Taking Note

THE MacBETH REPORT:

F Ryan Hollweg (Medicine Hat, 1999-2004) signed a one-year contract extension with Plzen (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had one goal and one assist in 30 games with Plzen this season.


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The Fargo, N.D., Forum is reporting that F Rhett Gardner has committed to the U of North Dakota. Gardner, who plays for the midget AAA Moose Jaw Generals, was selected by the Spokane Chiefs in the second round of the WHL’s 2011 bantam draft. However, he didn’t report to the Chiefs and his WHL rights were dealt to the Brandon Wheat Kings on Jan. 10. . . . According to the Forum, Gardner “also received interest from Cornell, Bemidji State and Minnesota Duluth.”
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The Kootenay Ice, which is to play the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers tonight, is showing F Sam Reinhart as being out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. . . . Reinhart is on a 10-game point streak, as is F Jaedon Descheneau. Reinhart has 17 points, 10 of them goals, in that time. Descheneau has 15 points, including seven goals.

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If you are one of those people who has been speculating that the WHL is even thinking about taking the Saskatoon Blades away from the Memorial Cup, forget about it.
The three commissioners — David Branch (OHL), Gilles Courteau (QMJHL) and Ron Robison (WHL) — were in Saskatoon for a site visit on Tuesday. While there Robison told Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix that there quite simply aren’t any circumstances that would result in anything like that happening.
“Our agreement is that we’re fully committed to the city of Saskatoon, the province of Saskatchewan and the host committee. And that carries with it the host team,” Robison said. “We’ve never entertained any other option. The Blades are the host team.”
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It was prior to start of the first round of last season’s playoffs when a story in the Kamloops Daily News referred to the Victoria Royals as the Grizzlies or Salsa. I forget which it was, or maybe it was both, but it was enough to set off Dave Dakers, the man who runs the franchise, and he proceeded to take a shot or two at the story’s writer during a news conference that preceded the series between the Royals and Kamloops Blazers.
With that in mind, I wonder what he thinks of the faux pas that appears on Page 1 of the WHL’s 2012-13 Official Guide?
Right there in the bottom left corner, where the franchises are listed in alphabetical order under the heading WHL Club Information, it shows the Vancouver Giants followed by the Vancouver Royals.
Ouch!
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D Mathew Dumba of the Red Deer Rebels remains with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, but he has yet to get into a game. Dumba, the seventh overall selection in the NHL’s 2012 draft, has been a healthy scratch from all three Wild games, including Tuesday night against the visiting Nashville Predators.
Greg Meachem, the sports editor of the Red Deer Advocate, writes: “With defenceman Jonas Brodin nearly ready to return to the Minnesota roster and Marco Scandella also close to coming back from an injury, Dumba will likely be returned to Red Deer soon.”
The Wild has road games scheduled for Detroit and St. Louis on Friday and Saturday.
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D Troy Rutkowski of the Portland Winterhawks will tie the franchise record for career regular-season games played tonight when he goes up against the Chiefs in Spokane.
Paul Buker of The Oregonian takes a look at Rutkowski and his career right here.
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The SJHL has chosen to realign for the first time since 1987. The SJHL’s board of governors has decided to change the league’s format, going from today’s two conferences to three divisions in time for next season.
Josh Lewis of the Estevan Mercury has more right here.
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TUESDAY’S  HIGHLIGHTS:
Edmonton G Tristan Jarry put up his WHL-leading fifth shutout as the Oil Kings beat the Warriors 7-0 in Moose Jaw. . . . Jarry made 13 saves. . . . Edmonton F Trevor Cheek had three goals and two assists. . . . F Brian Williams scored the game’s first two goals and the host Tri-City Americans went on to a 5-1 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. Tri-City F Justin Gutierrez also scored twice. . . . F Josh Nicholls scored his 31st goal as the Saskatoon Blades dumped the host Brandon Wheat Kings, 4-1. After a scoreless first period, the Blades scored three second-period goals. The Wheat Kings lost D Rene Hunter when he left in the first period after blocking a shot.
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From Portland freelance journalist Scott Sepich (@SSepich): “The $500 fine was for the Hawks starting the line brawl with Spokane yesterday. I suppose it can go on their tab (it’s up to $200,500 now)."


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