D Darrell Hay (Tri-City, 1996-2000) signed a one-year contract with Cortina (Italy, Serie A). Last season, he had one goal in 20 games with Liberec (Czech Republic, Extraliga) before transferring to Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic, Extraliga), where he had one goal and seven assists in 32 games. . . .
Alba Volan Szekesfehervar (Hungary, Austria Erste Bank Liga) announced the signing of F Eric Johansson (Tri-City, 1997-2002) to a one-year contract extension and F Frank Banham (Saskatoon, 1992-1996) to a one-year contract. Johansson had six goals and 15 assists in 21 games for Alba Volan, while Banham had 19 goals and 23 assists in 47 games for Medvescak Zagreb (Croatia, Austria Erste Bank Liga) last season. . . .
F Steven Goertzen (Seattle, 2001-04) signed a two-year contract with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite). He had two goals and one assist in 43 games with Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic, Extraliga) last season. Goertzen indicated in the club's press release that he plans to attend the University of Sheffield while playing for the Steelers.
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Peter Anholt, one of the winningest coaches in WHL history, is back with the Seattle Thunderbirds. General manager Russ Farwell announced Thursday that Anholt had been added to the team’s scouting staff. "Peter will concentrate on the player pool already drafted or already playing in the WHL,” Farwell said. "Peter will . . . allow us to do a more in-depth evaluation of the current WHL player pool." Anholt, who spent last season scouting Saskatchewan for the Red Deer Rebels, spent three seasons (1989-91) as Seattle’s head coach, going 127-77-12 coaching record. . . . Anholt, with 450 regular-season coaching victories, is one of 12 men in WHL history to have surpassed the 400-victory barrier. . . . Seattle also announced that it has added Ross Patterson of Calgary to its scouting staff. He will add to the coverage in Alberta.
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The Portland Winterhawks have signed Danish F Oliver Bjorkstrand, who was the 26th selection in the CHL’s 2012 import draft. Bjorkstrand played last season with the Herning Blue Fox of Denmark’s top pro league, putting up 26 points, including 13 goals, in 36 games. He was the league’s top-scoring 16-year-old, by 21 points, as the Blue Fox won the league championship. . . . He also played for Denmark at the 2012 World Junior Championship, scoring two goals. At the 2012 U-18 World tournament, he had seven points in six games.
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THE COACHING GAME:
It would seem that Rich Preston, the GM and head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, will be staying put. There had been speculation that Preston was in the running for an assistant coaching position with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. But it seems the Kings have signed former St. Louis Blues head coach Davis Payne. . . .
Whoops! It was mentioned here yesterday that Geoff Grimwood is the new head coach of the South Island Royals. I had the right team but the wrong league. The Royals play in the B.C. Major Midget League. They aren’t a junior B squad. . . . Thanks to the two folks who pointed out the error and apologies all around.
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