage that standing. He ran his exhibition record to 4-1 on Saturday with his fifth complete game as the Blazers dropped the Cougars 6-2 in Prince George.
“We were up 6-1 and we gave up way too many chances in the third period,” Charron said. “Jon excelled in the third period. He played very well. We left him stranded for a while and he held the fort.”
Groenheyde finished with 33 saves, leaving him with a .913 save percentage for his six appearances.
Of course, the Blazers acquired Jeff Bosch, a 20-year-old goaltender, from the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday. Eventually, he and Groenheyde will compete for playing time, but that won’t happen just yet.
“Bosch hasn’t played for almost two weeks,” Charron said, “so it wouldn’t make any sense to make it a competitive situation.”
Bosch suffered a sprained left ankle during a practice about two weeks ago and since then has skated lightly on only a couple of occasions. He was expected to arrive in Kamloops sometime Sunday and attend practice today.
“We feel confident that Jon can do the job,” Charron said. “He’ll probably have the weekend games and we’ll re-evaulate as we move along.”
The Blazers got down to two goaltenders after Saturday’s game by assigning Troy Trombley, 16, to the Alberta midget AAA ranks. The 6-foot-6, 187-pound Trombley, who is from Sherwood Park, Alta., was a third-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft and has signed a WHL contract.
Meanwhile, the Blazers will spend this week practising and waiting. As of last night, they still had five players in NHL camps — defencemen Josh Caron (Minnesota Wild), Corey Fienhage (Buffalo Sabres) and Austin Madaisky (Columbus Blue Jackets), as well as forwards Brendan Ranford (Philadelphia Flyers) and Chase Schaber (Edmonton Oilers).
Charron said the team expects all five back at some point this week, but won’t count on any of them “until we get confirmation from NHL teams as to when our players are going to be back.
“We’re optimistic we’ll get somebody back this week.”
The Blazers have 25 players on their roster, including 15 forwards and eight defencemen, but won’t be making any moves until they know the status of those five players.
———
The Blazers gave centre Dalibor Bortnak the night off Saturday — he didn’t make the trip north — as a reward for being the fittest player when camp opened and for his fine play in the first five games.
“He sent me a text (Sunday) and said that it was kind of boring,” a chuckling Charron said. “But he had a good camp and deserved a day off.”
———
D Brandon Underwood left Saturday’s game after taking a hard hit from Prince George F Charles Inglis, who wasn’t penalized on the play.
Charron said Underwood “may have a concussion” and that the third-year defenceman “will be re-evaluated over the next couple of days.”
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Daily News Sports Editor
Jon Groenheyde will be in goal for the Kamloops Blazers when they open the WHL’s regular season with a weekend doubleheader.
Head coach Guy Charron said Sunday that Groenheyde will start when the Prince George Cougars visit Interior Savings Centre on Friday night and again Saturday night here against the Chilliwack Bruins.
The 19-year-old Groenheyde, who played all but about 30 minutes of the Blazers’ six exhibition games, is in his third season with the Blazers. Last season, Groenheyde backed up Justin Leclerc for the home-opener; two seasons ago, the Blazers started Leclerc and had James Priestner on the bench.
“For sure, he’s earned it,” Charron said of Groenheyde getting the starting assignment. “Absolutely.”
Groenheyde came into training camp late in August as the No. 1 goaltender and hasn’t done anything to damage that standing. He ran his exhibition record to 4-1 on Saturday with his fifth complete game as the Blazers dropped the Cougars 6-2 in Prince George.
“We were up 6-1 and we gave up way too many chances in the third period,” Charron said. “Jon excelled in the third period. He played very well. We left him stranded for a while and he held the fort.”
Groenheyde finished with 33 saves, leaving him with a .913 save percentage for his six appearances.
Of course, the Blazers acquired Jeff Bosch, a 20-year-old goaltender, from the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday. Eventually, he and Groenheyde will compete for playing time, but that won’t happen just yet.
“Bosch hasn’t played for almost two weeks,” Charron said, “so it wouldn’t make any sense to make it a competitive situation.”
Bosch suffered a sprained left ankle during a practice about two weeks ago and since then has skated lightly on only a couple of occasions. He was expected to arrive in Kamloops sometime Sunday and attend practice today.
“We feel confident that Jon can do the job,” Charron said. “He’ll probably have the weekend games and we’ll re-evaulate as we move along.”
The Blazers got down to two goaltenders after Saturday’s game by assigning Troy Trombley, 16, to the Alberta midget AAA ranks. The 6-foot-6, 187-pound Trombley, who is from Sherwood Park, Alta., was a third-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft and has signed a WHL contract.
Meanwhile, the Blazers will spend this week practising and waiting. As of last night, they still had five players in NHL camps — defencemen Josh Caron (Minnesota Wild), Corey Fienhage (Buffalo Sabres) and Austin Madaisky (Columbus Blue Jackets), as well as forwards Brendan Ranford (Philadelphia Flyers) and Chase Schaber (Edmonton Oilers).
Charron said the team expects all five back at some point this week, but won’t count on any of them “until we get confirmation from NHL teams as to when our players are going to be back.
“We’re optimistic we’ll get somebody back this week.”
The Blazers have 25 players on their roster, including 15 forwards and eight defencemen, but won’t be making any moves until they know the status of those five players.
———
The Blazers gave centre Dalibor Bortnak the night off Saturday — he didn’t make the trip north — as a reward for being the fittest player when camp opened and for his fine play in the first five games.
“He sent me a text (Sunday) and said that it was kind of boring,” a chuckling Charron said. “But he had a good camp and deserved a day off.”
———
D Brandon Underwood left Saturday’s game after taking a hard hit from Prince George F Charles Inglis, who wasn’t penalized on the play.
Charron said Underwood “may have a concussion” and that the third-year defenceman “will be re-evaluated over the next couple of days.”
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Saturday . . .
Today we bring big, big news for hockey fans.
Doyle Potenteau is putting the finishing touches on his baby -- the first edition of DubNation’s magazine.
This has been a long-term project -- and dream -- for Potenteau, who covers the WHL and the Kelowna Rockets for the Kelowna Daily Courier. Potenteau had a vision a long time ago and he is this () close to seeing it to fruition.
Today, Potenteau is providing a taste of what’s to come. Here’s part of what he posted at DubNation, which is linked over there on the right:
“For the better part of the last month or so — or six years since the idea first popped into my head, but, hey, who's counting?!? — I've been putting the final touches on what will be DubNation's first edition. The magazine will come out next week, just in time for the WHL's 2010-11 season. The magazine will be available to everyone, and will be located on DubNation's main website, that being: www.dubnation.ca.
“The first edition will be in electronic format (in PDF format, to be precise), along with every edition thereafter. Best of all, it's free! As a sampler, I'm including two pages in today's post.”
For more, check out Potenteau’s post from today. And make sure you check out DubNation when it’s up. Understand that this is not a two-bit project -- the first edition will run to 30 pages.
Believe me when I tell you that Potenteau has been working on this for a long, long time and I am proud to have been involved, at least in a small way.
---
In Friday’s late post, I quoted extensively from a story by John MacNeil of the Prince Albert Daily Herald. It was a terrific story about Marc Mackenzie, the forward with the Prince Albert Raiders, who interrupted a would-be burglar during a break-in on Thursday morning.
MacNeil’s story now is on the newspaper’s website.
---
F Roman Wick (Red Deer, 2004-05) is getting some pub in the camp of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. Ken Warren of the Ottawa Citizen takes a look at Wick, who was so good for Switzerland at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, right here.
---
Another fan, this one from the Pacific Northwest, writes about the Crushed Can:
“I have only been one time, about 15 years ago.
“But, this season I am going on the eastern swing with the TBirds, just so I can go one more time to the Crushed Can.
“I tell people that until you have been there, I can describe it all I want, but it doesn’t really tell you what it is like.
“I sat top row, right in front of Bill Wilms and whomever was calling the game that night since Dan Russell had to do his own show.
“You can tell people that all you can see is the roof and the ice from that seat, you can show them a picture, but until they have sat there, they don’t get it.
“The Crushed Can is the last great hockey rink this league has, and I will miss it so much.
“There is no way they can ever make another rink like that one.”
The first time I read that, I had tears in my eyes. And not from laughing. . . .
Seriously, if you haven’t been there you can’t believe the experience.
---
D Jared Cowen, 19, will play this season with the Spokane Chiefs or the Ottawa Senators, who selected him with the ninth overall pick of the 2009 NHL draft. The chances of him playing in the NHL grew Saturday when Ottawa D Filip Kuba had a skate catch a rut and went down, suffering what appears to be a serious injury to his right leg just moments into the first session of training camp at Scotiabank Place. If Kuba is gone for any length of time, you can bet Cowen will be given an opportunity to be on the Senators’ second defensive pairing, behind Chris Phillips and Sergei Gonchar.
---
The Moose Jaw Warriors have dealt F Riley Reinbolt, 19, to the Calgary Hitmenfor a conditional 2012 seventh-round bantam draft pick. Reinbolt, who was a sixth-round pick by the Warriors in 2006, is from Calgary. He has played two seasons in Moose Jaw, with 10 points and 98 penalty minutes in 116 games.
---
The Kamloops Blazers beat the Cougars 6-2 in Prince George on Saturday night and immediately after the game reassigned G Troy Trombley, 16, to the Alberta midget ranks. The 6-foot-6 Trombley, from Sherwood Park, Alta., was a third-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft and has signed a WHL contract. . . . The Blazers acquired G Jeff Bosch, 20, from the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday and he’ll partner with G Jon Groehnheyde, 19. . . . Kamloops now has 25 players on its roster, including two goaltenders and eight defencemen. That also includes five players at NHL camps -- D Josh Caron (Minnesota), D Corey Fienhage (Buffalo), D Austin Madaisky (Columbus), F Brendan Ranford (Philadelphia) and F Chase Schubert (Edmonton). . . . Kamloops went 4-2 in the exhibition season, while the Cougars finished 1-4-0-1.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Doyle Potenteau is putting the finishing touches on his baby -- the first edition of DubNation’s magazine.
This has been a long-term project -- and dream -- for Potenteau, who covers the WHL and the Kelowna Rockets for the Kelowna Daily Courier. Potenteau had a vision a long time ago and he is this () close to seeing it to fruition.
Today, Potenteau is providing a taste of what’s to come. Here’s part of what he posted at DubNation, which is linked over there on the right:
“For the better part of the last month or so — or six years since the idea first popped into my head, but, hey, who's counting?!? — I've been putting the final touches on what will be DubNation's first edition. The magazine will come out next week, just in time for the WHL's 2010-11 season. The magazine will be available to everyone, and will be located on DubNation's main website, that being: www.dubnation.ca.
“The first edition will be in electronic format (in PDF format, to be precise), along with every edition thereafter. Best of all, it's free! As a sampler, I'm including two pages in today's post.”
For more, check out Potenteau’s post from today. And make sure you check out DubNation when it’s up. Understand that this is not a two-bit project -- the first edition will run to 30 pages.
Believe me when I tell you that Potenteau has been working on this for a long, long time and I am proud to have been involved, at least in a small way.
---
In Friday’s late post, I quoted extensively from a story by John MacNeil of the Prince Albert Daily Herald. It was a terrific story about Marc Mackenzie, the forward with the Prince Albert Raiders, who interrupted a would-be burglar during a break-in on Thursday morning.
MacNeil’s story now is on the newspaper’s website.
---
F Roman Wick (Red Deer, 2004-05) is getting some pub in the camp of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. Ken Warren of the Ottawa Citizen takes a look at Wick, who was so good for Switzerland at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, right here.
---
Another fan, this one from the Pacific Northwest, writes about the Crushed Can:
“I have only been one time, about 15 years ago.
“But, this season I am going on the eastern swing with the TBirds, just so I can go one more time to the Crushed Can.
“I tell people that until you have been there, I can describe it all I want, but it doesn’t really tell you what it is like.
“I sat top row, right in front of Bill Wilms and whomever was calling the game that night since Dan Russell had to do his own show.
“You can tell people that all you can see is the roof and the ice from that seat, you can show them a picture, but until they have sat there, they don’t get it.
“The Crushed Can is the last great hockey rink this league has, and I will miss it so much.
“There is no way they can ever make another rink like that one.”
The first time I read that, I had tears in my eyes. And not from laughing. . . .
Seriously, if you haven’t been there you can’t believe the experience.
---
D Jared Cowen, 19, will play this season with the Spokane Chiefs or the Ottawa Senators, who selected him with the ninth overall pick of the 2009 NHL draft. The chances of him playing in the NHL grew Saturday when Ottawa D Filip Kuba had a skate catch a rut and went down, suffering what appears to be a serious injury to his right leg just moments into the first session of training camp at Scotiabank Place. If Kuba is gone for any length of time, you can bet Cowen will be given an opportunity to be on the Senators’ second defensive pairing, behind Chris Phillips and Sergei Gonchar.
---
The Moose Jaw Warriors have dealt F Riley Reinbolt, 19, to the Calgary Hitmenfor a conditional 2012 seventh-round bantam draft pick. Reinbolt, who was a sixth-round pick by the Warriors in 2006, is from Calgary. He has played two seasons in Moose Jaw, with 10 points and 98 penalty minutes in 116 games.
---
The Kamloops Blazers beat the Cougars 6-2 in Prince George on Saturday night and immediately after the game reassigned G Troy Trombley, 16, to the Alberta midget ranks. The 6-foot-6 Trombley, from Sherwood Park, Alta., was a third-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft and has signed a WHL contract. . . . The Blazers acquired G Jeff Bosch, 20, from the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday and he’ll partner with G Jon Groehnheyde, 19. . . . Kamloops now has 25 players on its roster, including two goaltenders and eight defencemen. That also includes five players at NHL camps -- D Josh Caron (Minnesota), D Corey Fienhage (Buffalo), D Austin Madaisky (Columbus), F Brendan Ranford (Philadelphia) and F Chase Schubert (Edmonton). . . . Kamloops went 4-2 in the exhibition season, while the Cougars finished 1-4-0-1.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Jerry Crowe of the Los Angeles Times points out that “while the Green Bay Packers have enlisted only two starting quarterbacks since 1992 — Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers — their three NFC North rivals have utilized 54.” . . . Another note from Crowe: “With the addition of prospect Loek Van Mil, a 7-foot-1 right-hander acquired (from the Minnesota Twins) in the Brian Fuentes trade, the Angels now employ the same number of 7-footers as the Clippers.”. . . The Clippers, if you’re not aware, play in the Tall Men’s League (aka the NBA). . . . Well, Roberto Luongo has given up the Vancouver Canucks’ captaincy and now we’re in for a lengthy debate as to who should be next in line. Can’t they just give it back to Orland Kurtenbach and be done with it? . . .
You likely are wondering why American president Barack Obama unveiled his latest economic plan in Cleveland. Here’s Jay Leno’s explanation: “Because those are the Browns fans and, in September, they’ll believe anything.” . . . Greg Cote, in the Miami Herald: “The (Florida) Marlins became the only team not to offer any farewell gesture to retiring (Atlanta) Braves manager Bobby Cox, a snub associated with Cox criticizing the club’s firing of Fredi Gonzalez as manager. Once again, the folks running the Marlins put the ass in class.” . . . Most professional teams have at least one player who serves as the clubhouse barber. In the case of the Calgary Stampeders that would be linebacker Keon Raymond. Did he go to school? No, he learned on the heads of his three sons. “I definitely took a few plugs out of their heads,” Raymond told the Calgary Sun. “They went bald a few times. It’s been a learning process.” . . .
Derek Jeter, the New York Yankees’ veteran shortstop, reportedly wants to dispose of the apartment he owns in the Trump World Tower. The asking price is a cool US$20 million. Jeter will relocate to Tampa where he is building a 30,875-square-foot joint with seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms. . . . Jeter’s contract is up after this season. Do the Yankees give him a blank cheque, or does the poor second-half of his season result in an ugly contractual hassle? . . . Most baseball people are applauding Jeter for his bit of acting the other night in Tampa Bay. But what might the headlines have read had it been A-Rod? . . . Do you think the CFL is discovering, thanks to the David Braley ownership thing, that perception is reality a lot of the time? . . .
You can bet that it isn’t a coincidence that the Boston Bruins have veteran Mark Recchi and freshman Tyler Seguin, the second overall pick in the 2010 NHL draft, in the same group for training camp as it opens today. The Bruins want Recchi to take Seguin under his wing and show the kid everything there is to know about being a pro. . . . Congratulations to the fine folks of Prince George on being named the host city for the 2015 Canada Winter Games. . . . Was I surprised? No. . . . I was shocked. I thought it was automatic that Kelowna got everything. . . .
Steve Simmons, in the Toronto Sun, after Prime Minister Stephen Harper mouthed something about using some of our money to help build an arena in Quebec City: “If federal money pays for a Quebec arena, why not federal money to renovate Copps Coliseum in Hamilton or federal money for a new football stadium in Regina or federal money for new arenas in Edmonton or Calgary or federal money for a second arena in Southern Ontario for another NHL team for this rich hockey market?” . . . Yeah, and what about Medicine Hat, where Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach has said provincial money isn’t available to help build a new complex there? . . . Mike Lupica, in the New York Daily News: “If you still think you’ve got some hop on your fastball, call the Yankees, because they might give you a shot at starting Game 2 of the playoffs.” . . . Budd Bailey, in the Buffalo News: “The co-chairman of the NFL’s Brain, Head and Neck Medical Committee doesn’t see four concussions sustained by players in the season’s first week as a trend. He then left an interview to answer a phone that wasn’t ringing.” . . .
The other night, the Cleveland Indians and the Anaheim Angels took four hours 57 minutes to play 16 innings. That resulted in Bill Plunkett writing in the Orange County Register: “More than 500 pitches were thrown Wednesday, and the only one worth remembering for most of the night was the ceremonial first pitch thrown by former Playboy centerfold Holly Madison.” . . . On Friday, the Yankees were in Texas and the teams combined to use 19 pitchers as the Rangers won in 13 innings. I wish someone would explain to me why Major League Baseball goes to 40-man rosters for the most crucial part of the schedule. . . .
Mitch Albom, in the Detroit Free Press, after the Lions ran into the worst rule in sports and lost to the Chicago Bears on Sunday: “That was a touchdown. You can show me the rulebook. You can cite the referees. You can stand me in front of (Lions head coach) Jim Schwartz even as he defends the call that killed his team. I don’t care. By any definition that makes sense, by any memory of any person who has ever played the game of football in their backyards, on their local fields, in high school, in college, anywhere — that was a touchdown.” . . . Jeff Gordon, in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “Since the hapless Lions fell prey to this interpretation, the NFL will probably shrug. If this happened to the Patriots or Giants, the league would have a new ‘Calvin Johnson Rule’ in place for the 2011 preseason.” . . . After New England quarterback Tom Brady was in a car accident last week, Patriots offensive lineman Stephen Neal told Ian Rapoport of the Boston Herald: “We can’t protect him all the time.’’ . . .
Outfielder Tyson Gillies of Kamloops continues to work out in Clearwater, Fla., as his cocaine possession case makes it way through the courts. Philadelphia GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer this week that the Phillies won’t discipline Gillies. “He’s a quality kid,” Amaro told Gelb. “Whether he has an issue or a problem, that will be up to the legal system right now. If there is a problem with him, we’ll do what we can to help him take care of it.” . . . The New York Jets talk a good game; they didn’t play one on Monday. The New York Post used this headline: Stupor Men. . . . The Post’s Steve Serby wrote: “Ravens 10, Jets 9, on a night when Ray Lewis & Co. stuffed a purple and gold sock in Jets mouths. On a night when Sanchez and his offense could be called The Mark of Zero.”
Gregg Drinnan is sports editor of The Daily News. Email him at gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca, visit his blog at gdrinnan.blogspot.com, or follow him at twitter.com/gdrinnan. Keeping Score appears Saturdays.
You likely are wondering why American president Barack Obama unveiled his latest economic plan in Cleveland. Here’s Jay Leno’s explanation: “Because those are the Browns fans and, in September, they’ll believe anything.” . . . Greg Cote, in the Miami Herald: “The (Florida) Marlins became the only team not to offer any farewell gesture to retiring (Atlanta) Braves manager Bobby Cox, a snub associated with Cox criticizing the club’s firing of Fredi Gonzalez as manager. Once again, the folks running the Marlins put the ass in class.” . . . Most professional teams have at least one player who serves as the clubhouse barber. In the case of the Calgary Stampeders that would be linebacker Keon Raymond. Did he go to school? No, he learned on the heads of his three sons. “I definitely took a few plugs out of their heads,” Raymond told the Calgary Sun. “They went bald a few times. It’s been a learning process.” . . .
Derek Jeter, the New York Yankees’ veteran shortstop, reportedly wants to dispose of the apartment he owns in the Trump World Tower. The asking price is a cool US$20 million. Jeter will relocate to Tampa where he is building a 30,875-square-foot joint with seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms. . . . Jeter’s contract is up after this season. Do the Yankees give him a blank cheque, or does the poor second-half of his season result in an ugly contractual hassle? . . . Most baseball people are applauding Jeter for his bit of acting the other night in Tampa Bay. But what might the headlines have read had it been A-Rod? . . . Do you think the CFL is discovering, thanks to the David Braley ownership thing, that perception is reality a lot of the time? . . .
You can bet that it isn’t a coincidence that the Boston Bruins have veteran Mark Recchi and freshman Tyler Seguin, the second overall pick in the 2010 NHL draft, in the same group for training camp as it opens today. The Bruins want Recchi to take Seguin under his wing and show the kid everything there is to know about being a pro. . . . Congratulations to the fine folks of Prince George on being named the host city for the 2015 Canada Winter Games. . . . Was I surprised? No. . . . I was shocked. I thought it was automatic that Kelowna got everything. . . .
Steve Simmons, in the Toronto Sun, after Prime Minister Stephen Harper mouthed something about using some of our money to help build an arena in Quebec City: “If federal money pays for a Quebec arena, why not federal money to renovate Copps Coliseum in Hamilton or federal money for a new football stadium in Regina or federal money for new arenas in Edmonton or Calgary or federal money for a second arena in Southern Ontario for another NHL team for this rich hockey market?” . . . Yeah, and what about Medicine Hat, where Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach has said provincial money isn’t available to help build a new complex there? . . . Mike Lupica, in the New York Daily News: “If you still think you’ve got some hop on your fastball, call the Yankees, because they might give you a shot at starting Game 2 of the playoffs.” . . . Budd Bailey, in the Buffalo News: “The co-chairman of the NFL’s Brain, Head and Neck Medical Committee doesn’t see four concussions sustained by players in the season’s first week as a trend. He then left an interview to answer a phone that wasn’t ringing.” . . .
The other night, the Cleveland Indians and the Anaheim Angels took four hours 57 minutes to play 16 innings. That resulted in Bill Plunkett writing in the Orange County Register: “More than 500 pitches were thrown Wednesday, and the only one worth remembering for most of the night was the ceremonial first pitch thrown by former Playboy centerfold Holly Madison.” . . . On Friday, the Yankees were in Texas and the teams combined to use 19 pitchers as the Rangers won in 13 innings. I wish someone would explain to me why Major League Baseball goes to 40-man rosters for the most crucial part of the schedule. . . .
Mitch Albom, in the Detroit Free Press, after the Lions ran into the worst rule in sports and lost to the Chicago Bears on Sunday: “That was a touchdown. You can show me the rulebook. You can cite the referees. You can stand me in front of (Lions head coach) Jim Schwartz even as he defends the call that killed his team. I don’t care. By any definition that makes sense, by any memory of any person who has ever played the game of football in their backyards, on their local fields, in high school, in college, anywhere — that was a touchdown.” . . . Jeff Gordon, in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “Since the hapless Lions fell prey to this interpretation, the NFL will probably shrug. If this happened to the Patriots or Giants, the league would have a new ‘Calvin Johnson Rule’ in place for the 2011 preseason.” . . . After New England quarterback Tom Brady was in a car accident last week, Patriots offensive lineman Stephen Neal told Ian Rapoport of the Boston Herald: “We can’t protect him all the time.’’ . . .
Outfielder Tyson Gillies of Kamloops continues to work out in Clearwater, Fla., as his cocaine possession case makes it way through the courts. Philadelphia GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer this week that the Phillies won’t discipline Gillies. “He’s a quality kid,” Amaro told Gelb. “Whether he has an issue or a problem, that will be up to the legal system right now. If there is a problem with him, we’ll do what we can to help him take care of it.” . . . The New York Jets talk a good game; they didn’t play one on Monday. The New York Post used this headline: Stupor Men. . . . The Post’s Steve Serby wrote: “Ravens 10, Jets 9, on a night when Ray Lewis & Co. stuffed a purple and gold sock in Jets mouths. On a night when Sanchez and his offense could be called The Mark of Zero.”
Gregg Drinnan is sports editor of The Daily News. Email him at gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca, visit his blog at gdrinnan.blogspot.com, or follow him at twitter.com/gdrinnan. Keeping Score appears Saturdays.
Friday . . .
Marc Mackenzie says he’s not a hero. But you know what? He fits the bill.
Mackenzie, a forward with the Prince Albert Raiders, heard some noise and came upstairs at his billet’s home late Thursday morning to find a would-be burglar.
So what did Mackenzie do?
“He was about my build, maybe bigger,” Mackenzie, who goes 6-foot-2 and more than 190 pounds, told John MacNeil of the Prince Albert Daily Herald. “He just tackled me in the coat room. I got up and basically tossed him into the wall and just pounded on him for a good five minutes.
“He just ran out the door and I chased him for a little bit, but what are you going to do if this guy runs back to his buddies and tells (them what happened)? He just ran down the street, and then I just clued in, there’s no point in running after this guy.
“I’m totally fine. Just a little busted-up fist, but that’s about it.
Mackenzie, who turns 17 on Nov. 5, had returned home after morning classes and was in the basement, about to watch a movie.
“I guess it was just someone knocking on the door to try to get in . . . to see if people were home,” he told MacNeil. “And because I didn’t come upstairs fast enough, they just came in.”
When Mackenzie got upstairs, the would-be thief was in the living room . . . checking out Mackenzie’s laptop computer.
“Oh, I probably scared the crap out of him,” Mackenzie said. “He went after me first. I didn’t even touch the guy first. He just tackled me. I just said, ‘Who the f--- are you?’ and then he just tackled me into the closet.”
As MacNeil points out in his story, it would seem that “Mackenzie’s hockey instincts might have served him well.”
“I don’t know,” Mackenzie said. “Someone breaking and entering, there’s obviously something that’s going to get out of hand, if you walk in on him. You can’t just ask him to leave. I mean, they’re not going to wait for the cops (to arrive), that’s for sure.”
As of Friday night, Prince Albert City Police still were searching for the suspect.
Mackenzie, who is from Kelowna, played last season with the junior B Chase, B.C., Chiefs of the Kootenay International junior league. He had 24 points and 163 penalty minutes in 50 games with the Chiefs.
MacNeil wrote that Mackenzie “wanted to downplay the incident, and Raiders’ management refused to comment . . .”
You have to hope that Raiders’ management and the WHL office come to their senses and run this kid’s name up the flag pole, sooner rather than later. This is a great, great story coming as it does a week before the regular-season opens.
Mackenzie, however, would rather play down the entire episode.
“I’m not a hero,” he told MacNeil. “But it does save us, I guess (my billets), a little bit of money and hassle, not to have a bunch of crap stolen.
“My MacBook was sitting right there. The TV is there. Everything is in the house. There’s computers everywhere. If no one was home, it would have been bad, but . . .”
Something like this, of course, is every parent’s worst nightmare. I mean, think about it for a minute.
And here’s what Mackenzie’s father, Andrew, told MacNeil:
“It certainly shook me up a lot when he called and said what happened. The kid may be 6-foot-2 1/2, or whatever, but to me, he’s only 5-foot-5. He’s still a little boy, to me.”
Isn't that the truth!
———
The WHL dished out some discipline on Friday and you can bet at least one GM/head coach will be hearing from the Calgary office, perhaps even today.
Kelly McCrimmon, the general manager and head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings got tossed from his club’s 5-4 victory over the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday. Brandon was 2-for-6 on the PP in that one, while the Warriors were 2-for-10. . . . McCrimmon was ejected, according to the Brandon Sun, “after a verbal exchange with the officials.” The teams are to conclude their exhibition seasons tonight in Moose Jaw. Hmmm! Wonder if McCrimmon will be in the Crushed Can for this one?
Earlier in the day, the WHL office suspended D Harrison Ruopp of the Prince Albert Raiders for one game after he got into his fourth fight of the exhibition schedule on Thursday in a 6-1 victory over the visiting Swift Current Broncos.
The WHL office also suspended Kootenay Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch for one game and his side $250 for its part in a multiple-fight situation in a 4-1 loss to the visiting Tri-City Americans on Thursday night. The Americans weren’t disciplined at all, so that tells what the WHL thought of that situation. Kootenay F Jared Iron drew a one-game suspension for his fourth fight, which came against the Americans.
Finally, Tri-City F Zach McPhee got a one-game suspension after incurring a checking-from-behind major and game misconduct in that game in Cranbrook.
———
The Everett Silvertips have dealt G Thomas Heemskerk, 20, to the Moose Jaw Warriors for D Chad Suer, 20. . . . Suer has played in 243 games over four seasons, with 66 points, including eight goals, and 130 penalty minutes. He had 20 points in 64 games last season. Suer is from Saskatoon. . . . Heemskerk, from Chilliwack, has played in 114 games over three seasons with the Kootenay Ice and Everett. Last season, he went 24-12-2-2 with a 2.34 GAA and a WHL-leading .927 save percentage, all with the Silvertips. . . . Heemskerk has signed with the NHL’s San Jose Sharks and is in their camp. . . . The deal leaves Kent Simpson, 18, as Everett’s starter, with Luke Siemens, 19, and Andy Desautels, 16, battling for the backup spot. . . . Siemens, from South Delta, B.C., played one game with the Prince George Cougars last season. . . . Desautels, from Regina, was a fifth-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft. He signed with the Silvertips in February.
Everett now has two 20-year-olds in camp — Suer and F Clayton Cumiskey.
According to the Warriors, Heemskerk will join them Sunday. The Warriors’ roster also features four other 20-year-olds — F Spencer Edwards, F Thomas Frazee, F Dylan Hood and F Brendan Rowinski.
———
The Red Deer Rebels have released F Steve Oursov, 19, who is from Chilliwack. Oursov was trying to come back from post-concussion syndrome. He had four goals in 29 games in 2008-09, before suffering a concussion during a fight. . . . Originally, he was a third-round bantam draft pick of the Seattle Thunderbirds in 2006.
———
Lorne Molleken, the GM and head coach of the Saskatoon Blades, is scratching his chin, scratching his head and pondering. He had said he would trim one goaltender from his roster following a Wednesday exhibition game in Regina. That didn’t happen. So the Blades continue to have four goaltenders on their roster. Freshmen Adam Iwan and Tyler Oswald, both 17, split a 4-3 victory in Regina, and Molleken chose not to make a move Thursday. He also has two veterans — Steven Stanford, 20, and Adam Morrison, 19 — on his roster. Morrison is in camp with the Philadelphia Flyers. When the smoke clears, you can expect the Blades to have one of the two veterans and one of the two newcomers on their roster. For now, though,everything is in a holding pattern. The Blades play their final exhibition game Saturday against the visiting Pats. Molleken may do something with his goaltending situation the next day. Maybe. . . .
———
I am thrilled that a couple of fans of the Crushed Can took time to write. One posted a comment on the blog; another sent me an email.
Here’s the comment, if you missed it:
“Neate Sager has obviously never gone deaf listening to 2700+ fans screaming their heads off in the Crushed Can during the playoffs. That arena will be greatly missed!”
Ain’t that the truth! It is going to be awfully hard for that atmosphere to be replicated in a new building, even when the Regina Pats come calling.
The other fan, who actually is from Saskatoon, wrote this:
“My observations about the crushed can . . . the stairs to the seating can not be code in any city/town/rural outpost in Canada . . . They have more security than any rink I have ever seen . . . The guy running sound gets it as the game went to shootout and he seemed to play all the right songs at the right time.
“I do not know why I never went to Moose Jaw for a game before . . . and am glad I did. It is one of the barns that has some atmosphere unlike some others. . . . I skated many times at the old Exhibition Stadium in Regina and could feel the atmosphere in that barn. It is just something about those rinks that, yeah, they are not the prettiest girls at the dance but they seem to have that allure.”
———
The Seattle Thunderbirds have acquired F Travis Toomey, 20, from the Saskatoon Blades for a fourth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft. Toomey, form Leduc, Alta., has played three seasons with the Blades after being the 34th overall selection in the 2005 bantam draft. He put up 82 points and 314 penalty minutes in 198 career games in Saskatoon. . . . Seattle now has two 20-year-olds on its roster, the other being D Brenden Dillon. . . . The Blades still have seven 20-year-olds on their roster — G Steven Stanford, D Teigan Zahn, F Sena Acolatse, F Jeremy Boyer, F Randy McNaught, F Gaelan Patterson and F Marek Viedensky.
———
ODDS AND ENDS: Moose Jaw F Michal Hlinka left the Warriors game in Brandon in the third period after “being shaken up in a collision,” according to Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun. . . . The Kelowna Rockets dropped the hometown Chilliwack Bruin, 9-1, on Friday. The Chilliwack Progress points out that “Kelowna's nine-spot set a franchise mark for most goals-against in a game (including preseason, regular season and playoffs), and the eight-goal differential tied a franchise mark for largest margin of defeat.” . . .
———
Mandi Schwartz, the native of Wilcox, Sask., who has been fighting a battle with acute myeloid leukemia, will have her next treatment on Wednesday in Seattle. The Regina Leader-Post has that story right here.
———
The OHL’s Oshawa Generals won’t have their games on the radio this season. And the games that they pick up and put on their website will, in most cases, by provided by the opposition. Check out that story right here.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Mackenzie, a forward with the Prince Albert Raiders, heard some noise and came upstairs at his billet’s home late Thursday morning to find a would-be burglar.
So what did Mackenzie do?
“He was about my build, maybe bigger,” Mackenzie, who goes 6-foot-2 and more than 190 pounds, told John MacNeil of the Prince Albert Daily Herald. “He just tackled me in the coat room. I got up and basically tossed him into the wall and just pounded on him for a good five minutes.
“He just ran out the door and I chased him for a little bit, but what are you going to do if this guy runs back to his buddies and tells (them what happened)? He just ran down the street, and then I just clued in, there’s no point in running after this guy.
“I’m totally fine. Just a little busted-up fist, but that’s about it.
Mackenzie, who turns 17 on Nov. 5, had returned home after morning classes and was in the basement, about to watch a movie.
“I guess it was just someone knocking on the door to try to get in . . . to see if people were home,” he told MacNeil. “And because I didn’t come upstairs fast enough, they just came in.”
When Mackenzie got upstairs, the would-be thief was in the living room . . . checking out Mackenzie’s laptop computer.
“Oh, I probably scared the crap out of him,” Mackenzie said. “He went after me first. I didn’t even touch the guy first. He just tackled me. I just said, ‘Who the f--- are you?’ and then he just tackled me into the closet.”
As MacNeil points out in his story, it would seem that “Mackenzie’s hockey instincts might have served him well.”
“I don’t know,” Mackenzie said. “Someone breaking and entering, there’s obviously something that’s going to get out of hand, if you walk in on him. You can’t just ask him to leave. I mean, they’re not going to wait for the cops (to arrive), that’s for sure.”
As of Friday night, Prince Albert City Police still were searching for the suspect.
Mackenzie, who is from Kelowna, played last season with the junior B Chase, B.C., Chiefs of the Kootenay International junior league. He had 24 points and 163 penalty minutes in 50 games with the Chiefs.
MacNeil wrote that Mackenzie “wanted to downplay the incident, and Raiders’ management refused to comment . . .”
You have to hope that Raiders’ management and the WHL office come to their senses and run this kid’s name up the flag pole, sooner rather than later. This is a great, great story coming as it does a week before the regular-season opens.
Mackenzie, however, would rather play down the entire episode.
“I’m not a hero,” he told MacNeil. “But it does save us, I guess (my billets), a little bit of money and hassle, not to have a bunch of crap stolen.
“My MacBook was sitting right there. The TV is there. Everything is in the house. There’s computers everywhere. If no one was home, it would have been bad, but . . .”
Something like this, of course, is every parent’s worst nightmare. I mean, think about it for a minute.
And here’s what Mackenzie’s father, Andrew, told MacNeil:
“It certainly shook me up a lot when he called and said what happened. The kid may be 6-foot-2 1/2, or whatever, but to me, he’s only 5-foot-5. He’s still a little boy, to me.”
Isn't that the truth!
———
The WHL dished out some discipline on Friday and you can bet at least one GM/head coach will be hearing from the Calgary office, perhaps even today.
Kelly McCrimmon, the general manager and head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings got tossed from his club’s 5-4 victory over the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday. Brandon was 2-for-6 on the PP in that one, while the Warriors were 2-for-10. . . . McCrimmon was ejected, according to the Brandon Sun, “after a verbal exchange with the officials.” The teams are to conclude their exhibition seasons tonight in Moose Jaw. Hmmm! Wonder if McCrimmon will be in the Crushed Can for this one?
Earlier in the day, the WHL office suspended D Harrison Ruopp of the Prince Albert Raiders for one game after he got into his fourth fight of the exhibition schedule on Thursday in a 6-1 victory over the visiting Swift Current Broncos.
The WHL office also suspended Kootenay Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch for one game and his side $250 for its part in a multiple-fight situation in a 4-1 loss to the visiting Tri-City Americans on Thursday night. The Americans weren’t disciplined at all, so that tells what the WHL thought of that situation. Kootenay F Jared Iron drew a one-game suspension for his fourth fight, which came against the Americans.
Finally, Tri-City F Zach McPhee got a one-game suspension after incurring a checking-from-behind major and game misconduct in that game in Cranbrook.
———
The Everett Silvertips have dealt G Thomas Heemskerk, 20, to the Moose Jaw Warriors for D Chad Suer, 20. . . . Suer has played in 243 games over four seasons, with 66 points, including eight goals, and 130 penalty minutes. He had 20 points in 64 games last season. Suer is from Saskatoon. . . . Heemskerk, from Chilliwack, has played in 114 games over three seasons with the Kootenay Ice and Everett. Last season, he went 24-12-2-2 with a 2.34 GAA and a WHL-leading .927 save percentage, all with the Silvertips. . . . Heemskerk has signed with the NHL’s San Jose Sharks and is in their camp. . . . The deal leaves Kent Simpson, 18, as Everett’s starter, with Luke Siemens, 19, and Andy Desautels, 16, battling for the backup spot. . . . Siemens, from South Delta, B.C., played one game with the Prince George Cougars last season. . . . Desautels, from Regina, was a fifth-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft. He signed with the Silvertips in February.
Everett now has two 20-year-olds in camp — Suer and F Clayton Cumiskey.
According to the Warriors, Heemskerk will join them Sunday. The Warriors’ roster also features four other 20-year-olds — F Spencer Edwards, F Thomas Frazee, F Dylan Hood and F Brendan Rowinski.
———
The Red Deer Rebels have released F Steve Oursov, 19, who is from Chilliwack. Oursov was trying to come back from post-concussion syndrome. He had four goals in 29 games in 2008-09, before suffering a concussion during a fight. . . . Originally, he was a third-round bantam draft pick of the Seattle Thunderbirds in 2006.
———
Lorne Molleken, the GM and head coach of the Saskatoon Blades, is scratching his chin, scratching his head and pondering. He had said he would trim one goaltender from his roster following a Wednesday exhibition game in Regina. That didn’t happen. So the Blades continue to have four goaltenders on their roster. Freshmen Adam Iwan and Tyler Oswald, both 17, split a 4-3 victory in Regina, and Molleken chose not to make a move Thursday. He also has two veterans — Steven Stanford, 20, and Adam Morrison, 19 — on his roster. Morrison is in camp with the Philadelphia Flyers. When the smoke clears, you can expect the Blades to have one of the two veterans and one of the two newcomers on their roster. For now, though,everything is in a holding pattern. The Blades play their final exhibition game Saturday against the visiting Pats. Molleken may do something with his goaltending situation the next day. Maybe. . . .
———
I am thrilled that a couple of fans of the Crushed Can took time to write. One posted a comment on the blog; another sent me an email.
Here’s the comment, if you missed it:
“Neate Sager has obviously never gone deaf listening to 2700+ fans screaming their heads off in the Crushed Can during the playoffs. That arena will be greatly missed!”
Ain’t that the truth! It is going to be awfully hard for that atmosphere to be replicated in a new building, even when the Regina Pats come calling.
The other fan, who actually is from Saskatoon, wrote this:
“My observations about the crushed can . . . the stairs to the seating can not be code in any city/town/rural outpost in Canada . . . They have more security than any rink I have ever seen . . . The guy running sound gets it as the game went to shootout and he seemed to play all the right songs at the right time.
“I do not know why I never went to Moose Jaw for a game before . . . and am glad I did. It is one of the barns that has some atmosphere unlike some others. . . . I skated many times at the old Exhibition Stadium in Regina and could feel the atmosphere in that barn. It is just something about those rinks that, yeah, they are not the prettiest girls at the dance but they seem to have that allure.”
———
The Seattle Thunderbirds have acquired F Travis Toomey, 20, from the Saskatoon Blades for a fourth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft. Toomey, form Leduc, Alta., has played three seasons with the Blades after being the 34th overall selection in the 2005 bantam draft. He put up 82 points and 314 penalty minutes in 198 career games in Saskatoon. . . . Seattle now has two 20-year-olds on its roster, the other being D Brenden Dillon. . . . The Blades still have seven 20-year-olds on their roster — G Steven Stanford, D Teigan Zahn, F Sena Acolatse, F Jeremy Boyer, F Randy McNaught, F Gaelan Patterson and F Marek Viedensky.
———
ODDS AND ENDS: Moose Jaw F Michal Hlinka left the Warriors game in Brandon in the third period after “being shaken up in a collision,” according to Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun. . . . The Kelowna Rockets dropped the hometown Chilliwack Bruin, 9-1, on Friday. The Chilliwack Progress points out that “Kelowna's nine-spot set a franchise mark for most goals-against in a game (including preseason, regular season and playoffs), and the eight-goal differential tied a franchise mark for largest margin of defeat.” . . .
———
Mandi Schwartz, the native of Wilcox, Sask., who has been fighting a battle with acute myeloid leukemia, will have her next treatment on Wednesday in Seattle. The Regina Leader-Post has that story right here.
———
The OHL’s Oshawa Generals won’t have their games on the radio this season. And the games that they pick up and put on their website will, in most cases, by provided by the opposition. Check out that story right here.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Charron busy delivering messages
By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Things are different with these Kamloops Blazers.
That was never more evident than Friday night when head coach Guy Charron delivered one message before what was a 7-3 WHL exhibition victory over the visiting Prince George Cougars and another in the second intermission.
As time goes on it will be first message that should have the most impact.
The Blazers added centre Matt Needham, their first pick in the 2010 bantam draft, to their lineup for this game, meaning one forward was going to have to sit out. That forward turned out to be Rhyse Dieno, a 17-year-old who played 16 games here last season.
“Rhyse didn’t play because I wasn’t happy with his week of practice,” Charron explained. “We knew that Needham was going to play so one guy had to sit out. If it’s a choice between (Dieno) and (Chase) Souto . . . Souto was showing me more.”
Since taking over as head coach in November, Charron has never hidden the fact that practices are everything to him. He repeatedly has said players who don’t practise hard won’t play.
“I’ve never hidden the fact that your effort . . . get my attention in practice,” Charron said. “If you don’t, I won’t use you.”
Souto, a 16-year-old Energizer Bunny from Yorba Linda, Calif., got everyone’s attention by getting into a third-period scrap with Prince George winger Wilson Dumais, who is 17.
That bout may have provided a spark that helped the Blazers dominate a third period in which they outshot the visitors 14-4 (the final shots were 43-22) and outscored them 3-0.
That followed a first period in which the Blazers got progressively better and a second period in which they, well, here’s the head coach . . .
“I wasn’t happy with the second period and I told them that it wasn’t good enough,” Charron said. “It was more too-loose hockey and not enough defensive awareness or tenacity.”
Goals by forwards JC Lipon and Jake Trask gave the Blazers a 2-0 first-period lead, but they gave those back early in the second when Dumais, thanks to a defensive lapse deep in the Kamloops zone, and James Dobrowolski, on a power play, beat goaltender Jon Groenheyde six minutes apart.
Kamloops bettered that, however, by scoring goals six seconds apart. First, Trask was the beneficiary of a fine play by Colin Smith behind the Cougars’ net. Then, off the ensuing faceoff, JT Barnett, just back from the camp of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, fired a long shot at goaltender Morgan Clark. He lost the puck in front, only to have Barnett get to his own rebound and score.
Prince George winger Spencer Asuchak, who is from Kamloops, cut the Blazers’ lead to 4-3 at 13:24 with a wrist shot that may have changed direction on Groenheyde.
The third period, however, was no contest as the Blazers got goals from Bernhard Keil, with a big-time shot, Lyndon Martell, who got his own rebound after a great rush by defenceman Brady Gaudet, and Ryan Hanes, from a scramble on a late power play.
The most-dominant player in that period was Kamloops centre Dalibor Bortnak, the 6-foot-4 Slovakian who is slowly coming into his own. He finished with three assists, two of them in the last 20 minutes.
“He’s a good player,” Charron said. “I’m sure he was disappointed he didn’t have an opportunity at pro camp, so this is a big season for him.
“With his size and his ability to play, I’d say he’s going to get a chance down the road.”
This also was another good test for Groenheyde and, again, he was solid. He only faced 22 shots but his focus never appeared to waver.
Groenheyde, 19, learned earlier in the day that the Blazers had acquired goaltender Jeff Bosch, 20, in a trade with the Moose Jaw Warriors.
“I wasn’t surprised that we were going to bring another guy in,” Groenheyde said, noting that his backup has been Troy Trombley, 16. “It’s really tough making it as a 16-year-old.”
Asked if he is ready to face a challenge from Bosch, Groenheyde replied: “Yes . . . always.
“I feel good,” he added. “(I have) lots of confidence . . . confidence in myself, also confidence in the guys.”
Groenheyde has been good this month. He has played all but about 30 minutes of five exhibition games. And he’s likely to go the distance again tonight as the Blazers (3-2) and Cougars (1-3-0-1) conclude the preseason in Prince George.
The same teams will open the regular season here Friday.
JUST NOTES: Attendance at Interior Savings Centre was 1,172. . . . F Charles Inglis rejoined the Cougars on Friday, although he didn’t play. Acquired earlier from the Saskatoon Blades, he had been in camp with the Phoenix Coyotes. . . . Needham, from Penticton, took a regular shift as he became the first second-generation member of the Blazers family. His father, Mike, played for the Blazers (1986-90).
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Daily News Sports Editor
Things are different with these Kamloops Blazers.
That was never more evident than Friday night when head coach Guy Charron delivered one message before what was a 7-3 WHL exhibition victory over the visiting Prince George Cougars and another in the second intermission.
As time goes on it will be first message that should have the most impact.
The Blazers added centre Matt Needham, their first pick in the 2010 bantam draft, to their lineup for this game, meaning one forward was going to have to sit out. That forward turned out to be Rhyse Dieno, a 17-year-old who played 16 games here last season.
“Rhyse didn’t play because I wasn’t happy with his week of practice,” Charron explained. “We knew that Needham was going to play so one guy had to sit out. If it’s a choice between (Dieno) and (Chase) Souto . . . Souto was showing me more.”
Since taking over as head coach in November, Charron has never hidden the fact that practices are everything to him. He repeatedly has said players who don’t practise hard won’t play.
“I’ve never hidden the fact that your effort . . . get my attention in practice,” Charron said. “If you don’t, I won’t use you.”
Souto, a 16-year-old Energizer Bunny from Yorba Linda, Calif., got everyone’s attention by getting into a third-period scrap with Prince George winger Wilson Dumais, who is 17.
That bout may have provided a spark that helped the Blazers dominate a third period in which they outshot the visitors 14-4 (the final shots were 43-22) and outscored them 3-0.
That followed a first period in which the Blazers got progressively better and a second period in which they, well, here’s the head coach . . .
“I wasn’t happy with the second period and I told them that it wasn’t good enough,” Charron said. “It was more too-loose hockey and not enough defensive awareness or tenacity.”
Goals by forwards JC Lipon and Jake Trask gave the Blazers a 2-0 first-period lead, but they gave those back early in the second when Dumais, thanks to a defensive lapse deep in the Kamloops zone, and James Dobrowolski, on a power play, beat goaltender Jon Groenheyde six minutes apart.
Kamloops bettered that, however, by scoring goals six seconds apart. First, Trask was the beneficiary of a fine play by Colin Smith behind the Cougars’ net. Then, off the ensuing faceoff, JT Barnett, just back from the camp of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, fired a long shot at goaltender Morgan Clark. He lost the puck in front, only to have Barnett get to his own rebound and score.
Prince George winger Spencer Asuchak, who is from Kamloops, cut the Blazers’ lead to 4-3 at 13:24 with a wrist shot that may have changed direction on Groenheyde.
The third period, however, was no contest as the Blazers got goals from Bernhard Keil, with a big-time shot, Lyndon Martell, who got his own rebound after a great rush by defenceman Brady Gaudet, and Ryan Hanes, from a scramble on a late power play.
The most-dominant player in that period was Kamloops centre Dalibor Bortnak, the 6-foot-4 Slovakian who is slowly coming into his own. He finished with three assists, two of them in the last 20 minutes.
“He’s a good player,” Charron said. “I’m sure he was disappointed he didn’t have an opportunity at pro camp, so this is a big season for him.
“With his size and his ability to play, I’d say he’s going to get a chance down the road.”
This also was another good test for Groenheyde and, again, he was solid. He only faced 22 shots but his focus never appeared to waver.
Groenheyde, 19, learned earlier in the day that the Blazers had acquired goaltender Jeff Bosch, 20, in a trade with the Moose Jaw Warriors.
“I wasn’t surprised that we were going to bring another guy in,” Groenheyde said, noting that his backup has been Troy Trombley, 16. “It’s really tough making it as a 16-year-old.”
Asked if he is ready to face a challenge from Bosch, Groenheyde replied: “Yes . . . always.
“I feel good,” he added. “(I have) lots of confidence . . . confidence in myself, also confidence in the guys.”
Groenheyde has been good this month. He has played all but about 30 minutes of five exhibition games. And he’s likely to go the distance again tonight as the Blazers (3-2) and Cougars (1-3-0-1) conclude the preseason in Prince George.
The same teams will open the regular season here Friday.
JUST NOTES: Attendance at Interior Savings Centre was 1,172. . . . F Charles Inglis rejoined the Cougars on Friday, although he didn’t play. Acquired earlier from the Saskatoon Blades, he had been in camp with the Phoenix Coyotes. . . . Needham, from Penticton, took a regular shift as he became the first second-generation member of the Blazers family. His father, Mike, played for the Blazers (1986-90).
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
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