Taking Note

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Tomas Hricina (Regina, 2008-10) signed a two-year (plus option) contract with Banska Bystrica (Slovakia, Extraliga) after a successful tryout. He had three assists in 19 games with Kosice (Slovakia, Extraliga) and five goals and 10 assists in 23 games on loan to Bardejov (Slovakia, 1.Liga) last season.
———
JUST NOTES: G Jonny Hogue of Lethbridge will experience something of a dream come true when he skates onto the ice at the Hurricanes’ camp. Hogue, an eighth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft, is a former Hurricanes’ stick boy. . . . D Ryan Aasman is coming home. Aasman, 19, who has played with the Prince Albert Raiders, Seattle Thunderbirds and Swift Current Broncos, is going to camp with his hometown Medicine Hat Tigers. Aasman was selected by the Raiders with the eighth overall pick of the 2007 bantam draft. He was dropped by the Broncos after last season. . . . D Justin Slobozian, 19, who spent part of three seasons (2007-10) with the Regina Pats, has been acquired by the MJHL’s Portage Terriers from the Thunder Bay North Stars of the Superior International junior league. Slobozian split last season between the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives and the North Stars. . . . The 2011 Western Canada U-16 Challenge Cup will be played at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw, Oct. 27-30.  This tournament features the highest-rated U-16 players in the four western provinces. . . . Don Nachbaur, the head coach of the Spokane Chiefs, will go into this regular season with 479 regular-season coaching victories. . . . F Brody Luhning, 19, who has played with the Swift Current Broncos and Calgary Hitmen, will go to camp with the Regina Pats. He spent most of last season with the SJHL’s Battlefords North Stars. He is from Lumsden, Sask., which is a couple of slapshots north of Regina. . . . Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that “The Pats are believed to be close to signing their top two picks from the 2011 WHL bantam draft: C Adam Brooks (second round, 25th overall) and RW Dane Schioler (second round, 36th overall). An announcement could come as early as today.” . . . Latvian D Kristaps Bazevics and Norwegian F Jonas Knutsen, the Prince Albert Raiders’ two selections in the 2011 import draft, have arrived and will take part in training camp. . . . A couple of notes from Jeff Bromley, whose blog, Ice Chips, is linked to over there on the right. He notes that the Kootenay Ice, the WHL’s defending champion, has sold more than 2,100 season tickets. “We sold 328 new season tickets, by far the most in the last number of years,” Ice president/GM Jeff Chynoweth told him. “It’s a great base and it’s going to help get the average attendance up.” . . . Bromley also reports that Kootenay F Brock Montgomery had sports hernia surgery earlier this month and won’t be back on the ice until some time in October. . . . It’s interesting that F Daniel Nachbaur, 16, will be in rookie camp with the Tri-City Americans. Daniel, who played last season in the EDGE program in Calgary, is the son of former Americans head coach Don Nachbaur, who now is the head coach of the Spokane Chiefs. . . . It’s also interesting that Tri-City’s rookie camp roster includes 19 players who are from the U.S.
———
THE COACHING GAME:
Jason Christie (Saskatoon, 1986-90) has signed on as head coach of the ECHL’s Ontario Reign. That means the Central league’s Bloomington Blaze is in the market for a new head coach. Christie was the Central league’s coach of the year last season with the Bloomington PrairieThunder. He signed with the Blaze as July 13. . . .
The OHL’s Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors have added Kelly Harper to their staff as assistant GM/assistant coach, while former NHLer Brad May has signed on as an assistant coach. They will work alongside GM/head coach James Boyd, who took over from Dave Cameron when the latter joined the NHL’s Ottawa Senators as an assistant coach. Harper had been on the coaching staff of the Brampton Battalion since 2003. . . .
Former Seattle Thunderbirds assistant coach Turner Stevenson has joined the NAHL’s Wenatchee Wild as an assistant coach. He will work with head coach John Becanic, who spent a season on Seattle’s staff. Becanic is into his first full season as the Wild’s head coach. He took midway through last season.
———
A WHL player has pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving causing death. He pleaded guilty through his lawyer on Tuesday in provincial court in Cochane, Alta. Sentencing arguments will be held on Nov. 17. There is more right here.
———
It’s called BioSteel and you’re going to be hearing a lot about it in the immediate future. What is BioSteel? It is the latest, and some hockey players say the best, in high-performance energy drinks. James Mirtle of The Globe and Mail has more right here.
———
TWEET OF THE DAY . . .
From Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Kelowna Rockets: “Is this a sign of tough economic times? 350 Rockets season tickets have been released to the public. Wow. This hasn't happened in years.”

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