It won't be Crushed Can II

The Seattle Thunderbirds have acquired D Kyle Verdino, 20, from the Swift Current Broncos for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. Verdino, from Phoenix, began his WHL career with the Kelowna Rockets, who dealt him to the Broncos. The 6-foot-0, 205-pounder has 44 points, including five goals, and 315 penalty minutes in 217 regular-season WHL games. Last season, he had 20 points, four of them goals, and 167 penalty minutes in 67 games.
The Thunderbirds now have three 20-year-olds on their roster, the others being D Cason Machacek, who was acquired earlier from the Lethbridge Hurricanes, and veteran F Burke Gallimore. Seattle also holds the rights to D Ryan Button, 20, who is under contract to the Boston Bruins and likely will open the season with the AHL’s Providence Bruins.
The Broncos, meanwhile, are whittling away at their pile of 20-year-old players. Last week, they released F Killian Hutt. That and the trading of Verdino leaves them with four -- Brad Hoban, Jordan Peddle, Taylor Vause and Dillon Wagner. All four are forwards.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The Chicago Wolves, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, have added Karl Taylor, 40, as an assistant coach. He had been the only head coach in the three-year history of the ECHL’s Ontario Reign. Taylor will work alongside head coach Craig MacTavish. . . . The vacancy was created when Ron Wilson left the Wolves for an assistant coaching position with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs. . . .
Ryan Cyr has signed on as the Spokane Chiefs’ goaltending coach. He replaces Denis Sproxton, who left after 10 seasons due to family commitments. Cyr (Seattle, Lethbridge, Saskatoon, 2000-05) was dropped by the Regina Pats after last season. He spent four seasons there as goaltending consultant. . . .
Jim Camazzola (Kamloops, Seattle, New Westminster, 1982-85) has joined the Simon Fraser University’s hockey team as an assistant coach. He will work alongside head coach Mark Coletta. Camazzola is from Burnaby, so is joining a hometown team. Recently, he has coached in Italy’s Serie A, with Asiago HC, and the junior B Delta Icehawks. . . . SFU opens camp on Aug. 27 and will travel to Wenatchee, Wash., to play the Air Force Academy in an exhibition game on Oct. 1. . . .
Jeff Bes is the new head coach of the Southern Professional league’s Mississippi Surge. Bes, who spent the last eight seasons as a player/assistant coach with the Central league’s Laredo Bucks, replaces Steffon Walby, who was fired by new owner Tim Kerr in July. . . .
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The new arena in Moose Jaw has a new name, and it isn’t Crushed Can II.
The City of Moose Jaw and The Mosaic Company have cut a deal for naming rights for the multi-use facility which will be home to the Moose Jaw Warriors starting this season.
The 4,367-seat building will be known as Mosaic Place under the terms of a 10-year, $1.5-million deal.
The facility includes an eight-sheet curling facility, banquet and meeting rooms, and private suites and club-seating.
Mosaic Place opens Aug. 19.
The Mosaic Company is one of the world’s leading producers and marketers of concentrated potash and phosphate crop nutrients.
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JUST NOTES: F Grant Toulmin (Swift Current, 2005-09) will attend Nipissing University and play for the Lakers, who are based in North Bay, Ont. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Toulmin spent last season at Mount Royal University in Calgary, picking up 19 points in 28 games. The Royals won the national college championship.

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