Taking Note

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Tyler Mosienko (Kelowna, 2000-05) signed a one-year contract with the Nippon Paper Cranes (Japan, Asia Hockey League). He had 15 goals and 32 assists in 43 games with the Las Vegas Wranglers (ECHL) and one goal and one assist in 22 games with the San Antonio Rampage (AHL) last season. The Paper Cranes play out of Kushiro, Hokkaido. . . .
F Barry Horman (Spokane, Everett, Swift Current, 2000-05) signed a one-year contract with Herentals (Belgium, Netherlands Eredivisie). He had 13 goals and 22 assists in 28 games with Mount Royal University (ACAC) last season. . . .
F Tyler Metcalfe (Seattle, 1999-2005) signed a one-year contract with Arystan Temirtau (Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Vyschaya Liga). He had 24 goals and 22 assists in 29 games with Dunaujvaros (Hungary, MOL Liga) last season.
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The Tri-City Americans have acquired D Matt Benning, 17, from the Kootenay Ice for conditional third- and sixth-round picks in the 2012 bantam draft. Benning, the son of former NHLer Brian Benning, played with the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints last season. He had seven assists and 65 penalty minutes in 43 games. Benning was selected by the Ice in the second round of the 2009 bantam draft. . . . “Matt is an intelligent defenceman who brings a wealth of potential,” Bob Tory, the American’s general manager, said in a news release. “This deal gives us tremendous young depth on our blueline and sets us up for the future. I hope to be able to sit down with Matt and Brian and complete the recruiting process so we can see Matt in our training camp in a few weeks.” . . . Tory has made three trades in the last few days. Of the latest deal, Tory told me: “Needed to add some depth to my blue-line, fix age groups and up the ante at training camp.” In other words, he feels his training camp is looking a whole lot more competitive today than it was 10 days ago.
Benning chose not to report to the Ice’s camp prior to last season, presumably wanting to keep the NCAA option alive. So now it will be up to Tory to persuade the 6-foot-0, 205-pound Benning to report to the Americans’ camp.
“While we are disappointed Matt did not commit to our program, we felt it was best for both the player and the organization to have a fresh start,” Ice general manager Jeff Chynoweth said in a news release.
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The Swift Current Broncos have folks buzzing after issuing a press release on Wednesday evening.
“The Swift Current Broncos Hockey Club will be holding an open press conference to announce a new addition to the Broncos organization,” the release reads. “Photo opportunities and interviews will be available.”
The news conference is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 17, at 11:15 a.m. CST.
Mark Lamb, the Broncos’ general manager and head coach, and Jordan Wall, the director of business operations, will be in attendance.
Let the guessing begin!
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Stuart Ballantyne is leaving his position as chief operating officer with the Vancouver Giants on Friday. According to a Giants new release, “He will be moving on to a new opportunity, which will be announced in the coming weeks.” Ballantyne has been a sporting fixture in Vancouver for a while now, having been involved with the late Molson Indy Vancouver and having run Hockey House during the 2010 Winter Olympics, the 2009 World Police and Fire Games, 2007 Memorial Cup, and the 2006 World Junior Hockey Championship. . . . The Giants have moved Peter Toigo from hockey operations (as director of team services) to the front office as vice-president, operations.
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JUST NOTES: F Tyler Maxwell of the Everett Silvertips will play for the Minnesota Wild team that will play in the annual eight-team tournament in Traverse City, Mich. Maxwell, 20 is preparing for his fourth season in Everett. . . . Also on that Wild rookie team will be F Dylan Willick, 19, of the Kamloops Blazers, who wasn’t selected in the NHL’s 2011 draft. . . . Everett F Campbell Elynuik, 18, will go to camp with the Philadelphia Flyers. . . . Pat Siedlecki, the radio voice of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, reports over there on the right taht the club has released F Neil Tarnasky and F Ryon Moser, both of whom are going into their 19-year-old seasons. Tarnasky has seven points in 112 games over two seasons, while Moser has 20 points in 115 games. GM/head coach Rich Preston told Siedlecki that both players have been invited to camp with other WHL teams, but did not identify those teams. . . . Ryan Pinder is the new radio voice of the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat. He replaces Dave Sheldon, who left in order to play host to a weekend show on Vancouver radio station CKNW. Pinder spent the last four seasons as director of broadcasting and media relations with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees.
Hockey Canada has named its coached for the 2011 World Junior A Challenge, which is to be played Nov. 7-13 in Langley, B.C. According to the Hockey Canada news release: “Jason Nobili (Bolton, Ont./Toronto, OJHL) and Greg Walters (Toronto, Ont./Georgetown, OJHL) have joined the Canada East staff as assistant coaches, working with head coach Curtis Hodgins (Courtice, Ont./Whitby, OJHL), who was introduced as Canada East head coach during the 2011 RBC Cup. Kent Lewis (Powell River, B.C./Powell River, BCHL) will serve as Canada West head coach, along with assistant coaches Dean Brockman (St. Benedict, Sask./Humboldt, SJHL) and Andrew Milne (St. Albert, Alta./Canmore, AJHL).” . . . Lewis replaces Mark Ferner who was announced as head coach — he then was the GM/head coach of the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers — but has since signed on as head coach of the Everett Silvertips.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Anthony Noreen is the new general manager and head coach of the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms. He had been an assistant coach under Curtis Carr, who left for an assistant’s position with the Merrimack College Warriors. . . .
Former NHLer Stéphane Matteau has signed on as an assistant coach with the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. Its head coach is J.F. Houle.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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