Taking Note

JUST NOTES: The ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads have acquired F Aaron Lewadniuk (Brandon, 2008-10) from the Ontario Reign in exchange for the rights to F Geoff Irwin. Lewadniuk had 31 points, including 17 goals, in 69 games for the Reign last season, his first as a professional. . . . Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Kelowna Rockets on AM1150, reportes that Latvian F Zemgus Girgensons, 17, won’t be joining the WHL team. Girgensons, selected by Kelowna with the 54th pick in the 2011 CHL draft, will return to the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints. "His agents have basically avoided us on a steady basis here,” Bruce Hamilton, Kelowna’s president and GM, told the radio station. “We have talked to his father a couple of times and I think they have been convinced by the team in the USHL, Dubuque, to remain there this year and try to go through the draft from there." . . . The Rockets expect their other selection, Slovakian F Philip Vasko, to arrive in Kelowna next week. . . . D Adrian Van de Mosselaer (Edmonton, 2007-11) has signed with the ECHL’s Ontario Reign. He played out is WHL eligibility with the Oil Kings last season, picking up 22 points and 137 penalty minutes in 66 games.
———
THE COACHING GAME:
Eric Thurston, who coached the U of Alberta Golden Bears last season, has signed on with the Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation. According to Evan Daum of southcampussports.com, Thurston will “be tasked with helping Hungary develop its grassroots hockey system after the Hungarian government identified hockey as one of five sports it would be targeting to improve moving forward.” He also will work with the federations junior teams. . . . Edmonton broadcaster Bob Stauffer first reported Thurston’s move. . . . For more, check out Daum’s report right here. . . .
Brian Renfrew has joined the U of Nebraska-Omaha as an assistant coach. Renfrew spent the last eight seasons at Michigan State; he was the Spartans’ associate coach for the last three seasons. With UNO, Renfrew replaces Mike Guentzel, who now is at Minnesota.
———
The Habscheids are back together for a third WHL season. Marc, the general manager and head coach of the Victoria Royals, has coached his son Zach, now a 19-year-old defenceman, for the last two seasons with the Chilliwack Bruins. Cleve Dheensaw takes a look at their relationship right here.
———
MERRY TWEETINGS:
Courtesy of Randy Sportak of the Calgary Sun, who on Monday morning tweeted:
1. Costco ALREADY has Christmas decorations out. It's cold today but not that bad.
2. The funny thing is air conditioners are besidr those Christmas decorations at Costco.
———
Jingle bells, jingle bells . . .

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter