An early Christmas Eve report . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT: F Marc Brown (Spokane/Prince Albert) signed with Graz (Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had played two games with Lagenthal (Swiss NL B) this season, getting one assist. Last season with Villach (Austria Erste Bank Liga), Brown had 14 goals and 16 assists in 50 games. . . . F Ronald Petrovicky (Tri-City/Prince George/Regina) was released by Dinamo Riga (KHL) by mutual agreement. He had two goals and three assists in 30 games this season. . . . F Mike Olynyk, who played one game with Prince George in 1997-98, signed with Basingstoke (UK Elite Hockey League). He was with Muskegon
(IHL) earlier this season, going pointless in four games.
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There are rumours making the rounds that Marc Habscheid is back in the coaching game. He has told me, via email, that this is not correct. Kent Woods, the head coach of the midget AAA Swift Current Legionnaires, was let go late last week by general manager Jim Dekowny, with assistant coach Regan Darby moving up to head coach. (Darby is a former WHLer – Spokane, Tri-City, Red Deer and Prince Albert, 1997-2000.) . . . Habscheid has been listed on the Legionnaires’ website as a consultant. “Regan Darby is the head coach,” Habscheid wrote. “He asked me if I would help him a little and I said yes.”
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The WHL and FSN Northwest have cut a deal that will have the sports network televise six regular-season games on their cable system in the Pacific Northwest. FSN Northwest goes into 3.4 million homes in five states -- Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. . . . The first game is up Dec. 31, with the Seattle Thunderbirds in Portland to meet the Winter Hawks in the Rose Garden. . . . Two of the games will be televised from the Thunderbirds’ new home in Kent, Wash., the ShoWare Centre. . . . Four of the six games also are to be available on Shaw Cable in Western Canada.
Here is the six-game schedule (all times Pacific):
Dec. 31: Seattle at Portland, 5 p.m.
Jan. 13: Tri-City at Chilliwack, 7 p.m. (also on Shaw Cable)
Jan. 16: Spokane at Portland, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 6: Lethbridge at Seattle, 7:30 p.m. (also on Shaw Cable)
Feb. 8: Vancouver at Seattle, 5 p.m. (also on Shaw Cable)
Feb. 24: Spokane at Vancouver, 7 p.m. (also on Shaw Cable)
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And a note from Al Stewart, who is the chairman of the Swift Current Broncos’ board of directors. He wants to clarify an item that appeared here a few days ago. I had picked up something from the Prairie Post about a ‘new’ board of directors being in place. Al points out that there isn’t a new board. “We are the same group of people, but have just shifted some responsibilities,” he points out, adding that there only were two changes to the officers. In one of them, he took over from Joe Arling as chairman. In the other, former Broncos forward Trent McCleary a first-year director, “was nominated to finance.” . . . Al concludes: “I'm hoping your loyal readers don't think that there has been an upheaval in the Broncos organization; in fact, (there has been) anything but.” . . . Thanks for taking the time to write on that, Al. Much appreciated.