Five WHLers go in NHL's first round . . . Eakins back in coaching game . . . Pat Canadians have new coach

D Sergei Drozd (Tri-City, 2009-10) signed a one-year extension with Dinamo Minsk (Belarus, KHL). Last season, he had two goals and one assist in 57 games. . . .
F Nigel Dawes (Kootenay, 2001-05) signed a three-year extension with Barys Astana (Kazakhstan, KHL). Last season, in 60 games, he had 32 goals and 24 assists. He led his team in goals and points, and was second in the league in goals.
F Petr Kalus (Regina, 2005-06) signed a one-year contract with Grenoble (France, Ligue Magnus). Last season, with Herning (Denmark, Metal Ligaen), he had 21 goals and 18 assists in 35 games. He led the league in penalty minutes, with 178.
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There were 17 CHL players selected in the first round of the NHL draft on Friday evening in Sunrise, Fla., the home of the Florida Panthers. Five of those 17 were from the WHL. . . . D Ivan Provorov of the Brandon Wheat Kings went to the Philadelphia Flyers at No. 7, followed by F Jake DeBrusk of the Swift Current Broncos to the Boston Bruins at No. 14, F Mathew Barzal of the Seattle Thunderbirds to the New York Islanders at No. 16, D Noah Juulsen of the Everett Silvertips to the Montreal Canadiens at No. 26, and F Nick Merkley of the Kelowna Rockets to the Arizona Coyotes at No. 30. . . . The draft concludes today. . . .
The Vancouver Canucks selected F Brock Boeser with the 23rd selection. Boeser’s WHL rights belong to the Seattle Thunderbirds. He is from Burnsville, Minn., and has committed to North Dakota, something he reiterated after being drafted by Vancouver. Last season, he had 68 points, including 35 goals, in 57 games with the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks. . . . Four Russian-born players were selected in the first round, something that hadn’t happened since 2001.
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The sale of the OHL’s Erie Otters came to a screeching halt on Friday as the league asked James A. Waters to cover US$175,000 in legal fees. Waters had agreed Thursday to buy the franchise out of bankruptcy for US$7,225,000. . . . Valerie Myers has the story right here.
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Dallas Eakins is the new head coach of the San Diego Gulls, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Anaheim
Ducks. The Gulls are preparing for their first season in San Diego, after relocating from Norfolk, Va., where they were the Admirals. . . . Eakins spent more than one season as head coach of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, going 36-63-14 before he was fired last season. Prior to that, he was the head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, with whom he was 157-114-41. . . . Eakins is believed to have interviewed with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, who are searching for a head coach. In fact, there has been speculation that the Giants’ three-candidate short list included Eakins, Ryan McGill and Lorne Molleken.
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Darrin McKechnie is the new head coach of the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. He replaces Brad Herauf, who now is an assistant coach with the Regina Pats. . . . McKechnie spent last season as an assistant coach with the Pats, but left in order to focus on his responsibilities with the Regina Police Service. He also coached the midget AA Regina Capitals, who won the South Saskatchewan league championship.
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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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Today... the ice comes out of the arena for the final time with the logos. #bestbarninthedub #historic pic.twitter.com/Qn9Qyw9DqG

— Medicine Hat Tigers (@tigershockey) June 26, 2015

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Hockey Canada juggles assignments . . . Broncos trim three . . . Are Giants close to coach?

Rapperswil-Jona (Switzerland, NL B) signed F Jared Aulin (Kamloops, 1997-2002) and F Andrew Clark (Brandon, 2005-09) to one-year contracts. . . . Last season, with Orebro (Sweden, SHL), Aulin had seven goals and 17 assists in 47 games. . . . Clark, last season with Esbjerg (Denmark, Metal Ligaen), led the league in points, with 75, including 25 goals, in 36 games. . . .
D Shaone Morrisonn (Kamloops, 1999-2002) signed a one-year extension with Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL). Last season, he had seven assists in 48 games. . . .

F Jesse Schultz (Tri-City, Prince Albert, Kelowna, 1999-2003) signed a one-year contract with Riessersee Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany, DEL2). Last season, with the Rapid City Rush (ECHL), he had 77 points, 34 of them goals, in 70 games. An alternate captain, he finished third in the ECHL scoring race.
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With the move by DJ Smith from the OHL’s Oshawa Generals to the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, Hockey Canada had to make an adjustment to the coaching staff of its national junior team. . . . Smith, who was the head coach of the Memorial Cup-champion Generals, was to have been an assistant coach under head coach Dave Lowry of the Victoria Royals. . . . Hockey Canada announced Tuesday that Kelly McCrimmon, the owner, general manager and head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings, will move from his post as head coach of the U-18 team into Smith’s vacated position. . . . Stan Butler, the general manager and head coach of the OHL’s North Bay Battalion, has moved in as head coach of the U-18 team that will play in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament in August. . . . Shaun Clouston, the general manager and head coach of the Medicine Hat Tigers, has joined the U-18 team as an assistant coach. He replaces Sheldon Keefe, who had been the head coach of the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds, but now is head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
On Monday, McCrimmon announced that was turning down an offer to join the Toronto Maple Leafs’ front office, choosing instead to remain with the Wheat Kings. . . . With Canada’s national junior team, he will be away from the team for about a month, from its selection camp through the end of the tournament, which runs from Dec. 26 through Jan. 5 in Helsinki, Finland.
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Canada's roster for WJC summer camp. Most interesting invite? Jake Walman who was also invited to Team USA's camp. http://t.co/Q6Gn0O1yIs

— Sunaya Sapurji (@sunayas) June 23, 2015

Hockey Canada also has announced the roster for its national junior team’s summer camp. That roster is right here.
The U-18 summer camp roster is right here.
The U-17 summer camp roster is right here.
All three camps, totalling 194 players, will be held in Calgary, July 29 to Aug. 6 in what Hockey Canada is calling its Summer Showcase.
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The Swift Current Broncos have released three 20-year-old skaters — F Tanner LeSann, D Ayrton Nikkel and F Linden Penner. . . . LeSann, from Yorkton, Sask., had 36 points, including 16 goals, in 195 games over three seasons with the Broncos. . . . Nikkel had two goals and nine assists in 67 games with Swift Current. From Kelowna, he was acquired early last season from the Saskatoon Blades. He also has played with the Brandon Wheat Kings and Everett Silvertips. . . . Penner, from Sherwood Park, Alta., played 36 games with the Broncos last season, putting up four goals and two assists. He also played with the Calgary Hitmen and Moose Jaw Warriors last season. . . . All three have cleared WHL waivers and are free agents. . . . The Broncos now have three 20-year-olds on their roster — G Landon Bow, D Griffin Foulk and F Zac Mackay.
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The USHL’s board of governors decided at its annual meeting in Colorado Springs on the weekend to go to seven-minute overtime periods in regular-season games. They will play 4-on-4 until the first stoppage of play after three minutes of play, then will switch to 3-on-3. If the game remains tied after that, the game will be decided in a shootout, starting with three players from each team. . . . From a USHL news release: “The USHL previously tested the hybrid overtime period during the 2013 and 2014 preseasons with 3-on-3 overtime play. Over the past five seasons, 39 per cent of games were decided during 4-on-4 overtime in the USHL. Over the past two pre-seasons, 71 per cent ended in a 3-on-3 overtime.”
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THE COACHING GAME:

Dallas Eakins, Ryan McGill, Lorne Molleken are the #Giants Final 3. Interesting thing about Eakins, he's never Coached Jr

— JAY JANOWER (@DOUBLEJGLOBALBC) June 23, 2015

If Molleken or Eakins are 1st choice, it will be soon. McGill hasn't ruled out pro, so it will be a bit if it's him. https://t.co/1LC5qSMhCG

— Steve Ewen (@SteveEwen) June 23, 2015

Some observers are expecting the Giants to make a coaching announcement before week’s end.
Eakins was fired last season as the head coach of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. McGill and Molleken are veteran WHL coaches. McGill’s contract as head coach of the Kootenay Ice wasn’t renewed after last season. Molleken last coached in 2013-14 when he was the GM/head coach of the Saskatoon Blades.
Whoever signs on will be Vancouver’s fourth head coach in three seasons. The Giants let Don Hay out of his contract after 10 seasons as head coach, allowing him to return to the Kamloops Blazers in time for last season. Troy Ward, hired as Hay’s replacement, was fired early in the season and replaced by Claude Noel, whose services weren’t retained after the season ended. . . . The Giants missed the playoffs last season, the second time in three seasons that has happened.
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Brent Heaven has moved up and taken over as head coach of the Selkirk College Saints of the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League. They are based in Castlegar, B.C. . . . Heaven, a 35-year-old from Kamloops, had been an assistant coach with the Saints. He takes over from Alex Evin, who now is on the staff of the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs. . . . The Saints won the BCIHL championship last season.
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The Saskatoon Blades have signed F Chase Wouters and D Payton McIsaac. . . .  Wouters, from Lloydminster, Alta., was the 18th overall selection in the 2015 bantam draft. Last season, with the bantam AAA Lloydminster Heat, he had 57 points, including 19 goals, in 32 games. . . . McIsaac, from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., was a second-round pick by the Blades in the 2015 bantam draft. He had 45 points, 11 of them goals, in 33 games with the bantam AAA Fort Saskatchewan Rangers.
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@SeattleTbirds sign their 2015 1st rd bantam pick @elijah_brown5. Earliest they've signed their 1st overall pick since @Jared_Hauf in 2010

— Thom Beuning (@ThomBeuning) June 23, 2015

The Seattle Thunderbirds have signed F Elijah Brown, who was the 15th overall selection in the 2015 bantam draft. Brown, from Edmonton, had 41 points, including 18 goals, in 31 games with the bantam AAA South Side Athletic Club team last season.
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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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Braeden Pistawka is the new general manager of the Okanagan Rockets of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. He takes over from David Michaud, who left after five years to join the BCHL’s Penticton Vees. Michard now is the Vees’ director of player personnel and corporate sales.
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http://t.co/tleIjmGH7f is pleased to have Willie Desjardins HC @VanCanucks as our Key note speaker at the #TSCC2015 http://t.co/jdeL47BNR8

— The Coaches Site (@TheCoachesSite) June 23, 2015

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Andri Sriubko (Kamloops, 1994-95) signed a one-year contract with Kuban Krasnodar (Russia, Vysshaya Liga). He had two goals and eight assists in 43 games with Molot-Prikamie Perm (Russia, Vysshaya Liga) this season. . . .
F Ian McDonald (Tri-City, 2001-05) signed a one-year contract with Rosenborg (Norway, GET-Ligaen). He had 37 goals and 51 assists in 41 games for Eaters Geleen (Netherlands, Eredivisie) this season. McDonald was third in Eredivisie scoring in leading Eaters to the Dutch championship.
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The Norfolk Admirals won Game 3 of the AHL’s championship final on Thursday night, beating the host Toronto Marlies 1-0 in overtime. . . . And the victory came on one of those goals where a defenceman (Mike Kostka) dumped the puck in, the goaltender (Ben Scrivens) went behind the net to play it, except the puck hit a stanchion and bounced into the vacated net at 9:09 of the first OT period. . . . Wait! It gets better. . . . A Norfolk player was offside on the play. . . . “It’s a real interesting one for the referees,” Marlies head coach Dallas Eakins told James Mirtle of The Globe and Mail. “The puck goes out, the puck’s rimmed in, there’s a guy that’s offside by about eight to 10 feet, the puck hits the stanchion but now he’s onside, and it goes in your net. . . . It’s a fairly grey area. Once again something I’ve never seen. I’m sure the referees have never seen anything like that either.”
Mirtle later reported that, based on an AHL rule, the goal should not have counted.
Mirtle cited this rule from the AHL rule book:
“83.4 Disallowed Goal – If the puck is shot on goal during a delayed offside, the play shall be allowed to continue under the normal clearing-the-zone rules. Should the puck, as a result of this shot, enter the defending team’s goal, either directly or off the goalkeeper, a player or an official on the ice, the goal shall be disallowed as the original shot was off-side. The fact that the attacking team may have cleared the zone prior to the puck entering the goal has no bearing on this ruling.”
Mirtle’s story is right here.
The video of the goal in question is right here.
Kiel Murchison, a regular in WHL arenas, was one of the linesmen involved in the game.
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JUST NOTES:
The Tri-City Americans have signed F Braden Purtill to a WHL contract. He was a third-round selection — the Americans’ second overall pick — in the 2012 bantam draft. Playing for the bantam AAA Sharks, he put up 87 points, including 33 goals, in 48 games this season. . . .
The Red Deer Rebels have signed F Adam Musil, the sixth overall selection in last month’s bantam draft. Musil, the younger brother of Vancouver Giants D David Musil, had 98 points, 58 of them goals, in 60 games with the Burnaby Winter Club Bruins this season. The Musil boys are the sons of former NHL D Frank Musil.
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And a tip of the hat to the QMJHL for dumping the trapezoid.
Yes, it’s true. The QMJHL, ignoring an NHL rule, has done away with the area behind each net in which goaltenders are allowed to play the puck.
Starting with the 2012-13 season, the trapezoid lines will be gone and goaltenders will be allowed to play the puck anywhere on the ice.
The NHL and other leagues added the trapezoid for the 2005-06 season.

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