Thunderbirds can win it all tonight ... Game 6 set for Regina ... Big signing day in P.A.

F Ned Lukacevic (Spokane, Swift Current, 2001-06) has signed a one-year contract with Jegesmedvék Miskolc (Hungary, MOL Liga). This season, he had six goals and four assists with Katowice (Poland, PHL), and a goal and an assist in eight games with the Quad City Mallards (ECHL). . . .

G Brett Jaeger (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Saskatoon, 2000-04) has signed a one-year extension with Löwen Frankfurt (Germany, DEL2). This season, in 40 games with Frankfurt, he was 2.89 and.895. He was named the DEL2 player of the month for April and was honoured as the most valuable player of the DEL2 playoffs.

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The last "major" Seattle hockey title? The Seattle Totems winning the Lester Patrick Cup (champ of former pro WHL) in 1968. https://t.co/ugADxBe8fV

— Ray Marcham (@rmarcham) May 13, 2017

The Seattle Thunderbirds get their first opportunity to win the franchise’s first WHL championship when they meet the Pats in Regina tonight (Sunday).

The Thunderbirds have won the last two games of the WHL’s championship final for the Ed Chynoweth Cup — 6-1 on Wednesday and 7-4 on Friday, both victories coming in Kent, Wash.

That gave Seattle a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven final. Should the Pats win tonight, they’ll settle it in Game 7 in Regina on Monday night.

The winner advances to the Memorial Cup that is scheduled to run May 19-28 in Windsor, Ont. The other three teams in the tournament have been established with the OHL-champion Erie Otters and the QMJHL-champion Saint John Sea Dogs joining the host Spitfires.

Should Seattle win the WHL championship, the Memorial Cup tournament would feature two American teams for the third time in its history.

In 1998, the host Spokane Chiefs and WHL-champion Portland were in the tournament, with the Winterhawks winning it.

In 2007, the tournament was held in Vancouver and included the QMJHL-champion Lewiston Maineiacs and the OHL-champion Plymouth Whalers, from Maine and Michigan, respectively. The host Vancouver Giants won it all, beating the WHL-champion Medicine Hat Tigers in the final.

For what it’s worth, neither the Maineiacs nor the Whalers are with us today. The OHL folded the Maineiacs on May 31, 2011; the Whalers moved to Flint, Mich., after the 2014-15 season, and now are the Firebirds. 

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What a feeling signing with the @PARaidersHockey can't wait for the future with this organization! pic.twitter.com/UANw00nAtC

— Ozzy wiesblatt (@ozzywiesblatt) May 14, 2017

The Prince Albert Raiders held an all-access open house on Saturday and during the festivities took time to sign their first three selections from the 2017 WHL bantam draft — D Kaiden Guhle, F Cohner Saleski and F Ozzy Wiesblatt. . . . Guhle, from Sherwood Park, Alta., was the first overall selection. The brother of D Brendan Guhle, Kaiden had 17 goals and 23 assists in 30 games for OHA Edmonton in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. . . . Saleski, from Warman, Sask., was the 17th overall selection. He had 43 goals and 42 assists in 30 games with the bantam AA Saskatoon Stallions. . . . Wiesblatt, from Calgary, was taken with the 25th pick. He recorded 38 goals and 35 assists in 32 games with the bantam AAA Calgary Bisons.

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SATURDAY’S GAME:

No Game Scheduled.

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SUNDAY’S GAME (all times local):

Seattle at Regina, 6 p.m. (Seattle leads, 3-2)

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MONDAY’S GAME (all times local):

Seattle at Regina, 7 p.m. (if necessary)

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Oceanic forces MC tiebreaker . . . Nickolet does draft preview up right . . . New deal for Everett coach

G Brett Jaeger (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Saskatoon, 2000-04) signed a one-year contract with Dresdner Eislöwen (Germany, DEL2). This season, with the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (Germany, DEL2), he had a 3.07 GAA in 15 games. Jaeger has dual Canadian-German citizenship. . . .
G Mark Guggenberger (Portland, Swift Current, Kelowna, 2007-10) signed a one-year contract with the Perth Thunder (Australia, AIHL). This season, with the Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL), he was 3.46 and .893 in 23 games. He also got into two games with the Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL), going 1.95 and .905. . . . Guggenberger signed with Perth in December but the club just announced it. He also will work with youth goalies in Western Australia. . . . At present, Perth is in first place in the AIHL with a 6-1-0-1 record.
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The QMJHL-champion Rimouski Oceanic and the host Quebec Remparts will meet in a Memorial Cup tiebreaker tonight. . . . On Wednesday night, the Oceanic dropped the Remparts 4-0, setting up tonight’s tiebreaker, with the winner

moving into Friday’s semifinal against the WHL-champion Kelowna Rockets. . . . The OHL-champion Oshawa Generals (3-0) have advanced to Sunday’s final. . . . The other three teams all finished 1-2 — it was the first time that three teams have done that — but the Rockets moved into the semifinal based on a tiebreaking formula. . . . Oceanic G Philippe Desrosiers stopped 27 shots for last night’s shutout. . . . Quebec G Zach Fucale allowed four goals on 25 shots before being lifted for Callum Booth, who stopped 17 shots over 27:20. Still, you know that Fucale will start for the Remparts tonight. . . . Rimouski F Justin Samson, in the lineup for an ailing Anthony DeLuca, got the game’s first goal, scoring one second after the expiration of an Oceanic PP, at 14:36 of the first period. . . . Oceanic F Michael Joly finished with a goal and four assists. He now has a tournament-high six points. . . . Rimouski was 2-for-6 on the PP; Quebec was 0-for-3. . . . Attendance was 10,277. . . . Rimouski was without DeLuca, a 44-goal man in the regular season, due to illness. . . . The Remparts, who never seemed in the last game of the round-robin, lost F Anthony Duclair (shoulder) and F Jérome Verrier (leg) with injuries in the third period. It isn’t known if they will be available tonight. . . . Rimouski has won its last six games at the Pepsi Colisée.
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Here is the Memorial Cup schedule (all games on Sportsnet; all times Eastern):
Friday, May 22: Kelowna 3 vs. Quebec 4 (9,497)
Saturday, May 23: Rimouski 3 vs. Oshawa 4 (8,409)
Sunday, May 24: Quebec 4 vs. Oshawa 5 (OT) (10,970)
Monday, May 25: Rimouski 3 vs. Kelowna 7 (6,981)
Tuesday, May 26: Oshawa 2 vs. Kelowna 1 (7,002)
Wednesday, May 27: Quebec 0 vs. Rimouski 4 (10,277)
Thursday (tiebreaker): Quebec vs. Rimouski, 7:30 p.m.
Friday: Semifinal, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday: Championship game, 7 p.m.
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The Kelowna Rockets drew a $500 fine on the weekend after someone in their organization was critical of the referees in Game 1 of the Memorial Cup in Quebec City. The guilty party wasn’t identified, so I asked readers of this blog who they thought it may have been.
All told, there were 117 voters, with general manager Bruce Hamilton getting the most votes (63). Among the five options presented in the poll, Ogopogo came in second (27), followed by play-by-play man Regan Bartel (12), head coach Dan Lambert (9), F Leon Draisaitl (6).
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There isn’t a more devoted observer of the WHL than Cody Nickolet, and he has released the fruit of his labours -- his final WHL rankings of players eligible for the 2015 NHL draft. It is more than 75,000 words in length, so there is a lot of detail. You should check it out right here.
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The Montreal Canadiens announced Wednesday that Vaughn Karpan, 53, has been named director of professional scouting. Karpan, a veteran scout, played for the Brandon Wheat Kings (1979-80) and is from The Pas, Man. He is preparing for his 11th season with the Canadiens, the past five as a pro scout. Karpan also spent 13 seasons with the Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes.
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Taylor Rocca of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman reports that the Kootenay Ice may go to camp with seven 20-year-olds on hand. But that won’t include F Ryan Chynoweth or D Lenny Hackman. Chynoweth, the son of Ice general manager Jeff Chynoweth, is expected to play junior A, while Hackman apparently is headed to school. . . . Rocca’s story is right here.
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Pat Micheletti, the second-leading scorer in the history of the U of Minnesota Gophers, underwent a kidney transplant on Wednesday at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. His new kidney came from his brother, Jerry. . . . Michael Russo of the Minnesota StarTribune has more right here.
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F Owen Sillinger, the son of former WHL/NHL F Mike Sillinger, will play next season with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees. This season, Owen played with the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. He had 64 points, including 25 goals, in 42 games. . . . Sillinger, who will turn 18 on Sept. 23, was selected by the Vancouver Giants in the 10th round of the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft.
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The Manchester Monarchs, under former Moose Jaw Warriors head coach Mike Stothers, are headed to the AHL final. The Monarchs completed a sweep of the Hartford WolfPack on Wednesday night, winning 3-1 in Hartford. . . . The Monarchs are affiliated with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings; the WolfPack is with the New York Rangers. . . . The Monarchs will meet either the Utica Comets (Vancouver Canucks) or Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit Red Wings) in the final. That series is 1-1 heading into Game 3 tonight in Grand Rapids.
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The Allen Americans and South Carolina Stingrays will play for the ECHL championship. . . . The Americans beat the visiting Ontario Reign 3-1 in Game 7 of their semifinal series last night, while the Stingrays beat the host Toledo Walleye 1-0 in triple OT of their Game 7. . . . The Americans became the fifth team in ECHL history to win a series after trailing 3-1. . . . The final is scheduled to open Sunday in Allen, Texas.
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THE COACHING GAME:

The Everett Silvertips have signed assistant coach Brennan Sonne to a contract extension through 2015-16. That will be Sonne’s second season on the coaching staff, alongside head coach Kevin Constantine and fellow assistant Mitch Love. . . . Sonne, 28, worked with the forwards and on skill development this season. . . . From Maple Ridge, B.C., Sonne played parts of three seasons with the Silvertips, and also played with the Red Deer Rebels and Edmonton Oil Kings.
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The B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League’s Selkirk Saints are in need a head coach as Alex Evin is off to the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs as an assistant coach and goaltender coach. Evin guided the Saints to the BCIHL championship this season, his first as head coach. . . . Bob Hall of the Nelson Daily has more right here.
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Check out this young fellow’s favourite book . . .

Pre K #Grad #BigAce pic.twitter.com/J5r3vuzYnb

— George (@Big_G_09) May 27, 2015

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Source: Winterhawks lose assisant coach to Texas . . . Sloan wins big in N.S.

G Brett Jaeger (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Saskatoon, 2000-04) has signed a one-year extension with Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (Germany, DEL2). Last season, he put up a 2.66 GAA in 24 games with the Fischtown Pinguins.
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1. The Portland Winterhawks, who apparently are close to naming a new GM/head coach, also are looking for an assistant coach. A source familiar with the situation told me Sunday that Karl Taylor has left the Winterhawks to join the Texas Stars, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, as an assistant coach under new head coach Derek Laxdal. . . . Taylor spent one season with the Winterhawks. He was hired after Travis Green, their assistant GM/assistant coach, signed on as head coach of the AHL’s Utica Comets. . . . Taylor has lots of coaching experience, having spent six seasons in the ECHL as a head coach.

2. The coaching world really is bizarre at times. . . . Consider that the Portland Winterhawks, under GM/head coach Mike Johnston, lose the WHL final to the Edmonton Oil Kings of head coach Derek Laxdal. . . . Johnston ends up signing on as head coach of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. . . . Laxdal joins the AHL’s Texas Stars. . . . The Oil Kings and Winterhawks have met in three straight WHL championship finals and supposedly are mortal enemies. . . . So, naturally, Texas hires Portland assistant coach Kris Taylor to work with Laxdal.

3. Freelance journalist Patrick Blennerhassett has written an in-depth story on The Concussion Conundrum. That’s the headline the Winnipeg Free Press put on the story that is quite interesting, simply because Blennerhassett writes about his own recent concussion problems. . . . He also talks with a handful of doctors, each of whom provides valuable insight. . . . This important story is right here.

4. Roger Sloan, who is from Merritt, B.C., won the Nova Scotia Open, a Web.com Tour stop in Halifax, on Sunday. It took Sloan, 27, an extra hole to defeat Derek Fathauer of Stuart, Fla. . . . Sloan pocketed $117,000 and moved into 12th spot on the tour’s money list. He needs a top-25 finish to get his PGA Tour card. . . . As Sloan made a 5-foot putt for the victory, fans spontaneously broke into O Canada. . . . "I love being a Canadian," Sloan said. "They just broke out in song. This means so much to win this here. I don't know which feels better — to win or to be done today. It was a long day." . . . Tropical Storm Arthur had wiped out Saturday’s third round, so golfers played two rounds Sunday. . . . If you were watching on Golf Channel, that was Sloan’s mother, Cathy, with a victory hug for her son after the final putt. She surprised him by showing up on Friday, the first time she has attended a Web.com event. . . . There’s more on Sloan’s victory right here.

5. It’s hard to believe that more than three years have passed since Roger Sloan won the Western Championship, the Canadian Tour’s only stop in Kamloops. That was quite a weekend for the Sloan family. Right here is what I wrote once it was all over.

6. Another Wimbledon fortnight came to an end on the weekend, and things went pretty well for Canada. Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated puts a big bow on things right here, with 50 Parting Thoughts.

7. The Brooklyn Cyclones, a minor league baseball team, celebrated “25 years of nothing” on Saturday and the park was sold out as they honoured the debut of Seinfeld. . . . They even found a real-life George Costanza to take part. . . . Hunter Atkins of the The New York Times was there and his story is right here.
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NS Open champ Roger Sloan with mother Cathy who watched her son play on http://t.co/t4FG5WdSMX Tour for 1st time. pic.twitter.com/rLqJKmwigP
— Glenn MacDonald (@CH_GMacHerald) July 6, 2014

Adam Shaw and Rocky are reunited for the first time with the two young
sisters whose lives they saved on Sunday.
(Photo courtesy @EdmOilKings)

A rule of thumb around here is that The MacBeth Report leads off whenever there’s news from that source.
Today, however, The MacBeth Report is getting bumped down a notch and something tells me he won’t mind one bit.
The Edmonton Oil Kings had some special guests on hand prior to Friday’s second-round opener with the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers.
Adam Shaw and his dog, Rocky, took part in a ceremonial faceoff as they met up for the first time with two young sisters whom they rescued from the North Saskatchewan River on Sunday.
This is just a wonderful, wonderful story and you really should check out the story on the rescue. Brent Wittmeier of the Edmonton Journal has more right here.
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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Tyler Redenbach Prince George, Swift Current, Lethbridge, 2001-05) signed a one-year contract with the Pelicans Lahti (Finland, SM-Liiga). Redenbach started the season with HIFK Helsinki (Finland, SM-Liiga), where he had three goals and nine assists in 23 games before being loaned to the Pelicans in mid-January. Redenbach had four goals and 11 assists in 20 games for the Pelicans and his plus/minus of +12 led the team. . . .

G Brett Jaeger (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Saskatoon, 2000-04) signed a one-year contract extension with Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). He had a 2.55 GAA in 35 games with the Pinguins this season.
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Roy MacGregor of The Globe and Mail takes a look right here at hockey’s aversion to the ‘C’ word. Oh boy, does hockey need to get over this and figure out where it’s going. Because this really is getting embarrassing.
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True North Sports and Entertainment kicked the tires of the Kootenay Ice earlier this season.
And now the owners of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets are asking current and former MTS Centre and Winnipeg Jets customers for their thoughts on the value of bringing a WHL franchise for the Manitoba capital.
TNSE started conducting the survey on Friday and will continue through Tuesday. TNSE will be sending emails to the chosen few and asking them to participate.
Winnipeg has a spotty history, at best, with WHL franchises. The Winnipeg Warriors played out of the Winnipeg Arena from 1980-84 before relocating to Moose Jaw.
The Winnipeg Jr. Jets (1967-73) morphed into the Winnipeg Clubs/Monarchs, who became the Calgary Wranglers and now are the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
And if you’re wondering how much a relocation might cost TNSE, the buzz is that an established WHL franchise might carry a price tag as high as $9 million.
And, yes, Nanaimo remains in the picture. As has been mentioned many times before now, the minute Nanaimo has an arena that meets WHL requirements, the Vancouver Island city will have a WHL franchise.
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D Richard Nedomlel of the Swift Current Broncos has signed a three-year, entry-level deal with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. From the Czech Republic, Nedomlel was a sxith-round selection in the NHL’s 2011 draft. He has played the last three seasons with the Broncos.
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The WHL’s playoff situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
SECOND ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
(Edmonton leads, 1-0; Game 2, Sunday, in Edmonton)
Calgary (3) vs. Red Deer (4)
(Calgary leads, 2-0; Game 3, Monday, in Red Deer)
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
SECOND ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Spokane (4)
(Portland leads 1-0; Game 2, tonight, in Portland, Rose Garden)
Kelowna (2) vs. Kamloops (3)
(Game 1, tonight, in Kelowna)
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FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Edmonton, F Edgars Kulda had a goal and two assists as the Oil Kings dumped the Medicine Hat Tigers, 4-1. . . . When Kulda opened the scoring at 15:53 of the first period it marked the first time in these playoffs that the Tigers had trailed. They never once were behind in sweeping the Saskatoon Blades from the first round. . . . Kulda, a 17-year-old from Riga, Latvia, had a goal and two assists in five playoff games going into this one. . . . Rogan Dean, the Oil Kings’ head equipment manager, suffered a fractured elbow during what Chris O’Leary of the Edmonton Journal refers to as a “pre-game ritual with head athletic therapist Brian Cheeseman.” . . . O’Leary’s story is right here.

In Calgary, F Victor Rask broke a 1-1 tie at 16:43 of the second period as the Hitmen beat the Red Deer Rebels, 2-1. . . . F Elliott Peterson got the Hitmen on the board 47 seconds into the game. . . . F Jordan DePape tied it for Red Deer at 17:30 of the first. . . . Calgary G Chris Driedger stopped 29 shots, 11 fewer than Red Deer’s Patrik Bartosak. . . . Red Deer F Matt Bellerive was handed a kneeing major and game misconduct at 7:59 of the second for a neutral zone hit on F Pavlo Padakin, who left the game and didn’t return. . . . Red Deer GM/head coach Brent Sutter was livid over the Bellerive call and went so far as to slam a stick against the boards. “I’ll let the league deal with their own officials on that,” Sutter told Kristen Odland of the Calgary Herald. “That’s not a five-minute major. He skates like three feet to him and it’s a bodycheck. It’s not a major penalty. This is playoffs and you get called on something like that. . . . I’ll let the league deal with their officials. You saw what I saw on the screen and that was no major penalty . . . it’s playoff time. You can’t make a suspect call like that.” . . . Odland’s story is right here.

In Portland, F Ty Rattie scored the game’s last three goals as the Winterhawks dropped the Spokane Chiefs, 7-2. . . . Rattie now leads the WHL with nine postseason goals. . . . He also became the top point-getter in Portland in franchise history, his 72 points moving him past F Randy Heath. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 38 shots as he posted his 38th career playoff victory, tying him with Cam Ward (Red Deer, 2001-04) for the WHL record. . . . Portland D Derrick Pouliot had a goal and three assists, while F Oliver Bjorkstrand had two goals, giving him five, and an assist. . . . Pouliot has four goals in these playoffs. . . . Rattie and Pouliot each has 13 points, one fewer than Kamloops F JC Lipon, who leads the league. . . . D Brenden Kichton had two assists for Spokane. . . . Paul Buker of The Oregonian was there and his story is right here.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (12):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (5):
D Cole Wedman, Spokane
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From Tri-City Americans F Malte Stromwall (@stroms15): “Så het nu . . . @VictorRask”
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From Kelowna Rockets D Mitch Wheaton (@Mwheats2): “To whoever covered my car in mustard marshmallows Saran Wrap and brown sugar good for you . . . #gerth #sweet #gutless”


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.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
G Brett Jaeger (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Saskatoon, 2001-04) signed a one-year contract extension with the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). Jaeger started last season with Copenhagen Hockey (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga), where he had a 3.12 GAA and a .908 save percentage in 27 games, before transferring to the Fischtown Pinguins. With the Pinguins, he had a 3.00 GAA in seven games. . . .
F Mike Wirll (Brandon, Prince Albert, Prince George, Lethbridge, 1997-2003) signed a one-year contract with the Dundee Stars (Scotland, UK Elite). He had four goals and 13 assists in 20 games with the Braehead Clan Glasgow (Scotland, UK Elite) last season. . . .
D Brett Festerling (Tri-City, Vancouver, 2001-07) signed a two-year contract with the Nuremberg Ice Tigers (Germany, DEL). He had three goals and 15 assists in 52 games with St. John's Ice Caps (AHL) and was pointless in five games with the Winnipeg Jets (NHL) last season.
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Another 20-year-old goaltender is on the move with the Brandon Wheat Kings having sent Brandon Anderson to the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Wheat Kings moved Anderson and a 2013 fifth-round bantam draft pick to the Silvertips for F Geordie Maguire, 17, who played last season for the Winnipeg Wild and led the Manitoba midget AAA league in scoring. . . . Maguire, a fifth-round selection by Everett in the 2010 bantam draft, put up 77 points, 40 of them goals, in 42 games with the Wild. . . . Anderson has signed with the NHL’s Washington Capitals; should he be assigned to Everett, the Wheat Kings would get back the fifth-round pick. . . .
Anderson finished up each of the last two seasons with the Hershey Bears, Washington’s AHL affiliate, but didn’t see any game action. . . . Anderson was a free agent when he went to camp with the Capitals two years ago and came away with a contract. The Lethbridge Hurricanes later dealt him to Brandon, where he was 13-14-2, 3.96, .889 in 31 games last season. In six games with Lethbridge before the trade, he went 2-3-1, 3.78, .894. He also missed part of the season as he left the Wheat Kings and went home for reasons that never were disclosed. In 2010-11, after signing with the Capitals, he was 17-26-12, 3.77, .888. . . . Everett is looking for a goaltender to take over from Kent Simpson, 20, who has signed with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks and is expected to open in their organization. If neither Anderson nor Simpson is back, Austin Lotz, 17, will get first crack at starting. . . . Should Anderson end up in Everett, he would become the fourth 20-year-old on the roster, along with F J.T. Barnett, F Cody Fowlie and F Ryan Harrison.
The deal leaves the Wheat Kings with Corbin Boes, 19, as the starter going into training camp, which is no surprise. Chances are he’ll be supported by Curtis Honey, 18, although Jordan Papirny, 16, may well be in the picture, too, before all is said and done. . . .
Anderson is the fourth 20-year-old goaltender to be traded this offseason. . . . Luke Siemens, who turns 20 on Nov. 6, went from the Moose Jaw Warriors to the Prince Albert Raiders, while Ty Rimmer moved from the Tri-City Americans to Lethbridge, and Brandon Glover, who will be 20 on Aug. 21, was dealt by the Calgary Hitmen to the Seattle Thunderbirds.
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Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports has the story right here of the Memorial Cup and the beating it has taken at the hands of the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes. Hey, don’t sweat it because the Cataractes weren’t partying with the real thing.
But, geez Louise, just because you are passing around a replica is not reason to use it and abuse it.
After all, the Memorial Cup has some history behind it and deserves to be shown a bit more respect than it apparently has been getting.
With all the money a lot of these major junior teams are making, perhaps it’s time the CHL assigned an employee to babysit the Memorial Cup in these situations.
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D Paul Sohor (Everett, Tri-City, 2007-11) played out his junior eligibility last season with the MJHL’s Selkirk Steelers and now has decided to attend York University and play for the Lions. . . . He had 32 points in 50 games last season in Selkirk.
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Robbie Ftorek, the 60-year-old head coach of the OHL’s Erie Otters, and his family are in shock after the death Saturday of Anna Ftorek, a 23-year-old daughter. She died suddenly at the family home in Wolfeboro, N.H. There is more right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Jared Bednar has signed on with the Springfield Falcons, the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, as an assistant coach. Bednar spent the last two seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen. In Springfield, he’ll work alongside head coach Brad Larsen and assistant coach Nolan Pratt. . . . Bednar played in the WHL with the Prince Albert Raiders, Medicine Hat Tigers, Spokane Chiefs and Saskatoon Blades (1990-1993). . . . The Falcons announced that Bednar got a “multi-year” deal. They also announced that Pratt has received a “contract extension beyond the 2012-2013 season.” He is heading into his second season on the Falcons’ staff. . . .
Barry Smith is headed for the Netherlands where he will work as head coach of the Tilburg Trappers, who play in the country’s top league. Smith, who coached the Kamloops Blazers (2008-10), replaces Theo van Gerwen, who was named technical director of the Dutch Hockey Association after two seasons with the Trappers. Smith signed a one-year deal with Tilburg. (This signing actually happened late in May and I somehow missed it. Apologies for that.)
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If you’ve got 20 or 30 minutes to invest in a great read, give this right here a look. Jason Schwartz of Boston Magazine takes a look at 38 Studios, the video-game company owned by former MLB pitcher Curt Schilling that imploded and left behind quite a mess.

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.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
G Brett Jaeger (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Saskatoon, 2001-04) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). He had a 3.12 GAA and a .908 save percentage in 27 games with CPH Hockey/Hvidovre Copenhagen (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga) this season. CPH Hockey/Hvidovre has had some financial difficulties and has now moved to an all-Danish lineup. . . .
F Juraj Gracik (Try-City, 2004-06) was released by the Milton Keynes Lightning (England, Premier). He had 14 goals and 24 assists in 32 games for the Lightning this season.
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CALVIN PICKARD

G Calvin Pickard of the Seattle Thunderbirds has made a new fan after Sunday’s game in which he set the WHL career record for saves while opposing Payton Lee, the Vancouver Giants’ 15-year-old goaltender.
That fan sent me an email that reads, in part . . .
“Calvin Pickard, who is truly a great goaltender, stopped another Sunday night to become the all-time puck-stopper in the WHL. But he truly must be acknowledged for his sportsmanship.
“During the second period of Sunday’s game as is custom there was a timeout called around the 10-minute mark. During this timeout, as the players were skating towards their respective benches, the two goaltenders, Pickard and Payton Lee from the Giants, had to cross one another’s path to get to their benches. Pickard passed Lee quite close by and, in something I haven't seen in many a day, Pickard tapped Lee on the pads with his stick and skated to his bench.
“When the timeout was over, Pickard and Lee came together again and both tapped each other on the pads as they headed back to their respective goals.
It was quite a showing and it renews your faith in the true sportsmanship of the game.
“Also during the second period, after play had resumed, Lee made quite a spectacular glove save and I noticed that Pickard was slapping his stick on the ice as a kind of ‘Nice save, kid’ gesture.
“In this day and age, you just don't see that happening and I thought it should be acknowledged.
“In the third period, when Pickard had made the save that got him the record, the fans gave him quite an ovation when it was announced by the in-house public address announcer.
“Pickard also was given quite an ovation when he was selected one of the three stars and deservedly so.
“I have seen a lot of hockey in my day but Sunday’s game really brought me back to a place that I hadn't been to in a long, long time. It was most refreshing to see.”
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DEPT. OF DISCIPLINE:
Richard Doerksen, the WHL’s hanging judge, has been busy over the last few days.
D Alex Roach of the Calgary Hitmen got three games for a Friday night check to the head that has left Prince George Cougars F Greg Fraser with a concussion.
Prince George F Campbell Elynuik came out of that game with five games in suspensions — an automatic one game for receiving his third game misconduct and four more for being involved in what the WHL calls a “one man fight.” In other words, Elynuik jumped a Calgary player.
F Austin Bourhis of the Prince Albert Raiders got hit was a three-game sentence for a charging major in a Friday game against the visiting Victoria Royals.
As well, F Dryden Hunt of the Regina Pats is out ‘tbd’ for a checking to the head of Moose Jaw Warriors F Andrew Johnson. The Warriors say Johnson isn’t concussed, but he isn’t expected to play tonight in Swift Current against the Broncos.
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Luke Siemens will be back in goal for the Moose Jaw Warriors tonight when they go up against the host Swift Current Broncos. Siemens, who is 22-9-4, 2.59, .909, wasn’t dressed for two games and spent the Warriors’ last game on the bench as Spencer Tremblay went the distance three times. When Siemens sat out the first game, head coach Mike Stothers told Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald that Siemens needed to re-focus. On Monday, Stothers told Gourlie: “The re-focusing seems to have worked.” . . . Gourlie also reports that Moose Jaw F Andrew Johnson is out after taking a check to the head from Regina Pats F Dryden Hunt on Saturday. . . . Warriors D Dylan McIlrath, with six games left in an eight-game suspension, is in New York with the Rangers for a few days. They took him 10th overall in the NHL’s 2010 draft.
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The Saskatoon Blades have returned G Alex Moodie, 16, to the midget AAA Winnipeg Wild. With G Andrey Makarov (concussion) due to return this week, the Blades were able to complete the move they started early in January. But Makarov suffered a concussion on Jan. 7, so Moodie was kept on the roster. During his stay with the Blades, Moodie, who joined them on Dec. 27, won nine of 12 starts, going 9-3-0, 3.42, .895. . . . The Blades are expected to have Makarov in goal on Friday when they meet the Warriors in Moose Jaw.
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The WHL career of Prince Albert Raiders F Kellan Tochkin, 20, would appear to be over. The Raiders revealed Monday that Tochkin has a broken wrist that will keep him sidelined for up to five months. He is scheduled to see a specialist in Vancouver and is likely to have surgery next week. . . . The Raiders acquired Tochkin, who is from Abbotsford, B.C., from the Medicine Hat Tigers earlier this season. He had 29 points in 29 games with the Raiders, and also was a plus-7. He is under contract to the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. . . . Tochkin began his WHL career with the Everett Silvertips. . . . In 256 regular-season games, he put up 243 points, including 91 goals.
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JUST NOTES: The Portland Winterhawks are at home to the Everett Silvertipts tonight. Portland will be looking to extend its franchise-record home-ice winning streak to 18 games. The WHL record belongs to the 1993-94 Kamloops Blazers (29). . . . The Winterhawks haven’t had a skater finish in the top five in the scoring race since F Josef Balej, who was fifth with 92 points in 2001-02. They haven’t had a play win the scoring race since F Todd Robinson did it with 134 points in 1996-97. F Ty Rattie leads the WHL in goals (42) and is tied with Regina Pats F Jordan Weal in points (81) at the moment. . . .
F Brett Boehm, a Calgary Hitmen list player, has made an oral commitment to the U of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs. Boehm has 70 points in 33 games with the Saskatchewan midget AAA league’s Beardy’s Blackhawks. Boehm expects to play next season with the SJHL’s Flin Flon Bombers. . . . Boehm’s father, Brad, played in the WHL with the Prince Albert Raiders and Moose Jaw Warriors (1988-90). . . .
The AHL’s Connecticut Whale has signed F Randy McNaught. McNaught, 21, is from Nanaimo, B.C. He joins the Whale after starting the season with the U of Calgary Dinos. He had 24 penalty minutes but no points in 12 games. Last season, an ankle injury limited him to eight games with the Vancouver Giants, who had acquired him from the Saskatoon Blades. He also played for the Chilliwack Bruins. In 154 regular-season WHL games, he had 27 points and 321 penalty minutes. . . . McNaught was a seventh-round selection by the New York Rangers in the NHL’s 2010 draft.
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David La Vaque of the Minneapolis Star Tribune takes a look at the options facing high school players in Minnesota as they decide between the major junior and NCAA routes. That story is right here.


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Tri-City general manager Bob Tory helps Brian Williams
put on an Americans' jersey on Monday.
(Photo courtesy Tri-City Americans)

THE MacBETH REPORT:
G Brett Jaeger (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Saskatoon, 2001-04) signed a one-year contract with Hvidovre (Denmark AL-Bank Liga). He had a 2.59 GAA and a .915 save percentage in 57 games with the Coventry Blaze (UK Elite) this season. . . .
F Petr Vala (Seattle, 1997-98) signed a tryout contract with Zell am See (Austria Nationalliga). He had seven goals and two assists in 35 games this season, split between Dukla Trencin and Zilinia (both Slovakia Extraliga). . . .
D Victor Bartley (Kamloops, Regina, 2003-09) signed a one-year contract with Djurgården Stockholm (Sweden Elitserien). He had 11 goals and 23 assists in 52 regular-season games and two goals and seven assists in 10 Elitserien Qualifying Series games with Rögle Ängelholm (Sweden Allsvenskan) this season; Rögle did not qualify for promotion to Elitserien. Djurgården's general manager, Janne Järlefelt, said when announcing the signing: "Bartley was perhaps the best Allsvenskan defenseman over the whole season. He is also young and we believe he can continue to develop with us in Djurgården Hockey. He is good on the power play, has a very good shot, and is a good skater."
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The WHL office finalized a pair of suspensions on Monday.
F Brad Ross of the Portland Winterhawks will sit for three games for the charging major he incurred for a hit on Kelowna Rockets F Zach Franko in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinal on Thursday.
Ross sat out Game 2 in Portland on Sunday and will miss Games 3 and 4 in Kelowna tonight and Wednesday.
The teams are tied 1-1 going into tonight.
Franko hasn’t played since the first-period hit. He was left with at least a broken nose and an abrasion on his face. He also is believed to have a concussion.
Meanwhile, D Tyler Schmidt of the Tri-City Americans was hit with a one-game suspension for a clipping major he picked up in the third period of Game 2 of their series with the Spokane Chiefs on Sunday. Schmidt will sit out Game 3 tonight in Kennewick, Wash.
This series also is tied 1-1.
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The Tri-City Americans have signed another highly touted Californian.
F Brian Williams, who is from Claremont, Calif., was an eighth-round selection in the 2010 bantam draft.
Williams was the first native-Californian drafted by Tri-City since it took Jason Beeman in the second round in 2001. According to an Americans press released, Williams “was projected as a top five pick prior to the 2010 draft but fell after he expressed interest in pursuing an NCAA scholarship.”
The 5-foot-9, 160-pound Williams had 34 points in 34 games with the Los Angeles Selects U-16 club. He was a teammate with G Eric Comrie, who signed with the Americans on Thursday.
Williams has joined the Americans and will stay with them for the remainder of this season.
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F Tyler Pitlick of the Medicine Hat Tigers hasn’t played since suffering a broken ankle on March 1. He won’t play in the second round of the playoffs — the Tigers hold a 2-0 lead over the Red Deer Rebels — but he is making progress.
On Monday, after seeing a doctor, Pitlick tweeted: “Well I got the news I was hoping for I got rid of the crutches, doc wants me to lose the walking cast by the weekend #greatday"
The Rebels and Tigers are to meet in Game 3 tonight in Medicine Hat.
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F Linden Vey of the Medicine Hat Tigers is the WHL’s player of the week. He had nine points, including four goals, in three games, all of them victories. . . . Medicine Hat’s Tyler Bunz is the WHL nominee as the CHL’s goaltender of the week. He went 2-0 with a 0.50 GAA and a .986 save percentage. . . . Steve Papp, who is one of the WHL’s top referees, has been selected to work the RBC Cup in Camrose, Alta., from April 30 to May 8. The RBC Cup is the national junior A championship. Papp, a veteran WHL official, is certified as a level VI referee, which qualifies him to officiate at national and international championships.
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NHL Central Scouting released its final pre-draft rankings on Monday.
If you haven’t seen them yet, they’re right here.
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There has been an interesting debate going on in some areas of the Internet of late, all because of Mark Cuban, who owns the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks and HDNet, for starters.
The other day, Cuban, on his blog, penned a piece that began this way:
“I’m going to make this short and sweet. In the year 2011, I’m not sure I have a need for beat writers from ESPN.com, Yahoo,  or any website for that matter to ever be in our locker room before or after a game.  I think we have finally reached a point where not only can we communicate any and all factual information from our players and team directly to our fans and customers as effectively as any big sports website, but I think we have also reached a point where our interests are no longer aligned. I think those websites have become the equivalent of paparazzi rather than reporters.”
That entry is right here.
On Monday, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com took Cuban to task. Berger’s piece is right here.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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