Oilers sign potential Rockets coach . . . Tory backs city council candidate . . . Patterson gets married

F Colin Long (Kelowna, 2005-09) signed a one-year contract with Asplöven Haparanda (Sweden, Allsvenskan). Last season, with the Krefeld Pinguine (Germany, DEL), he had seven goals and six assists in 30 games. . . .
G Barry Brust (Spokane, Calgary, 2000-04) signed a one-year contract with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). Last season, with Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL), he was 2.15, .933 with two shutouts in 19 games; in 22 games with Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia, KHL), he was 2.70, .916 with two shutouts. . . .
F Dylan Sylvester (Kootenay, 2004-10) signed a one-year contract with Dornbirn (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). Last season, with the Vienna Capitals, he had 10 goals and seven assists in 48 games.
———


Bruce Hamilton, the president and general manager of the Kelowna Rockets, thought that Ian Herbers might be his team’s next head coach.
That thought ended Sunday when the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers signed Herbers, until then the head coach of the U of Alberta Golden Bears, as an assistant coach.
On Monday afternoon, Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier, who covers the Rockets, tweeted that “Ian Herbers from University of Alberta has been hired by @EdmontonOilers as assistant coach to round out Todd McLellan's staff. “
Herbers, 47, has spent the past three seasons as head coach of the Golden Bears, who have won the last two CIS championships.
“We were very high on him,” Hamilton told Fisher. “He would’ve been a slam-dunk in my mind, but that’s the way it goes.
“Now we’ll go through and dig in a little deeper and try to get as much information as we can on each guy before we start to decide who I want to bring in (for interviews).”
Hamilton is working to find a replacement for Dan Lambert, who resigned last week after one season as the Rockets’ head coach. Lambert, who had been on staff as an assistant coach for five seasons before that, now is an assistant coach with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.
McLellan is preparing for his first season as the Oilers’ head coach. He spent the past seven seasons as head coach of the San Jose Sharks.
McLellan and Herbers’ paths have crossed on numerous occasions.
They were both WHL players and played at the same time for one season, Herbers with the Swift Current Broncos and McLellan with the Saskatoon Blades. Later, they spent one season together with the IHL’s Cleveland Lumberjacks, McLellan as the head coach and Herbers one of the team’s defencemen.
As for the Rockets, Fisher reports that Hamilton has heard from more than 50 men who are interested in the job.
“We’ve got lots of real good possibilities,” Hamilton told Fisher. “I’m working my way through, trying to figure out who we’re interested in and researching them out.
“My first preference is to find somebody with some experience. If we don’t, then we’ll work our way down to the best young guy (who) is available.”
——
The Vancouver Giants made it official on Monday morning -- they have hired Tyler Kuntz to work as an assistant coach under new head coach Lorne Molleken. . . . Kuntz, 36, is from Lumsden, Sask. He spent the last five seasons with the UBC Thunderbirds, serving as head coach last season. . . . The Giants also said that Matt Erhart, who came on board as an assistant coach two years ago, “will remain on staff.”
——
All of this means that there are a couple of high-profile CIS jobs available, what with UBC and Alberta, both of which play in Canada West, in need of head coaches.
The Alberta job will garner a lot of interest because it is the No. 1 hockey school in Canada. There is speculation, however, that Herbers will take, or be given, a one- or two-year leave of absence from the Golden Bears, so perhaps that will cut down at least a bit on the amount of interest in that job.
The UBC job isn’t as attractive, if only because the athletic department there has been in a state of upheaval in recent times. (For more on that, check out this piece right here, from October 2013, by Iain MacIntyre of the Vancouver Sun.)
——
It isn’t often that WHL team officials get involved in civic politics, at least not in a fashion that would be visible to the public.
However, Bob Tory, who owns a piece of the Tri-City Americans and is the team’s governor and general manager, has stepped outside that safe zone.
On Monday, Tory tweeted: “I support Matt Boehnke for Kennewick City Council.”
Tory has been stumping for a new arena to replace the Toyota Centre, the Americans’ home arena that is located in Kennewick. It’s likely safe to assume that Boehnke would like to see a new arena, too.
——
They don’t make them like Ken Stabler these days. The former quarterback of the NFL’s Oakland Raiders died last week at the age of 69. . . . In 1980, Pete Axthelm, one of sports writing’s all-time greats, wrote a terrific piece on Stabler. It’s right here.
——
Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
———



The Philadelphia Flyers have signed Scott Gordon as the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Gordon, 52, last coached with the Toronto Maple Leafs as an assistant coach for three seasons (2011-14). Before that, he spent parts of three seasons as head coach of the New York Islanders. He also spent parts of six seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Providence Bruins. . . . The Flyers also announced that Riley Cote (Prince Albert, 1998-2002) will be back as an assistant coach with the Phantoms. Cote, 33, is preparing for his sixth season with the Phantoms. . . . Terry Murray had been the Phantoms’ head coach before he signed on as an assistant with the Buffalo Sabres.
——
Bill Muckalt was introduced Monday as the new general manager and head coach of the USHL’s Tri-City Storm, which plays out of Kearney, Neb. Muckalt, who played two seasons with the BCHL’s Merritt Centennials before going on to Michigan and then to a pro career, has spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach at Michigan Tech. . . . With the Storm, he replaces Jim Hulton, now the head coach of the QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders.
———



The NHL’s New Jersey Devils have signed F John Quenneville of the Brandon Wheat Kings to a three-year entry-level contract. Quenneville, 19, was the 30th overall selection in the NHL’s 2014 draft. Last season, the Edmonton native had 17 goals and 30 assists in 57 games.
——
F Chase Lowry, a 15-year-old from Edmonton, has signed with the Red Deer Rebels. He was a third-round selection by the Rebels in the 2015 bantam draft. Last season, Lowry played for the bantam AAA South Side Athletic Club Lions, putting up 36 points, 16 of them goals, in 21 games.
——
The Moose Jaw Warriors, one of four publicly owned WHL franchises, will hold their annual general meeting on Thursday, 7 p.m., at the Heritage Inn. A year ago, the Warriors announced a net profit of $61,566, down from $343,890 the previous season and $394,656 the season before that.
———

I meant to post this Sunday night, but it slipped through the cracks. Nick Patterson, a friend who covers the Everett Silvertips for the Everett Herald, tweeted this . . .

I don't often post personal stuff. But yeah, this just happened. pic.twitter.com/NvgK3Cb4Sh

— Nick Patterson (@NickHPatterson) July 12, 2015

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Stage set for CIS men . . . Tory stumping for new arena . . . Who got paid what at Woodstock?

The U of Alberta Golden Bears will be the No. 1 seed when the CIS men’s hockey championship begins in Halifax on Thursday. It will be the third straight year that the Golden Bears, who are the defending champions, go in as the top seed.
The seedings:
Alberta Golden Bears (CWUAA champions: 24-3-1 regular season / 4-0 playoffs)
UNB Varsity Reds (AUS champions: 22-4-2 regular season / 5-2 playoffs)
Guelph Gryphons (OUA champions: 11-13-3 regular season / 7-2 playoffs)
UQTR Patriotes (OUA finalists: 19-4-3 regular season / 6-1 playoffs)
Acadia Axemen (AUS finalists: 20-5-3 regular season / 3-4 playoffs)
Calgary Dinos (CWUAA finalists: 20-8-0 regular season / 2-3 playoffs)
Windsor Lancers (OUA bronze medallists: 22-4-1 regular season / 5-3 playoffs)
StFX X-Men (host team, AUS semi-finalists: 17-9-2 regular season / 4-3 playoffs)
——
THE SCHEDULE (all times Atlantic time):
Thursday, March 12
1 p.m. — Quarter-final 1: No. 6 Calgary vs. No. 3 Guelph.
7 p.m. — Quarter-final 2: No. 7 Windsor vs. No. 2 UNB.
Friday, March 13
1 p.m. — Quarter-final 3: No. 5 Acadia vs. No. 4 UQTR.
7 p.m. — Quarter-final 4: No. 8 StFX vs. No. 1 Alberta.
Saturday, March 14
Noon — Semifinal 1: Winner QF 1 vs. Winner QF 2.
4 p.m. — Semifinal 2: Winner QF 3 vs. Winner QF 4.
Sunday, March 15
2 p.m. — Bronze.
6:30 p.m. — Final.
The semifinals and final will be televised on Sportsnet 360. All tournament games will be webcast at www.CIS-SIC.tv, although the semifinals and final will be pay-per-view. Quarter-final games and the third-place game will be available on Eastlink TV.
——
The tournament will be loaded with former WHL players. By my count, there are at least 68 ex-WHLers on the rosters of the eight teams. Here’s a look . . .
ACADIA (7): Sam Fioretti, Zach Franko, Brandon Glover, Boston Leier, Taylor Makin, Matt Pufahl, Joel Ridgeway,
ALBERTA (25): Colin Archer, Dylan Bredo, Thomas Carr, Jesse Craige, Jamie Crooks, Zack Dailey, Josh Derko, James Dobrowolski, Brett Ferguson, T.J. Foster, Jordan Hickmott, Riley Kieser, Levko Koper, Johnny Lazo, Stephane Legault, Kurtis Mucha, Drew Nichol, Rhett Rachinski, Kruise Reddick, Jordan Rowley, Luke Siemens, Jarrett Toll, Travis Toomey, Mitch Topping, Brennan Yadlowski,
CALGARY (21): Dylan Busenius, Chris Collins, Jacob DeSerres, Drydn Dow, Spencer Edwards, Cain Franson, Danny Gayle, Dan Gibb, Colton Grant, Ryan Harrison, Adam Kambeitz, Kevin King, Kris Lazaruk, Chance Lund, Elgin Pearce, Max Ross, Aspen Sterzer, Phil Tot, Davis Vandane, Dylan Walchuk, Walker Wintoneak.
GUELPH (3): Teal Burns, Keith Hamilton, Seth Swenson.
ST. FX (8): Morgan Clark, Jagger Dirk, Blake Gal, Cole Grbavac, Steve Kuhn, Bronson Maschmeyer, Drew Owsley, Ted Stephens.
UNB (2): Cam Braes, Dylan Willick.
UQTR (0)
WINDSOR (2): Isak Quakenbush, Daulton Siwak.
———


Bob Tory, a part-owner and the general manager of the Tri-City Americans, is of the opinion that the Toyota Center, which houses his WHL team, has surpassed its best-before date. The facility is 27 years of age and, Tory believes, it’s time for a new arena. . . . Kristi Pihl of the Tri-City Herald has more right here.
———

IF THE WHL PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:

Eastern Conference
Brandon vs. Edmonton
Medicine Hat vs. Kootenay
Regina vs. Swift Current
Calgary vs. Red Deer
——
Western Conference
Kelowna vs. Tri-City
Everett vs. Spokane
Victoria vs. Prince George
Portland vs. Seattle
(NOTE: Team with home-ice advantage shown first.)
———

SUNDAY’S GAMES

No Games Scheduled
———

MONDAY’S GAMES

No Games Scheduled
———

TUESDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Regina at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Lethbridge vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Spokane at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
———

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Regina at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Prince George at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Portland at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Victoria at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
———

What each performer was paid at the original Woodstock... @kingbritt @originmagazine @doctorow @matthiasrascher pic.twitter.com/Zkuvvi3Ise
— Paul D. Miller (@djspooky) March 8, 2015

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Injury bug biting Americans . . . Remembering Herb Brooks . . . Hitmen rise to top

When the Tri-City Americans filed their injury report with the WHL office on Monday, it included both their goaltenders, two defencemen and three forwards. Under ‘additions,’ the Americans listed the names of four affiliate players who have been brought in as the teams attempts to get through this adversity.
F Parker Bowles, who leads the Americans in assists (31) and points (44), and D Carter Cochrane are out indefinitely. Both have shoulder issues and might be done for the season.
F Braden Purtill is out for up to six weeks.
Richard Nejezchleb, who may be the most gifted offensive player on the roster, and D Dylan Coghlan both were listed as day-to-day, but they played last night against the visiting Portland Winterhawks.
G Eric Comrie, one of the best at his position in the WHL, will watch for up to three weeks, while G Evan Sarthou’s status has yet to be determined.
Last night, the Americans gave the start to G Nicholas Sanders, who has been with the midget AAA Calgary Buffaloes. He was a sixth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft.
Casey Kaiser, a 19-year-old from Richland, Wash., backed up Sanders. Kaiser made his first WHL appearance and start Saturday in a 7-2 loss to the visiting Calgary Hitmen.
The Americans also have recalled F Zack Andrusiak, from the junior B North Okanagan Knights of the Kootenay International Junior League; F Parker AuCoin, from the midget AAA St. Albert Raiders; and F Morgan Geekie from the Yellowhead Chiefs of the Manitoba Midget AAA League.
Aucoin was the 15th overall selection in that 2013 bantam draft, while Geekie was taken in the fifth round.
AuCoin made his WHL debut last night; Andrusiak and Geekie were scratched, as was freshman F Max James.
Tri-City didn’t show D Brandon Carlo on its injury report, but he missed his third game last night since taking a puck to the head. Carlo played for the U.S. at the 2015 WJC.
Bob Tory, the Americans’ general manager, has been working in the WHL since at least 1982, including stints with the Prince Albert Raiders, Portland and Kootenay Ice. He told Taking Note that he has never experienced anything like this season.
“This is the worst year yet,” he stated in a text. “One year in Kootenay we were hit hard but nothing like this, and not one is a concussion.”
On top of it all, Tory pointed out, that the Americans have had others players “out long term before this who have returned. And others who have had two long-term injuries this season.”
Through it all, the Americans are clinging to the Western Conference’s second wild-card playoff berth, five points ahead of the Prince George Cougars.
“I hope we can hang on for playoffs,” Tory said. “The kids are trying.”
———


Mike Priestner, the owner of the Saskatoon Blades, was in Saskatoon on Tuesday so he and GM/head coach Bob Woods chatted with season-ticket holders during a luncheon. . . . The Blades won’t be in the playoffs, but that doesn’t surprise Priestner, who believes the rebuild is going in the right direction. . . . He also said the franchise is losing money. “We’re not losing a bunch of money. We’re losing some money,” Priestner said. “It was expected coming in. I didn’t think the crowds would be where they’re at. I probably thought they’d be in that 4,800 to 5,000 range.” . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix was there and his story is right here.
———

Tim Speltz, GM of the Spokane Chiefs.

 Tim Speltz, the general manager of the Spokane Chiefs since 1990, has been added to Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence management group for 2015-16. He will work in support of the U-20 program, which primarily involved the Canadian national junior team that will play in the 2016 WJC in Helsinki, Finland. . . . Speltz is no stranger to Hockey Canada, having worked with the management group for the Canadian U-18 team that won gold at the 2014 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament. . . .  Bruce Hamilton, the owner and general manager of the Kelowna Rockets, worked with the U-20 program for 2014-15.
———
You know it’s baseball season when fans of the Chicago Cubs crawl out of the snowbanks and try to convince themselves that, yes, “this is our year.” . . . Dan Epstein, who is not related to Theo Epstein, is a Cubs’ fan and he has a readable piece on this subject right here.
———



The Prince George Cougars continued their trek to Kent, Wash., by stopping in Williams Lake, B.C., on Tuesday. After a day of skating with minor hockey players, signing autographs and making friends, the Cougars presented a cheque for $1,500 to the local minor hockey association. The Cougars, who meet the Seattle Thunderbirds in Kent on Friday, will spend today in 100 Mile House. . . .
If you haven’t seen this right here, it’s definitely worth a read as TSN’s Bob McKenzie remembers the late Herb Brooks.
———

TUESDAY’S GAMES:

B.C. DIVISION: All five teams had the day off.
U.S. DIVISION: Portland (12 games remaining) won on the road and now is three points behind idle Everett, which leads the division. . . . Tri-City (11) lost at home and remains in possession of the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot. Tri-City is a point behind idle Spokane (14) and five ahead of Prince George (11).
EAST DIVISION: Swift Current (12) won at home and is a solid third, eight points behind Regina (13) and 12 points ahead of Moose Jaw (12), neither of whom played.
CENTRAL DIVISION: Calgary (12) won on the road and moved into sole possession of first place in the division, two points ahead of idle Medicine Hat (12). . . . Kootenay (11) picked up a loser point on the road and now holds down the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot by five points over idle Edmonton (12). Kootenay is four points behind idle Red Deer (13), which is third in the division.
———
In Swift Current, the Broncos trailed 5-2 early in the third period but roared back to beat the Kootenay Ice 7-6 in a shootout. . . . Broncos F Jake DeBrusk scored the only goal of the four-round shootout. . . . Ice F Tim Bozon gave his side a 5-2 lead with his 28th goal at 9:20 of the second period. . . . F Coda Gordon, with his second of the game and 21st of the season, cut the deficit to 5-3. . . . DeBrusk then got his 36th goal at 14:03 and D Ayrton Nikkel tied it with his second goal of the season at 16:23. . . . The Ice wasn’t done, though, and took a 6-5 lead on F Levi Cable’s 26th goal at 17:13. . . . It was left for Broncos F Colby Cave to force OT with his 28th goal at 18:35. . . . F Luke Philp scored his 27th goal and added three assists for the Ice, who got three assists from F Sam Reinhart. . . . The Broncos (30-25-5) have won three in a row. . . . The Ice (31-27-3) is 3-0-2 in its last five. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., F Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice and F Nic Petan had four assists as the Portland Winterhawks beat the Tri-City Americans, 6-4. . . . Bjorkstrand, with goals in nine straight games, has 45 goals, one off the WHL lead. . . . Petan has eight assists over his last two games. In fact, in his last six games, he has a goal and 13 assists. . . . Portland F Miles Koules broke a 4-4 tie with his 24th goal at 14:32 of the third period. . . . That came after F Beau McCue had pulled the Americans into a 4-4 tie with a shorthanded goal at 10:09. . . . G Nicholas Sanders made 41 saves for the Americans, 17 more than Portland’s Adin Hill. . . . Tri-City was 2-for-4 on the PP; the Winterhawks were 0-for-3. . . . The Winterhawks (36-20-4) have points in six straight (5-0-1). . . . The Americans (27-31-3) have lost two in a row. . . .

In Kent, Wash., the Calgary Hitmen continued their unbeaten road trip as they dropped the Seattle Thunderbirds, 3-2. . . . Calgary F Chase Lang broke a 1-1 tie with his 24th goal at 5:47 of the second period, just 4:26 after F Jake Virtanen had tied it with his 17th goal. . . . F Terrell Draude gave the visitors a 3-1 lead at 2:35 of the third. . . . Seattle F Roberts Lipsbergs got his 10th goal at 19:00 of the third. . . . According to TBird Tidbits, the Hitmen now have won six straight games in Seattle/Kent, with two of the victories coming in OT. Calgary last lost there on Oct. 26, 2002. . . . Calgary (37-18-5) is three games into an 11-game road trip and has won all three games. Overall, it has won five straight. . . . Seattle (31-22-7) had won its previous two games.
———

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Medicine Hat at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Regina, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Red Deer at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Calgary at Portland, 7 p.m.
Victoria at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Everett at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
———

Just heard a lady in the lobby say "I'm STILL vibrating!!". @SCBroncos
— Leigh Duquette (@LadyKat75) February 25, 2015

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Brain injuries claim another career . . . Tory hits social media's campaign trail

F Jade Galbraith (Saskatoon, 2000-01) has been released by the Dundee Stars (Scotland, UK Elite) after the British government refused his visa application. Dundee won’t pursue an appeal of the rejection. Last season, with the Heerenveen Flyers (Netherlands, Eredivisie), he had 38 points, including 17 goals, in 22 games.
---

CONCUSSION REPORT:

Tye Hand has decided that an eighth concussion might be one too many, so his hockey career is over.
“I have had seven concussions,” Hand told Taking Note on Thursday, “so this summer I decided it was time for me to start doing other things. It was a tough decision but I have to do what is best for my health moving forward.”
Hand, 19, is from Yellowknife, NWT. He played two seasons with the WHL’s Regina Pats, earning two assists in 31 games in 2012-13 and going pointless in 21 games last season.
A 6-foot-3, 185-pound defenceman, he was a second-round pick by the Everett Silvertips in the 2010 bantam draft.
Hand played bantam AAA at the Pursuit of Excellence in Kelowna, then spent 2011-12 with the AJHL’s Drumheller Dragons, with whom he was named to the South Division’s All-Rookie team.
On Sept. 15, 2012, the Pats acquired him from Everett for a sixth-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft.
At the time, Regina GM Chad Lang said: “Tye is a big, physical stay-at-home defenceman. That rugged presence will add a lot to our back end. . . .”
Before Hand was done in the WHL, he had suffered three concussions, the last one, he said, occurring on Dec. 14.
He said he was first concussed while playing minor hockey in Yellowknife. While at Pursuit of Excellence, he said, he incurred two concussions, and had another one while in the AJHL.
The last brain injury, No. 7, occurred on Dec. 14 against the visiting Kelowna Rockets. It was 36 seconds into the game when he was knocked into the end boards from behind.
On Dec. 31, the Pats announced that they were shutting him down.
The news release read: “The decision was made after discussion between the Regina Pats’ medical staff, hockey operations department and Tye Hand that, due to multiple concussions in consecutive years, it is in the best interest for Tye’s long term health and future that he spend the rest of the year recovering. Hand’s status will be re-evaluated in the off-season.”
Hand now is at home in Yellowknife and plans to stay there at least for a year. Next fall, he hopes to go to school.
While he is disappointed to be leaving hockey, the good news is that he is symptom-free.
“I’m just unsure as to what another concussion would do to me,” Hand said.
---
An email from a reader of Taking Note:
“Just wanted to say as a former Western League player who has gone through concussions and depression I appreciate everything you are trying to do by raising awareness on the issues. Keep up the good work!”
---



Bob Tory, the part-owner, governor and general manager of the Tri-City Americans, has started campaigning to get a new building for his WHL franchise.
He posted a few tweets with that theme this week:
“Time has come for a new arena in Tri-City. We need our fans to speak loud and proud.”
“Tri-City Americans bring tremendous value to the quality of life in the Columbia Basin. We need your support for change. #New Building”
“Branding Tri-City. The Americans have been doing this for years. #New Building”
“Toyota Center in need (of) major capital improvements. Stay tuned.”
“Tri-City deserves first-class facilities. Time for a new building.”
“Off to Cheney WA today to play the Chiefs in a beautiful facility on EWU campus. Time for a new building in Tri-City.”
“Let’s brand Tri-City with improvements not just thoughts and wishes.”
On Thursday, with his club entering the final season of its lease, Tory took to Instagram in an attempt to connect with Americans’ fans.
“The Toyota Center is in need of major capital improvements,” Tory wrote. “It’s time for a new building in the Tri-Cities, which is long overdue. We need public support to generate interest in change.
“Let’s brand the Tri-City community with improvement, not just thoughts and wishes.
“Tri-Cities deserves to have first-class facilities for first-class fans. We need our fans to be loud and proud. Support this idea by liking this message and sharing.
“Thank you.”
The 5,734-seat Toyota Center opened in 1988. After being privately owned, the City of Kennewick took it over in August of 2000. The Americans have played there since 1988-89, the team’s first season in the Tri-Cities.
---
The Regina Pats now have four 20-year-olds on their roster, having released G Dawson MacAuley, who has joined the SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers. . . . The departure of MacAuley, who is from Prince Albert, leaves the Pats with Daniel Wapple and Tyler Fuhr as their goaltenders. . . . MacAuley was 0-1/5.86/.786 in 61 minutes of exhibition play. Last season, he played in 50 regular-season games with Regina, going 25-16-4/3.24/.899. . . . Wapple is from Saskatoon; Fuhr is from Sherwood Park, Alta. . . . The Pats are left with four 20s on their roster -- F Patrick D’Amico, F Braden Christoffer, F Logan McVeigh and F Chandler Stephenson.
Also on Thursday, the Pats released F Dane Schioler, 18, who was a second-round bantam draft pick in 2011. He is expected to join the MJHL’s Portage Terriers.
---
The City of Medicine Hat’s public services committee has recommended that each ticket sold for a function in the under-construction Event Centre should carry a $2.15 user fee. The money would be applied to the cost of the facility. . . . The Medicine Hat Tigers, however, have come out against user fees. Gillian Slade of the Medicine Hat News has more right here.
---
Larry Stone, a sports columnist with the Seattle Times, is hardly alone when he admits to not having been much a supporter of MLB commissioner Bud Selig a few years ago. Over time, however, Stone has come around to the other side. . . . Why? He explains right here.
---
The iPod is dead. Michael Hiltzik of the Los Angeles Times has the obit right here.
---
Twelve years ago, Chris Nowinski was trying to carve out a career in the world of professional wrestling. Today, he is one of the most influential people in sports. . . . There is more right here.
---
Richard Kiel, known as Jaws by fans of the James Bond films, died this week at the age of 74. Of course, there was much more to the big man than a couple of Bond movies. . . . Bruce Weber of The New York Times has Kiel’s obituary right here.
---




The home of the Everett Silvertips got a new name this week. Formerly, it was known as Comcast Arena. Now it’s Xfinity Arena. Xfinity is a phone, cable and internet provider. . . . The Spokane Chiefs got down to 29 players by releasing F Taylor Ross from their roster. Ross, 16, was a fourth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. He will join the midget AAA Notre Dame Argos, who play out of Wilcox, Sask. The Chiefs are carrying three goaltenders, 11 defencemen and 15 forwards. Of that bunch, 10 are freshmen. . . . D Dylan Busenius, who played out his junior eligibility last season, will attend the U of Calgary and play for the Dinosaurs. From Sherwood Park, Alta., he split last season between the Saskatoon Blades and Prince Albert Raiders. He played the first three-plus seasons of his WHL career with the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . .

F Trent Lofthouse, 20, who was released from the Portland Winterhawks‘ camp, has joined the AHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons. He had 15 points, including 10 goals, with the Vancouver Giants last season, and also has played with the Everett Silvertips and Victoria Royals. . . . The Oil Barons also signed F Michael Sauer, who played last season with the midget Cleveland Barons of the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League. The Bemidji, Minn., native had 32 points, including 13 goals, in 35 games. Sauer, who turns 19 on Nov. 15, signed with the Tri-City Americans on Aug. 29, 2013, after having been placed on the WHL team’s protected list. He has yet to play a WHL regular-season game. . . .

F Kristian Ferletak of the Victoria Royals can expect a call from the WHL office after he took a major penalty for goaltender interference and a game misconduct in an exhibition game on Thursday night. He collided with Vancouver Giants G Ryan Kubic at 8:18 of the second period. Kubic finished with 17 saves in a 3-0 victory over the host Royals. . . . In last night’s other game, F Lucas Nickles scored for the fourth straight game as the Tri-City Americans beat the Spokane Chiefs 2-1 in OT in Cheney, Wash. F Brandon Carlo won the game with a PP goal just 46 seconds into OT.
---

It's the time of year when WHL teams act like junior A clubs are farm teams. Players aren't "reassigned" to junior A, they're released.
— Brian Wiebe (@Brian_Wiebe) September 12, 2014

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Americans get their man . . . Memorial Cup field set

Rufus, a Rufous Hummingbird, stopped for a breather
in our apple on Tuesday. Said he was on his way home
from Portland and Game 7.

 F Denis Tolpeko (Seattle, Regina, 2003-06) has signed a two-year contract extension with Salavat Yulaev Ufa (Russia, KHL). Tolpeko started this season with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL), before being traded to Salavat Yulaev on Jan 13. In 45 games, he had 11 points, including five goals. . . .
F Steven Goertzen (Seattle, 2001-04) has signed a one-year contract with the Coventry Blaze (England, UK Elite). This season, with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite), he had 38 points, 12 of them goals, in 45 games. He was the interim player-head coach for two weeks in February. . . .
D Brett Bartman (Spokane, 2007-10) signed a one-year contract with Gap (France, Ligue Magnus). This season, with the U of Calgary (CIS), he had 11 points, including two gaols, in 26 games. . . .
D Rod Sarich (Calgary, 1996-2002) has signed a one-year contract with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite). Sarich, who has a UK passport, didn’t play this season but stayed in Sheffield, attending university and working. In 2012-13, he had 37 points, seven of them goals, in 57 games with Sheffield. He was pointless in three games with Great Britain’s national team. . . .
D Shaone Morrisonn (Kamloops, 1999-2002) has signed a one-year contract with Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL). This season, with TPS Turku (Finland, Liiga), he had 16 points, including four goals, in 54 games. He was an alternate captain with TPS Turku. . . .
F Dustin Johner (Seattle, 1999-2004) has signed a contract (one year plus an option) with Västerås (Sweden, Allsvenskan). This season, with Djurgården Stockholm (Sweden, Allsvenskan), he had 37 points, including 17 goals, in 52 games. He tied for the team lead in goals and points.
---
The WHL’s game of coaching musical chairs continued Tuesday as the Tri-City Americans signed Mike Williamson as their head coach.
Contract details weren’t announced, other than it being a multi-year proposition, but I am told that Williamson signed a four-year deal with no club options. He had spent the previous five seasons with the Calgary Hitmen, who chose not to pick up a club option when this season ended.
The Hitmen enjoyed a 103-point regular season -- they finished tied with the Edmonton Oil Kings atop the Eastern Conference, losing top spot on a tiebreaker -- then lost a six-game first-round playoff series to the Kootenay Ice.
Williamson was dropped shortly after that.
With the Americans, Williamson takes over from Jim Hiller, who was dumped last week despite a five-season winning percentage of .619. General manager Bob Tory said at the time that he felt his team was in need of a new face/new voice behind the bench.
Williamson spent seven seasons plus 24 games (1999-07) as the head coach of the Portland Winterhawks, a team with which he had played three seasons. He also spent four-plus seasons as an assistant coach in Portland.
He has 427 victories as a WHL head coach, making him third among active coaches. He is ninth all-time in games coached and 11th in victories.
“I have known (Williamson), personally, since he was a 17-year-old player who I recruited to Portland from Red Deer College,” Tory said in a news release. “He has had tremendous success at the WHL level and is known as a player’s coach who is demanding yet firm and calm. Mike brings a great deal of experience and passion to our hockey club and I look forward to working with Mike moving forward.”
Earlier this month, Don Hay left after 10 years as head coach of the Vancouver Giants, returning to his home in Kamloops as head coach of the Blazers.
All of this leaves the Hitmen, Giants and Saskatoon Blades searching for head coaches.
---


1. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Al Ford, a former general manager of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, after he was mugged by a couple of idiots in Regina on Monday. He should just pretend that he got run over by George Reed during a practice session back in the day. . . . There’s more on what happened right here.

2. D Jordan Thomson has told the Saskatoon Blades that he will join them for the 2014-15 season. Thomson, from Wawanesa, Man., was selected by the Kamloops Blazers with the fourth overall pick in the 2011 bantam draft. However, he left the Blazers early this season and ended up with the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings. He did get into nine games with the Blades, getting a goal and five assists. . . . The Blades acquired Thomson, F Mitch Lipon and a 2015 first-round bantam pick from Kamloops in exchange for F Matt Revel, a third-round 2016 bantam draft pick and a conditional second-round pick in 2014 or 2015. The Blazers will get that 2015 second-round pick if Thomson plays one game for the Blades in 2014-15. . . . Lipon was dropped by the Blades as they made room for new players during the bantam draft on May 1.

3. Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, the stars of the ESPN show PTI, have gotten multi-year contract extensions. If you haven’t seen PTI, Kornheiser and Wilbon sit in front of TV cameras and do what we did in the sports departments of the Winnipeg Tribune and Regina Leader-Post almost every night -- sit around and argue about sports. I think Kornheiser and Wilbon likely are getting paid more than we were.

4. The NFL draft ran for two nights and most of another day, all of it available on TV. If you weren’t aware, the CFL draft was held Tuesday evening and TSN televised an hour of it, right up against Game 7 between the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins. Yes, that’s one more page of that CFL’s manual titled Football Marketing 101. . . . Sheesh, why not hold it on Saturday afternoon and get it all on TV? It’s not like the CFL teams make 268 selections.

5. An afternoon tweet from the Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars): “Robison: The WHL never considered leaving Prince George.” . . . WHL commissioner Ron Robison, in Prince George to take part in a day in which the Cougars’ new owners introduced themselves to the fans, apparently made that statement to the gathering. . . . Rick Brodsky, who sold the franchise last month, certainly thought about it. There were talks with the people who run the arena in Boise, Idaho, and then there were thoughts of relocating to Chilliwack. Yes, there were conversations with at least one of the former owners of the Bruins, although those talks didn’t go too well. Oh, and Brodsky also looked into a move to Fort McMurray, Alta., something that would have involved the construction of a new arena. . . . So perhaps it all depends on how you define “considered.”

6. The Rangers were clinging to a 2-1 lead over the host Penguins when my wife said dinner was two minutes from being ready. There was 3:30 to play, so I asked if it could wait for five minutes. . . . She asked: “Is that real time?” . . . I said: “Yes.” . . . She replied: “It’s a good thing it’s not basketball time or it would take an hour.” . . . Who knew she paid such close attention to NBA games?

7. The Val-d’Or Foreurs went into Baie-Comeau and beat the Drakkar 4-3 in Game 7 of the QMJHL’s championship series on Tuesday night. . . . The Drakkar erased a 3-0 deficit in the third period, only to have Val-d’Or F Anthony Mantha score the GWG at 19:09. . . . It is the Foreurs’ third title (1998 and 2001) and, as Willy Palov of the Halifax Chronicle-Herald noted: “Pretty impressive for a small-market franchise.” . . . Mantha put up 38 points, 24 of them goals, in 24 playoff games, but the QMJHL playoff scoring title went to F Jonathan Drouin of the Halifax Mooseheads. He had 41 points in 16 games.

8. It’s a good day when Stan Van Gundy is back in the NBA as a head coach. As ESPN Stats & Info tweeted: “Stan Van Gundy to coach Pistons. He's had 5 50-win seasons and no losing seasons as an NBA head coach.”

9. One of my favourite people in all of hockey is Troy Mick, the always smiling GM and head coach of the BCHL’s Salmon Arm SilverBacks. Unfortunately, we don’t get the opportunity to chat as often as I’d like. This week, Mick is in Vernon watching his son, Logan, play in the RBC Cup with the host Vipers. Yes, Troy, who was part of two junior A national championships with the Vipers, is enjoying being a spectating father this week. . . . There’s more right here.

10. In future seasons, the WHL has to schedule its playoffs so that there is no chance of the final round ending with teams playing Games 6 and 7 on back-to-back nights in different cities. Especially when there were seven days (April 27 through May 2, inclusive) between the end of the third round and the start of the final series. Playing back-to-back games in different cities at that stage of the season isn’t fair to the players, the fans or the product.
---
THE COACHING GAME:
John LaFontaine (Nanaimo Islanders, 1982-83) is the new head coach of the NAHL’s Wichita Wildcats. He had been coaching the Shattuck St. Mary’s bantam team in Faribault, Minn. He also spent seven seasons as head coach of the Bozeman Icedogs, who played in the America West League and the NAHL while he was with them. . . . LaFontaine takes over from Paul Baxter (Winnipeg, 1973-74), who is president and general manager in Wichita.
---
Kevin McClelland, the head coach of the Central Hockey League’s Wichita Thunder, signed a one-year contract extension taking him through the 2015-16 season. . . . McClelland, 51, is preparing for his fifth season in Wichita, having signed with the Thunder on April 26, 2010. . . . The Thunder is 144-94-26 with him behind the bench. . . . McClelland’s resume includes a stint with the Prince Albert Raiders (1998-2000).
---
Josh Hepditch has left the junior B Creston Valley Thunder Cats of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League to join the junior A Amherst CIBC Wood Gundy Ramblers of the Maritimes Junior League. . . . Hepditch, who is from Fredericton, N.B., and played five seasons at the U of New Brunswick, spent two seasons in Creston, the last one as GM and head coach. . . . Hepditch takes over from Jim Bottomley, who was dumped after this season. Bottomley has since signed on as GM/head coach of the MHL’s Yarmouth Mariners.
Darrell Cole of the Cumberland News Now has more right here.
---

MEMORIAL CUP
(at London, Ont., all times Eastern)
(all games televised by Sportsnet)
Friday: Val-d’Or vs. London, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Guelph vs. Edmonton, 4 p.m.
Sunday: London vs. Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Monday: Guelph vs. Val-d’Or, 7 p.m.
Tuesday: Edmonton vs. Val-d’Or, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 21: London vs. Guelph, 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 22: Tiebreaker, if necessary, 7 p.m.
Friday, May 23: Semifinal, 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 24: No game scheduled.
Sunday, May 25: Final, TBA.
---





From former NHL D Nick Boynton (@NICKBOYNTON24): “Hey nhl brilliant letting Matt Cooke play again. Someone have to die first?? No excuse now.”
---
From MLB pitcher Mark Mulder (@markmulder20): “You want to stop TJ injuries----then don't play baseball. Kids pitch year round and don't play other sports. Arm only has so many bullets.”
---
From Andrew Weiss (@WeissFC): “Surprised to see Kailer Yamamoto ('98) sign w/ Spokane. Regardless, he was one of my NTDP Camp surprises. Packs a lot of skill w/ small size.”
Yamamoto, from Spokane, played for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings minor midget team. He was a fifth-round pick by the Chiefs in the 2013 bantam draft. His older brother, Keanu, just completed his first season with the Chiefs.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.