Giants add grit, toughness . . . Scharff back in WHL . . . Uh Oh! Ex-WHL goaltender writes, sings

F Josh Green (Medicine Hat, Swift Current, Portland, 1993-98) signed a one-year contract with KooKoo Kouvola (Finland, Liiga). Last season, with Tappara Tampere (Finland, Liiga), he had nine goals and 15 assists in 48 games. He was an alternate captain.
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The Vancouver Giants have  claimed F Taylor Crunk, 20, off waivers from the Victoria Royals. Crunk, from San Jacinto, Calif., had 14 points, 10 of them goals, in 71 games with the Royals last season. In four seasons in Victoria, he has 43 points, including 21 goals, in 241 games. He will bring a lot of grit and toughness to the Vancouver lineup. The Giants were 7-27-2 on the road last season, the biggest reason they missed the playoffs. . . . Crunk’s acquisition also leaves the Giants with four 20-year-olds, the others being D Arvin Atwal, F Jackson Houck and F Carter Popoff. Each WHL team is allowed to have three on their roster after the mid-October cut-down date. D Mason Geertsen also is on the Giants’ roster but is expected to play in the Colorado Avalanche’s organization. . . . The Royals show six 20-year-olds on their roster, including G Justin Paulic and G Coleman Vollrath. Also in that group are forwards Greg Chase, who has signed with the Edmonton Oilers and could play in their organization, Logan Fisher, Alex Forsberg and Jack Palmer. . . . However, Palmer no longer is on the Royals’ roster, having cleared waivers earlier this summer, while Paulic is moving on after three seasons in the WHL. He is expected to attend the U of Manitoba and play for the Bisons.
Crunk still has to deal with a charge of assault causing bodily harm that was filed against him in March following a New Year’s Eve party in Saanich, B.C. . . . Crunk’s trial date has been set for Sept. 21 in Victoria.
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The Calgary Flames have signed D Oliver Kylington, 18, to a three-year, entry-level NHL contract. The Flames selected him in the second round, 60th overall, in the NHL’s 2015 draft. . . . He is from Stockholm and is under contract for two years with AIK, a Swedish professional team. . . . Kylington’s WHL rights belong to the Brandon Wheat Kings, who selected him last month in the CHL’s import draft. . . . As I understand it, if Kylington doesn’t make the Flames out of training camp, his first option is to return to AIK. If AIK declines — and who knows why that would happen? — the Flames would have the option of putting him with their AHL team — the Stockton Heat — or the Wheat Kings. . . . Interestingly, Kylington has been in Spain, training with D Johnny Oduya, who was an unrestricted free agent before signing a two-year deal with the Dallas Stars on Wednesday. He had been with the Stanley Cup-champion Chicago Blackhawks. . . You have to think Kylington and Oduya did some celebrating last night. . . . Here’s hoping they didn’t run with the bulls in Pamplona.
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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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The AJHL’s Calgary Canucks announced Wednesday that Ryan Barrett, their director of hockey operations and head coach, “has been relieved of his duties.” . . . Barrett took over as head coach prior to the 2011-12 season. He replaced Don Phelps, who had been the team’s head coach since 1977. . . . Last season, the Canucks went 17-33-10 and finished last in the eight-team Viterra South Division. . . . If you’re interested, contact Pat Loyer, the Canucks’ new president, at 403-681-9625 or by email at phloyer@shaw.ca.
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Chad Scharff is back in the WHL, this time as the Saskatoon Blades’ equipment manager. . . . Scharff, 29, spent 11 seasons with the Vancouver Giants, where he played, scouted, worked as an assistant coach and also was the head equipment manager. He spent the past two-plus seasons with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers as an assistant equipment manager. . . . With the Blades, he takes over from Graham (Spike) Watt, who now is with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.
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Some goaltenders go on to pro, others — well, at least one — go on to write songs and be a lead singer. That would be James Priestner (Kamloops, Brandon, Prince George, 2007-11). He’s a writer and the lead singer with The Lunas. Give a listen right here to a tune titled Uh Oh.
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Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price taking time out in #Kelowna to support Breakfast Club of Canada. pic.twitter.com/0HPcTfGhK8

— Regan Bartel (@Reganrant) July 15, 2015

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Former WHL D retires; Tigers promote Kruger

G Daniel Spence (Calgary, 2004-09) has signed a one-year contract with Asplöven Haparanda (Sweden, Allsvenskan). This season, with Jokipojat Joensuu (Finland, Mestis), Spence was 2.28 and .922 in 38 games. . . .
Brandon F Jesse Gabrielle was drafted by Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia) in the fourth round, 156th overall, of Thursday’s KHL Junior Draft.
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1. If it really does get darkest just before the dawn, it may be a while before the sun rises over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . In the latest chapter to the saga of the Hurricanes, Clear Sky Radio has announced that it won’t bid on the team’s broadcast rights when its contract expires May 31. . . . 94.1 CJOC has been home to Hurricanes’ broadcasts since 2007. . . . There is more on all of this on Pat Siedlecki’s blog right here. He had been the Hurricanes’ radio voice; now he has been named Clear Sky Radio’s corporate news director.

2. An observer sits and watches goings-on in the NHL where Brad Treliving now is the general manager of the Calgary Flames and Ron Hextall is the GM with the Philadelphia Flyers, and where the Vancouver Canucks and Washington Capitals have vacancies for that position. Some organizations -- Vancouver, the Colorado Avalanche, Philadelphia and Toronto Maple Leafs, for starters -- have created a new layer of management by hiring a president to fill a slot on the organizational tree that is a step above the general manager. . . . An observer wonders why NHL teams don’t look into the WHL when looking to fill some of these vacancies. Who is more qualified to be the president or GM of an NHL franchise than someone who has run every aspect of a major junior franchise and been successful doing it, someone like Kelly McCrimmon of the Brandon Wheat Kings, Tim Speltz of the Spokane Chiefs or Bob Tory of the Tri-City Americans, just to name three?
The Canucks put former captain Trevor Linden into the president’s office, even though he had never worked in an NHL team’s front office and had been away from the game for six years. If you are going to give the keys to the Bentley to someone like that, it says here that you could do a lot worse than turn to someone like McCrimmon, who has all the hockey qualifications and an MBA.

3. D Dean Arsene has chosen to retire, ending his 13-season professional career. Arsene played this season with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat. Troy Ward, the Heat’s head coach, said: “Whether you want to say he was a crusher or a rusher, he wasn't either one. He made it just on hard work, and just being a really good man. That was the part that was most encouraging – you can still do something you really love just by being a really good human being. That's pretty cool." . . . Arsene (Regina, Edmonton, Kootenay, 1996-2001) always carried himself like a professional, even in the early days of his WHL career with the Pats. . . . Dan Kinvig has more on Arsene right here.

4. It’s doubtful that there is a better analyst on TV today than Hubie Brown, who does NBA telecasts for ABC/ESPN.

5. At 14 years of age, James Priestner was seen as perhaps the best goaltender in Canada in his age group. He played in the WHL (Kamloops, Brandon, Prince George, 2006-11) but the hockey career didn’t work out. Now he’s into music as the lead vocalist with a group called The Lunas. . . . Check it out right here.

6. Who is having a better playoff season, F Lars Eller of the Montreal Canadiens or his brother, Mads, with the Edmonton Oil Kings? Perhaps one day the story will be told about how Mads came this close () to being the property of the WHL’s Victoria Royals.

7. F Matt Fraser (Red Deer, Kootenay, 2006-11), playing in his first NHL playoff game, scores in OT and the Boston Bruins beat the host Montreal Canadiens, 1-0. It is moments like that prove live sporting events are the best of reality TV. . . . As Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post tweeted: “Ha Ha Clinton-Dix gets drafted before Johnny Football. And you say you don't love sports?”

8. A tweet from WHL Facts (@WHLFacts): “17 - The number of goals Matt Fraser scored during the 2011 Playoffs... Including the Game Winner in the WHL Championship clinching Game 5.”
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The Saskatoon Blades have acquired G Trevor Martin, 18, from the Spokane Chiefs for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. Martin, a ninth-round pick by Spokane in 2011, played this season for the midget AAA Leduc Oil Kings, going 9-4-1, 2.41, .925. . . . Earlier, the Blades dealt G Alex Moodie, 19, to the Chiefs for a fourth-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft.
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F Leon Draisaitl of the Prince Albert Raiders will play for his native Germany in the IIHF World championship tournament that opens today in Minsk, Belarus. Draisaitl, from Cologne, had 105 points, including 38 goals, with the Raiders this season. He is expected to be on of the first players selected in the NHL’s 2014 draft. . . . Playing for Germany will be quite a thrill for Draisaitl because his father, Peter, played 49 games for Germany over seven World championships. . . . Germany opens against Kazakhstan on Saturday. Also in that group are Belarus, Finland, Latvia, Switzerland and the U.S.
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THE OHL FINAL:
Friday: North Bay Battalion at Guelph Storm. Guelph leads 3-1.
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THE QMJHL FINAL:
Friday: Val-d’Or Foreurs at Baie-Comeau Drakkar. Series tied 2-2.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The Medicine Hat Tigers have promoted assistant coach Darren Kruger to senior director, player development. According to a news release from the Tigers, Kruger “will be responsible for advance scouting WHL teams along with overseeing the development of Tigers’ prospects playing at various levels in western Canada and the northwest United States.” . . . The position has been vacant for about two years, or since Rick Carriere left to join the Edmonton Oilers organization. . . . Kruger, a puck-moving defenceman in his playing days (Swift Current, 1986-89), has been with the Tigers for nine years.
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Two WHL coaches will be involved with Canadian teams at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge that is scheduled for Oct. 31 to Nov. 8 at a site that has yet to be determined. Hockey Canada will have three teams in the tournament (Black, Red and White), rather than the five regional teams as in past seasons. . . . Dan Lambert, an assistant coach with the Kelowna Rockets, will be one of the head coaches, while Josh Dixon, an assistant coach with the Regina Pats, will be an assistant coach with one of the Canadian teams.
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The NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets have picked up the option year on the contract of Brad Larsen, the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons. . . . Larsen (Swift Current, 1993-97) has been the head coach in Springfield for two seasons, after spending two seasons as an assistant coach. . . . Assistant coaches Nolan Pratt (Portland, 1991-95) and Jared Bednar (Saskatoon, Spokane, Medicine Hat, Prince Albert, 1990-93) also will be back with the Falcons.
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The Calgary-based Mount Royal Cougars have named Bert Gilling as their new head coach. Gilling, a native of Alexander, Man., has been an assistant coach with the Bemidji State Beavers for 11 seasons. . . . Gilling takes over from Jean LaForest, who stepped down after six seasons as head coach, the first four in the ACAC and the last two in Canada West. . . . The Cougars also have announced that F Rob Trzonkowski (Calgary, Kamloops, Vancouver, 2010-14) has committed to their program. Trzonkowski, 20, is coming off two injury-ravaged WHL seasons. This season, he had four points, three of them goals, in 36 games with the Giants.
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Tom Spencer, the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League’s coach of the year with the Valley West Hawks, is stepping up to the BCHL. Spencer has signed on as an assistant coach with the Surrey Eagles, where he will work alongside GM/head coach Peter Schaefer. Spencer spent three seasons as the Hawks’ head coach.
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Gord Thibodeau, fired last month as GM/head coach of the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons, has landed with that league’s Lloydminster Bobcats. . . . Thibodeau will be part of a coaching staff that is headed up by GM/head coach Garry VanHereweghe. . . . Thibodeau was the head coach in Lloydminster for three seasons (1997-2000) before he went to Fort McMurray. . . . Thibodeau signed a multi-year contract that is effective immediately.
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THE FOURTH ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
WHL final, for the Ed Chynoweth Cup
(x - if necessary)
(All games televised live by Shaw)
(All games televised on delayed basis by Root Sports)
PORTLAND (2, West) vs. Edmonton (1, East)
(Series tied, 2-2)
Season series: Portland, 0-0-1; Edmonton, 1-0-0.
Saturday: Edmonton 2 at Portland 5 (10,947)
Sunday: Edmonton 1 at Portland 3 (10,645)
Tuesday: Portland 2 at Edmonton 3 (6,799)
Wednesday: Portland 0 at Edmonton 2 (7,859)
Friday: Edmonton at Portland, 7 p.m. (Moda Center)
Sunday: Portland at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
x-Monday: Edmonton at Portland, 7 p.m. (Memorial Coliseum)
INJURIES
Portland: None.
Edmonton: None.
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THURSDAY’S GAME:
No game scheduled.
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From Paul Kingsmith (@paulkingsmith): “Pat Siedlecki (@radiopat258) will not return as @WHLHurricanes play-by-play voice. A crushing blow for Canes fans, Pat is a true pro.”
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One more from Kingsmith: “@radiopat258 & @FreddieJack643 raised the bar for local broadcast adding a full pregame & weekly show. Huge shoes for Hurricanes to fill.”
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From WHL Facts (@WHLFacts): “27 - Number of times the @pdxwinterhawks shut out opponents between Dec 18, 2011 & May 6, 2014. PORT scoring at least 1 goal in all 247 games.”
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From Thomas Hickey (@thomas_hickey14): “Could you imagine if guys did the cool handshake/hug combo with Bettman after they got drafted? #NFLDraft2014”


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Milan Bartovic (Brandon, Tri-City, 1999-2001) signed a contract with Liberec (Czech Republic Extraliga) after requesting and receiving his release from Atlant Moscow Oblast (Russia KHL). He had two goals and four assists in 23 games for Atlant this season. The contract with Liberec is through the 2012-2013 season. . . .
F Zdenek Blatny (Seattle, Kootenay, 1998-2001) signed a contract for the rest of the season with Kosice (Slovakia Extraliga). He had two goals and four assists in six games with the Hannover Indians (Germany 2.Bundesliga) earlier this season. . . .
F Frantisek Mrazek (Red Deer, 1997-99) signed a contract for the rest of this season after a successful tryout with the Landshut Cannibals (Germany 2.Bundesliga). He has six goals and three assists in 14 games for the Cannibals this season.
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The Portland Winterhawks say they expect D William Wrenn, 19, to sign with them now that he has left the U of Denver. Wrenn, a 19-year-old from Anchorage, was a second-round pick by the San Jose Sharks in the NHL’s 2009 draft. Portland listed him after the 2006 WHL bantam draft. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Wrenn has one assist in 18 games this season. Last season, as a freshman, he had seven assists in 23 games. . . . Before heading to Denver, Wrenn spent two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program. . . . Portland GM/head coach Mike Johnston said he first saw Wrenn at the 2009 IIHF U-18 world championship and “was very impressed with his overall game.” Johnston continued in a press release: “He is a big, mobile defenseman who plays with an edge. I liked how responsible he was defensively.”
There is a bit more from the Denver Post right here.
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The Spokane Chiefs and Tri-City Americans will meet Feb. 21 in Kennewick, Wash., in a game rescheduled from Dec. 31. The teams actually began that game and got into the second period before it was postponed due to unsafe ice conditions. The game will be played in its entirety, meaning all statistics from the period and a bit that was played have been erased. . . . The Americans are at home to the Seattle Thunderbirds tonight.
For an update on the hole that caused so many problems — yes, it resurfaced on Monday — check out this right here.
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F Austin Fyten of the Lethbridge Hurricanes is the WHL’s player of the week after he put up 10 points in four games. . . . James Priestner of the Prince George Cougars is the WHL’s nominee as the CHL’s goaltender of the week. He went 2-0-0 with a shutout during the week. . . . D Austin Bourhis of the Prince Albert Raiders drew a one-game suspension for the charging major and game misconduct he incurred Jan. 1 in a game against the Pats in Regina. That same night, F Josh Cowen of the Red Deer Rebels got tossed from a game against the Blades in Saskatoon and has been suspended indefinitely for his actions. . . . The Kamloops Blazers lost F JC Lipon with an ankle injury during a 5-1 victory over the visiting Kelowna Rockets on Sunday. They are bringing in F Aspen Sterzer, 16, to play tonight against the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors. Sterzer, who is pointless in seven games with the Blazers this season, will return to the Calgary-based midget AAA EDGE academy team after the game. . . . For those who have asked, the WHL trade deadline arrives Monday at 3 p.m. Calgary time. . . . The SJHL’s Estevan Bruins have fired GM/head coach Karry Biette (Regina, 1990-94). Rick Oakes, the Bruins’ director of player personnel, is the interim GM, while assistant coach Chad Leslie is the new head coach. The Bruins (18-16-4) are fourth in the Sherwood Division, just three points out of second.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Zdenek Blatny (Seattle, Kootenay, 1998-2001) was released at his request for personal reasons by Hannover Indians (Germany 2.Bundesliga). He had two goals and four assists in five games for the Indians. . . .
F Quinn Hancock (Tacoma/Kelowna, Calgary, Prince George, 1994-98) signed a contract for the rest of the season with the Graz 99ers (Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had 13 goals and 21 assists in 53 games for Iserlohn Roosters (Germany DEL) last season. . . .
F Chris St. Jacques (Medicine Hat, 1999-2004) was released by the Edinburgh Capitals (UK Elite) so he could sign a contract for the rest of the season with Bietigheim-Bissingen (Germany 2.Bundesliga). He had 18 goals and 31 assists in 29 games for the Capitals this season. The Edinburgh newspaper The Scotsman reports that the "cash-strapped" Capitals have converted all player contracts to week-to-week and players are free to leave should they find another team to play for. . . .
D Michael Busto (Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Kootenay, 2001-07) signed a contract with Bolzano (Italy Serie A) for the rest of this season. He had one goal and three assists in 11 games with the Dayton Gems and Elmira Jackals (both ECHL) last season. . . .
F Riley Armstrong (Kootenay, Everett, 2002-04) signed a contract for the rest of the season with the Augsburger Panther (Germany DEL). Armstrong started the season with the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL), getting two assists in two games, before signing with Barys Astana (Kazakhstan KHL), where he had one goal in nine games.
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Two former WHLers have been named to the lineup for the 2011 ECHL All-Star Classic that will be played in Bakersfield, Calif., on Jan. 26. . . . F Mitch Fadden (Seattle, Lethbridge, Tri-City, 2003-09) of the Florida Everblades and F Mark Derlago (Brandon, 2003-06) of the Idaho Steelheads will be in the starting lineup in a game that will feature the all-star team against the Bakersfield Condors. . . . Fadden leads the ECHL in assists (32) and points (47). . . . Derlago is tied for second in goals (15) and fifth in points (31). . . . The all-star team was selected through voting by ECHL coaches, team captains, media directors, broadcasters and media members.
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Things are tightening up at the top of the Western Conference.
The Tri-City Americans dumped the visiting Portland Winterhawks 5-1 on Wednesday, completing a sweep of a two-game series. The Americans had put up a 5-1 victory in Portland on Tuesday.
The two results leave the Winterhawks in first place, at 25-11-3, with the Americans closing, at 21-11-2.
And let’s not forget the Spokane Chiefs, the WHL’s highest-scoring team, who put eight more on the board in beating the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds, 8-2.
The Chiefs had beaten the Thunderbirds 2-0 in Kent, Wash., on Tuesday night.
Spokane C Tyler Johnson scored three times last night, giving him 102 goals in his career with the Chiefs. That moved him into 13th on the franchise’s all-time list, ahead of Brandin Cote (1996-2002).
The Chiefs, having gone 9-1-1 in their last 11, are 21-10-5.
Portland leads the Western Conference, with 53 points, just six ahead of the Chiefs, who hold three games in hand. The Americans are third, with 44 points, but hold two games in hand on the Chiefs and five on the Winterhawks.
The Prince George Cougars, who beat the visiting Chilliwack Bruins 5-0 last night with G James Priestner stopping 22 shots, are the conference’s No. 2 seed as they are the top club in the B.C. Division. But the Cougars are just one point ahead of the Kelowna Rockets, who hold two games in hand.
It’s also worth noting that the Winterhawks no longer lead the WHL in points. That honour belongs to the Saskatoon Blades (27-8-1), who lead the Eastern Conference, with 55 points, after beting the host Prince Albert Raiders 4-3 last night.
F Linden Vey of the Medicine Hat Tigers had a goal and two assists in a 3-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice and moved into a tie for the scoring lead with F Brendan Ranford of the Kamloops Blazers. Each has 58 points, at least for now.
Because it seems that Ranford may have 59 points.
While the online scoresheet of Kamloops’ 6-1 victory over the visiting Vancouver Giants on Tuesday night shows Ranford with three assists, he may have been given another helper sometime after the game.
Early Wednesday, a tweet from the WHL office read: “Top point getter last night and STILL #WHL leading scorer @blazerhockey Ranford with 4 assists in 6-1 win over @WHLGiants.”
If Ranford, indeed, had four assists, he will hold a one-point lead over Vey going into tonight’s games. While the Tigers are off, the Blazers travel to Kelowna.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter

Cougars putting up better numbers

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
The Prince George Cougars appear to be serving notice that they no longer are the WHL’s 98-pound weakling.
That isn’t to mean they are Memorial Cup contenders, but the team that finished with the poorest record (12-56-1-3) in all of the 60-team CHL last season definitely has made some positive strides.
The Cougars improved to 5-4-0-1 by hanging an 8-1 licking on the host Kamloops Blazers on Saturday night. The Cougars, who didn’t win their fifth game last season until Dec. 4, did it by scoring five first-period goals and then staying out of trouble.
“We kept it simple and stayed on the right side of the puck,” said Prince George head coach Dean Clark, who is one victory away from No. 400, a mark reached by 11 WHL coaches before him. This was his 778th game as a WHL head coach.
Clark got big games from his best players, with defencemen Sena Acolatse putting up four points, right-winger Brett Connolly and centre Charles Inglis each getting two goals and an assist, and Slovakian defenceman Martin Marincin drawing an assist on each of the first three goals.
“Yeah, they were good,” Clark said, “but give credit to the goalie, too. He had to make some saves. On the power play in the first period, he came across the crease and got one with his pad . . . that was a big-time save.”
Goaltender James Priestner finished with 39 saves. Clark, then the Blazers’ GM, selected Priestner in the second round of the 2006 bantam draft. He quit on the Cougars a year ago, saying he had lost his desire to play, but reappeared at training camp.
Priestner and the Cougars had a tough day in Edmonton on Monday, blowing a 6-3 lead and losing 8-7 in overtime. But they beat the visiting Prince Albert Raiders 5-2 on Friday.
“He’s bounced back and had two real solid games,” Clark said.
The result is that the Cougars now are second in the B.C. Division, one point behind the first-place Vancouver Giants (5-5-1-1) and with two games in hand.
The Cougars also are 4-2-1-0 on the road. That may not seem like such a big deal until you realize that they finished last season 4-28-1-3 away from home.
“We have guys who played here last season and they know what we went through,” said Connolly, who has 15 points in 10 games after being limited to 16 games by hip problems last season. “Guys are more desperate this season. They want to have (more success) and it’s showing with how we’re playing.”

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter