Red Reign and Thrice Ice . . . Ryan reunites with ex-Chiefs coach . . . Spott popular

D Jonathan Harty (Everett, 2004-08) signed a one-year contract with Grenoble (France, Ligue Magnus). This season, with Björklöven Umea (Sweden, Allsvenskan), he had six assists in 19 games. . . .
F Mikhail Fisenko (Vancouver, Calgary, 2008-11) has been traded by Amur Khabarovsk to Admiral Vladivostok (both Russia, KHL) as part of the largest trade in KHL history. Fisenko, with Amur this season, had 11 goals and 10 assists in 59 games. . . . The trade sends six players plus the rights to two others to Amur in return for three players. Admiral also receives Amur's first-round draft picks in the 2016 and 2017 KHL drafts. . . .
F Mikhail Yakubov (Red Deer, 2001-02) signed a one-year contract with Sochi (Russia, KHL). This season, with Vityaz Podolsk (Russia, KHL), he had three goals and five assists in 46 games.
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If you’re wondering, after the Chicago Blackhawks wrapped up the Stanley Cup last night, the Chicago Tribune’s sports front carried the headline RED REIGN. . . . The Chicago Sun-Times, the Blackhawks having won three Stanley Cups in six seasons, went with THRICE AGE.
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F Derek Ryan, who played three seasons (2004-07) with the Spokane Chiefs, has signed with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. He got a one-year, two-way deal. . . . Ryan, who is from Spokane, is 28. He played four seasons at the U of Alberta before going to Europe for four seasons. This season, he had 60 points, including 15 goals, in 55 games with Orebro of the Swedish Hockey League. He was the SHL’s MVP and forward of the year. . . . Bill Peters, Carolina’s head coach, was Spokane’s head coach for two of Ryan’s seasons there.
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Dave King, one of the most influential coaches in the game of hockey, was in Regina on the weekend. Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post caught up with him and the resulting story is right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:

Chris Dennis, a former assistant coach with the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, is the new head coach of the York U Lions. Dennis, who attended York, lost his job with the Maple Leafs in April when they cleaned house. . . . The Lions were 9-15-3 this season, leaving them last in the OUA West Division. . . . Dennis, who spent 10 seasons in Toronto’s organization, takes over from Jim Wells, who had been the head coach since 2009.
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The Vancouver Giants remain without a head coach and it seems that one of the candidates they have interviewed has become quite popular. It has been speculated that Steve Spott, another former Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach, has been one of the Giants’ leading candidates. Now there are reports that he has interviewed with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins for their head-coaching position. On top of that, Spott may be in line for an assistant-coaching position with the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. He and Peter DeBoer, the Sharks’ new head coach, are friends. . . . Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun also reported on rumours that the Maple Leafs are hoping to hire D.J. Smith, the head coach of the OHL’s Oshawa Generals, who won the Memorial Cup last month. Smith, the Generals’ assistant GM and head coach, later denied those rumours.
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The WHL held an officiating camp....and I assume the outside of the rink looked something like this. pic.twitter.com/7jev3bQXIW

— Alan Caldwell (@smallatlarge) June 15, 2015

Thanks, @Asuchak16. Good luck in the A. #TooGoodToBeAtThisLevel pic.twitter.com/rqordz5x72

— Centralized Hockey (@CentralHockeyTJ) June 15, 2015

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

Winterhawks into fourth straight Western Conference final

G Dusan Salficky (Tri-City, 1990-91) has announced his retirement to become sports club manager at Pardubice (Czech Republic, Extraliga). This season with Pardubice, Salficky was 2.30 and .926 in 15 games. . . .
F Derek Ryan (Spokane, 2003-07) has signed a two-year contract with Örebro (Sweden, SEL). He played this season with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga), putting up 84 points, including 38 goals, in 54 games. Ryan led the league in goals and plus-minus (plus-26), and was second in points. He was named the league’s MVP, winning the Ron Kennedy Trophy. Kennedy is a former WHL player (Estevan/New Westminster, 1970-73) and head coach (Medicine Hat, 1988-1990). Kennedy was head coach of the Austrian national team (1996-2002) for six world championships and two Olympics. . . .
F Jared Aulin (Kamloops, 1997-2002) signed a one-year extension with Örebro (Sweden, SEL). This season, in 50 games, he had 27 points, including seven goals.
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The NHL has been hit by a second concussion-related lawsuit. This one, filed in the United States District Court Southern District of New York, includes the names of ex-players Dan LaCouture, Dan Keczmer, Jack Carlson, Richard Brennan, Brad Maxwell, Michael Peluso, Tom Younghans, Allan Rourke and Scott Bailey. . . . If you are so inclined, the filing is right here.
Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo! Sports has more on the lawsuit right here, including the fact that Gordie Howe isn’t dead, as the lawsuit claims.
Jeff Z. Klein and Ken Belson of The New York Times have more on the lawsuit right here.
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Roy Sommer played one game with the Edmonton Oil Kings and two seasons (1975-77) with the Calgary Centennials, back in the early days of the WHL. He also spent a season (1988-89) as an assistant coach with the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Today, he is a veteran of the AHL coaching wars and is with the Worcester Sharks. On Wednesday night, his son, Marley, who has Down syndrome and is autistic, sang the American national anthem prior to a hockey game. You should watch it right here.
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The Tri-City Americans have named D Justin Hamonic, 20, as their captain for the 2014-15 season. Hamonic becomes the 26th captain in the franchise’s history. Hamonic, from Winnipeg, just completed his third WHL season. In 183 regular-season games, he has 27 points, including two goals. . . . He has spent all three seasons with the Americans, who selected him in the fifth round of the WHL’s 2009 bantam draft. . . . Hamonic served as the Americans’ interim captain for the last two months of this season with D Mitch Topping out with an injury.
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The WHL’s Western Conference final will open with games in Kelowna on April 18 and 19. Game 1 is to begin at 7:30 p.m., with Game 2 to start at 7:05. . . . It likely is safe to assume that the 7:30 start time on a Friday night is for the benefit of a potential Sportsnet telecast.
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The CHL announced Thursday that the annual Subway Super Series, featuring CHL all-star teams against a touring Russian side, will begin in the WHL next season and then run through the OHL and then finish up in the QMJHL. . . . The six-game series will be played from Nov. 10 through Nov. 20. . . . The series will begin in Saskatoon on Nov. 10, with the next game scheduled for Nov. 11 in a WHL city yet to be named. . . . The OHL games will be played in Peterborough on Nov. 13, with the next game in Kingston on Nov. 17. . . . Then the series will move on to the QMJHL centres of Acadie-Bathurst (Nov. 18) and Rimouski (Nov. 20). This will be the first time the series has concluded in Quebec. . . . The entire series will be televised by Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
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D Shea Theodore of the Seattle Thunderbirds will finish his season with the Norfolk Admirals, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. Theodore was a first-round selection by the Ducks in the NHL’s 2013 draft. Theodore, who turns 19 on Aug. 3, just completed his third season with Seattle, which was swept from a second-round series by the Kelowna Rockets on Wednesday night.
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A WHL team that is looking for a general manager should be at least considering a chat with Matt Bardsley, the assistant GM with the Portland Winterhawks. Jason Vondersmith of the Portland Tribune has more on Bardsley right here.
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Paul Lukas of ESPN.com reports that some fans of the Cleveland Indians are “de-Chiefing” -- removing the Chief Wahoo logo from jerseys and caps that they have purchased. It is, writes Lukas, “a form of silent protest by a small but growing number of Indians fans who love their team but are opposed to the Wahoo logo, which they view as an offensive caricature. They say they're not accusing pro-Wahoo fans of being racists or telling them what they should or shouldn't wear. They've simply made a decision not to wear the Chief themselves.” . . . There’s more right here.

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THE SECOND ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. BRANDON (7)
(Edmonton leads, 3-1)
Season series: Edmonton, 3-1-0; Brandon, 1-2-1.
Thursday: Brandon 0 at Edmonton 5 (5,899)
Saturday: Brandon 0 at Edmonton 3 (7,115)
Tuesday: Edmonton 5 at Brandon 2 (3,522)
Wednesday: Edmonton 2 at Brandon 5 (3,246)
Friday: Brandon at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Monday: Edmonton at Brandon, 7 p.m.
x-Wednesday: Brandon at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Edmonton: F Brandon Baddock, day-to-day; D Blake Orban, day-to-day.
Brandon: G Curtis Honey, day-to-day.
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MEDICINE HAT (4) vs. KOOTENAY (6)
(Kootenay leads, 3-1)
Season series: Medicine Hat, 3-3-0; Kootenay, 3-3-0.
Saturday: Kootenay 4 at Medicine Hat 2 (3,750)
Sunday: Kootenay 2 at Medicine Hat 5 (3,755)
Wednesday: Medicine Hat 1 at Kootenay 3 (2,461)
Thursday: Medicine Hat 4 at Kootenay 7 (2,578)
Saturday: Kootenay at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
x-Monday: Medicine Hat at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
x-Wednesday: Kootenay at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
(NOTE: Kootenay plays home games in Cranbrook, B.C.)
INJURIES
Medicine Hat: F Gavin Broadhead, day-to-day; F Hunter Shinkaruk, indefinite.
Kootenay: F Tim Bozon, indefinite; F Ryan Chynoweth, indefinite; D Tyler King, day-to-day; D Tanner Faith, 3-5 months.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA (1) vs. SEATTLE (4)
(Kelowna wins, 4-0)
Season series: Kelowna, 2-1-1; Seattle, 2-1-1.
Thursday: Seattle 2 at Kelowna 6 (4,581)
Saturday: Seattle 3 at Kelowna 6 (5,675)
Tuesday: Kelowna 5 at Seattle 4 (5,029)
Wednesday: Kelowna 5 at Seattle 2 (2,219)
INJURIES
Kelowna: F Myles Bell, week-to-week.
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PORTLAND (2) vs. VICTORIA (3)
(Portland wins, 4-1)
Season series: Portland, 1-1-2; Victoria, 3-1-0.
Friday: Victoria 2 at Portland 8 (6,152)
Saturday: Victoria 3 at Portland 6 (10,947)
Monday: Portland 1 at Victoria 2 (6,505)
Tuesday: Portland 4 at Victoria 3 (6,745)
Thursday: Victoria 1 at Portland 5 (8,083)
INJURIES
Portland: None.
Victoria: None.
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THE THIRD ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA (1) vs. PORTLAND (2)
Friday, April 18: Portland at Kelowna, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 19: Portland at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Remainder of series TBA.
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THURSDAY’S GAMES:

 In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice scored the games last goals, five of them in the third period and two of them into an empty net, as it dumped the Medicine Hat Tigers, 7-4. . . . The Ice leads the second-round series 3-1 and gets its first chance to wrap it up when the teams play Game 5 in Medicine Hat on Saturday night. . . . F Jaedon Descheneau got back on track with three goals for the Ice. Descheneau had picked up 17 points in six games in a first-round victory over the Calgary Hitmen, but was pointless in the first three games with the Tigers. . . . He now has 20 points, including a WHL-leading 10 goals, in 10 games. . . . The Ice got a goal and three assists from F Luke Philp, who has 12 points, five of them goals, in 10 games, and three assists from F Sam Reinhart. He leads the WHL in assists (16) and points (22). . . . Descheneau opened the scoring, on a PP, at 2:24 of the first period. . . . The Tigers then rattled off four straight goals, with F Chad Labelle getting it started at 8:11 of the first. . . . D Dylan Bredo, F Myles Koules and F Curtis Valk added second-period goals in a span of 2:59, sending Ice G Mackenzie Skapski to the bench in the process. He surrendered four goals on 18 shots. . . . Wyatt Hoflin came on to stop all 21 shots he faced. . . . Philp got the Ice to within 4-2 at 16:26 of the second. . . . D Rinat Valiev cut it to 4-3 at 12:16 of the third and Descheneau tied it at 15:45, then got the winner at 17:54. . . . Tigers G Marek Langhamer stopped 26 shots. . . . Each team was 1-for-2 on the PP. . . . According to Trevor Crawley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman, there may be a scoring change involving the goal that was credited to Valiev. “Reinhart apparently got his stick on” Valiev’s point shot, according to Crawley. . . . Shaun Clouston, the Tigers’ general manager and head coach, told Darren Steinke of the Medicine Hat News: "We didn't finish it. I don't know if we got thinking a little bit too far ahead and were thinking about winning the game instead of just the shift in front of us. I sensed that might have happened, where some of the guys were just a little bit out in front of themselves. We just have to play each shift. On the flip side, you have to give them lots of credit."


In Portland, the Winterhawks advanced to their fourth straight Western Conference final with a 5-1 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . The Winterhawks won the second-round series, 4-1, and will open the conference final against the Rockets in Kelowna on April 18. . . . The Rockets are the conference’s No. 1 seed; the defending-champion Winterhawks are No. 2. . . . Kelowna won all four regular-season meetings, outscoring Portland 28-10 I the process. Kelowna won 9-3 and 7-2 in Portland on Dec. 31 and Jan. 2, after posting 6-2 and 6-3 victories at home on Oct. 4 and 5. . . . The Winterhawks took control last night with the only two goals of the first period, F Taylor Leier scoring on a PP at 13:46 and F Adam de Champlain scoring at 19:26. . . . Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand, celebrating his 19th birthday, got his ninth goal at 10:31 of the second for a 3-0 edge. . . . Victoria F Steven Hodges scored at 15:11 of the second, on a PP. . . . The Winterhawks got that one back at 12:22 of the third when F Chase De Leo counted. . . . De Leo scored again, his fifth of the playoffs, at 17:57, on a PP. . . . Bjorkstrand also had three assists, leaving him with 19 points in nine playoff games. Including the regular-season, he has 128 points, 59 of them goals, in 78 games. . . . The Winterhawks outscored the Royals 9-1 in third periods and 25-11 in total. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic had one assist, running his point streak to 16 games, going back to the regular season. He’s got 30 points, including 13 goals, in those 16 games. He had 10 points in the series. . . . Portland D Derrick Pouliot earned two assists, giving him at least one assist in nine straight games. . . . This game had some nastiness in it with a melee at the end of the second period that resulted in game misconducts to Pouliot, along with Victoria D Joe Hicketts and Hodges. . . . At 15:10 of the third period, Portland F Nic Petan ended up down on the ice after a hit from Victoria F Brandon Magee, who was assessed a match penalty for attempt to injure. Should Magee return for his 20-year-old season, you have to think he’ll miss the start with a suspension of some sort. . . . Petan ended up taking an instigating penalty and a game misconduct for a scrap with Victoria D Ryan Gagnon. . . . The Royals ended up with 88 of 151 penalty minutes. . . . According to Portland freelancer Scott Sepich: “Petan was coherent and talking with (Winterhawks GM/head coach Mike) Johnston and teammates in the locker-room.” . . . A tweet from Mike Walker (@MikeWalkerCHEK) of Victoria TV station CHEK: “That was a malicious crosscheck to the head from Magee on Petan. The series is over. No need to go out on that note.” . . . And one from Kelley Robinett (@kdrobinett), the Winterhawks’ senior vice-president, operations and marketing: “Embarrassing display by Victoria late with the game out of reach.” . . . The story that Sepich filed for The Oregonian is right here.
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From Bruce Luebke (@wheatkingsvoice), the play-by-play voice of the Brandon Wheat Kings: “Oilers play tonight so today’s practice would be decided in a shootout if it goes beyond the three regulation drills and two OT drills.”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Derek Ryan (Spokane, 2003-07) signed a two-year contract extension with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He finished second in league scoring with 27 goals and 39 assists in 54 games with Villach this season. . . .
D David Turon (Portland, 2002-03) signed a one-year contract with Meran/Merano (Italy, Serie A2). He had 11 goals and 12 assists in 44 games with Fassa (Italy, Serie A) this season.
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1. The Vancouver Giants announced late Tuesday afternoon that assistant coach Glen Hanlon won’t be returning to work under head coach Don Hay. According to the Giants’ news release, Hanlon left to “pursue a job as a head coach overseas.” . . . Subsequently, there were suggestions that he has agreed to work again as head coach of the Belarussian national team. He previously had worked as the head coach of the KHL’s Dynamo Minsk and with the Slovkian and Belarussian national teams. . . . Hanlon, 56, spent two seasons with the Giants.

2. Grant Sonier was named general manager of the QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders on Tuesday. Sonier, who is from Summerside, P.E.I., takes over the franchise that was sold earlier this month and renamed on Monday. It had been the P.E.I. Rocket. A veteran scout, Sonier also did a stint as the Florida Panthers’ assistant GM.

3. In case you missed it, Tuesday was a bizarre night. For the first time in his illustrious career, Mariano Rivera was tagged with a loss without getting even one out. Oh, and LeBron fouled out!

4. If you haven’t been following the goings-on involving the athletic department at Rutgers University, you should be. Bizarre doesn’t begin to describe it. Michael Rosenberg of si.com has a good piece right here.

5. Dale Unruh, who is CEO, president and chairman of the Quality Group of Companies in Fort McMurray, Alta., has bought a piece of the BCHL’s Salmon Arm SilverBacks. Trevor Howlett of Fort McMurray Today has more right here.

6. If you are a baseball fan, you are familiar with the name Dr. Lewis Yocum. If not, well, Dr. Yocum was and is responsible for keeping a lot of players on the field of play. He died on the weekend at the age of 65. There’s more right here.

7. While Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs is awaiting the start of the NBA final, he also is in the middle of what seems to be a nasty divorce. Check out this right here from Deadspin.

8. The Los Angeles Clippers went 56-26 during the NBA regular season. So why did head coach Vinny Del Negro lose his job? Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times tells us right here.
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From Damien Cox (@DamoSpin) of the Toronto Star/Sportsnet: “Kings survive. More exciting hockey to come. Think I'll just watch the east. Or baseball. Quicker pace.”
———
From TSN analyst Darren R. Pang (@Panger40): “That would be best for everyone on twitter. Only you can suck the life out of a GM 7. @DamoSpin"
 ———
From Cox: “@Panger40 Your pay cheque is showing. Again.”
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From Pang: “That has to do with a pay check? That is a bad analysis. Par for course with you. @DamoSpin”

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:
F Derek Ryan (Spokane, 2003-07) signed a two-year contract with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had 25 goals and 24 assists in 50 games with Alba Volan Szekesfehervar (Hungary, Austria Erste Bank Liga) last season. Ryan had agreed to a one-year contract extension with Alba Volan in April but was released from it on Friday.
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According to the Edmonton Sun, F Rhett Rachinski and D Brennan Yadlowski, both of whom played out their WHL eligibility last season, have decided to attend the U of Alberta and play for the Golden Bears. . . . Rachinski, who is from Edmonton, played 244 games with the Oil Kings. Last season, he had 50 points, including 27 goals, in 72 games. . . . Yadlowski played 324 regular-season WHL games, splitting them between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Everett Silvertips. Last season, he had 24 points and 91 penalty minutes in 59 games with Everett. It was Yadlowski, you may recall, who was responsible for one of last season’s highlights. He drew a 10-game suspension after paying an in-game visit to the Portland Winterhawks dressing room in a Feb. 3 game.
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There is speculation again about the possibility of a WHL franchise ending up in Fort McMurray, Alta., after Mayor Melissa Blake told a Canada Day gathering that a downtown arena definitely is part of the city’s redevelopment plan.
Furthermore, construction and what is expected to be a 5,000-seat arena could start within the next 12 months.
The AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons play out of the 2,300-seat Thickwood Heights Arena.
The WHL, however, doesn’t appear to be in Fort McMurray’s future.
At least one WHL owner has looked into putting a franchise into Fort McMurray. He has told me that he was told by the WHL office at the time that the league isn’t interested in the northern Alberta community, primarily because it is a five-hour bus ride from what would be its closest rival, the Edmonton Oil Kings.
That particular owner had begun to put together the pieces that would have resulted in the building of a new arena with private funds. However, that all fell apart with the WHL saying it wasn’t at all interested in putting a team in the city of more than 60,000 people.
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The Victoria Royals have a new bus, and it looks like a beaut.
Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist has that story right here.
He finishes the story with this: “It is believed to be the best bus in the WHL.”
Hmmm . . .

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Jared Aulin (Kamloops, 1997-2002) signed a two-year contract extension with Örebro (Sweden, Allsvenskan). Aulin finished third in Allsvenskan scoring with 25 goals and 33 assists in 49 games this season. . . .
F Derek Ryan (Spokane, 2003-07) and D Harlan Pratt (Seattle, Red Deer, Prince Albert, Regina, Portland, 1994-99) each signed one-year contract extensions with Alba Volan Szekesfehervar (Hungary, Austria Erste Bank Liga). Ryan had 25 goals and 24 assists in 50 games, good enough for ninth place in the league scoring race, while Pratt had five goals and 14 assists in 48 games. Club director Gabor Ocskay: "Derek Ryan and Harland Pratt were the pillars of this year's team, and a similar role is expected in the 2012-13 season. We are delighted to have signed them." . . .
F Kirill Starkov (Red Deer, 2006-2007) signed a one-year contract with Oskarshamn (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had three goals and 12 assists in 39 games with Rögle Ängelholm (Sweden, Allsvenskan) and four goals and five assists in six games with SønderjyskE Vojens (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga) this season.
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Shawn Mullin, the radio voice of the Swift Current Broncos, reports that a move is afoot to erect a monument alongside the Trans-Canada Highway that would be in memory of the four players who died there on Dec. 30, 1986 when the WHL team’s bus crashed while en route to Regina. There is more right here.
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So how were things in Chilliwack after the Bruins left town and the BCHL’s Chiefs moved into Prospera Centre. Well, they say they had 1,100 season-ticket holders and averaged 2,000 sold tickets per game. That’s enough for president Glen Ringdal to say the season with an unqualified success. Tyler Olsen of the Chilliwack Times has more right here.
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The Tri-City Americans and Spokane Chiefs open their second-round series on Friday in Kennewick, Wash. That game won’t be televised but the next three games definitely will be. The teams have announced that their flagship stations, KVEW/KXLY and KHQ/SWX, will carry Game 2 from Kennewick on Saturday and Games 3 and 4 from Spokane on Wednesday, April 11, and Friday, April 13. Kevin Uretsky will call the play with Kevin Sawyer handling the analysis. KVEW-TV’s My Network in the Tri-City area has the option on Games 5, 6 and 7, as well.
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Columnist John Blanchette of the Spokane Spokesman-Review takes a look at the move that put Eric Williams in as the Spokane Chiefs’ starter after two games of these playoffs. That piece is right here.
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The Prince George Cougars have signed D Sam Ruopp, who was a fourth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft. Ruopp, from Zehner, Sask., is the younger brother of Prince Albert Raiders D Harrison Ruopp. . . . Sam played this season with the midget AAA Regina Pats Canadians, picking up 10 assists in 41 games.
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F Tyler Johnson of the Norfolk Admirals is the AHL’s player of the month for March. He had a league-high 22 points, 11 of them goals, and was plus-13 in 12 games. Johnson, in his first AHL season, is a product of the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. . . . If you aren’t aware, the Admirals have won their last 23 games. That’s right . . . 23 straight games. . . . Johnson signed as a free agent with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning.
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The Spokane Spokesman-Review reports that Vern Kneeshaw died Sunday at the age of 90. Kneeshaw was a goaltender with the 1948-49 Spokane Flyers, who won the U.S. national senior amateur championship. . . . Kneeshaw also was an off-ice official with the Spokane Chiefs. . . . According to the newspaper, “A memorial service for Kneeshaw will be held on Friday at 1 p.m. at the First Assembly of God church in Spokane.”
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THE COACHING GAME:
Former Everett Silvertips associate head coach coach Jay Varady has signed on for two more seasons with Les Ducs d’Angers of France’s Ligue Magnus. In his first season, Varady guided Les Ducs to an 18-8 record, second only to the rival Les Dragons de Rouen. . . . Angers won two playoff series, taking out Caen 3-0 and Briancon 3-1, before losing in four games (3-1) to Rouen.
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PLAYOFF ODDS AND ENDS:
The Spokane Chiefs and Tri-City Americans are about to go head-to-head for the sixth time, and the second time in as many years. The Chiefs won a second-round series in six games last season. . . . The teams staged one of the great series in WHL history in the spring of 2008 when the Chiefs won in seven games, five of which went into OT. And three of those went to double OT. . . . These teams are no strangers to extra time. A year ago, the last three games of that six-game series needed OT. In fact, 11 of the last 16 playoff games between these teams have gone to OT. So if you’re going to Friday’s opener, you best tell the babysitter that you’ll be late getting home. . . .
In Brandon, the Wheat Kings are into the second round for the eighth time in 11 seasons. This time, they’ll meet the Edmonton Oil Kings in a series that opens Friday in the Alberta capital. Amazingly, this will be the first playoff meeting – at least in a best-of series – between these teams. Brandon and Edmonton were in the league from 1967 through 1976, after which the Oil Kings relocated to Portland. They never once met in the playoffs during that time. . . . Brandon and Edmonton did play in one of those round-robin series in 1978-79. The Flin Flon Bombers moved to Edmonton for that season and the Oil Kings were eliminated after a first-round round-robin series in which Brandon (7-1) and Saskatoon (3-5) advanced and Edmonton was eliminated. (That’s right it was a double home-and-home round-robin!). . . . By the next season, the Oil Kings were the Great Falls Americans, who lasted 28 games before folding. . . .
F Ryan Harrison of the Everett Silvertips took a charging major and game misconduct in Game 4 of their series loss to the visiting Tri-City Americans on March 28. His suspension now has been set at four games, so he will miss the first four games of next season, assuming he is back in the WHL. . . . Harrison, an NHL free agent, is finishing up the season with the AHL’s Lake Erie Monsters, who are affiliated with the Colorado Avalanche. . . . Shaw-TV announced Tuesday that its series of choice in the second round will feature the Moose Jaw Warriors and Medicine Hat Tigers. That series opens Friday at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw.
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And now for something completely different . . .
Taliah Aquilini and her soon-to-be ex-husband, Franceso, are well on their way to a divorce. Francesco, of course, owns the Vancouver Canucks. Taliah says that Canucks fans needn’t worry about any of this harming their beloved team. That story is right here. . . . Meanwhile, if you haven’t seen it already, there is something right here about a couple of hockey players’ girlfriends having some kind of scrap. . . . Only in Vancouver, you say. You may be right. . . .

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Wednesday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Hampus Gustafsson (Regina, Brandon, 2009-11) signed a one-year contract with Stjernen (Norway, Get Ligaen). He had 10 goals and 33 assists in 70 games with Regina and Brandon last season. . . .
F Derek Ryan (Spokane, 2003-07) signed a one-year contract with Szekesfehervar (Hungary, Austria Erste Bank Liga). Ryan had 17 goals and 30 assists in 28 games with the University of Alberta (CIS) last season. He was the Canada West Most Valuable Player and was named to the All-Canadian First Team. . . .
D Nathan Paetsch (Moose Jaw, 1998-2003) signed a one-year contract with Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg (Germany, DEL). He had nine goals and 11 assists in 43 games with the Rochester Americans and Syracuse Crunch (both AHL) last season.
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Fans of the Medicine Hat Tigers should relax. At least a bit.
It would seem that the Medicine Hat Arena isn’t the only one in the WHL that doesn’t meet league standards.
If you tuned in late, Medicine Hat city council has voted 6-3 against a funding proposal for a $94.5-million regional event centre.
This is the latest development in what has turned into a long-running story regarding a potential new facility to replace the 41-year-old Medicine Hat Arena.
It comes with the good folks of Moose Jaw preparing to open a new complex. The Moose Jaw Warriors have vacated the Civic Centre (aka Crushed Can) and will move into a new facility in time for the 2011-12 season.
So . . . after the latest development in Medicine Hat, here’s what WHL commissioner Ron Robison told Amanda Stephenson of the Medicine Hat News:
“I think we were very patient in the Moose Jaw process, and that eventually resulted in a new facility for that city. We understand the challenges associated with funding a project of this nature, but on the other hand, Medicine Hat is currently the only facility in the Western Hockey League that does not meet our standards. We do need it addressed, and we need it addressed immediately."
Right away, fans started to wonder if the Tigers were on borrowed time.
But . . . whoa! Wait a minute here!
It turns out that Robison was singing the same tune in another WHL city not that long ago.
The March 1, 2010, edition of The Oregonian contains a story on the Winterhawks by freelancer Scott Sepich. The crux of the story was how far the Winterhawks had come since being purchased by Bill Gallacher in the fall of 2008, 
In the story, Sepich mentioned that the Winterhawks were working with the city and the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers in the hopes of renovating their home arena, Memorial Coliesum, so that they would be able to use it on an every-game basis.
Sepich wrote:
“Robison has long contended that the Coliseum is not an appropriate venue for the WHL in its current form, citing shorcomings such as the smaller-than-regulation ice surface to the lack of amenities for fans.”
At that point, Sepich quoted Robison as saying:
"It doesn't meet our current standards, but it's adequate for the time being. We're excited about the plans for renovation."
Well, those “plans for renovation” are still just that . . . plans. In fact, any renovations to Memorial Coliseum won’t get started until the middle of 2012. Which must mean that the Portland rink still doesn’t meet WHL standards.
So, Medicine Hat hockey fans, you can breathe easier. Your rink may not meet those standards, but you are not alone.
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By the way, Amanda Stephenson’s story is right here.
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In that story, Robison is quoted as saying:
"I certainly hope council will revisit the matter soon to determine if there's a funding formula or new plan that will work. We had made an assumption that the project would be moving forward in a timely fashion.
"Obviously, that's not the case. We will now have to meet with the city, along with the Tigers, to determine what the alternative will be."
Alternative?
There would appear to be none.
With the NHL going back to Winnipeg, you would have to think that market is dead, at least for now, in terms of being home to a WHL franchise.
Of course, there is a building in Chilliwack that meets WHL standards but the league torched every bridge into it when it allowed the Bruins to be sold and moved to Victoria where the franchise now does business as the Royals.
The WHL would love to get a franchise into Nanaimo, which would give it two teams on Vancouver Island, but there isn’t a major junior-calibre arena there and the city doesn’t have any plans to build one.
John Ruttan, the mayor of Nanaimo, told Walter Cordery of the Nanaimo Daily News in April that he would like to see the WHL in his city but "not if they expect city taxpayers to underwrite the cost of a new arena."
Alternative? Not unless we are headed back to the days when the WHL was looking at places like Fresno and Butte and Anchorage.
Hey, what about Wenatchee, Wash.?
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Dave Barr still is shown on the Minnesota Wild’s website as an assistant coach with the NHL team.
It seems, however, that he might end up as the next head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors.
I’m told that Barr has been offered the Warriors’ head-coaching job, and that he has been told the team needs an answer from him right after this weekend’s NHL draft.
Should Barr accept, meaning he isn’t able to land an NHL job over draft weekend, he would be introduced to the Moose Jaw fandom next week.
The Warriors are looking for head coach after they fired Dave Hunchak following the end of last season. He has since signed on as an associate coach with the Kamloops Blazers.
Barr just completed his second season on the Wild staff, after one season with the Colorado Avalanche.
The Wild, however, fired head coach Todd Richards after the season and has since named Mike Yeo as head coach. Yeo spent last season as head coach of the AHL’s Houston Aeros and is expected to bring Darryl Sydor along as one assistant coach.
Rick Wilson, the former Prince Albert Raiders head coach, will be staying on the Wild staff. Homebrew Darby Hendrickson is the other assistant coach, at least at present.
Barr also has major junior coaching experience, having guided the OHL’s Guelph Storm (2004-08).
Alan Millar, who is heading into his second season as Moose Jaw’s director of hockey operations. He was the GM of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting (2004-09), after being GM of the Storm (1997-2003).
Barr also played 614 games over 13 NHL seasons.
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The Kootenay Ice, who won the WHL’s 2010-11 championship, have sold 2,029 season tickets, and that’s a franchise record. They sold 1,829 of them for the 2010-11 season.
“We’re very happy with that number. Not satisfied, but very happy,” Ice president and general manager Jeff Chynoweth told Matt Coxford of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman.
That story is right here.
The Ice, as you will be aware, won the WHL title with a roster comprised entirely of Canadian players after Chynoweth chose not take part in the CHL’s 2010 import draft.
Will the Ice be involved in this year’s import draft?
“At this time,” he told Coxford, “we haven’t decided if we’re going to participate in that.”

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
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