Rockets looking for head coach . . . Kelowna d-man off to Saskatoon . . . Ex-Raider in coaching game

D Vladimir Mihalik (Red Deer, Prince George, 2005-07) signed a one-year extension with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). Last season, he had two goals and an assist in 33 games. . . .
F Brock Nixon (Kamloops, Calgary, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract with Esbjerg (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). Last season, with the Colorado Eagles (ECHL), he had a team-high 30 goals, along with 36 assists, in 69 games. . . .  Esbjerg’s head coach is Mark Pederson (Medicine Hat, 1983-88). . . .
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It seems that Vladimir Bobylyov, Vladimir Bobylyev and Vladimir Bobylev are all the same player, a forward who played last season for the Vancouver Giants. . . . F Vladimir Bobylyov was one of 37 players on the training camp roster for Spartak Moscow (Russia, KHL) as the team opened training camp Monday in Vierumäki, Finland. Last season, with the Giants, he had three goals and six assists in 52 games. . . . The Giants released him prior to last month’s 2015 import draft and he was selected by the Victoria Royals. . . . Cam Hope, the Royals’ general manager, tells Taking Note that the Royals, as did the Giants last season, are going with Bobylev because that is what the player prefers. That is the version of his name provided by using the English alphabet. . . . Hope also assures that Bobylev “is coming over and has already signed his IIHF Transfer Card . . . We expect him to be a Victoria Royal in September.”
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Dan Lambert is one and done as head coach of the Kelowna Rockets.
The team announced Monday that Lambert is leaving to work as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. He will be the team’s third assistant, with Dave Barr and Terry Murray, working with head coach Dan Bylsma.
Lambert and Bylsma are friends, going back to when they played together with the IHL’s Long Beach Ice Dogs. Bylsma, who spent some time in Kelowna working with the Rockets in March, and Lambert were seen breaking bread together at the NHL draft in Sunrise, Fla., late last month.
Lambert, who played in the WHL with the Swift Current Broncos (1986-90), before going on to a professional career, spent five seasons in Kelowna as an assistant coach. He worked with head coach Ryan Huska, who left after 2013-14 to join the Calgary Flames organization as head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Heat. That franchise, along with Huska, has relocated to Stockton, Calif., where it also will be know as the Heat.
In his lone season as head coach, Lambert guided the Rockets to a 53-13-6 record, which was second-best in the WHL’s regular season. The Rockets then went on to sweep the Brandon Wheat Kings from the final for the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Kelowna got to the Memorial Cup final, too, only to lose to the OHL’s Oshawa Generals, in overtime.
Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier has more right here on Lambert’s departure.
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Interestingly, Kelowna owner/general manager Bruce Hamilton has never had to replace a one-and-done head coach.
Peter Anholt was the Rockets’ head coach for two seasons (1996-98), with Garth Malarchuk the closest to one-and-done when he lasted one-plus. Malarchuk, now a long-time scout with the Toronto Maple Leafs, was with the Rockets for all of 1998-99 and part of 1999-2000.
Marc Habscheid replaced Malarchuk during the 1999-2000 season and was the head coach for the following four seasons. Jeff Truitt was an assistant under Habscheid. When Habscheid left, Truitt took over and was the head coach for three seasons.
Huska, an assistant under Habscheid and Truitt, was the head coach for seven seasons.
One thing is for certain — neither of the Rockets’ present assistant coaches will be the next head coach. Travis Crickard, 27, and Kris Mallette, 26, are preparing for their second seasons with Kelowna. Hamilton has stressed that the next head coach will have to work with Crickard and Mallette on his staff.
Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier has more right here on the search for a new head coach.
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The Sleepy Hollow Wildfire has done a huge amount of damage in the Wenatchee, Wash., area. So the Tri-City Americans are doing their bit to help provide some aid for victims. . . . Today, from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., the Americans are asking their fans to drop off donations of new and gently used items. Just head for the Toyota Center and make you donations on the Main 1 foyer. . . . They are looking for items like non-perishable food, Costco or Fred Meyer gift cards, pet food, cups and silverware, batteries, flashlights, bottled water, towels and toiletries. . . . If your donation is valued at more than $10, the Americans will give you one adult ticket to an Oct. 4 game against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds.
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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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The Saskatoon Blades have acquired D Mitchell Wheaton, 20, from the Kelowna Rockets for a fourth-round selection in the 2017 bantam draft. . . . The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Wheaton, from Sherwood Park, Alta., missed almost all of his third WHL season with injuries. In the end, he played in only four regular-season and nine playoff games. . . . In 100 regular-season career games with the Rockets, he had 37 points, including eight goals. He was a fifth-round selection by the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL’s 2013 draft. . . . The Rockets had selected him in the 10th round of the 2010 bantam draft. . . . The Rockets still are left with a number of options as 20-year-olds, including G Jackson Whistle, F Cole Linaker, F Tyson Baillie and G Gage Quinney. D Madison Bowey, D Josh Morrissey and F Leon Draisaitl are likely to open the season in the pro ranks. . . . The Blades have F Nick Zajac, D Ryan Coghlan, D Isaac Schacher, D Kolton Dixon and F Connor Gay as 20-year-olds on their roster.
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Richard Seeley is the new head coach of the ECHL’s Manchester Monarchs. Seeley (Lethbridge, Prince Albert, 1996-99) played four seasons in Manchester (2001-04, 2005-06) when it was in the AHL and, in fact, was the second captain in team history. . . . The Monarchs are preparing for their first ECHL season after the AHL franchise moved to Ontario, Calif. . . . Seeley, 36, will be introduced in Manchester this afternoon.
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The NHL’s Carolina Hurricane have hired Mark Morris, 57, as the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. . . . Geordie Kinnear has been re-signed as assistant coach. . . . Morris was an assistant coach with the NHL’s Florida Panthers last season. Prior to that, he spent eight seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs, who are affiliated with the Los Angeles Kings.
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Among those players in the Calgary Flames’ development camp are F Tyson Baillie (Kelowna), D Jason Fram (Spokane), F Tomas Soustal (Kelowna) and G Rylan Toth (Red Deer). . . . F Miles Koules and D Keoni Texeira, both of whom played with Portland last season, are in camp with the Washington Capitals. Koules played out his eligibility last season. . . . Included on the Minnesota Wild’s developmental camp roster are F Jared Bethune (Prince George), F Ryan Graham (Saskatoon), F Carter Rigby (Swift Current) and F Jack Walker (Victoria). Rigby played as a 20-year-old last season. . . . F Beau McCue (Tri-City) is with the New York Islanders as he prepares for his 20-year-old season.
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F Carson Focht, selected seventh overall by the Tri-City Americans in the WHL’s 2015 bantam draft, is in Finland this week for a male hockey development camp and Youth Olympic Games skills challenge qualification event. . . . There’s more right here on Focht and what’s in store for him in the camp. . . . Focht signed with the Americans in May. . . . The camp, in Vierumki, Finland, runs July 4-11.
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D Landon Cross (Kamloops, Kootenay, 2011-14) will continue his hockey career at the U of Regina with the Cougars. Cross, who is from Brandon, played last season as a 20-year-old with the MJHL’s Steinbach Pistons.
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Three members of the Victoria Royals hockey staff have been added to hockey operations staff with Hockey Canada teams. . . . Matt Auerbach, the Royals head equipment manager, will work with the U-20 team as its assistant equipment manager, while athletic therapist Khore Elliott will help the U-18 side as one of its athletic therapists, and medical director Dr. Michael Conrad is to work with the U-17 team.
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F Shane Harper (Everett, 2005-10) has signed a two-way deal with the NHL’s Florida Panthers, whose AHL affiliate now is the Portland Pirates. Harper played the past two seasons with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. Last season, he had 32 goals and 18 assists in 50 games. . . . D Sena Acolatse (Seattle, Saskatoon, Prince George, 2006-11) also signed a two-way deal with the Panthers. He had 19 points, including six goals, in 38 games with the AHL’s Adirondack Flames. Before that, he played three seasons with the AHL’s Worcester Sharks.
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F Pavel Padakin, who played out his eligibility with the Regina Pats last season, has signed a one-year AHL deal with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. . . . Padakin, from Kiev, Ukraine, had 54 points, including 26 goals, last season with Regina. He also had one goal in one game with the Calgary Hitmen before being dealt to the Pats. He played the previous two seasons in Calgary. . . . Regina general manager/head coach John Paddock is a former Phantoms’ head coach. . . . Padakin will be in the parent Philadelphia Flyers’ development camp this week.
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Dean Moisan is the new head scout for the AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats. He spent the past two seasons as the head scout for the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos. . . . He spent seven seasons scouting for the Broncos. . . . Moisan grew up in Humboldt but has lived in Lloydminster for more than 14 years. With the Bobcats, he replaces Tom Keca, who now is GM and head coach of the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons.
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Steve Ewen, who covers the Vancouver Giants for the Vancouver Province, has been honoured as the National Lacrosse League’s Media Person of the Year. He will be presented with the Tom Borrelli Award for his work covering the NLL and the Vancouver Stealth. . . . There’s more right here.
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Two nice plays so far by Tigers SS Jose Iglesias. He's dedicated them to all the girls he's loved before.

— Larry Stone (@StoneLarry) July 7, 2015

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Brock Nixon (Kamloops, Calgary, 2003-08) has been released by Kallinge/Ronneby (Sweden, Division 1). He had one goal in three games, but has been out for six weeks with a broken arm. The club reports the cast was removed Tuesday, but the arm has not healed, so is back in a cast for another six weeks. . . .
F Petr Kalus (Regina, 2005-06) signed for the rest of this season with Djurgården Stockholm (Sweden, Allsvenskan). This season, he had one assist in three games with Dukla Trencin. Djurgården's fans raised/contributed more tha 400,000 SEK (US$61,700) to help finance the signing. . . .
F Kamil Vavra (Regina, 2003-04) signed for the rest of this season with Deggerdorf (Germany, Oberliga) after a successful tryout. He had one assist in four games. . . .
F Josh Holden (Regina, 1994-98) signed a two-year extension with Zug (Switzerland, NLA). He had six points, two them goals, in six games. He now is under contract through 2015-16. Holden's deal also includes a two-year option to coach Zug's minor teams or hockey academy. The option is void if Holden plays after 2015-16.
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The Victoria Royals have returned F Regan Nagy, 16, to the midget AAA Moose Jaw Generals. He had one assist in 11 games with the Royals. Last season, he had 34 points, including 34 goals, with the Generals, who are the host team for the 2014 Telus Cup, the national midget AAA championship tournament.
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F Nikita Scherback was the third-last player selected in the CHL's 2013 import draft. But it is looking as though the Saskatoon Blades got themselves a winner. Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix has more right here on the Russian who is burning up the WHL.
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F Parker Bowles, who has yet to play this season because of a shoulder injury, is scheduled to return to the Tri-City Americans' lineup tonight as they open a Central Division swing against the Tigers in Medicine Hat. . . . “I’ve been waiting for this day way back to summer when I knew he would be delayed,” Americans head coach Jim Hiller told Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald. “The guys have done a good job in his absence. He is one of our top offensive players. His offensive ability will help us and it will go up and down the lineup.” . . . Tri-City has been averaging 2.5 goals per game. Bowles had 44 points, 21 of them goals, in 71 games last season.
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The Red Deer Rebels have dropped D Austin Shmoorkoff, 16, from their roster. He will join the midget AAA Edmonton-Canadian Athletic Club. He was pointless with one minor penalty in six games with the Rebels. . . . Red Deer also announced that it had returned G Rylan Toth, 17, to the midget AAA Battlefords Stars.
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Dr. Oz has been shilling on behalf of the NFL, and all it cost the league was 20 grand and a pair of Super Bowl tickets. There's more, from the Los Angeles Times, right here.
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If you are a fan of Johnny Cash, The Man in Black, you will want to click right here to learn what Rolling Stone says is 10 things you didn't know about him.
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Prior to Thursday night, I had never before been in Vancouver for Halloween. Remind me never to return. . . . Who knew fireworks were such a big part of the spookiest night of the year? There were times when I wondered if this is what it sounds like in a war zone. . . . Can only imagine what birds, cats and dogs were feeling.
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From former WHLer Matt Kassian (@kassassination), now of the Ottawa Senators: "Funny thing - during a TV timeout tonight Pierre Mcguire leaned over and told me 7 or 8 facts about my life I didnt know."


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Brock Nixon (Kamloops, Calgary, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract with Kallinge/Ronneby (Sweden, Division 1). He had nine goals and 16 assists in 28 games as captain of University of Calgary (CIS) this season before joining the Colorado Eagles (ECHL), where he had two goals in five games. Nixon reports to Kallinge/Ronneby on Aug. 1. . . .
F Danis Zaripov (Swift Current, 1998-99) signed a two-year contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk (Russia, KHL). He had 19 goals and 17 assists in 46 games with Ak Bars Kazan (Russia, KHL) this season. . . .
F Marcel Hossa (Portland, 1998-2001) signed a one-year contract with Dinamo Riga (Latvia, KHL). He had eight goals and 11 assists in 50 games with Lev Prague (Czech Republic, KHL) this season. . . .
D Rory Rawlyk (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Prince Albert, Red Deer, 2000-03) was one of nine players who were not offered contracts for next season by Corona Brasov (Romania, MOL Liga). He had 11 goals and 31 assists in 37 games in MOL Liga play this season and four goals and 19 assists in seven games in the Romania National League; Corona participated in both competitions. Rawlyk was second in penalty minutes in MOL Liga with 211.
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Don’t hold your breath waiting for the City of Nanaimo to build a new arena that would be home to a WHL franchise.
“Some Nanaimo officials feel lukewarm about looking further into a multiplex facility in the city despite recent interest from the Western Hockey League, which hopes to relocate a franchise to the harbour city,” writes Spencer Anderson of the Nanaimo Daily News.
“A report from Nanaimo city staff members says a feasibility study would be the best way to determine the economic impact such a facility might have on the city.
“The cost of the study would be in the neighbourhood of $150,000, city staff estimate. Such a study could also include where the facility could be located, market potential and design and operation.”
Anderson’s complete story is right here, and it would seem, as Coun. Bill Bestwick said:
“There's not an appetite to pursue a sports and entertainment centre multiplex in the near future.”
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The Prince Albert Raiders will have a new look when a new season arrives. The Raiders unveiled what they are calling the ‘Green Movement’ on Thursday.
According to a news release, this is the third uniform change in the team’s 43-year history.
For a look at the new look, go right here.
Dave Leaderhouse of the Prince Albert Daily Herald has a story that explains the entire process. The newspaper’s website was down late last night, but when it’s up that story should be available right here.
There also are a number of photos from the unveiling right here.
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The Red Deer Rebels will have Brent Sutter back behind their bench in 2013-14. Sutter, the franchise’s president and general manager, took over as head coach on Nov. 12, replacing Jesse Wallin. Sutter said Thursday that he’ll be back as head coach. . . . At the same time, the Rebels announced that associate coach Jeff Truitt, who joined the team on Nov. 12, has signed a multi-year contract. . . . Steve O’Rourke (Tri-City, Moose Jaw, 1991-94) has been signed as an assistant coach. He was an assistant coach with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat (2009-11). . . . Veteran equipment manager Dave (Radar) Horning, who has been with Red Deer since 1995 and in the WHL since 1991, also signed a multi-year deal. . . . The Rebels have added Jordan Aube to their staff as athletic therapist. He has worked with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets. . . . Also returning are Al Parada (strength and conditioning), Brent BeleckI (goaltending consultant), Craig Kinney (video co-ordinator), Derek Robinson (mental performance consultant), Davis Claffey (assistant to the general manager) and Mikel McIver (dressing room attendant).
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F Cody Fowlie, who played out his junior eligibility this season with the Kelowna Rockets, will attend the U of Regina and play for the Cougars. Fowlie, from Airdrie, Alta., played three WHL seasons, splitting time between the Everett Silvertips and the Rockets. He had 40 points in 59 games this season.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Bryce Thoma is the new head coach of the SJHL’s Weyburn Red Wings. Thoma had been an assistant coach with the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels since 2008, but left the club following the end of its season. Thoma, a 31-year-old native of Saskatoon, played with the Rebels (1999-2003) and was on the team that won the 2001 Memorial Cup. . . . The Red Wings have been without a full-time head coach since December when long-time coach Dwight McMillan left the organization.

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By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
The NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs fired head coach Ron Wilson on Friday evening.
The Kamloops Blazers and Kelowna Rockets went ahead and played anyway. The Blazers may wish they hadn’t.
On a night when a victory would have allowed them to clinch first place in the WHL’s B.C. Division, the Blazers absorbed a 6-3 beating from the Rockets at Interior Savings Centre.
“How did we lose that one?” wondered Kamloops right-winger Jordan DePape. “We have to be prepared to play.”
The Blazers were completely dominant for the game’s first two minutes. The owned the puck and were all over the Rockets’ defenders.
However, Brett Bulmer, at 2:22, and Shane McColgan, at 3:11, scored on two of the Rockets’ first three shots and that terrific start, albeit a scoreless one, was all for naught because the visitors now had all the momentum.
“We focus on their key guys,” Kamloops head coach Guy Charron said, “and they only have two players we have to worry about, McColgan and Bulmer. They had two goals each.
“Why would we allow one of their top players . . . both of their first goals were right from the slot. They have to be contested. People on the ice, we tell them, ‘Know who you’re playing against.’ ”
Things only got worse for the Blazers late in the period, after DePape went off for tripping. During the power play, the Rockets were guilty of a sloppy line change and had too many men on the ice, but the officials chose not to call it.
“We yelled about it and it wasn’t called,” Charron said, with a shrug of his shoulders.
Moments later, forward Cody Chikie banged a rebound past Cole Cheveldave and the Rockets had three goals on seven shots, which was enough to end the goaltender’s night.
Cam Lanigan came on in relief and, at 8:19 of the second, was beaten by defenceman Madison Bowey on a shot from the point.
“The fourth goal was an awful goal . . . it’s just an awful goal,” Charron said. “Instead of being down 3-0, it’s 4-0.”
And school was out. The Blazers had erased a 4-1 deficit in beating the Rockets 5-4 in overtime here on Feb. 10, but it was apparent that wasn’t going to happen this time.
The Rockets were much tougher in their zone and their defencemen were shot-blocking machines; by game’s end, the Rockets, led by defenceman Mitchell Chapman, had blocked 26 shots, while the Blazers had gotten in front of only three.
“I thought we had a lot of good shot blocks out there,” said Kelowna goaltender Adam Brown, who won his 20th game with a 43-save effort. “We were very good in the (defensive) zone. A lot of (Kamloops’ shots) were from the outside so the guys really helped me out there. Overall, I thought we had a really good outing.”
Brown, 20, is in his final season and his record of 20-22-4 pretty much mirrors the Rockets’ season. But he was solid in this one.
“It was one of those games where a lot of pucks seemed to be hitting me,” said Brown, the son of Vancouver Canucks assistant coach Newell Brown. “I was reading the play and reacting off shots well. It was one of those games where everything seemed to hit me.”
“He might not have had to make exceptional saves,” said Charron, whose team outchanced the visitors 25-13, “but he made saves.”
The Rockets took that 4-0 lead into the third period, where Brandon Herrod and Aspen Sterzer scored at 7:53 and 11:11 respectively, providing a bit of hope to the home fans.
But it all was dashed when McColgan restored a three-goal Kelowna lead at 13:53 with his 17th goal of the season.
DePape, who had been out since Oct. 10 with a shoulder injury, banged in a rebound at 19:00, and Bulmer, who has 31 goals, finished it with an empty-netter at 19:40.
“Did our team quit? Absolutely not,” Charron said. “We didn’t quit. But we didn’t get what we needed, which was a couple of saves early.”
The Blazers, who have lost four of their last seven games overall and four of their last five at home, hope to get things back on track tonight in the rematch in Kelowna.
“Right now,” Charron allowed, “there is part of our game that is not in place.”
The Rockets, who scored their first five goals on just 17 shots, clinched a playoff spot with the victory. They will finish sixth in the Western Conference and will meet the U.S. Division’s second-place team, either the Portland Winterhawks or Tri-City Americans, in the first round.
“It’s been a process for us this season and I think tonight was a step in the right direction,” Brown said. “We just need to build off that for (tonight).
“Our mindset was more looking at the end of the season and the playoffs and focusing on that and the way we need to be playing going into the postseason.”
The Blazers, meanwhile, will play in Kelowna tonight and will once again attempt to clinch their first B.C. Division title since 2001-02. Kamloops (44-17-4) has 92 points and holds a 16-point lead over the second-place Vancouver Giants (36-23-4), who lost 6-4 to the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers last night and have eight games remaining.
JUST NOTES: Attendance was 5,227, the largest crowd of the season. Cameron Hughes, a sports entertainer based in Ottawa, kept the crowd entertained. . . . The Rockets were 2-4 on the power play, while the Blazers went 0-7. . . . The Blazers lead the season series with the Rockets, 5-1-1, going into tonight’s finale. . . . The Daily News Three Stars: 1. Brown: Steady as he goes; 2. Bowey: scores, blocks shots; 3. Bulmer: Two goals and even blocked a shot. . . . F Brock Nixon of the Calgary Dinos, who played 286 regular-season WHL games with the Kamloops Blazers (2003-08) before being traded to the Calgary Hitmen, has been named the Canada West Husky-WHL graduate of the month. Nixon, a kinesiology major, had six points in four regular-season games last month, then was the first star in two victories as the Dinos went the distance in winning a best-of-three first-round series from the UBC Thunderbirds.

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