A little of this, a lot of that . . . getting caught up on WHL news

F Hampus Gustafsson (Regina, Brandon, 2010-11) signed a one-month tryout contract with Grenoble (France, Ligue Magnus). This season, with Pantern Malmö (Sweden, Division 1), he was pointless in three games. Last season, with Troja-Ljunbgy (Sweden, Allsvenskan), he had nine goals and 10 assists in 42 games. . . .
F Martin Tomášek (Red Deer, 1996-97) has signed a one-year contract with Neuilly-sur-Marne (France, Division 1). He played there two seasons ago. Last season, with Feldkirch (Austria, Inter-National-League), he led the league with 35 goals and also added 20 assists, all in 36 games.
F Antonín Honejsek (Moose Jaw, 2009-11) has been released by Espoo Blues (Finland, Liiga) by mutual agreement. This season, he had one goal in two games with the Blues. On loan to Kiekko-Vantaa (Finland, Mestis), he had one assist in one game.
---



Bowie Kuhn was the commissioner of Major League Baseball back in the day when Charlie O. Finley owned the Oakland Athletics.
And it was Kuhn who invoked the "best interests of baseball" clause in 1976 when he voided deals in which Finley sold ace reliever Rollie Fingers and outfielder Joe Rudi to the Boston Red Sox for $2 million and left-hander Vida Blue to the New York Yankees for $1.5 million.
Today, Ron Robison is the commissioner of the WHL and there are people, some of them inside the WHL, who feel that he should invoke a "best interests of the WHL" rule that would prohibit Kelly McCrimmon, the owner, general manager and head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings, from communicating with Brad Robson, the general manager of the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Consider that:
1. On May 2, 2013, McCrimmon acquired the sixth-overall selection in the 2013 bantam draft by giving Lethbridge his first-round pick and G Corbin Boes. McCrimmon used that pick to take D Kale Clague. . . . Clague, the son of former WHL G Jason Clague, had put up 77 points, including 35 goals, in 33 games with the Alberta Major Bantam League's Lloydminster Universal Heat. That broke the AMBHL record for points by a defenceman that had been held by Dion Phaneuf.
2. On Nov. 16, 2013, McCrimmon acquired D Ryan Pilon and the WHL rights to F Colt Conrad from the Hurricanes for D Nick Walters, F Taylor Cooper and D Tanner Browne.
3. On Tuesday, McCrimmon acquired F Reid Duke, D Macoy Erkamps and F Tak Anholt from the Hurricanes for D Kord Pankewicz, F Brett Kitt and F Ryley Lindgren.
In summation, then, McCrimmon got Clague, Pilon, Duke and Erkamps for Boes, Walters, Cooper, Browne, Pankewicz, Kitt and Lindgren. Conrad and Anholt, a second-round pick in 2013 who is at Yale Hockey Academy in Abbotsford, B.C., have yet to report to Brandon.
While McCrimmon no doubt will talk about giving up quality to get quality, most observers are of the opinion that he gave up quantity to get quality.
It's worth noting that Pilon, who had left the Hurricanes and requested a trade, was the third overall selection in the 2011 bantam draft, while Duke, who showed his discontent by refusing to report to the start of training camp prior to this season, was taken with the fifth pick in that same draft. Yes, they were going to be the centre pieces in the rebuilding of the Hurricanes. (Erkamps, a second-round pick in 2010, had expressed his unhappiness by not reporting to the Hurricanes at all prior to the start of this season.)
To say that Lethbridge’s rebuilding project has been slow in building momentum would be something of an understatement.
Not only have the Hurricanes been a bust on the ice in recent seasons -- they have missed the playoffs for five straight seasons and eight of the past 12 -- but they continue to implode financially. At the organization's AGM on Tuesday night, the board of directors, which had budgeted for a profit of $74,000, announced a loss of $390,331. That means that the franchise has dropped a cool $1.65 million over the last five seasons.
Among last season's expenses was $75,000 spent on having a new logo designed by a firm in, uhh, New York City.
(Paul Kingsmith of Global has more on the meeting right here.)
And yet the board told shareholders at the AGM that it is budgeting for a $114,863 profit this season, never mind that season-ticket sales have slipped to fewer than 1,300, down from 1,795 last season.
Interestingly, the Hurricanes' board is looking at a motion that would allow a vote on whether to explore the sale of the franchise. That motion was made at Wednesday's meeting, meaning it will be put to shareholders for a vote at the 2015 AGM.
Unless, of course, McCrimmon acquires the entire roster before then.
---
On Wednesday, the Wheat Kings made a couple of more moves as they got their roster down to 25, including nine defencemen and 14 forwards.
F Kirklan Lycar, 17, and D Michael Mylchreest, 19, were released from the roster. Lycar, a fourth-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft, played last season with the midget AAA Eastman Selects and will be reassigned. Mylchreest is a former member of the Prince George Cougars who played last season with the NAHL's Springfield Jr. Blues.
Neither Lycar nor Mylchreest had gotten into a regular-season game with the Wheat Kings.
---
The Prince Albert Raiders held their annual general meeting last week and announced a loss of $262,280. That comes one year after the organization announced a profit of $78,896 for 2012-13.
Andrew Schopp of the Prince Albert Daily Herald has more right here.
---

Spokane returned G Alex Moodie, 19, to Saskatoon on Wednesday, thus voiding a May deal in which the Chiefs gave the Blades a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft for the Winnipeg native. . . . The Chiefs have decided to go with veteran Garret Hughson, 19, as their starter, with Tyson Verhelst, 17, backing him up.
The Blades, meanwhile, have installed Moodie as their starting goaltender, a position he held for the first part of last season before he was laid low by injuries.
Nik Amundrud, who was acquired last month from the Everett Silvertips, will back up Moodie. Amundrud will turn 17 on Oct. 20. Trevor Martin, 18, who allowed 11 goals in three appearances with the Blades this season, is to join the SJHL's Melville Millionaires.
With the season still in its infancy, the Blades already have had five goaltenders on their roster. Troy Trombley, 20, and Michael Herringer, 18, both were released last month.
---
The Chiefs have added F Jaret Anderson-Dolan to their roster at least through Oct. 10. Anderson-Dolan, from Calgary, was the 14th overall pick in the 2014 bantam draft. He won’t turn 15 until Dec. 9. "With our injury situation with our forwards, this will be a good opportunity for Jaret to join our team on a short-term basis," Tim Speltz, Spokane’s general manager, said in a news release. "It also helps our team as we are shorthanded, so it is a win-win situation. Jaret will benefit greatly from the experience." . . . On Thursday, the Chiefs released F Marcus Messier, 20. That leaves them with 25 players on their roster, including three 20-year-olds -- F Calder Brooks, F Connor Chartier and F Liam Stewart.
---
The Swift Current Broncos took quite a hit during the week when it was revealed that they won’t be getting D Julius Honka, 18, back from the NHL’s Dallas Stars.
Honka was selected by the Stars in the first round of the NHL’s 2014 draft. Because he was drafted off a CHL roster, it was generally assumed that he had two options for 2014-15: Play in the NHL or with the Broncos.
It turns out, however, that there is a loophole in the NHL’s CBA with the NHLPA. Because Honka was on loan to the Broncos from his Finnish team -- most import players get a release in order to play in the CHL -- the rule doesn’t apply to him.
It turns out that Honka, one of the WHL’s most exciting players last season as a freshman, is able to play in Europe, the NHL, the CHL or the AHL. He now is with the AHL’s Texas Stars.
---
Mike Sillinger, one of the most popular players in the history of the Regina Pats, is back with the WHL franchise. Sillinger, a Regina native, spent the past five seasons as the director of player development with the NHL's Edmonton Oilers. Now, he is a part-time hockey operations consultant with the Pats, while also serving as an assistant coach with the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. With the Pats, he will answer to John Paddock, the club's first-year senior vice-president of hockey operations and head coach. . . . "This is where my career started," Sillinger told Greg Harder of the Regina Leade-Post. "I'm thrilled to be back as a Regina Pat and part of an organization I've always been passionate about. It was an easy decision." . . . Harder's complete story is right here.
---
Boy on Ice: The Life and Death of Derek Boogaard is due to hit bookstores this month. Written by John Branch, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer with The New York Times, the book is based on his three-part story that appeared in the newspaper following Boogaard’s death. . . . Steve Almond has read the book and his NYT review is right here.
---




With G Tyler Fuhr away for what is being called “personal business,”, the Regina Pats have added G Tyler Brown, 17, to their roster. He plays for the MJHL’s Winnipeg Blues. . . . D Kyle Burroughs, who has been out with a concussions, has returned to Regina’s lineup. He is the team captain. . . . F Scott Cooke, 20, who left the Moose Jaw Warriors late last month, has joined the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs. . . . F Brandon Potomak, 19, who left the Warriors at the same time as Cooke, now is with the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs. . . .
The Prince George Cougars have acquired F Cal Babych, 17, from the Calgary Hitmen for a seventh-round pick in the 2017 bantam draft. A fourth-round selection in the 2012 draft, Babych, from North Vancouver, had three goals and three assists in 41 games last season. This season, he had played one game with Calgary, picking up three assists. . . . He is the son of Dave Babych, who played 1,195 regular-season NHL games after playing in the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks (1977-80). . . .
The Kelowna Rockets are carrying four 20-year-olds, with the return of F Tyrell Goulbourne from the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. Goulbourne, however, has an undisclosed injury and hasn’t played even one game this season. The Rockets’ other 20s are F Colton Heffley, D Cole Martin and F Carter Rigby. . . . The Rockets moved to 5-0-0 on Friday night with a 5-4 OT victory over the Silvertips in Evertt. Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald reports that Kelowna D Mitchell Wheaton “went down after being hit into the boards by Everett's Logan Aasman on the game's first shift. He went off holding his left hand/wrist and did not return.” . . .
The Lethbridge Hurricanes got their roster down to 28, including nine defencemen and 17 forwards, by releasing F Zachary Goberis and D Thomas Lenchyshyn. . . . Both were selected in the 2012 bantam draft, Lenchyshyn with the 18th overall selection and Goberis in the fourth round. . . . Lenchyshyn, from Steinbach, Man., got into two regular-season games, while Goberis, who is from Arvada, Colo., played in two games. . . .
The Saskatoon Blades have released F Ty Mappin, who is off to join the AJHL’s Olds Grizzlies. The Everett Silvertips selected Mappin with the seventh overall pick of the 2011 bantam draft. They dealt him to the Blades in a conditional deal, meaning that his rights now have reverted to Everett. The Blades were to have given up a seventh-round pick, that could have been upgraded to a fifth, in the 2015 bantam draft. That pick now goes back to Saskatoon. . . . On Saturday, the Blades announced that they have claimed F Landon Welykholowa, 18, off waivers from the Calgary Hitmen. Welykholowa played last season with the Hitmen, Victoria Royals and the AJHL’s Calgary Canucks. He had one goal and four assists in 34 WHL games last season. He was a third-round pick by the Prince Albert Raiders in the 2011 bantam draft. . . .
F Tyler Benson, the first overall selection in the 2013 bantam draft, sat out a one-game suspension on Friday after he got tossed from Wednesday’s 7-5 loss in Kelowna. In that game, Benson was given a boarding major and game misconduct for a hit on Kelowna D Jesse Lees. Vancouver head coach Troy Ward didn’t agree with the call, telling Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province: ““I’ll tell him to hit him again; I didn’t think it was a penalty. I’ll tell him to keep playing hard. As soon as you take the lion out of him, you don’t have a lion king.” . . . Lees didn’t play in Kelowna’s 5-4 OT victory in Everett on Friday night. . . .
F Morgan Klimchuk, 19, has been returned by the NHL’s Calgary Flames to the Regina Pats, but he won’t play for another couple of weeks. He injured his left hand/wrist during an NHL exhibition game on Sept. 24. . . . The Brandon Wheat Kings have sold 2,387 season tickets, up from 2,357 last season.

Red Deer, Vancouver, Victoria chasing 2016 Memorial Cup tournament

Cam Hope (right), the general manager of the Victoria Royals,
talks to the media on Monday about his club's bid to play
host to the 2016 Memorial Cup tournament.
(Victoria Royals photo)

F Aaron Gagnon (Seattle, 2001-07) has signed a two-year extension with Lukko Rauma (Finland, Liiga). Last season, with HV71 Jönköping (Sweden, SHL), he had two goals and an assist in nine games. He joined Lukko in October and put up 36 points, 17 of them goals, in 48 games. . . .
D Mike Berube (Prince George, Red Deer, Vancouver, 2004-09) has signed a one-year contract with the Nottingham Panthers (England, UK Elite). Last season, with the Allen Americans (CHL), he had 22 points, including 19 assists, in 66 games. He was the team captain for the CHL champions. . . .
D Zack FitzGerald (Seattle, 2001-05) has signed a one-year contract as player-assistant coach with the Braehead Clan Glasgow (Scotland, UK Elite). Last season, he had one assist in 38 games with the Adirondack Phantoms (AHL).
---
What once was thought to be a one-horse race got a whole lot more interesting on Monday.
That would be the contest to earn the right to play host to the 2016 Memorial Cup tournament, which will be played in a WHL city.
A short time ago, it was believed to be safe to book hotel rooms in Vancouver for the 2016 affair because Giants majority owner Ron Toigo has intimated on more than one occasion that they will be bidding.
But then the Red Deer Rebels expressed an interest, and considering that the Memorial Cup hasn’t been decided in Alberta since 1974, and considering that Alberta is home to five WHL franchises, well, maybe it’s time.
However, Brent Sutter, the owner/general manager and head coach of the Rebels, has said that he wants assurances from the WHL and its board of governors that the host rights will be awarded to the most deserving party and that it won’t simply be awarded based on the highest profit guarantee.
Then, on Monday, word came that the Victoria Royals are preparing a bid, and, just like that, things got really interesting.
The Royals are preparing for their fourth season in B.C.’s capital city and have made impressive strides under general manager Cam Hope, head coach Dave Lowry and director of player personnel Grant Armstrong.
This is a solid organization off the ice, and it has made huge strides on the ice, to the point where it enjoyed its first 100-point season in 2013-14.
The announcement that they will be bidding on the 2016 Memorial Cup marks them as serious players in the WHL. Yes, they are ready to run with the big dogs.
“I think we’d be crazy not to express interest for 2016,” Hope told me in an email exchange yesterday. “Victoria is a great city, with a great hockey community, a great airport, excellent hotels and amenities, and a great arena right downtown.”
Still, Hope doesn’t expect to be awarded the rights in a walk-through.
“At the same time,” he noted, “there are other places in the west that would do a very good job, and so we’ll have to see who else tosses a hat in the ring, and see where we are after that.”
If you have ever been to Victoria at that time of year, well, you know it’s got a lot going for it, especially when winter’s memory still in in the rearview mirror for parts of the country.
The bottom line of all this is that competition is good for everyone, and with three teams now in the hunt, at least in the preliminary stages, well, it’s great news for the WHL.
A winner is scheduled to be announced in October.
The 2015 Memorial Cup will be played in Quebec City, with the QMJHL’s Remparts as host team, from May 21-31.
---



1. The Prince George Cougars are expected to introduce Todd Harkins as their general manager at a news conference this morning. Harkins, 45, has been the Cougars’ director of player personnel. He has been interim GM since an ownership change earlier this summer in which Dallas Thompson, the team’s long-time GM, wasn’t retained. . . . It also is expected that the Cougars’ new ownership group will announce a contract extension for head coach Mark Holick, who is preparing for his second full season in the position. Holick has two seasons left on the contract he got in January 2013 when he replaced Dean Clark. . . . Holick and Mike Hengen, the Cougars’ new assistant coach, will be in attendance at today’s news conference.

2. The Portland Winterhawks have five prospects on the Team USA roster for the U-17 Five Nations tournament that is scheduled for Crimmitschau, Germany, Aug. 13-17. . . . F Kieffer Bellows, F Hank Crone, F Mitch Mattson, D Sam Rossini and F Garrett Wait all were named to the team. . . . Bellows, from Edina, Minn., is the son of former NHLer Brian Bellows, Kieffer was a seventh-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. He played high school hockey in Edina last season and has committed to Boston U. . . . Crone, from Dallas, also has committed to Boston U. He is expected to play this season with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers. . . . Mattson, from Grand Rapids, Minn., has committed to the U of North Dakota. . . . Rossini, from Inver Grove Heights, Minn., has committed to the U of Minnesota and is expected to play this season for the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks. . . . Wait, from Edina, Minn., was selected by Portland in the eighth round of the 2013 bantam draft. He was a teammate of Bellows’ at Edina High last season. . . . The Team USA roster was selected after a week-long USA Hockey Select Festival in Williamsville, New York. . . . There’s more on the U.S. team right here.

3. With the Regina Pats searching for a head coach, Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post chose to play the Name Game. Take a look right here to see who may be in line for the Regina head-coaching position.

4. George Johnson of the Calgary Herald spent the last few weeks in Brazil covering the World Cup. As he leaves Rio, he recalls the good, the bad and the ugly, and it’s all right here.

5. FIFA showed during the World Cup that it has a long way to go in terms of keeping its players safe. For starters, it has a lot of work to do on its concussion protocol, if it even has such. John E. Hoover takes a look at FIFA and brain injuries right here.

6. With Derek Jeter poised to lead off for the AL in tonight’s All-Star Game, Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post writes: “The mystery of Derek Jeter has always been: Who’s behind the near-perfect facade, the movie-star smile and the impenetrable reserve, almost worthy of DiMaggio? How do you survive nearly 20 years in New York without any serious controversy, not a mark worth mentioning against your name?” . . . Boswell’s column is right here.

7. Sexual assaults on college campuses has come out of the shadows and turned into a huge problem. The New York Times takes a look right here at one such situation and how a college handled it. No, it isn’t pretty.

8. After The New York Times story hit the Internet and the streets, the college in question issued a news release. Of course, it tried to shoot the messenger. That news release is right here.
---




 The Dallas Stars have signed D Julius Honka of the Swift Current Broncos to a three-year entry-level NHL contract. Honka, who is from Finland, was the 14th overall pick in the NHL’s 2014 draft. He had 56 points, including 16 goals, in 62 regular-season games with the Broncos last season as a freshman.
---
THE COACHING GAME:
The Chicago Blackhawks have added Kevin Dineen to their coaching staff as an assistant under head coach Joel Quenneville. Dineen, who was the head coach of the Canadian women’s team that won gold at the Sochi Olympics, replaces Jamie Kompon, who left to become GM/head coach of the Portland Winterhawks.
---
The Detroit Red Wings now have lost two of their assistant coaches from last season. Bill Peters left earlier in the summer and now is the head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes. Tom Renney will be introduced today as the president of Hockey Canada, replacing Bob Nicholson. . . . Tony Granato is expected to be one of the Red Wings’ new assistant coaches. He was on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ staff last season.
---
Toby Petersen has joined the Springfield Falcons as an assistant coach. The Falcons are the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. . . . Petersen, 35, retired following last season when he played for the Calder Cup-winning Texas Stars, the AHL champions.
---
Simon Ferguson is the new head coach of the major midget Okanagan Rockets, who play in the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League and are based in Kelowna. . . . Ferguson (Lethbridge, Kelowna, 1999-2004) retired from playing after the 2012-13 season. He played nine seasons as a pro, making stops in the AHL, ECHL, Denmark and Austria. . . . Ferguson, 31, was part of a Memorial Cup championship with Kelowna (2003-04) and an AHL championship with the Hershey Bears (2009-10). . . . Ferguson takes over from Mack O’Rourke, who left for a non-hockey job in Calgary. . . . David Michaud is returning as the club’s general manager. . . . The Rockets are the defending B.C. champions. They won the Pacific Regional tournament before finishing third at the Telus Cup national championship in Moose Jaw.
---
Jim Armstrong is the new head coach of the junior B North Okanagan Knights of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. Armstrong takes over from Shawn Webb, who resigned in May. . . . The Knights play out of Armstrong, B.C. . . . No, Armstrong wasn’t named after Armstrong, no matter which way you look at it. . . . Roger Knox of the Vernon Morning Star has more right here.
---
The Castlegar, B.C.-based Selkirk College Saints have promoted Alex Evin from assistant coach to head coach following the departure of Jeff Dubois, who now is the head coach of the junior B Creston Valley Thunder Cats of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. . . . The Saints won two straight B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League titles under Dubois. . . . Evin, 27, is from Castlegar. . . . Bob Hall of the Nelson Daily News has more 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.

Geneva players to honour Tim Bozon with logo

On Monday afternoon, Aurelian ‘Jimmy’ Omer (@jimmyomer) tweeted: “During the playoffs @officialGSHC players will wear a logo on their helmets to support @timbozon94”
Omer is the equipment manager for Genève-Servette HC, which plays in the Swiss National League A.
That logo is pictured above.
---

TIM BOZON

F Tim Bozon of the Kootenay Ice remains in Saskatoon’s Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, where doctors continue to treat him for Neisseria meningitis.
Bozon was admitted to RUH on March 1 and played in a medically induced coma on Thursday.
His father, Philippe, a former NHL and French national team player, told Kamloops This Week on Monday that doctors “have been doing exams today and, normally, we get a meeting every morning. One minute it’s like this and one minute it changes. Right now, we cannot say anything.”
Philippe told the thrice-weekly newspaper that when there is new information the family will provide a statement.
Tim, 19, began his WHL career with the Kamloops Blazers. He was traded to the Ice earlier this season. He has signed a three-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens, who selected him in the third round of the NHL’s 2012 draft.
---
The WHL begins its final week of play with seven games tonight. Perhaps surprisingly, there are 11 teams still with four games left to play, meaning they will finish up by playing four games in six nights or four in five. Here’s a look at what teams are playing for between now and Sunday, with teams listed in order of winning percentage:

1. Kelowna Rockets, .824 -- With 112 points, the Rockets need one point to clinch first place overall. They visit the Blazers in Kamloops on Wednesday. The Rockets appear headed for a first-round matchup with G Eric Comrie and the Tri-City Americans. . . . Rockets G Jordon Cooke goes into the last four games with 38 victories, three fewer than Edmonton’s Tristan Jarry, who leads the WHL.

2. Portland Winterhawks, .772 -- The Winterhawks would need to win their last four games and have Kelowna lose its last four in order to finish first overall. That isn’t going to happen. Therefore, the Winterhawks will be trying to get their two veteran goaltenders back on track. Brendan Burke has been out with mononucleosis and hasn’t played since Feb. 10. Corbin Boes was shaken up in a goalmouth collision on Friday and didn’t play Saturday. . . . F Nic Petan leads the WHL in assists (74) and is five points off the scoring lead. But he has only two points, both assists, in his last five games. . . . A first-round series with the Vancouver Giants awaits.

3. Victoria Royals, .721 -- The Royals, who spent part of Monday loading up on food in downtown Merritt, B.C., have flown under the radar for much of this season but are the best defensive team in the league, having allowed 168 goals, one fewer than the Edmonton Oil Kings and two fewer than Kelowna. This is a team that has made the commitment to defence and it shows. . . . Victoria will finish third in the Western Conference, so the Royals will want to keep everyone healthy as they prepare to meet the Spokane Chiefs or Everett Silvertips in the first round.

4. Edmonton Oil Kings, .713 -- The Oil Kings are tied with the Calgary Hitmen atop the Eastern Conference, each with 97 points. Edmonton has four games remaining: against visiting Kootenay tonight and in Medicine Hat on Wednesday, then a Saturday-Sunday home-and-home with the Red Deer Rebels that begins in Red Deer. . . . The first tiebreaker is victories and Edmonton leads Calgary by two, 47-45. . . . First place in the conference means a first-round date with the eighth-place team -- Prince Albert, Red Deer or Brandon, teams that will end up about 30 points off the pace. Third place in the conference likely means Swift Current in the first round, although Kootenay still is a possibility.

5. Calgary Hitmen, .703 -- The Hitmen, who are 7-2-1 in their last 10 (Edmonton is 5-4-1), have three games remaining if they are to catch the Oil Kings. Calgary is at home to Lethbridge tonight, in Cranbrook against Kootenay on Friday and at home to the Ice on Saturday.

6. Medicine Hat Tigers, .638 -- Hands up if you saw the Tigers finishing with as many as 45 victories after F Hunter Shinkaruk, a potential 50-goal, 100-point man, had his season ended by hip surgery. . . . The Tigers, who finish up with two games against the Lethbridge Hurricanes, are headed to a fourth-place finish in the Eastern Conference. They will get Kootenay or Swift Current in the first round.

7. Seattle Thunderbirds, .632 -- The Thunderbirds have 40 victories for the first time since 2007-08, when they won 42. . . . Last season, in going 24-38-10, Seattle allowed 286 goals. With four games remaining, that number is 230. . . . Shea Theodore leads all WHL defencemen in assists (55) and points (75). . . . Seattle is fourth in the Western Conference, four points ahead of Spokane and five up on Everett. The Thunderbirds are at home to Spokane tonight and then finish with three in three -- at home to Portland on Friday, in Portland and in Kennewick, Wash., against the Tri-City Americans.

8. Kootenay Ice, .603 -- The Ice is in the playoffs for a 16th consecutive season and needs to win one more game for its ninth 40-victory season its 16 winters in Cranbrook. . . . In fifth place with four games to play, three of them on the road, the Ice is six points behind Medicine Hat and three ahead of Swift Current. Kootenay, which is 21-9-1 since the Christmas break, finishes with four games in five nights, playing in Edmonton tonight, in Red Deer on Wednesday, at home to Calgary on Friday and in Calgary on Saturday. . . . With teammate Tim Bozon in a Saskatoon hospital, you can bet these are emotional times in the Kootenay dressing room. . . . D Tanner Faith won’t play again this season, while D Landon Cross and D Landon Peel are out for up to two weeks. The Ice needs the latter two back if it hopes to make a run. . . . A playoff opponent will have to deal with the high-flying line of Sam Reinhart (97 points in 56 games), Jaedon Descheneau (94 in 66) and Zach Franko (21 in 24 since coming over from Kelowna).

9. Spokane Chiefs, .603 -- The Chiefs, who are fifth in the Western Conference, have won their last two games as they try to ward of the oncoming Everett Silvertips. . . . F Mitch Holmberg, who played in all 68 of the Chiefs’ games, leads the WHL in goals (60) and points (113). The last Spokane skater to lead the WHL in goals was F Tyler Johnson (53, 2010-11); the last to lead in points was F Ray Whitney (185, 1990-91). . . . D Reid Gow is second among defencemen with 54 assists, one behind Seattle’s Shea Theodore. . . . The Chiefs visit the Seattle Thunderbirds tonight, then are at home to Everett on Wednesday, at home to Tri-City on Friday and at the Americans on Saturday.

10. Everett Silvertips, .596 -- No one is hotter than the Silvertips right now. They’ve won eight straight and have points in nine in a row (8-0-1). . . . That allowed them to distance themselves from the eighth-place Vancouver Giants in the Western Conference and close to within a point of Spokane. . . . The Silvertips will finish with four games in five nights, with three of those on the road. They are in Spokane on Wednesday, in Victoria on Friday, at home to Victoria on Saturday and in Portland on Sunday.

11. Regina Pats, .594 -- The Pats got their game together in 2014 and that allowed them to take control of the East Division race. They lead the division by three points over the Swift Current Broncos, with each team having three games to play. First place in the division means the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and a first-round meeting with Prince Albert, Red Deer or Brandon. . . . G Daniel Wapple is fighting an ankle sprain, leaving Dawson MacAuley to carry the mail, at least in the short term.

12. Swift Current Broncos, .572 -- The Broncos are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games after encountering a late-season slump just prior to that. With three games remaining, they are sixth in the Eastern Conference but still could finish first in the East Division, which would give them the No. 2 seed. They are three points behind Kootenay in the conference and three points behind Regina in the division. . . . The Broncos have a favourable last three games as they finish with two non-playoff teams. They are at home to Saskatoon on Wednesday and then go home-and-home with Moose Jaw on Friday and Saturday, opening in Swift Current. . . . D Julius Honka is second among freshmen in assists (39) and points (55). He leads all freshmen defencemen in goals (16), assists and points.

13. Vancouver Giants, .529 -- After going 1-3 in their first four games this season, the Giants ventured into the East Division where they went 0-4-2. Today, with three games remaining, they are 31-27-11 and anchored in seventh place in the Western Conference. They lead the WHL in loser points (11). . . . G Jared Rathjen, who has had a pretty good season (13-8-5, 2.98, .898), has appeared once since Feb. 21. . . . D Dalton Thrower (ankle), their best player and their captain, hasn’t played since Jan. 24. . . . As the No. 7 seed, they will meet Portland in the opening round of playoffs.

14. Prince Albert Raiders, 522 -- It wasn’t that long ago when the Raiders were losing faster than someone sitting in front of a slot machine. Of late, though, they have won four in a row and are 7-2-1 in their last 10. That has lifted them into a tie for seventh in the Eastern Conference, alongside Red Deer and Brandon. The Raiders, with four games left, have a game in hand on each of those teams. The Raiders will finish with four in five nights: in Moose Jaw tonight, in Regina on Wednesday, at home to Saskatoon on Friday and in Saskatoon on Saturday. . . . D Josh Morrissey leads all defencemen in goals (26), five more than Brandon’s Ryan Pulock. . . . F Leon Draisaitl, the German sophomore, has 97 points, including 62 assists, in 60 games. Since Feb. 1, he has 12 multi-point outings in 17 games. In the Raiders’ four-game winning streak, he has 11 points, including six goals. Yes, he will be a top five selection in the NHL’s 2014 draft.

15. Red Deer Rebels, .514 -- The Rebels have been treading water of late, witness 5-4-1 in their last 10. With three games left, they are tied for the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot, with Prince Albert and Brandon. . . . The Rebels are at home to Kootenay on Wednesday, then go home-and-home with Edmonton, playing at home Saturday and on the road Sunday.

16. Brandon Wheat Kings, .514 -- The Wheat Kings will finish without F Jayce Hawryluk, their leading scorer, who has three games left in a season-ending four-game WHL suspension. . . . F Peter Quenneville, who has 45 points in 42 games since joining the team from Quinnipiac U, hasn’t played since Feb. 17. . . . Brandon finishes at home to Saskatoon tonight, in Regina on Friday and at home to the Pats on Saturday.

17. Tri-City Americans, .471 -- The Americans need one point to wrap up the Western Conference’s last playoff spot. The prize? A first-round series with the Kelowna Rockets, who will finish atop the overall standings. . . . The Americans (28-32-8) are in a reloading mode. They last finished below .500 in 2005-06 when they went 30-35-7. They then won at least 40 games in each of the next seven seasons. . . . F Phil Tot hasn’t played since Feb. 1. He has 36 points, 15 of them goals, in 49 games, so getting him back would really help. . . . The Americans are in Portland tonight, go home-and-home with Spokane on Friday and Saturday, and finish up against visiting Seattle on Sunday.

18. Prince George Cougars, .429 -- With Tri-City having lost three in a row and having gone 1-7-2 in its last 10, the Western Conference’s last playoff spot was there for the taking. The Cougars, however, have lost five in a row and are just 2-7-1 in their last 10, so remain four points back. . . . They were swept at home by Spokane last weekend and that may have been the final nail. . . . The Cougars have only two games left -- they are in Kamloops on Friday and play host to the Blazers on Saturday. . . . Should Tri-City lose each of its last four games and Prince George sweep the Blazers, the Americans and Cougars would be tied after 72 games. Because they would be tied for the last playoff spot, it would necessitate a tiebreaker game.

19. Moose Jaw Warriors, .355 -- The Warriors (20-40-9) have won three in a row, but that only ensured a 10th-place finish in the Eastern Conference. This will be two straight seasons without a playoff appearance.

20. Saskatoon Blades, .272 -- A year ago, the Blades were preparing for the playoffs knowing that they would appear in the Memorial Cup, as the host team. Today, the Blades, who won at least 40 games in each of the last five seasons, are 16-47-5, have lost eight straight and last season is but a distant memory. . . . F Nikita Scherback leads all first-year players in assists (47) and points (74) and is tied with Brandon F Rihards Bukarts in goals (27).

21. Kamloops Blazers, .225 -- A year ago, the Blazers made a run to the Western Conference final, where they lost in five games to the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Today, the Blazers are 13-51-5 and have set a Kamloops franchise futility record for victories. The franchise record for most losses in a season (53) is also right there, as is the mark for fewest points (35). . . . The fact that the Blazers, who have lost seven in a row, have three players out with broken jaws may sum up their season better than anything else. Three other players -- F Chase Souto, G Justin Myles and D Austin Douglas -- aren’t likely to play again this season, either. Myles, who came over from Seattle at the trade deadline, has yet to play for the Blazers.

22. Lethbridge Hurricanes, .210 -- The Hurricanes will miss the playoffs for a fifth straight season. The history of this franchise can be traced to the Winnipeg Jets in 1967-68. It goes through the Winnipeg Clubs, Winnipeg Monarchs and Calgary Wranglers. When this season is over, this edition of the Hurricanes will own the single-season franchise records for fewest victories, most losses and fewest points. . . . The Hurricanes (13-51-5) are two points behind Kamloops in the turtle derby. Each team has three games remaining.
---



F Nolan Patrick has joined the Brandon Wheat Kings for the remainder of this season. Patrick, from Winnipeg, was the fourth overall selection in the 2013 WHL bantam draft. . . . The son of former Wheat Kings F Steve Patrick, Nolan had 63 points, including 33 goals, in 39 regular-season games with the midget AAA Winnipeg Thrashers. . . . Patrick is expected to make his WHL debut against the visiting Saskatoon Blades tonight.
---
D Evan Fiala, the 14th overall pick in the 2012 bantam draft, will be with the Spokane Chiefs for the remainder of this season. He is expected to play tonight against the host Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Fiala, from Clavet, Sask., spent this season with the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts. He had 16 points, including four goals, in 44 games.
---
The Saskatoon Blades have added D Turner Ottenbreit, 16, to their roster for the remainder of the season. He played nine games with the Blades earlier in the season, then joined the midget AAA Yorkton Harvest. He had 27 points, nine of them goals, in 42 games with the Harvest. He was the last of Saskatoon’s four 12th-round selections in the 2012 bantam draft. . . . Saskatoon D Ayrton Nikkel, 18, won’t play again this season. He suffered an undisclosed injury in a 6-1 loss to the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday.
---
Kevin Waugh of CTV-Saskatoon tweeted on Monday evening that Saskatoon Blades assistant coach Curtis Leschyshyn “will join coaching staff of Saskatoon Blazers Midget AAA next season. Joins son Jake.” . . . With the Blades, Leschyshyn works alongside head coach Dave Struch and Jerome Engele, and goaltending coach Tim Cheveldae.
---
The Portland Winterhawks will have a couple of neat guests when they open the playoffs at home on March 21 and 22. The Winterhawks have been helping out with the celebration of 100 Years of Hockey in Oregon and as part of that party are bringing the Stanley Cup and the Lester Patrick Cup to Portland. . . . The Portland Rosebuds won the Pacific Coast Hockey Association in 1916 and were awarded the Stanley Cup. . . . The Lester Patrick Cup, which went to the champions of the professional Western Hockey League, was won by the Portland Buckaroos in 1961, ’65 and ’71. . . . According to a news release from the Winterhawks: The two trophies “will be on display at the Oregon Historical Society on Thursday, March 20, from 7:30 – 9 p.m., and then again on Friday, March 21 from 12 – 4 p.m. Fans may also see the trophies on the Moda Center concourse before and during Game 1 of the playoffs on the 21st, and then post-game on the 21st in Dr. Jack’s, the new restaurant on the Rose Quarter campus.”  . . . The Winterhawks will meet the Vancouver Giants in the first round.
---
IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Red Deer (8)
Regina (2) vs. Prince Albert (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
(NOTE: Prince Albert, Red Deer and Brandon are tied for eighth, each with 71 points. Prince Albert has four games remaining; the other two have three games left. Remember that a tie for a conference‘s final playoff spot will result in a tiebreaker game.)
---
Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Everett (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
---
TUESDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Saskatoon at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Lethbridge at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Prince Albert at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Tri-City at Portland, 7 p.m.
Victoria at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Spokane at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
---
MONDAY’S GAMES:
No games scheduled.


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.