One WHL team wants to host 2018 Memorial Cup . . . Silvertips sign two imports

Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reported Tuesday that the Regina Pats “will inform the WHL office later this week of their intention to bid for the Canadian Hockey League’s showcase event, which celebrates its 100^th anniversary in 2018.”

The CHL has gone away from its regular rotation to allow teams from all three major junior leagues to bid on being the host team for the 2018 Memorial Cup tournament. The Pats are the oldest junior team in the world — they will celebrate their 100th anniversary in 2017-18.

“It’s an opportunity we couldn’t turn away from,” Anthony Marquart, one of the Pats’ owners, told Harder.

The Pats are named after the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.

“We’re the world’s oldest major-junior hockey franchise and intuitively it makes sense that we host the Memorial Cup that year, especially when the Memorial Cup was named after those brave soldiers that fought and died for our country in World War I.”

(No, the Memorial Cup isn’t named in honour of MasterCard; it just seems that way sometimes. But that’s a story for another day.)

Once the Pats inform the WHL of their interest, it will mean two bidders have come forward, the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s being the other. The OHL’s Oshawa Generals also have expressed an interest. Teams have until Sept. 1 to declare their interest, with each of the three leagues to submit a maximum of two bids to the CHL by Nov. 15.

The CHL has said that it will release a shortlist by Nov. 30, with the host city to be announced early in February.

The Pats last were the host team in 2001 when they added temporary seats to what was then the Agridome, bringing capacity to around 7,000. The arena now is known as the Brandt Centre and has 6,200 seats. Obviously, temporary seating would have to be added again. That would be just one of the improvements that would have to be made to the 40-year-old facility should the Pats’ bid be successful.

Hey, with ice-making technology being what it is today, perhaps they could play the 2018 tournament in Regina’s new football stadium. It will seat 33,000 for football but is to be expandable to 40,000 for special events.

Hey, why not?

Harder’s complete story is right here.

——

The Everett Silvertips have signed their two 2016 CHL import draft selections — Finnish F Eetu Tuulola and Slovakian F Mario Mucka. . . . Tuulola, 18, was a sixth-round selection by the Calgary Flames in the NHL’s 2016 draft. The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder took part in the Flames’ development camp last month. Last season, he had nine goals and five assists in 29 games with HPK’s U-20 team in the SM-liiga. He also played for the Finnish team that won the IIHF U-18 World championship in April in Grand Forks, N.D. . . . Mucka, who will turn 18 on Nov. 10, played for the U-18 Nitra team last season, putting up 20 goals and 24 assists in 30 games. . . . Last season, Everett used Russian F Jan Khomenko and Austrian F Dario Winkler as its import, but neither will be returning for another go-round.

——

Former WHL G Drew Owsley (Tri-City, Prince George, 2008-12) has signed with the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder. Owsley, 25, played the past four seasons with the X-Men at St. Francis Xavier U in Antigonish, N.S. Last season, he was 16-8-0, 2.54, .914, helping the X-Men to the CIS final.

——

The Lake Erie Monsters, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, are no more. The franchise announced Tuesday that it has changed its name to the Cleveland Monsters. . . . "This brand refresh has been in the works for several seasons and we are thrilled to make the Cleveland Monsters a reality at long last," Mike Ostrowski, the Monsters’ SVP/COO of franchise operations, explained on the team's website. "In the wake of the Monsters' Calder Cup Championship and the Cavs' NBA title, and heading into the Monsters' 10th anniversary season, we feel now is the perfect time for our organization to honor our great city and proudly become in title what this team has always been in spirit, the Cleveland Monsters." . . . Of course, that also means new-look uniforms which, no doubt, will be on sale soon if they aren’t already.

The #CLEMonsters will wear these NEW sweaters in the 2016-17 season! pic.twitter.com/2yjCMOvN2W

— Cleveland Monsters (@monstershockey) August 9, 2016

——

USA Hockey has named the 2016 inductees to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame — U.S. Olympian and former NHL F Craig Janney, Bill Belisle, who coached for 41 seasons at Mount St. Charles Academy in Rhode Island, and the 1996 U.S. World Cup of Hockey championship team. . . . The U.S. beat Canada, 2-1, in the best-of-three final, after Canada posted a 4-3 OT victory in Game 1. . . . The Team USA roster included F Steve Konowalchuk, who then was with the Washington Capitals and now is the head coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Konowalchuk also played two seasons (1990-92) with the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Two other ex-WHLers played for Team USA -- F Adam Deadmarsh (Portland, 1991-95) and F Mike Modano (Prince Albert, 1986-89). . . . A date and place for the induction ceremony have yet to be announced.

———

Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

———

Shawn Belle has moved to the Edmonton-based NAIT Ooks as an assistant coach, alongside head coach Tim Fragle. Belle had been an assistant coach with the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders, while also instructing at Edmonton’s Vimy Ridge Academy. . . . Belle, 31, played in the WHL (Regina Pats, Tri-City Americans, 2000-05) before going on to a pro career that ended after the 2014-15 season. He played the last four seasons in Europe. . . . Fragle is about to begin his first season at NAIT after spending seven seasons as Sherwood Park’s head coach. NAIT won the ACAC championship last season under head coach Mike Gabinet, who now is an associate coach at the U of Nebraska/Omaha.

———

Out with the old and in with the new... #ChangeIsGood pic.twitter.com/cv2JMgShg7

— PG Cougars (@PGCougars) August 9, 2016

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 St. Francis-Xavier X-Men made it official Monday — they will have G Drew Owsley, D Bronson Maschmeyer, F Chase Schaber, F Steven Kuhn and F Cole Grbavac in the lineup next season. All are products of the WHL. . . . Owsley finished his career with the Prince George Cougars. . . . Maschmeyer and Schaber were with the Kamloops Blazers, while Kuhn was with the Spokane Chiefs and Grbavac the Medicine Hat Tigers.
———
The Brandon Wheat Kings announced Monday that F Bruno Mraz, who had 18 points in 63 games last season, won’t be returning for a second season. Mraz, 19, has signed to play professionally in his native Slovakia. . . . Brandon has the 35th pick in Wednesday’s CHL import draft and will use it. . . . The Wheat Kings’ lone import at the moment is F Alessio Bertaggia, 19, who is from Switzerland and had 50 points in 64 games as a freshman last season.
———
Alan Caldwell, over there on the right at Small Thoughts At Large, takes a team-by-team look at WHL teams as the import draft approaches. Check it out.
———
More undrafted WHL players heading to NHL development camps. . . . G Andrey Makarov of the Saskatoon Blades will join the Florida Panthers. . . . F Miles Koules, who is to play for the Medicine Hat Tigers, has accepted an offer from the Phoenix Coyotes, as has Victoria Royals F Austin Carroll. . . . F Cain Franson of the Vancouver Giants and D Corbin Baldwin of the Spokane Chiefs are to go to camp with the Vancouver Canucks.
———
THE COACHING GAME:
Jeff Blashill, an assistant coach with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings, has been named head coach of the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. . . . They are the AHL affiliate of the Red Wings. . . . Blashill, 38, joined Detroit’s coaching staff a year ago after two seasons as head coach at Western Michigan.

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.

Madaisky sets sights on Columbus roster

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Austin Madaisky already is preparing for the 2012-13 hockey season.
With an NHL contract in his hip pocket, the Kamloops Blazers defenceman is doing it with a lot less weight on his shoulders.
“It definitely (was a relief),” Madaisky said Friday after signing a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. “It’s nice to not have to worry about that any more.”
It was only a year ago when Madaisky, who turned 20 on Jan. 30, was trying to rehab a broken neck. He suffered a fractured cervical vertebrae — a C-7 fracture — in a game against the visiting Chilliwack Bruins on Feb. 4, 2011. He was fitted with an Aspen Cervical Collar that he wore for a number of weeks, but was well enough to attend a Columbus development camp in May 2011.
He definitely showed no ill effects during the just-completed WHL season as he was the Blazers’ best defenceman and was named to the Western Conference’s second all-star team.
“It seems so long ago,” Madaisky said of his injury. “So much has happened in that time. . . . so much success personally and with the team that it’s kind of like that almost didn’t even happen.”
The Blazers, of course, won the B.C. Division this season and advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1999. They were eliminated by the Portland Winterhawks, who used home-ice advantage to their benefit and beat the Blazers 2-0 in Game 7 of a conference semfinal.
“This was the best season of my life. Absolutely,” he said. “You won’t find a dressing room like that one anywhere . . . brotherhood.”
Madaisky set personal highs in goals (13), assists (37), points (50) and plus-minus (20). The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder also continued to develop into a hard-hitting, physical shutdown defender.
He feels that he improved “quite a lot.”
“I set personal bests in offensive numbers,” he added, “but I thought I made the most significant strides in the defensive part of my game. The game really started to slow down and I thought I really matured as a player this season.”
Like so many players on the most-recent edition of the Blazers, Madaisky is quick to thank one individual in particular.
“A lot of that is credited to Dave Hunchak,” Madasiky said of the team’s associate coach. “He came in and taught us a lot this season.”
After the season ended, Madaisky said he took off about two weeks. But now he’s back in the gym and also starting to return to the ice.
“By next week,” he said, “it’s going to be full-blown training . . . all day, every day. You make it this far, this is where the really hard work starts.”
And with having signed an NHL contract, he admitted that his focus has changed.
“I’m preparing this summer like I’m trying to come into camp and make the Blue Jackets,” he said. “That’s the way I’m looking at it. After that, whatever happens, happens.”
If he doesn’t play in the NHL, he most likely would be assigned to the Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield, Mass., Falcons. However, he is eligible to return to the Blazers for one more season.
Would he be disappointed to end up back here?
“I wouldn’t call it disappointing,” he said. “I love the city . . . it’s my second home. My team is great, billets are great. It would still be a good situation.
“But I would definitely like to turn pro next season and I think it would be a lot better for my development to start playing against those guys right away.”
Madaisky’s contract, a standard entry-level deal, calls for an NHL salary of US$595,000, $620,000 and $650,000 in each of the next three seasons. His AHL salary would be $60,000 in each season. He also received a $210,000 signing bonus, payable in three installments over three years, although the first cash hasn’t year arrived in his bank account.
“I actually haven’t got it yet,” he said, before laughing and adding: “Which might be better. Maybe it’s better if they hang on to it for a bit.”
When the first installment does arrive, Madaisky said he doesn’t really have any plans for it.
“I’m going to try to save most of it,” he said. “I might buy a couple of gifts for family members, that sort of thing. But I’m def not looking at buying anything like a new car, nothing like that. Maybe next contract . . .”
The Blue Jackets selected Madaisky in the fifth round of the NHL’s 2010 entry draft. They had until June 1 to sign him, or he would have gone back into the next draft, which is scheduled for Pittsburgh, June 22-23.
Left-winger Brendan Ranford of the Blazers was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the seventh round of the 2010 draft. He has yet to sign and, if he doesn’t, will be available in next month’s draft.
JUST NOTES: F Chase Schaber, the Blazers captain for the last two seasons, has decided to attend St. Francis Xavier U in Antigonish, N.S., and play for the X-Men. Schaber, 21, had his WHL career ended by a skate cut to his left leg during Game 3 of a first-round playoff series against the Royals in Victoria. He later underwent surgery at Royal Inland Hospital. “I just started walking on my leg (Thursday),” Schaber said in a news release issued by the Blazers. “I’ve been rehabbing three days a week and have started strength training on it. I am willing to do whatever is needed to get back to what I love doing and making my way to pro hockey through the CIS.” . . . D Bronson Maschmeyer, who completed his eligibility with the Blazers this season, also has committed to the X-Men, as has G Drew Owsley, who finished up his career with the Prince George Cougars.

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:
D Alexander Boikov (Victoria/Prince George, Tri-City, 1993-96) signed a one-year contract extension with Dynamo Moscow (Russia, KHL). He had one goal and six assists in 41 games with Dynamo this season. . . .
By my count, Boikov, Winnipeg Jets G Chris Mason and D Dwayne Newman (Chelmsford, England National League) are the only players still playing pro hockey who played for the Victoria Cougars. Victoria relocated to Prince George for the 1994-95 season.
———
THE COACHING GAME:
Twenty years to the day after he celebrated a Memorial Cup victory, Tom Renney was dumped as head coach of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. On May 17, 1992, Renney’s Kamloops Blazers beat the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 5-4 in the Memorial Cup final in Seattle. On Thursday, Edmonton GM Steve Tambellini travelled to Castlegar, B.C., and informed Renney that his contract wouldn’t be renewed. . . .
Chris Johnston, who played in the WHL with Brandon, Red Der and Regina (1990-95), is the new head coach of the midget AAA Southwest Cougars, who play out of Souris, Man. This season, he was the head coach of the bantam AA Brandon Wheat Kings. Johnston, who is from Brandon, replaces Troy Leslie, who now is the head coach of the MJHL’s Virden Oil Capitals. . . . Johnston is the son of former WHL player and coach Mark Johnston. . . .
Mark DeSantis, an assistant coach with the Central league’s Rapid City Rush, has signed on as head coach of the Southern Professional league’s Fayetteville FireAntz. . . . DeSantis is a former Rush captain who has been an assistant coach for three seasons. . . . The FireAntz began the season with Sean Gillam as head coach; he was fired Feb. 16 and Todd Bidner was named interim head coach.
———
Jason Becker, the lead assistant coach with the Prince George Cougars, has been named head coach of Team Pacific that will compete in the 2013 U-17 World Hockey Challenge. That tournament runs Dec. 28 through Jan. 4 in Victoriaville and Drummondville, Que. . . . Wade Klippenstein, the Cougars’ assistant GM and director of player personnel, has been named Team Pacific’s head scout, while Steve Hamilton, an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oil Kings, will work with Becker as an assistant coach. . . . Also on the staff will be athletic therapist Brian Cheeseman, also of the Oil Kings. . . . Brent Polischuk of Victoria is the director of operations, while Brandon West of Kelowna is the other assistant coach and Troy Clifford of Kamloops is the equipment manager. . . . Team Pacific will comprise the top 22 players from the Pacific Region (Alberta and B.C.), with 34 players from each region taking part in a camp in Kamloops, July 25-29. The final 22-player roster will be announced in November.
———
Shane Malloy at The Art of Scouting has posted his top 40 eligibles for the NHL’s 2012 draft. That list is right here.
Malloy has D Griffin Reinhart of the Edmonton Oil Kings listed fourth overall, proving once again that a draft-eligible player can only do himself a whole lot of good with a deep playoff run.
Interestingly, Malloy is swimming a bit against the stream as he has Red Deer Rebels D Matt Dumba ranked No. 25.
The list is right here.
———
Jesse Wallin, the general manager and head coach of the Red Deer Rebels, along with his wife Jenn, will be taking part in an awareness session on concussions. Concussion: A Game Changer is scheduled for June 9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the Frontier Room at Westerner Park in Red Deer. The Wallins know of what they speak as Jesse’s career ended because of concussion problems.
Jim Claggett of the Red Deer Express has more right here.
“As a traditionalist I’d love to see hockey maintain a physicality in the game," Wallin tells Claggett. "I think that’s a big part of hockey but I think if we’re going to be able to do that there’s going to have to be a level of respect in the game.
“It’s the old adage, do unto others as you would have done to you.”
———
JUST NOTES:
G Drew Owsley, who played out his eligibility last season with the Prince George Cougars, has committed to attend St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S., and play for the X-Men. . . . Owley announced the move via Twitter last night: “Excited to announce I committed to StFX university of be an X-men!” . . . D Bronson Maschmeyer, who finished up his WHL career with the Kamloops Blazers this season, announced Wednesday that he, too, will attend St. FX and play for the X-Men. . . .
F Joe Antilla, who played five seasons with the Kootenay Ice, will attend UBC and play for the Thunderbirds next season. He has been accepted into the UBC School of Kinesiology. . . . In 340 regular-season games with the Ice, he put up 140 points, including 56 goals.
———
Rob Facca is an assistant coach with the Western Michigan  Broncos whose four-year-old son, Louie, 4, has been diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a fatal genetic disorder.
Rob’s father, Bob, was devastated by the news and has decided to go for a long, long walk.
Their story is right here.

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 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)
———
Western Conference
Tri-City (1) vs. Everett (8)
Kamloops (2) vs. Victoria (7)
Portland (3) vs. Kelowna (6)
Vancouver (4) vs. Spokane (5)
———
The WHL playoffs open tonight with the Brandon Wheat Kings in Calgary to meet the Hitmen. The other seven series will begin Friday night.
———
The Seattle Thunderbirds came out of the WHL’s draft lottery with the first pick on Wednesday.
The lottery involved the six non-playoff teams and when it was over, the WHL released this first-round order:
1. Seattle Thunderbirds
2. Prince Albert Raiders
3. Prince George Cougars
4. Lethbridge Hurricanes
5. Swift Current Broncos
6. Red Deer Rebels
7. Everett Silvertips
8. Victoria Royals
9. Kelowna Rockets
10. Kootenay Ice
11. Regina Pats
12. Brandon Wheat Kings
13. Saskatoon Blades
14. Spokane Chiefs
15. Vancouver Giants
16. Medicine Hat Tigers
17. Calgary Hitmen
18. Moose Jaw Warriors
19. Kamloops Blazers
20. Portland Winterhawks
21. Tri-City Americans
22. Edmonton Oil Kings
———
The first-round order as released by the WHL doesn't include the four picks that have been traded. Here, courtesy of Alan Caldwell of Small Thoughts At Large, is the first round including trades:
1. Seattle
2. Prince Albert
3. Prince George
4. Lethbridge
5. Swift Current
6. Red Deer
7. Everett
8. Victoria
9. Kelowna
10. Kootenay
11. Prince George (from Regina in Marincin/Blidstrand deal, Jan. 10/12)
12. Brandon
13. Victoria (from Brandon in Kevin Sundher deal, Jan. 9/12; Brandon had acquired the selection from Saskatoon in Brayden Schenn deal, Jan. 10/11)
14. Spokane
15. Vancouver
16. Medicine Hat
17. Calgary
18. Lethbridge (from Moose Jaw in Cam Braes deal, Jan. 9/12)
19. Kamloops
20. Seattle (from Portland in Marcel Noebels deal, Jan. 10/12)
21. Tri-City
22. Edmonton
———
The bantam draft is scheduled to be held on May 3.
Keep in mind that the order for the other rounds reverts to the reverse order of the final regular-season standings.
———
The WHL also announced some of its Eastern Division individual award winners and its first and second all-star teams. For those, check out the WHL’s website.
———
Earlier in the week, I reported here that D Cody Carlson of the Prince George Cougars was headed to the Central league’s Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees. . . . I was told last night that Carlson and Prince George G Drew Owsley, both of whom completed their junior eligibility this season, are headed for the Central league’s Missouri Mavericks. . . . Meanwhile, F Spencer Asuchak, who was the Cougars’ third 20-year-old this season, apparently may be headed for the ECHL’s Ontario Reign.
———
F John Persson of the Red Deer Rebels made his AHL debut last night with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, who lost 3-0 to the host Binghamton Senators. Persson had four shots on goal, all in the first period. . . . Persson, a 19-year-old from Mora, Sweden, was selected by the New York Islanders in the fifth round of the NHL’s 2011 draft.
———
F Justin Maylan, who played out his eligibility with the Prince Albert Raiders, has signed a tryout deal with the AHL’s Portland Pirates. Maylan is an undrafted free agent. He is joined in Portland by D Harrison Ruopp of the Raiders, who was a third-round selection by the Phoenix Coyotes in the NHL’s 2011 draft.
———
The Kamloops Blazers have announced the signings of two players, including the son of Medicine Hat Tigers head coach Shaun Clouston.
D Connor Clouston was a third-round selection in the 2011 WHL bantam draft. He had nine points and 90 penalty minutes in 29 games with the midget AAA Medicine Hat Tigers.
F Brayden Gelsinger, 16, ws listed by the Blazers in September. He had 42 points, including 22 goals, in 41 games with the midget AAA Tisdale, Sask., Trojans.
———
There is an interesting line in a story written by Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist that appears in today’s paper and on the newspaper’s website.
Dheensaw, who has covered the Royals all season, noted that F Brandon Magee “appeared in good spirits as he leaned on the glass and offered playful encouragement to his teammates during practice Wednesday at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.”
Three paragraphs later, Dheensaw writes:
“The Royals prohibit media from interviewing injured players.”
What we do know is that Magee was injured in the third period of the Royals’ final regular-season game and isn’t expected to play in their first-round series against the Kamloops Blazers.
The Royals may also be without F Robin Soudek and D Zach Habscheid, both of whom missed late-season games with injuries.
———
There can be no doubting that the best coaching matchup of the first round is in the series between the Spokane Chiefs and Vancouver Giants.
The two head coaches have combined for 1,073 WHL coaching victories – Don Hay of the Giants is No. 2 on the alltime list, with 556, while Spokane’s Don Nachbaur is sixth, at 517.
Nachbaur has been the WHL’s coach of the year three times, once each with Seattle, Tri-City and Spokane. You know he would trade those for Hay’s three Memorial Cup championships.
According to a Chiefs’ news release: Despite the two having coached against each other for the better part of the last 20-years, “they have met in the WHL playoffs just once – a 3-1 series win in the 1999 Western Conference semi-finals for Hay's Tri-City Americans over Nachbaur's Seattle Thunderbirds.”
The series opens Friday in Vancouver.

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.

Brendan Shinnimin of the Tri-City Americans
has had more than one goaltender in his sights
in the month of February.
(Photo by John Allen / AridAcres.com)

 The Brendan Shinnimin Show played in front of 3,654 fans at the ShoWare Centre in Kent, Wash., on Sunday night.
Pick one . . . Amazing! Incredible!! Out of sight!!!
Shinnimin scored the game’s first four goals as his Tri-City Americans beat the host Seattle Thunderbirds 5-1 and moved into first place in the U.S. Division, the Western Conference and the WHL’s overall standings, all at the same time.
But first things first . . .
Shinnimin went into the game with 48 goals this season; he came out with 52, the third player in the WHL to get to 50 this season.
Shinnimin, a 20-year-old from Winnipeg, scored at 16:17 and 19:04 of the first period, and 1:21 and 11:23 of the second. The last three of those came via the PP.
He also drew an assist on a PP goal by F Adam Hughesman at 3:08 of the third period. That goal, his 38th, got Hughesman to 98 points.
The third member of that line, Patrick Holland, picked up four more assists. He has 96 points, including a WHL-leading 73 assists.
But back to Shinnimin. . . .
He now has 115 points and leads the WHL scoring race by 10 points over F Mark Stone of the Brandon Wheat Kings. With 52 goals, Shinnimin is tied with Portland Winterhawks F Ty Rattie, one behind F Emerson Etem of the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Shinnimin has career highs in goals (52), assists (63) and points (115), having reached those numbmers in 59 games. His previous highs were 34 goals, 62 assists and 96 points, all coming in 60 games last season.
Shinnimin is the first Tri-City skater to get to 50 goals in one season since Dylan Gyori in 1998-99. Gyori finished with 53.
Shinnimin also has goals in 10 straight games, with 21 goals in those games.
Now for the mind-boggling part of this . . .
In his last four games, Shinnimin has put up 19 points, including 11 goals. He has a four-goal game and two three-goal efforts. In 13 February games, Shinnimin has scored 23 goals and added 18 assists. That, folks, adds up to 41 points, which is a good season for a lot of players.
The Americans also have won each of those four games which, combined with other outcomes, has moved them back to the top of the WHL’s overall standings.
G Drew Owsley, a former teammate now with the Prince George Cougars, tweeted: “At this space, @ShinboSlice might score his 60th on me in a couple of weeks. #uhoh”
And there was this tweet from Hughesman: “Congrats to @ShinboSlice for 50 goals. Honestly speechless and have no words to describe/tweet about his month.”
Earlier in the day, Jeremy Schappert, a former Seattle skater who is from Winnipeg, tweeted: “Dear Brendan Shinnimin, How are you doing this?”
———

Garth MacBeth, who pens The MacBeth
Report, was in action on the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Thunderbirds lost F Branden Troock to a cross-checking major and game misconduct at 19:05 of the second period. According to the online scoresheet, Seattle D Cason Machacek received a game misconduct — there is no explanation or accompanying penalty — at 15:40 of the third period. . . . Tthe Americans were 4-for-8 on the PP. . . . In February, the line of Shinnimin, Holland and Hughesman has totalled 92 points. That is in 13 games. . . . The Americans have won six in a row. . . . The Thunderbirds will play the Americans in Kennewick, Wash., on Tuesday. . . .
The Thunderbirds and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington and Alaska held their annual Hockey Challenge on Saturday and Sunday in Kent, Wash.
Included in the weekend festivities were the Thunderbirds’ two home games, along with the All-Star Game on Saturday that includes local celebrities and media personalities, along with alumni from the WHL team. And, yes, it turns out that Taking Note was represented. Garth MacBeth, who does such a remarkable job on The MacBeth Report, suited up and we have a photograph to prove it. . . . The Hockey Challenge began in 1998, according to a news release, “when hockey-playing Microsoft employees, with the help of the Thunderbirds, took an in-house rivalry public and decided to raise money the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington and Alaska (RMHC). Since inception, the Challenge has raised more than $4 million for RMHC, which provides a home-away-from-home for children and their families during medical treatment, making each day a little easier.”
———
MORE SUNDAY GAMES:
(Once again, this is done with a tip of the hat to @WHLFacts. Follow @WHLFacts on Twitter for even more info.)
In Edmonton, F Mitch Moroz scored twice to help the Oil Kings to a 4-1 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Moroz, who has 15 goals, got the game’s first and third goals as Edmonton took a 3-0 first-period lead. . . . The Hurricanes had won three in a row. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 31 shots in winning his 35th game this season. . . . F Brady Ramsay scored his 23rd goal of the season for Lethbridge. Ramsay, who turned 19 on Feb. 7, had one goal in 57 games last season. He has 23 in 61 this season. . . . The Oil Kings have a 10-point lead over the Medicine Hat Tigers atop the Central Division and lead the Eastern Conference by six points over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . .

In Calgary, F Victor Rask broke a 1-1 tie at 8:48 of the third period as the Hitmen edged the Kelowna Rockets, 2-1. . . . F Jimmy Bubnick opened the scoring for Calgary, with his 29th, at 4:57 of the first on a PP. Kelowna had been penalized for having too many men on the ice. . . . F Brett Bulmer pulled Kelowna even with his 29th at 11:07. . . . Rask won it with his 27th. . . . Calgary G Brandon Glover stopped 26 shots, four fewer than Kelowna’s Jordon Cooke. . . . Kelowna has lost three in a row. . . . The Hitmen had F Calder Brooks back after he missed seven games with a shoulder injury. . . . The Hitmen now are fourth in the Eastern Conference, two points behind Medicine Hat and a point up on the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Rockets will finish sixth in the Western Conference. . . .

In Everett, G Kent Simpson turned aside 35 shots to lead the Silvertips to a 2-1 OT victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Silvertips were less than a minute away from being blanked for a second straight game when F Josh Winquist pulled them into a 1-1 tie with his 13th goal at 19:09 of the third period. Yes, Simpson was on the bench for the extra attacker. . . . F Ryan Harrison won it with his 18th at 1:07 of extra time. . . . F Cam Reid had scored for Portland, at 2:53 of the second. . . . The Winterhawks had won nine in a row. . . . Everett D Brennan Yadlowski completed his 10-game suspension by sitting this one out. . . . Everett has closed to within a point of Seattle, which holds down the Western Conference’s last playoff spot. . . . Portland and the Kamloops Blazers are one point behind the Western Conference-leading Tri-City Americans, who also lead the overall standings. The Blazers are to play in Portland on Tuesday.
———
SUNDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Brady Ramsay, Lethbridge.
———
SUNDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
———
In the BCHL, the host Penticton Vees ran their winning streak to 37 games, this time beating the Prince George Spruce Kings, 4-1. . . . The Vees next play Thursday when they return to Merritt to play the Centennials. Those teams played in Merritt on Saturday night, with the Vees winning 2-1 in double OT.
———
Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz wasn’t in uniform Saturday as the Tigers scored a 4-3 shootout victory over the visiting Kelowna Rockets. It seems the veteran goaltender, whose NHL rights belong to the Edmonton Oilers, is battling concussion problems.
Bruce McCurdy of the Edmonton Journal blog The Cult of Hockey has more right here.
———
F Brady Leavold (Swift Current, Kelowna, 2004-2008) is with the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees these days. But the road to the Killer Bees was full of potholes and heroin and Oxycontin and who knows what else. Brian Sandalow of Valley Freedom Newspapers has Leavold’s story right here.
———
ASK THE COMMISSIONER:
Paul Kelly, squeezed out as executive director of College Hockey Inc., tells Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe that he isn’t sure where he’s going from here, but . . .
“Ideally, I’d like to stay in hockey,” Kelly told Dupont. “I’m grateful for the opportunity the commissioners gave me, and now I’m going to take some of the advice I’ve given to a lot of college-aged hockey players the last couple of years: back away a bit and not leap at the first thing that comes along. When you do that, it often forecloses what can be even better opportunities.
“But I know I love the game, and would equally love the chance to stay in it, be that with the NHL, a team’s front office, international hockey, wherever.
“I know we did some very good things at CHI, and I know I leave there with it in good hands. I truly believe it has the chance to thrive.’’
So, Mr. Commissioner, why doesn’t the CHL hire Kelly as its president, a move that would allow David Branch to focus entirely on his position as commissioner of the OHL?
Hey, it was just a thought!

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.

Riley Sheen of the Medicine Hat Tigers tweeted this picture,
showing the damage after a Friday night fight.

A TALE FROM THE WHL:
There is an arena that is home to a WHL team and there is a parking lot in behind that arena. Before and during the early portion of every game, said parking lot is patrolled by an attendant, who makes sure that drivers park in some kind of organized fashion.
Without the attendant’s work, chances are the rear entrance to the arena would end up blocked, thus keeping emergency vehicles from having access, if necessary.
Anyway . . .
This attendant rules with an iron fist.
And so it was that a vehicle full of on-ice officials pulled into the parking lot a couple of hours before a recent game.
The attendant approached the vehicle.
Attendant: What are you guys doing here?
One official: What do you mean?
Attendant: There’s no game here tonight.
One official, glancing at other vehicles in parking lot: What do you mean?
Attendant: Cirque de Soleil is here tonight.
One official: Ahh, (crap)! Well, is it OK if we park here while we make a phone call?
Attendant nods, turns and walks away.
Moments later, the official, pointing a finger, tells the attendant: That was a good one. But, remember, I don’t get mad . . . I get even.
———
JUST NOTES:
You have to admire the spunk of F Riley Sheen of the Medicine Hat Tigers. He got into a scrap with F Jordan Wyton of the host Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday night. It happened at 7:06 of the second period. Sheen, who was bloodied in the exchange, didn’t return. However, he later tweeted the photo that is seen above. . . .
F Connor Sanvido has been dropped by the Seattle Thunderbirds. He had 13 points, four of them goals, in 47 games. An 18-year-old from Maple Ridge, B.C., Sanvido was the 14th overall selection in the 2008 bantam draft. In 101 career regular-season games, he had 20 points, including seven goals. He last played for the Thunderbirds on Feb. 6. . . . Asked by blogger Mike Caccioppoli what happened, Seattle head coach Steve Konowalchuk replied: “He wasn't putting in the work we needed so we sent him home.” . . . On the Seattle stats page on the WHL website, Sanvido’s name now carries the red ‘x’ of a player no longer on the roster. . . .
When Matt Kassian played in the WHL (Vancouver, Kamloops, 2003-07), he always was a good interview. Obviously, that hasn’t changed. Chip Scoggins of the Minneapolis Star Tribune talks with Kassian right here about his role as an enforcer with the Minnesota Wild.
———
The QMJHL wraps its season around the Quebec school system schedule, which is why it starts its training camps in mid-August. This season, the QMJHL is going to open its regular season later than it has in the past, which means . . . well, here’s Willy Pavov of the Halifax Chronicle to tell us exactly what it means.
———
Somewhere on high the Dipsy Doodle Dandy from Delisle is smiling. The Delisle Chiefs of the junior B Prairie Junior Hockey League set a league record with a regular season-ending 23 straight victories as they ran their record to 32-8-0-0. They finished three points ahead of the Saskatoon Royals, who went 30-9-0-1 (the last digit represents ties), in the North Division. . . . In the South Division, Fort Knox is 31-5-0-3 with a game to play. . . . The Chiefs, under head coach Dave Norris, haven’t lost since Nov. 26 when they were beaten 5-2 by visiting Fort Knox. . . . The PJHL’s regular season ends with two games today. . . . For you youngsters out there, the late, great Max Bentley, a Hall of Famer, will forever be known as the Dipsy Doodle Dandy from Delisle. He was one of the brothers from one of hockey’s first families.
———
In the OHL, G Mark Visentin set a single-season shutout record as the Niagara IceDogs got past the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, 3-0. It was his 10th shutout of the season, breaking the record that had been held by Don Lockhart (Toronto Marlies, 1949-50). . . . Visentin, who has twice played for Canada’s national junior team, has put up his 10 shutouts in only 36 starts.
———
With the Tampa Bay Lightning clearly in a selling mode, you have to think there is hope for the Tri-City Americans and their fans. . . . F Brett Connolly played seven shifts totaling 5 minutes 15 seconds in Tampa Bay’s 2-1 victory over the visiting Washington Capitals on Saturday night.
———
THE COACHING GAME:
Blaine Sautner, the head coach of the University of Regina Cougars, has decided to retire. Ian Hamilton of the Regina Leader-Post reports that Sautner is “headed home to run a ranch.” . . . According to Hamilton, Sautner and a brother plan on operating the family ranch near Flaxcombe, Sask. . . . Sautner, 43, is the father of Edmonton Oil Kings D Ashton Sautner, 17. . . . Blaine Sautner announced his decision after the Cougars (5-20-3) ended their season with a 4-1 loss to the visiting Saskatchewan Huskies on Saturday. . . . He has been the U of R head coach since 2005-06.
———
SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Portland, F Ty Rattie had a five-pointer as the Winterhawks whipped the Seattle Thunderbirds, 11-2. . . . Rattie finished with three goals, giving him 48 on the season, and two assists. He also was plus-5. . . . That gave Rattie 97 points, two fewer than F Mark Stone of the Brandon Wheat Kings, who was in action later in the day. . . . It was Rattie’s fourth hat trick of the season. . . . Rattie is on pace to become the first Portland skater with 50 goals since F Josef Balej scored 51 in 2001-02 and the first 100-point man since F Todd Robinson finished with 109 in 1997-98. . . . The Winterhawks’ played host to an afternoon game and left the curtains open in Veterans Memorial Coliseum to let the sun shine in. . . . They will have the curtains open again Monday when the Prince George Cougars are in town for a matinee on Presidents Day. . . . Portland F Sven Bartschi had three assists and he now is on a two-point-per-game pace, with 78 points in 39 games. He has 56 assists, the fourth-best total in the league. . . . Portland F Marcel Noebels, who was acquired at the trade deadline, had two goals and an assist, as did teammate Brad Ross. . . . Ross broke a 1-1 tie with a PP goal at 11:10 of the first period. . . . Portland took that 2-1 lead into the second when it scored five times. . . . Seattle G Daniel Cotton went the distance, stopping 37 shots. . . . Portland G Brendan Burke also stopped 37 shots. . . . Talk about a tough month: Seattle D Dave Sutter has had back-to-back minus-4 outings and now is minus-17 in nine February games. . . . Portland has won six in a row. . . . The Winterhawks hadn’t scored 10 goals in a home game since Nov. 27, 2002, when they beat the Cougars, 10-2. . . . Portland last scored 11 in a game on Jan. 17, 1997, when they won 12-1 in Kamloops. . . . Portland F Oliver Gabriel had a goal, his 13th, as he ran his points streak to 10 games. . . .

In Brandon, F Michael Ferland scored the game’s first three goals and F Mark Stone became the first WHLer this season to reach 100 points as the Wheat Kings. . . . Ferland finished with four goals, giving him 40, and an assist. . . . Stone, who had two assists, got to 100 points with an assist on the game’s second goal, a PP score by Ferland late in the first period. Stone is the first Wheat Kings skater with back-to-back 100-point seasons since F Peter Schaefer (1995-97), the pride of Yellow Grass, Sask. . . . F Brenden Walker had three assists for Brandon, his third three-point outing in his last four games. He now has 66 points in 58 games. . . . The Wheat Kings, who have won four in a row,s were without F Alessio Bertaggia, F Kevin Sundher, F Jason Swyripa and F Tyrel Seaman, all out with injuries. . . .

In Swift Current, it was Sheldon Kennedy Day and the Broncos responded with an 8-3 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The City of Swift Current honoured Kennedy, a former Broncos captain who now is an advocate for those in abusive situations, with a proclamation declaring Saturday as Sheldon Kennedy Day. . . . F Coda Gordon had two goals for the Broncos, giving him 27. It was his third straight two-goal game. . . . Swift Current F Levi Bews also had two goals for the Broncos, while F Colby Cave and F Brad Hoban each had three assists. . . . The Blades, who beat the visiting Broncos 7-3 on Friday, had been 5-0-0 against Swift Current. . . . Broncos G Jon Groenheyde stopped 33 shots. . . . The toughest person in the WHL on Saturday night may have been the anthem singer at this game. A tweet from Cody Nickolet, who does colour on Blades’ broadcasts: “Credit to the anthem singer in Swift Current tonight, he slipped on his way on the ice. Did the anthem with a bloody forehead.”

In Cranbrook, F Chandler Stephenson broke a 2-2 tie with a PP goal at 15:57 of the third period as the Regina Pats beat the Kootenay Ice, 4-2. . . . The Pats led this one 2-0 before the Ice scored two goals 1:12 apart early in the third period. . . . D Luke Paulsen got his second goal at 3:05 on a PP and F Max Reinhart tied it with his 23rd at 4:17. . . . Regina F Lane Scheidl iced it with another PP score at 19:26 of the third. . . . Stephenson’s goal was his 16th. . . . Regina F Jordan Weal scored his 34th goal. . . . Regina D Brandon Davidson and D Martin Marincin each had two assists. . . . The Ice lost D Jeff Hubic to a charging major and game misconduct at 13:00 of the third period. . . . Regina was 2-9 on the PP; the Ice was 0-2. . . . The Ice is listing F Drew Czerwonka as being out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Ice will bring in F Luke Philp from the AJHL’s Canmore Eagles, who didn’t make the playoffs. He had 46 points, including 16 goals, in 48 games with the Eagles. He already has played 10 games with the Ice and has one assist. . . . A tweet after the second period from Jeff Holick, the radio voice of the Ice: “Asst Coach Jerry Bancks gm misc for clapping hands. Was encouraging his team, Ref thought he was being mocked.” . . . Bancks is an assistant coach with the Ice. . . .

In Medicine Hat, the Tigers turned the tables on the Moose Jaw Warriors and beat them, 6-0. . . . Playing in Moose Jaw on Friday, the Warriors had beaten the Tigers, 6-0. . . . Medicine Hat G Kenny Cameron stopped 36 shots for his first WHL shutout and his second career victory. . . . F Boston Leier led the Tigers last night with two goals, giving him 12, and an assist. . . . F Chad Labelle, playing his third game, scored his first WHL goal. . . . The Tigers continue to be without G Tyler Bunz, F Kale Kessy, F Hunter Shinkaruk and F Curtis Valk, all out with injuries. . . . The Tigers had Dawson MacAuley from the SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers backing up Cameron in both weekend games. . . . The Warriors had won six in a row. . . .

In Kamloops, F Jimmy Bubnick scored his 100th regular-season goal and set up two others as the Calgary Hitmen edged the Blazers, 5-4. . . . Kamloops D Austin Madaisky was ejected with a cross-checking major at 6:01 of the first period. . . . Calgary F Cody Sylvester scored two goals on the resulting PP, giving him 20 this season, and the Hitmen never trailed. . . . Kamloops did tie it on goals by F Colin Smith, his 30th, at 16:46 of the first and F Dylan Willick at 10:09 of the second. . . . Calgary F Victor Rask broke the 2-2 tie at 16:35 of the second. . . . Bubnick has 27 goals this season. . . . Willick finished with two goals; he’s got 25. . . . Calgary was 3-5 on the PP; Kamloops was 2-3. . . . Calgary F Alex Gogolev, who took the hit from Madaisky, finished the game. . . . The Blazers continue to lead the overall standings. They now are three points ahead of the Eastern Conference-leading Edmonton Oil Kings and the Tri-City Americans and Portland Winterhawks, who are tied atop the U.S. Division. . . . The Hitmen moved into fourth in the Eastern Conference, three points behind the Medicine Hat Tigers and one ahead of the Kootenay Ice. . . .

In Everett, F Ryan Chynoweth scored on a spin-o-rama in the shootout to give the Silvertips a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . F Brendan Gallagher gave the Giants a 1-0 lead in the shootout. . . . F Kohl Bauml tied it for Everett. . . . Vancouver F Jordan Martinook had broken a 1-1 tie with two goals, giving him 34. . . . The Silvertips pulled even on two second-period goals by F Jordyn Boyd, who now has six scores. . . . Everett now is 2-8 in shootouts. . . . Everett G Kent Simpson stopped 39 shots through OT. . . . The Silvertips had F Michal Urbaniak make his WHL debut. Urbaniak, who turned 17 on Jan. 17, plays for the junior B North Van Wolf Pack. He has 12 points and 80 penalty minutes in 36 games. . . . Vancouver had a three-game winning streak come to an end. . . . The Giants went 4-1-1 in winning the season series with the Silvertips. . . .

In Kelowna, D Damon Severson opened the seventh round of the circus with a goal that gave the Rockets a 4-3 victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . F Shane McColgan, Kelowna’s third shooter, gave his side a 1-0 lead. . . . Red Deer F Charles Inglis answered with a goal to tie it all up. . . . The Rebels led this one 2-0, only to have the Rockets score three straight goals. . . . Kelowna F Brett Bulmer broke a 2-2 tie with his second goal of the game, and 24th of the season, at 5:00 of the third. . . . D Mathew Dumba pulled Red Deer even with his 17th goal at 19:28 of the third. . . . Red Deer G Deven Dubyk stopped 38 shots. Kelowna F Brett Lyon failed to score on Dubyk on a second-period penalty shot. . . . Red Deer D Devan Fafard, playing his 11th game this season and the 34th of his career, scored his first goal. . . . The Rebels fell one point further back in their attempt to get to the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. With 14 games remaining, they are nine points behind Brandon. . . . Kelowna is destined to finish fifth in the Western Conference. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., F Brendan Shinnimin scored twice to help the Tri-City Americans to a 3-2 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . It was the Americans’ 40th victory this season, the sixth straight season they have reached that milestone. The Americans have gotten there in each of head coach Jim Hiller’s three seasons with them. . . . The Chiefs led 2-0 before the game was six minutes old, with F Liam Stewart getting his 10th, on a PP, and F Marek Kalus getting his 17th. . . . Shinnimin got his 40th of the season, on the PP, at 14:01 of the first and then tied it at 14:55 of the second, on another PP. . . . D Derek Ryckman got the winner at 15:48 of the second. He has three snipes this season. . . . Shinnimin has matched his point total (96) from last season and has 299 for his career. . . . Tri-City F Patrick Holland had three assists and F Adam Hughesman drew two. Hughesman has 200 assists, the fourth Tri-City player to get there. . . . Spokane G Mac Engel stopped 31 shots, 12 more than Tri-City’s Ty Rimmer. . . . The Chiefs have lost four in a row for the first time this season and now trail the fourth-place Vancouver Giants by five points. Spokane does hold two games in hand. . . .

In Victoria, G Drew Owsley stopped 28 shots as the Prince George Cougars beat the Royals, 3-1. . . . The Cougars built up a 3-0 first period lead on an even-strength goal by D Dan Gibb, his first, a power-play score by F Caleb Belter, his fourth, and a shorthanded tally by F Greg Fraser, his 14th. . . . The latter two goals came at 16:39 and 18:55. . . . D Hayden Rintoul scored his 14th of the season at 19:22 of the first, on a PP, for the Royals. . . . Victoria G Jared Rathjen stopped all 17 shots he faced after relieving Keith Hamilton following Victoria’s third goal. . . .

Here’s the deal on the chase for the Western Conference’s last two playoff spots. . . . Seattle, with 14 games remaining, and Victoria (13) are tied for seventh, with 42 points. Everett (14) is ninth, with 41, and Prince George (15) is 10th, with 40. . . . The teams that finish seventh and eighth will draw the B.C. and U.S. Division winners in the first round.
———
SATURDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.
———
SATURDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
———
Kenn Oliver of the St. John’s Telegram has a piece right here on Brad Yetman, a former QMJHL player whose competitive career was ended by concussions. Yetman is 21 years of age.
———
Oliver also has a second concussion-related story right here. This one is about Ryan Graham, a former QMJHL player who isn’t sure how many concussions he suffered during his career. He suffered another one last seeing while playing for the Acadia Axemen, a Canadian university team. That one scared him.
———
Mike Raptis has an interesting story in today’s Vancouver Province about a minor hockey coach who admits that he “cuffed” a 12-year-old player. And now the Burnaby Minor Hockey Association is having fingers pointed at it and is facing accusations of being an old boys' club. Yikes! Not in minor hockey!!



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.

Which WHL player is this and what happened? Keep reading to find out.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
SaiPa Lappeenranta (Finland, SM-Liiga) exercised its option to extend the tryout contract with F Riley Armstrong (Kootenay, Everett, 2002-04) for the rest of this season. Armstrong has two goals and one assist in five games with SaiPa. Earlier this season, he had three goals and four assists in nine games with the Elmira Jackals (ECHL) and one goal and two assists in five games with Binghamton Senators (AHL). . . . SaiPa head coach Ari-Pekka Selin: "Riley gives us more opportunities within our lineup. He's played in five games and has shown that he can certainly improve our game. He plays with good power and plays well in front of the net." . . .
F Dan DaSilva (Portland, 2002-05) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Olten (Switzerland, NL B). He started the season with with Lev Poprad (Slovakia, KHL), getting one assist in 15 games. He then joined La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland, NL B) as an injury replacement for Benoit Mondou, where he had six goals and four assists in eight games. DaSilva was released by La Chaux-de-Fonds once Mondou, the son of former Montreal Canadiens F Pierre Mondou, was healthy. . . .
F Roman Tomanek (Calgary, Seattle, 2004-06) signed a two-year plus option year contract with Nitra (slovakia, Extraliga). He was pointless in seven games with Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic, Extraliga) and had eight goals and four assists in 23 games with Banska Bystrica (Slovakia, Extraliga) earlier this season.
———
It’s true.
The Portland Winterhawks are in a position where they could end up with three import players in their lineup at the same time.
That would be the exception to the rule that allows teams a maximum of two such players.
Mike Johnston, the Winterhawks’ general manager and head coach, mentioned that possibility after acquiring German F Marcel Noebels from the Seattle Thunderbirds on Tuesday.
Noebels joins Swiss sophomore F Sven Baertschi as the two imports now on Portland’s roster.
The Winterhawks also own the WHL rights to F Nino Niederreiter, 19, who is with the NHL’s New York Islanders. He has one goal and four penalty minutes in 18 games this season. He also is a minus-11.
The Niederreiter situation is covered under the following CHL import rule:
"An underage Import Player can be returned to his CHL Club until the NHL Trade Deadline date. Should an underage Import Player be returned to his CHL Club after the respective League’s trade deadline, and if the Club at that time has two Import Players, the Club shall be permitted to play three Import Players for the balance of the regular season, playoffs and Memorial Cup. This benefit cannot be traded to another Club. If a CHL Club has two Import Players, and wish to trade for the rights of an underage Import Player who is playing in the NHL, they must either delete or trade one of their Import Players to make an Import position available."
Richard Doerksen, the WHL’s vice-president, hockey, added this: “The reason for the rule is the CHL feels that all underage players should be treated similarly should the NHL Club wish to return them to their CHL Club.”
All told, the WHL has four underage players who are eligible to be returned by the NHL’s trade deadline (Feb. 27). The others are F Ryan Johansen (Columbus Blue Jackets), whose WHL team is Portland; F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Edmonton Oilers/Red Deer Rebels) and F Brett Connolly (Tampa Bay Lightning/Tri-City Americans).
———
THE COACHING GAME:

JIM HILLER

The Tri-City Americans issued a news release Friday afternoon announcing that they have extended the contract of head coach Jim Hiller. However, they chose not to announce the length of the extension. We can assume that this was the last season of Hiller's contract and I would guess the extension runs through 2013-14. Hiller is in his third season as the Americans' head coach and went into Friday with a 123-54-7 record, which computes to a rather amazing .688 winning percentage. He also guided the Americans to the 2010 WHL final where they lost to the Calgary Hitmen. . . . Tri-City general manager Bob Tory signed Hiller after he had been dumped by the Chilliwack Bruins (remember them?). . . .
Jim McKenzie (Moose Jaw, Victoria, 1986-89) is the new head coach of the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks, who fired head coach Kevin Patrick on Friday. Patrick was in his second season with Muskegon, which was 9-14-2 when the move was made. McKenzie, 42, is a former NHLer, who played 880 games with 100 points, 48 of them goals, and 1,739 penalty minutes. He has a Stanley Cup ring from the 2002-03 New Jersey Devils. Josh Mervis, the Lumberjacks’ CEO and owner, has stepped in as general manager. Muskegon also cut a deal with Ron Mason, the former Michigan State Spartans head coach, to help out as a senior advisor. . . . There now have been three coaching changes in the USHL this season.
For more on the Muskegon situation and USHL happenings in general, check out Slightly Chilled, over there on the right.
———
When F Patrick Holland of the Tri-City Americans woke up Thursday, his NHL rights belonged to the Calgary Flames, who selected him in the seventh round of the 2010 NHL draft. When he went to bed, his rights were with the Montreal Canadiens, thanks to a trade made that evening.
What does that mean to Holland in the short term?
Well, here’s a tweet from him: “You know it's a good pregame nap when you pick up another 300 followers.”
And he also tweeted this: “Je pense que mon talent avec mon baton est un petit peu meilleur que mon francais. #languageproblems”
———
In the BCHL on Friday night the Penticton Vees ran their winning streak to 22 games, beating the visiting Langley Rivermen, 9-2. The Vees are at home to the Prince George Spruce Kings tonight.
———
FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Brandon, F Chad Robinson broke a 4-4 tie at 2:18 of the third period as the Red Deer Rebels dumped the Wheat Kings, 5-4. . . . Robinson is from Minnedosa, Minn., which is just north of Brandon on No. 10 highway. . . . He has five goals this season. . . . The Wheat Kings blew a 3-1 first-period lead. . . . Brandon F Mark Stone had two goals, giving him 29, and two assists. . . . Red Deer G Deven Dubyk, making his 10th straight start, stopped 29 shots. . . . Brandon D Brodie Melnychuk did the Gordie Howe hat trick thing — before the game was 12 minutes old. He drew an assist on a goal by Stone just 45 seconds into the game, got into a fight with F Tyson Ness at 4:03, and scored his third goal of the season at 11:06. . . . F Mark Mackenzie had a goal, his first in the WHL, and an assist for Red Deer. Mackenzie, 18, is from Kelowna. He actually started last season with the Prince Albert Albert Raiders but ended up in a dispute with team management over playing time and went home. He left about 10 days after a Sept. 10, 2010 incident in which he confronted and fought off a burlgar in the home of his Prince Albert billet. . . . Mackenzie had been playing with the Kelowna-Okanagan College Coyotes before joining the Rebels. He has three points in five games. . . .

In Swift Current, G Alex Moodie stopped 19 shots to help the Saskatoon Blades to a 4-1 victory over the Broncos. . . . Moodie appeared in his eighth straight game, six of which have been starts. He will return to the midget AAA Winnipeg Wild once G Andrey Makarov is recovered from a concussion. . . . Saskatoon held a 32-14 edge in shots after two periods. . . . Swift Current G Jon Groenheyde finished with 36 stops. . . .

In Regina, the Pats erased a 3-1 deficit with six straight goals and beat the Victoria Royals, 7-3. . . . Regina F Andrew Rieder scored three times in the third period, giving him his first career hat trick and 13 goals this season. . . . F Jordan Weal had a five-point night, including two goals. He has 28 scores this season. . . . Regina head coach Pat Conacher spent last season as the assistant GM/assistant coach with the Chilliwack Bruins, who now are the Royals. . . . This was the first game in an East Division swing for the Royals, who have lost 10 in a row. . . . Regina D Martin Marincin, who was acquired Tuesday from the Prince George Cougars, had a goal and two helpers. . . .

In Calgary, F Trevor Cheek had a goal and two assists to help the Hitmen to a 5-2 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Cheek, who turned 19 on Dec. 29, is a sophomore from Vancouver, Wash. He had 25 points in 57 games last season. He now has 27 points in 37 games this season. . . . Cheek also was plus-4 last night. . . . The Hitmen have won six in a row. . . . Referee Andy Thiessen handed out two minor penalties before 17:17 of the third period. At that point, he dished out 10 minors and eight misconducts. In other words, 100 of the 104 penalty minutes came from one stoppage in play. . . .

In Vancouver, the Tri-City Americans exploded for six second-period goals and went on to beat the Giants, 11-4. . . . F Justin Feser had three goals for the Americans, giving him 21. It was his fourth career hat trick. . . . D Zach Yuen and FAdam Hughesman each was plus-5. . . . Yuen had two assists; Hughesman had two goals and an assist. . . . Tri-City G Eric Comrie stopped 22 shots in improving to 14-3-0. . . . The Americans hadn’t scored 11 goals in a game since March 4, 2003, when they beat Prince Geoge, 11-7. . . . The Giants set a franchise record for most goals against in a single home game. . . . Vancouver lost forwards Brendan Gallagher and Dalton Sward in the first period with undisclosed injuries. . . . Giants D David Musil sat out with a bruised wrist. Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that X-rays were negative. Musil missed practice on Thursday with what the Giants said was a maintenance day. . . . Vancouver D Kiefer McNaughton (broken jaw) was back after a 13-game absence. . . .

In Prince George, G Drew Owsley turned aside 49 shots to lead the Cougars to a 6-3 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . D Cody Carlson had two goals, giving him six, and an assist for the Cougars, who got three assists from F Troy Bourke. . . . The Hurricanes scored first but then gave up three goals in 2:47 late in the first period. . . . The Cougars were 2-for-10 on the PP. . . .

In Everett, F Josh Winquist scored at 3:23 of OT to give the Silvertips a 4-3 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Winquist’s 10th goal came via the PP after Spokane F Dylan Walchuk was hit with a double minor for high-sticking at 2:55 of OT. . . . Everett, which lost twice to Spokane earlier in the week and had lost its last four overall, trailed 3-0 midway through the third period. . . . D Ryan Murray scored a shorthanded goal at 10:10. F Josh Birkholz scored on the PP at 13:41. F Kohl Bauml tied it at 19:32 and then took the stick to the mouth in OT for which Walchuk was penalized. . . . Everett was 2-for-2 on the PP. . . . Everett G Austin Lotz stopped 37 shots. . . . Walchuk, who joined the Chiefs this week after being with Northern Michigan and then the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers this season, scored his first WHL goal in his first game. . . . Spokae D Davis Vandane counted his first WHL goal in his 95th career game. He has played 13 games with the Saskatoon Blades and 82 with the Chiefs. . . . The Chiefs had won 5-3 in Everett on Sunday and 6-1 at home on Wednesday. . . .

In Portland, the Winterhawks tied a franchise record with their 16th straight home-ice victory, beating the Kelowna Rockets, 2-1. . . . The Winterhawks’ record was first set in 1993-94. Portland next plays at home on Monday afternoon when the Tri-City Americans come calling. . . . D Joe Morrow broke a 1-1 tie with a PP goal at 14:43 of the third. . . . F Cam Reid had two assists for Portland in his second game since leaving St. Cloud State. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 37 shots, two more than Kelowna’s Jordon Cooke. . . .

In Kamloops, the Blazers scored four times in the game’s first 6:02 and went on to beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 7-1. . . . Kamloops is 2-0 against Seattle with a 15-3 edge in goals. . . . F J.C. Lipon had two goals for Kamloops. . . . F Dylan Willick picked up his 20th goal for the Blazers, who now have four skaters with at least that many goals. . . . The Blazers have won five in a row, while Seattle has lost five straight. . . . Seattle F Tyler Alos is wearing a full cage after taking a puck in the mouth during practice. He ended up with four teeth pushed back, but was fortunate that he didn’t lose any. That is his picture — he tweeted it earlier — at the top of today’s entry.
———
FRIDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Graeme Craig, Swift Current.
D Alex Petrovic, Red Deer.
F Lucas Grayson, Everett.
D Mitchell Chapman, Kelowna.
F Rob Trzonkowski, Calgary.
D Wes Vannieuwenhuizen, Vancouver.


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.