Braes hot for UNB . . . Moving day in AHL, OHL . . . Hitchcock wins; Bechard snaps

At least four schools, some of them likely in California, are close to deciding whether to add NCAA Division 1 hockey to their athletic departments. A report in the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Thursday indicated that a number of schools would love to emulate the success of the Penn State Nittany Lions, a program in contention for the Big 10 title in only its third season of existence. As well, Arizona State is preparing to ice a Division 1 team. . . . Jason Gonzalez of the Star Tribune has more right here. . . . The WHL, of course, recruits heavily in California, and having Division 1 teams in the state would no doubt make things a bit more difficult. Keep in mind that there haven’t been any Division 1 teams west of the Rocky Mountains.
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The Guelph Gryphons and UNB Varsity Reds advanced on the first day of play at the CIS men’s hockey championship in Halifax. . . . F Cam Braes (Lethbridge, Moose Jaw, 2007-12) scored four times to lead the No. 2 Varsity Reds to a 6-2 victory over the No. 7 Windsor Lancers. Braes, from Shawnigan Lake, B.C., tied a CIS record for most goals in a national championship tournament game. “I pride myself on being a playoff performer when the chips are down. I always want to elevate my game,” Braes said. . . . In the day’s other game, the No. 3 Gryphons dumped the No. 6 Calgary Dinos, 3-1. F Teal Burns (Portland, Vancouver, Prince Albert, Everett, 2009-2012) and F Seth Swenson (Portland, Seattle, Lethbridge) had goals for Guelph. Calgary got its goal from F Chris Collins (Chilliwack, Saskatoon, 2007-2012). . . . Today, the host StFX X-Men, the eighth seed, meet the No. 1 Alberta Golden Bears, the defending champions, and the No. 4 UQTR Patriots meet the No. 5 Acadia Axemen.
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It was moving day on Thursday as three teams — two in the AHL and one in the OHL — announced that they will have new homes next season. . . . The NHL’s Winnipeg Jets made it official — they are moving the AHL’s St. John’s IceCaps from Newfoundland to the MTS Centre in Winnipeg where they likely will play as the Manitoba Moos. . . . The Montreal Canadiens then revealed that their AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs, will be moving to St. John’s. They will play as the IceCaps. In another couple of years, the franchise is likely to end up in Laval, Que., where a new arena is being built. . . . In the OHL, the board of governors announced that it had approved the sale of the Belleville Bulls, who will be moving to Hamilton and will be renamed the Bullodgs. . . . Michael Andlauer sold the Bulldogs to the Canadiens, then purchased Belleville’s OHL franchise. . . . The OHL hasn’t been in Hamilton since the Dukes played there (1989-91).
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Ken Hitchcock, the head coach of the St. Louis Blues, became the fourth head coach in NHL history with 700 career victories last night. When the Blues beat the visiting Philadelphia Flyers 1-0 in a shootout, Hitchcock joined Scotty Bowman (1,244), Al Arbour (782) and Joel Quenneville (745) as members of the 700 club.
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Jerome Bechard, the head coach of the SPHL’s Columbus Cottonmouths, got a little excited in the first period of a game last night. How excited? Well, Bechard (Moose Jaw, 1986-89) actually ended up on the ice. . . . There’s video right here.
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Ch-ch-ching! Peter Anholt, the general manager and head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, has been fined $500 after he was hit with a game misconduct late in a 4-1 loss to the host Kootenay Ice on Tuesday night. . . .
The Brandon Wheat Kings, with 49 victories, are at home to the Saskatoon Blades tonight. They may get D Kale Clague back from an undisclosed injury. He played three games since Oct. 28. . . . F Nolan Patrick has missed 10 games and is skating, but hasn’t been cleared for contact. . . . F Reid Duke and F Quinton Lisoway remain week-to-week. . . .
The Kelowna Rockets continue to show that three of their top players aren’t about to come off the injury list in a day or two. The Rockets, who go home-and-home with the Kamloops Blazers this weekend, show F Rourke Chartier and F Justin Kirkland as being week-to-week, while D Josh Morrissey is out for two to three weeks. That would indicate that the Rockets are hoping to have them, along with F Gage Quinney and D Mitch Wheaton, ready for the start of playoffs. . . .
The Portland Winterhawks have won 40 games for a sixth straight season. That ties a franchise record set from 1978-83. . . .
F Dawson Holt has joined the Vancouver Giants and could play at some point this weekend. Holt, 16, was a first-round selection in the 2014 bantam draft. He was free to join the Giants once his team, the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts, had its season end. . . .
F Taylor Crunk of the Victoria Royals has been charged with assault causing bodily harm after an incident that occurred at a New Year’s Eve party. . . . The Victoria Times Colonist has more right here. . . .
Regina Pats F Sam Steel isn’t expected to play this weekend after suffering a leg injury on Tuesday during a game in Prince Albert. The Pats play in Moose Jaw tonight and then are at home to the Warriors on Saturday. . . . While Steel may not play until the playoffs, Regina F Austin Wagner (concussion) is likely to return this weekend after missing eight games. . . .
The Moose Jaw Warriors expect to have F Jaimen Yakubowski in the lineup when they play host to the Regina Pats tonight. He has missed six games with an undisclosed injury. . . . Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald has more on the Warriors right here. . . .
F Cameron Hausinger, a 17-year-old from Anchorage, Alaska, says the Saskatoon Blades are very much on his radar, especially after he wasn’t one of the 50 players invited to the U.S. National Team Development Camp. Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has more right here. ———

THE COACHING GAME:

The junior B Princeton Posse of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League are looking for a general manager and head coach. The Posse announced earlier this month that they wouldn’t be extending the contract of GM/head coach Bill Rotheisler. . . . He had been in that position since June 27, 2013. . . . This season, the Posse went 22-24-3-2 and finished fourth in the Okanagan Division. It then lost a first-round best-of-seven series to the Osoyoos Coyotes in five games.
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THE WHL PLAYOFF PICTURE:

EAST DIVISION:
1. Brandon (5 games remaining) — Will finish atop the Eastern Conference for the first time since 1995-96. They will play the conference’s second wild-card team in first round. . . . Tied with Kelowna (5) for first place overall. . . . At home to Saskatoon tonight.
2. Regina (5) clinched second in division. Will meet third-place team in first round. . . . Goes home-and-home with Moose Jaw this weekend. They’re in Moose Jaw tonight and in Regina on Saturday.
3. Swift Current (5) has lost seven in a row. Leads Moose Jaw by two points and Prince Albert six. . . . In Prince Albert tonight then play host to the Raiders on Saturday.
4. Moose Jaw (5) remains two points behind Swift Current. . . . At home to Regina tonight and in Regina on Saturday.
5. Prince Albert (6) has won four in a row to get within four points of Moose Jaw and six of Swift Current. . . . Entertains Swift Current tonight and then visits Swift Current on Saturday. . . . Completes its first three-in-three of the season in Medicine Hat on Sunday.
6. Saskatoon (4) is in Brandon tonight.
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CENTRAL DIVISION:
1. Medicine Hat (6) is tied with Calgary atop the division. Medicine Hat has more victories (41-40) at the moment. . . . Tigers meet the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook tonight.
2. Calgary (6) has two games left in a franchise-record 11-game road trip. . . . Plays in Red Deer tonight and Lethbridge on Saturday.
3. Red Deer (5) is three points off the pace. . . . At home to Calgary tonight.
4. Kootenay (5) holds down the conference’s first wild-card spot, one point ahead of Edmonton. . . . At home to Medicine Hat tonight.
5. Edmonton (4) is in the second wild-card spot, one point behind Kootenay. . . . In Lethbridge tonight.
6. Lethbridge (6) is at home to Edmonton tonight.
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B.C. DIVISION:
1. Kelowna (5) has clinched first place in the Western Conference and will play the second wild-card team in the first round. . . . Tied with Brandon for first place in the overall standings. . . . In Kamloops tonight. The Blazers visit Kelowna on Saturday.
2. Victoria (5) will finish second and meet the division’s third-place team in the first round. . . . In Vancouver tonight then goes home to face the Giants Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Seriously!
3. Prince George (5) is third, two points ahead of Kamloops. . . . Will visit Tri-City tonight and Portland on Saturday.
4. Kamloops (5) trails Prince George by two points. . . . Will meet Prince George three times in the next while — March 18 and 20 in Prince George, and March 21 in Kamloops. . . . The Blazers are tied with Tri-City (6) for the conference’s second wild-card berth. . . . At home to Kelowna tonight and in Kelowna on Saturday. The Blazers have lost 18 straight regular-season games to the Rockets.
5. Vancouver (5) has lost seven straight and is four points behind Kamloops and Tri-City. . . . Plays host to Victoria tonight, then it’s off to Victoria for games Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.
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U.S. DIVISION:
1. Everett (5) leads the division by two points over Portland (7) but Portland has a higher winning percentage — .654-.649. . . . Into Kent, Wash., to meet Seattle tonight.
2. Portland (7) is on a 9-0-2 roll and just two points out of first place. It has seven games left, three with Spokane. The first of those is in Spokane tonight.
3. Seattle (6) trails Portland by 10 points. . . . At home to Everett tonight.
4. Spokane (7) is in the first wild-card spot, seven points behind Seattle and nine ahead of Tri-City (6). . . . At home to Portland tonight.
5. Tri-City (6) is tied with Kamloops for the second wild-card spot, four points ahead of Vancouver. . . . Entertains Prince George tonight.
(NOTE: If two teams tie for a conference’s last playoff spot, those teams will have a play-in game at the home of the team with the most victories. So . . . if Kamloops and Tri-City were to end up tied for the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, a play-in game would be held. At the moment, Tri-City has more victories — 28-26.)
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IF THE WHL PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:

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

No Games Scheduled
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FRIDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Saskatoon at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Calgary at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Regina at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Kelowna at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Prince George vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Portland at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Victoria at Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.
Everett vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:35 p.m.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Calgary at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Regina, 7 p.m.
Prince Albert at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Brandon at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Edmonton at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Prince George at Portland, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Tri-City at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Kamloops at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Vancouver at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
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“@funnyordie: Sorry, Cody. But there's no crying in baseball. #FerrellTakesTheField pic.twitter.com/gxgXKMb475” - 😢......
— Cody Decker (@Decker6) March 13, 2015

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Former WHLer needing some help

THE MacBETH REPORT:
The SM-Liiga had its board meeting on Tuesday at which it discussed the Jokerit Helsinki situation. At 7:50 p.m. Helsinki time, SM-Liiga announced the following via the league website:
“SM-Liiga and Jokerit on Tuesday reached agreement on the terms on which Jokerit has been granted the right to play in the SM-Liiga for the 2013-2014 season. It has also agreed on the terms of the agreement under which the League granted Jokerit the right to play in the Kontinental Hockey League beginning with the 2014-2015 season. SM-League Chairman Hannu Penttilä  and Jokerit owner Harry Harkimo are happy with the end result.”
It was reported to be a contentious meeting that began at 3 p.m., one where Harkimo angrily walked out twice, at 3:45 for about 45 minutes and again at 5:30 for about 30 minutes.
Initial reports are that Kärpät Oulu, HIFK Helsinki and TPS Turku were most reluctant to allow Jokerit to compete in the league under any circumstances, while some of the other clubs were open to a financial settlement from Jokerit.
After the announcement, Harkimo answered “I am not going to comment” when asked how much Jokerit had to pay to stay in SM-Liiga and whether Jokerit had to pay to leave SM-Liiga for the KHL.
When asked again, Harkimo said: “It is what it is.”
Harkimo did say: “Certainly SM-Liiga will survive Jokerit’s departure.”
SM-Liiga Chairman Hannu Penttilä said: “The process was not as it should have been, but everyone is happy now. SM-Liiga will begin as normal in September and there are no other clubs going to the KHL.”
Penttilä later said that the conditions attached to the agreement won’t be made public. It is rumoured that Jokerit must pay 5 to 8 million Euros (US$6.6 to 10.6 million, Cdn$6.8 to 10.9 million) to compensate the league and other clubs for lost revenues.
To put the amount in perspective, Jokerit’s player payroll for last season was about 4 million Euros.
Harkimo also said that the agreement for Jokerit to join the KHL is not final yet; a final decision will be made this fall.
It seems that public opinion in Finland is running against Jokerit playing in SM-Liiga this season.
On Friday, the Helsinki newspaper Iltalehti ran an online poll and 65 per cent of the 13,162 respondents said that Jokerit shouldn’t be allowed to play in SM-Liiga this season.
Another online poll, this one run by another Helsinki newspaper, Ilta-Sanomat, while the meeting was taking place, asked the question: “Should Jokerit be kicked out of SM-Liiga immediately?” Of the 8,046 respondents, 87 per cent said: “YES.”
A second Ilta-Sanomat online poll which ran after the decision was announced asked: “Was it the right decision to allow Jokerit to play in SM-Liiga this season?” Of the 10,475 respondents, 82 per cent said: “NO.”
Finally, a columnist for Ilta-Sanomat said in an editorial posted after the decision was announced that “this season, Jokerit is the most hated team more than ever.”
While we are talking SM-Liiga, here is a look at this season’s ice surface at Oulu's Energia Areena, the home arena for Kärpät Oulu. Try to find the puck quickly here. One Finnish commentator said this really gives a new meaning to the phrase “home ice advantage.”

Moving to central Europe, the Czech Republic Ice Hockey Federation and the Czech Extraliga have announced new roster rules for the 2013-14 season.
They are:
1) teams are allowed to dress for each game a maximum of 15 players born 1990 or earlier (age 23 and older);
2) each team must have at least three players dressed born between 1991 and 1993 (age 20-22); and,
3) at least one player dressed for a game must be born after 1993 (age 19 and under).
Goaltenders are exempt from these rules.
Additionally, each Extraliga team will be allowed six import (non-Czech citizen) licenses. Once an import is listed on a game sheet, that uses up one of the licenses, regardless of whether the import player actually plays in the game or not.
The intent is to try to keep more Czech young players at home and to get them drafted — there were only four Czech players drafted in the 2013 NHL draft and all four played in the CHL last season. The last player to go directly to the NHL from an Extraliga team was Edmonton Oilers D Ladislav Smid, drafted by Anaheim in 2004 from Liberec.
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Now for Tuesday’s moves . . .
F Ryan Russell (Kootenay, 2003-07) signed a one-year contract with Leksand (Sweden, SEL). He had 10 goals and six assists in 62 games with the Springfield Falcons (AHL) last season. . . .

F Brett Sonne (Calgary, 2004-09) signed a one-year contract with Dornbirn (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had seven goals and eight assists in 56 games with the Peoria Rivermen (AHL), three goals and four assists in seven games with the Evansville Icemen (ECHL), and one goal and two assists in six games with the Texas Stars (AHL) last season. . . .

D Trevor Johnson (Kootenay, Seattle, Tri-City, 1998-2003) signed a one-year contract extension with Valpellice (Italy, Serie A). He had 10 goals and 34 assists in 42 games as captain of Valpellice last season. Johnson also represented Italy at both the Division 1 world championship and the Olympic Games Qualification Tournament, totaling four assists in eight games. . . .

F Ales Kilnar (Vancouver, 2012-13) signed a tryout contract with Orli Znojmo (Czech Republic, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had no points in one game with Vancouver, no points in three games with Jokipojat Joensuu U20 (Finland, SM-Liiga A-Juniors), four goals and seven assists in 15 games with Vitkovice Ostrava U20 (Czech Republic, U20 Extraliga), and three goals and three assists in seven games with Poruba (Czech Republic, 2. Liga) last season. Kilnar had a goal for Orli in Tuesday’s 4-1 exhibition game victory against Mlada Boleslav, playing on a line with Ondrej Fiala (Everett, Saskatoon, 2005-08).
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Jonathan Parker played three seasons (Seattle, Prince Albert, 2008-11) in the WHL. Now 21, Parker, a forward from Solona Beach, Calif., is preparing for his third season in the Buffalo Sabres’ organization. But, as Jeff Cox writes at sbnation.com, this season will be different for Parker because his father, Steven, won’t be there to enjoy it with him. Steven Parker lost a three-year battle with cancer last week. . . . As Cox points out right here, there’s more to the story and now Jonathan Parker and his sister, Charlene, need help. Here’s hoping the hockey community will provide some.
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F Adam Kambeitz (Red Deer, Saskatoon, Seattle, 2008-13) has decided he’ll go to the U of Calgary and play for the Dinos. Kambeitz is from Coaldale, Alta. He played out his WHL eligibility last season. He was in his fifth season with the Red Deer Rebels when he was traded to the Saskatoon Blades early last season. Then, at the trade deadline, the Blades sent him to the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Kambeitz told Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix that it came down to Calgary or Acadia U in Wolfville, N.S. . . . Nugent-Bowman also reports that F Chris Collins (Chilliwack, Saskatoon, 2007-12) also will attend the U of Calgary. Collins, from Calgary, played last season with the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers.
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F James Henry (Vancouver, Moose Jaw, 2007-12) has chosen to leave school after one season with the U of Manitoba Bisons. He has signed with the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder. Henry, 22, is a Winnipeg native. He had 22 points in 28 games with the Bisons last season. He earned CIS all-rookie team honours and was named Canada West’s most outstanding freshman. . . . While in Vancouver, Henry was teammates with F Garet Hunt, who is a fan favourite in Stockton.
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There isn’t a more polarizing sports figure anywhere than Ken (Hawk) Harrelson, the TV play-by-play voice of the Chicago White Sox. He has referred to the explosion of mathematical-based analytics in baseball as “the biggest joke I’ve ever seen.” . . . Ben Strauss of The New York Times has more on Harrelson right here. BTW, Hawk says the only stat that matters is “T.W.T.W.”
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THE COACHING GAME:
Randy Ladouceur has signed on as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Lake Erie Monsters. Ladouceur, a veteran of the NHL playing and coaching wars, will work alongside head coach Dean Chynoweth. Ladouceur has worked as an assisteant coach for four NHL teams since he ended his playing career in 1996. . . . Ladouceur’s arrival allows David Oliver to return to his role as director of AHL operations. The Monsters are the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. . . . Jock Callander is preparing for his second season as an assistant coach, while Jean-Ian Filiatrault has come on board as the goaltending coach.
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The ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings have signed Colin Chaulk as an assistant coach. Chaulk retired as a player after last season. He spent 10 pro seasons playing for the Fort Wayne Komets, a rival of the Wings. . . . In Kalamazoo, he will work with Nick Bootland, the director of hockey operations and head coach.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Michal Psurny (Medicine Hat, Kootenay, 2005-06) signed a one-year contract with the Manchester Phoenix (England, Premier). He had seven goals and 25 assists in 49 games with Olomouc (Czech Republic, 1.Liga) last season. . . .
D Dave Sutter (Seattle, 2010-12) has been assigned on loan by Genève-Servette (Switzerland, NL A) to Red Ice Martigny (Switzerland, NL B). He has no points in two games with Genève-Servette this season. Last season, Sutter had five goals and 14 assists in 66 games with the Thunderbirds.
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Judging from all the chatter on Twitter on Tuesday evening, the OHL is poised to announce a few rules adjustments today, including suspensions to players who indulge themselves in more than 10 fights.
Apparently, OHL commissioner David Branch and team representatives will be discussing all of this on a conference call today.
Yes, there will be a lot of gnashing of teeth and wailing from the fight fans. But, really, major junior hockey has no choice but to move away from fighting.
In fact, I would suggest, as I did on occasion last season, that we are within a couple of years of an outright ban. In other words, the day is on the horizon when a fight will carry with it a game misconduct and an automatic suspension.
You have to understand that this has nothing to do with hockey or entertainment.
It has everything to do with safety issues and legalities.
Everyone in authority seems to agree that a crackdown on headshots was and continues to be a necessity. Therefore, it only stands to reason that you move to get rid of fighting.
After all, the powers-that-be in major junior hockey don’t want to find themselves in a courtroom sometime in the future, trying to explain how they worked so hard to get rid of shoulders and elbows to the heads of unsuspecting opponents, but did nothing to stop two teenagers from pounding away at each others’ heads with their bare fists.
On top of all that, no one knows what’s in the future for hockey in terms of concussion-related lawsuits. The NFL right now is being sued by more than 3,000 former players. Hockey doesn’t want to find itself in the same boat.
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You may have noticed that the CHLPA hasn’t received a whole lot of mention in this space over the last while.
And nothing explains why any better than this right here from the gang at The Pipeline Show.
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I thought I had linked to this story when it was posted earlier this month, but it seems I did not.
So . . . right here is a look by Tim Pigulski of 710 ESPN in Seattle at the CHL versus NCAA debate.
It relies quite a bit on Carlos Sosa, who once was on the Seattle Thunderbirds’ radio crew and now is a partner in Turning Point Sports Management.
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Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Kelowna Rockets, tweeted Tuesday evening that “three veteran WHL referee's have retired. Andy Thiessen, Colby Smith and Ryan Bonnett have put down the whistle.”. . . . Bartel also noted that “the WHL graduated three officials to the NHL. Trevor Hanson, Trent Knorr and linesman Kiel Murchison are moving on.” . . . You may find Bartel on Twitter at @Reganrant. . . . On occasion, he does. Rant, that is.
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Here’s a Tuesday tweet from James Shewaga (@JamesShewaga), the sports editor of the Brandon Sun: “The Brandon Wheat Kings hvae sold 2,395 season tickets, with about 2,800 tickets sold for Friday’s WHL season opener (2,300 left).”
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F Chris Collins, who lost out in the 20-year-old game with the Saskatoon Blades, has joined the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers. . . . The Edmonton Oil Kings have released D Ryan Dech, 19, who had 13 points in 40 games as a sophomore last season. . . . The Oil Kings have kept two freshmen defencemen in Stephen Shmoorkoff, who turns 18 on Oct. 24, and Dysin Mayo, 16, along with freshman F Brett Pollock, 16. . . . Mayo was a third-round selection by Edmonton in the 2010 bantam draft. Pollock went in the fifth round in 2011. . . . The Swift Current Broncos have assigned F Denis Bosc to the MJHL’s Steinbach Pistons. Bosc, 17, was a sixth-round pick in the 2010 bantam draft. He had 21 points in 52 games with the Pistons last season. . . . The Vancouver Giants have assigned D Kiefer McNaughton, 19, to the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs. Last season, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound McNaughton had seven points and 54 penalty minutes in 42 games with the Giants last season. That move got Vancouver’s roster down to 28 players.
The Prince Albert Raiders trimmed three players from their roster on Tuesday and now are carrying 24 players. G Rylan Parenteau, 16, was returned to the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts, while F Luke Mahura, 17, is to join an undisclosed AJHL team, with F Jesse Knowler, 18, off to an undisclosed BCHL team. Parenteau was a third-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft. Mahura, who got into 39 games with the Raiders last season, was a third-round selection in the 2010 bantam draft. Knowler had six points in 57 games with the Raiders last season.
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A few notes involving three 20-year-olds. . . . Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that Regina Pats D Colton Jobke, who played in one exhibition game, is done with the WHL, at least until he goes to camp with the AHL’s Houston Aeros. He is under contract with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild and the team has requested that he not play in the WHL for insurance reasons. . . . The same situation exists in Kamloops where D Austin Madaisky, 20, of the Blazers played in one exhibition game before being put in the stands. He is under contract to the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets and wil go to camp with the AHL’s Springfield Falcons. . . . Meanwhile, John MacNeil of Black Press reports that the NHL’s Calgary Flames have told F Turner Elson, 20, that he will play a fourth season with the Red Deer Rebels. Elson attended the Flames’ camp last season as a free agent and earned a contract. He is eligible to play for the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat but won’t go to its camp.

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If you aren’t aware, John Leake is the author of Cold a Long Time: An Alpine Mystery.
The book is the story of parents searching for the truth about what happened to their son.
Duncan MacPherson was a former Saskatoon Blades’ defenceman who was embarking on what he hoped would be a coaching career in Scotland when he chose to tour Europe for a bit.
He never made it to Scotland. His body later was found on an Austrian glacier.
In between MacPherson’s departure from Canada in the summer of 1989 and the discovery of his body there were 14 years and a whole lot of intrigue and incompetence.
Leake appeared on a live Twitter chat on Friday. Here are some of his comments . . .
This is the key question – were his injuries caused by a fall and ice movement or by something else connected with a human. . . .
The parents suspected some form of culpability, though they weren't sure if it was intentional. The crime is concealment. . . .
Duncan's body had sustained sharp force trauma to three of his limbs, and the amputated limbs were found with his body. . . .
It is important to understand that NO information was offered to the parents. They had to repeatedly ask for everything they got. . . .
Hinterhoelzl maintains he assumed that Duncan forgot his clothing in the ski school office. . . .
Dr. Rabl told the parents that – according to the radiologist – the CT scan indicated no signs of violence to the body. . . .
When the parents heard this from Rabl, they decided to have the body cremated. Later they became aware of the chopped up limbs. . . .
In 1989, Canadian External Affairs withheld information from the MacPhersons indicating that Duncan had died on the ski slope. . . .
The MacPhersons asked me to investigate and write a book about this case because it is so incredibly convoluted and confusing. . . .
The Canadian government has been ineffectual at best. . . .
It is impossible to explain what happened in any form of conversation. Only a comprehensive narrative can make it understandable. . . .
It would have been very easy to determine the cause and manner of Duncan's death if the authorities had WANTED to do so. . . .
Our only hope for getting some kind of justice for the MacPherson family is through public awareness of the story. . . .
So far, the MacPherson's efforts to obtain clarity and redress have been successfully blocked by Austrian authorities. . . .
The Innsbruck public officials who participated in this cover-up should be severely punished.
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If you haven’t already read Cold A Long Time, you should. If you can’t find it in a book store, check out this website.
But be forewarned . . . as you read this book, you will get angrier and angrier because as much as it is a book about a search for truth, it is a book about injustice.
There are some people out there who need to look in a mirror and then speak up about whatever it was that happened to Duncan MacPherson.
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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Taggart Desmet (seven games with Calgary, 2000-01) signed a one-year contract with Meran (Italy, Serie A2). He had 10 goals and 23 assists in 43 games with Valpellice (Italy, Serie A) last season.
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The Vancouver Giants had four goaltenders on their roster as they prepared to play an exhibition game against the Kamloops Blazers in Ladner, B.C., on Friday night. That list got whittled to three early in the day when Jackson Whistle, 17, was dealt to the Kelowna Rockets for a 2013 third-round bantam draft pick.
Whistle, who is from Kelowna, played the last half of the Giants’ 7-4 loss to the Blazers, giving up four goals on 16 shots.
Whistle got into 21 games with the Giants last season. He was 1-7-3 as a starter. Overall, he was 3.61, .873. In Kelowna, he will work as the backup to Jordon Cooke, 19, who takes over from the graduated Adam Brown.
Whistle was a fourth-round selection in the 2010 bantam draft. There was time when he and Payton Lee, a second-round pick in 2011, were seen as the future of the Giants’ goaltending.
That obviously won’t happen, but Lee, 16, remains in camp, along with Liam Liston, 19, and Tyler Fuhr, 17.
Liston was acquired over the summer from the Lethbridge Hurricanes, while Fuhr, from Sherwood Park, Alta., perhaps has been the biggest surprise in camp. He’s a walk-on who has been terrific. He started Wednesday’s 7-4 loss to the Blazers in Kamloops and stopped 15 of 17 shots over the first half. The Giants gave up quite a few odd-man breaks and Fuhr kept them close. Whistle played the second half, giving up four goals on 16 shots.
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The Saskatoon Blades are down to three 20-year-olds after having released veteran F Chris Collins.
That move leaves the Blades with D Connor Dox, F Josh Nicholls and F Brendan Walker as the 20s.
Collins, from Calgary, was acquired from the Chilliwack Bruins (remember them?) during 2010-11. With the Blades, he had 67 points, including 25 goals, in 112 games. Last season, Collins put up 26 points in 56 games with the Blades. In his career, he has 108 points in 200 regular-season games.
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JUST NOTES: F Burke Gallimore (Spokane, Saskatoon, Seattle, 2006-12) has decided to attend the U of Alberta and play for the Golden Bears. Gallimore, who is from Edmonton, put up 198 points in 289 regular-season games. In four full seasons, he missed only four games. . . . The MJHL’s Dauphin Kings have traded F Neil Tarnasky, 20, to the AJHL’s Drayton Valley Thunder for future considerations. He had seven points in 112 games with the Lethbridge Hurricanes (2009-11). . . . F Jesse Mychan, 20, in his first game since severing an Achilles tendon in the first round of last spring’s playoffs, scored twice but his Tri-City Americans lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Seattle Thunderbirds in a Friday game at the Americans’ annual Red Lions Hotels tournament. . . . Among Brandon’s scratches for Friday’s home game against the Regina Pats were F Dominick Favreau (back), F Jayce Hawryluk (concussion), F Jens Meilleur (back) and D Ryley Miller (ill). The Wheat Kings beat the Pat, 5-3. . . . Regina was without F Dryden Hunt, who suffered a concussion in Regina’s 3-1 victory over visiting Brandon on Thursday night.
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The first paragraph of a Friday press release from the QMJHL:
“The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League today announced that Michel Bergeron and Marc Lachapelle are the honorary co-presidents of the Ambassadors Club Golf Tournament. They will lead the honorary foursome at the Boucherville Golf Club this September 19th with Gilles Courteau, QMJHL Commissioner and Guy Darveau, President of the Ambassadors Club.”
That brought a real smile to my face. Bergeron, of course, is a veteran of hockey’s coaching wars, while Lachapelle, a legendary hockey writer, first covered the QMJHL in 1971.
The three of us came into the same orbit at the 1979 Memorial Cup that was held in Montreal and environs. Bergeron was the head coach of the QMJHL-champion Trois-Rivieres Draveurs. Lachapelle was covering the tournament for Le Journal de Montreal. I was there covering the WHL-champion Brandon Wheat Kings for the Brandon Sun.
And when I asked Bergeron a question in English, he chose to reply in French. In fact, I don’t recall him speaking English at all in post-game situations.
Thankfully, Lachapelle bailed me out by showing up at my hotel and offering his translation of the proceedings.
Which is just another reason why Lachapelle always will be remembered as one of the good ones.
Merci, mon ami!
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The tweet of the day comes from F Chase Witala (@chasewitala) of the Prince George Cougars: “Picking up a locker with @alexforsberg27 hopefully we don't have any flies living in there this year”
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The Vancouver Giants will have three — count ’em: one, two, three — radio play-by-play voices this season. They have signed on with Team 1040/1410 and will have their games called by Jeff Paterson, Blake Price and Alex Grebenyuk. . . . The Giants announced Friday that Paterson and Price will alternate in calling home games. It has been known for a while that Grebenyuk would do all the road games. Grebenyuk is the Giants’ new director of media relations and broadcasting. . . . Paterson called Kamloops Blazers came from 1994-99. He was the Blazers’ voice in 1994-95 when they won the Memorial Cup under head coach Don Hay, who now is the head coach of the Giants. . . . According to a Giants’ news release, “Bill Wilms will continue to serve as the primary colour commentator for both home and away broadcasts.” . . . Also according to that news release: “At this point, of the 72 regular-season Giants games, 33 will be broadcast on TEAM 1040, 37 will be broadcast on TEAM 1410, and two will be available online only (due to scheduling conflicts) at www.teamradio.ca The Giants' final broadcast schedule is subject to change.” . . . Dan Elliott, who handled play-by-play and media relations for the last two seasons for the Giants, and the club parted company after last season. He now is UBC Athletics’ manager, media relations.
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Congratulations to old friend Graham Tuer, who has a whole lot of friends in the hockey fraternity. He will be inducted into the Regina Sports Hall of Fame on Oct. 4.
Here’s how the Regina Leader-Post summed up Tuer’s accomplishments:
“Involved in hockey for 50-plus years . . . coached and/or managed hockey teams at every level of minor and junior hockey in Saskatchewan . . . member of Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League board since 1982 . . . helped create provincial hockey's development model in 2007 . . . involved in Western Prospects development camp – served as assistant general manager/director of player personnel with WHL's Regina Pats . . . manager of Regina Pat Canadians for national championship in 1987-88 . . . scouted for numerous WHL teams and NHL Central Scouting . . . Regina Pats ‘builder recognition’ in 2008 . . . WHL Distinguished Service Award in 2009-10 - SaskSport volunteer of the year in 2008 . . . Hockey Regina bantam AA tournament named in his honour in 2007.”
At the same time, the Pat Canadians also will be inducted.
Here’s the Leader-Post on the Pat Canadians:
“Finished atop SMAAAHL regular-season standings with 26-2-0 record . . . Tim Iannone, Len Nielsen, Brett Burlock, Brent Fedyk, Troy Volhoffer and Selmar Odelein placed first to sixth in league scoring . . . coached by Bill Liskowich and Barry Trapp . . . support staff of Stew MacDonald (manager), Ron Blerot (trainer), Todd Liskowich and Trevor Dillabough (assistant trainers) – other team members: Kelly Murphy, Darren Hector, Brad Obrigewitsch, Mike Brannen, Curtis Fayant, Frank Joo, Kevin Herom, Dean Shaw, Jim Ruhland, Brian Wilkie and Kenton Rein . . . beat Notre Dame in league final . . . advanced to 12-team Air Canada Cup in Ste. Foye, Que., where 3-2 record put them into playoffs . . . defeated Toronto Don Mills 4-3 in quarterfinal, Thunder Bay 6-2 in semifinal and Ste. Foye 5-4 in final, with Nielsen scoring at 18: 21 and 19: 22 of third period in come-from-behind victory.”
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F Juraj Bezuch, who played last season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, now is with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires. He had been in camp with the Kitchener Rangers, but was swapped on Friday, along with a conditional 2013 sixth-round draft pick, for F Nick Czinder, 20, D Jeff Braithwaite, 20, and a 2014 seventh-round draft pick. . . . Braithwaite may not report as he has said he is going to focus on school. . . . Bezuch, from Slovakia, turns 19 on Dec. 20. He had 21 points in 67 games with Lethbridge last season but was released at season’s end. Kitchener selected him in the second round of the CHL‘s 2012 import draft. . . . Windsor immediately waived F Vlad Ionin, a Russian, who was the 15th pick in the 2012 import draft.

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THE MATCHUPS
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
Moose Jaw (2) vs. Regina (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Brandon (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Saskatoon (5)
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Western Conference
Tri-City (1) vs. Everett (8)
Kamloops (2) vs. Victoria (7)
Portland (3) vs. Kelowna (6)
Vancouver (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Stefan Ulmer (Spokane, 2007-10) has signed a three-year contract extension with Lugano (Switzerland, NL A). He had one goal and eight assists in 44 games with Lugano this season. The contract extension runs through the 2014-2015 season.
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F Brad Ross of the Portland Winterhawks has signed a three-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who selected him in the second round of the NHL’s 2010 draft. Ross had career highs in goals (42) and points (82) this season. He has 245 points, including 109 goals, in 270 games with the Winterhawks. . . . There are four other players on the Portland roster who have NHL contracts — F Sven Baertschi (Calgary), F Oliver Gabriel (Columbus), D Joe Morrow (Pittsburgh) and F Marcel Noebels (Philadelphia).
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G Jon Groenheyde, who concluded his WHL career this season with the Swift Current Broncos, has signed on with the Central league’s Allen Americans. They are coached by former WHLer Dwight Mullins.
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They’ve got a pretty good deal going on in Saskatoon these days where they are choosing some all-time Blades all-star teams.
It’s all the brainchild of the host committee for the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup.
Fans may visit a website and select the Team of the Millennium (200-present) by April 14. After that, fans will have the opportunity to vote for Teams of the Decade  from the 1960s, '70s, '80s and '90s.
The poll now is open right here.
Cast a ballot and get entered to win game tickets to the 2013 Memorial Cup.
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F Mark McNeill and D Harrison Ruopp of the Prince Albert Raiders will finish up their seasons with AHL teams. . . . McNeill, a first-round selection by the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL’s 2011 draft, will join the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs, who are six points out of a playoff spot with 12 games left to play. . . . Ruopp, a third-round pick by the Phoenix Coyotes in the NHL’s 2011 draft, is off to join the Portland Pirates, who are two points out of a playoff spot.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings will open against the Hitmen in Calgary on Thursday, with Game 2 there on Friday. With the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair having taken over Westman Communications Group Place, the teams will play Games 3, 4 and, if necessary, 5 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg on March 25, 27 and 29. . . . The Wheat Kings are 10-4-0 at the MTS Centre; however, in playoff games, they are 3-3. . . . Over the years, the arrival of the Winter Fair has meant the Wheat Kings have played 22 playoff games in Winnipeg. They also played 16 at the Winnipeg Arena, where they were 11-5. . . . Calgary took three of four from the Wheat Kings this season.
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Lorne Molleken, the GM/head coach of the Saskatoon Blades, has told Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix that he expects to have D Dalton Thrower, F Michael Burns and F Chris Collins back for their opener against the Tigers in Medicine Hat on Friday. . . . Thrower and Burns have been out with injuries, while Collins missed three games due to personal reasons.

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