Flames checking Kylington contract . . . Berehowsky back coaching . . . Yamamoto on U.S. team

D Tyson Marsh (Vancouver, 2001-05) signed a one-year extension with the Cardiff Devils (Wales, UK Elite). Last season, he had eight goals and 25 assists in 61 games. He was the team captain and a second-team all-star. . . .
F Mitch Wahl (Spokane, 2005-10) signed a one-year contract with Oskarshamn (Sweden, Allsvenskan). Last season, with the Florida Everblades (ECHL), he had 15 goals and a team-high 44 assists in 53 games. . . .
F Marek Kalus (Spokane, Brandon, 2010-13) signed a one-year contract with Havířov (Czech Republic, 1. Liga). Last season, with Cracovia Krakow (Poland, Ekstraliga), he had 19 goals and 23 assists in 45 games. . . .
D Kenton Smith (Calgary, 1995-2000) signed a one-year extension with the Swindon Wildcats (England, Premier). Last season, he had two goals and seven assists in 28 games. Smith will be primarily an assistant coach running the bench during games — the Wildcats have a playing head coach in D Daniel Sullivan — but will be available to play as needed. . . .
F Kris Beech (Calgary, 1996-2001) signed a one-year contract with the Belfast Giants (Northern Ireland, UK Elite). Last season, with Innsbruck (Austria, Erste Bank Liga), he had nine goals and 17 assists in 51 games.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings selected D Oliver Kylington with the last pick of the first round of the CHL import draft on Tuesday. Kylington had been a second-round selection by the Calgary Flames in the NHL draft on Saturday. But he is under contract to AIK, a pro team in Sweden, for the next two seasons. Randy Sportak of the Calgary Sun reports that Calgary “is looking into whether it has an outclause that would allow him to report to the WHL. Kylington would be eligible to play in the AHL at his age.” . . . Calgary assistant general manager Craig Conroy told Sportak: “We want to do what’s best for him. We don’t want to throw him in a situation that doesn’t benefit him. We want him to play tons of minutes and just develop.”
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NHLer Rich Clune is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict who has been sober for five years now. He also is a hockey fighter, albeit reluctantly. He has told his story for The Players Tribune. This is engrossing and frightening stuff, but it also is enlightening, and it’s right here.
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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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Former Lethbridge Hurricanes head coach Drake Berehowsky has signed on as associate coach with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves under new head coach Dave Matsos. . . . Matsos recently was promoted from associate to head coach. . . . Berehowsky was in his second season as the Hurricanes head coach when he was fired on Dec. 10. He has previous OHL coaching experience, having been an assistant with the Barrie Colts and then-Brampton Battalion. . . . The Wolves also announced that Bryan Verreault will return for a second season as an assistant coach, while Miguel Beadry is back as goaltending coach.
——
Bob Boughner has stepped down as head coach of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires in order to sign a three-year deal as an assistant coach with the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. . . . Boughner will remain as the Spitfires’ majority owner and team president. . . . The Spitfires won the 2009 and 2010 Memorial Cups under Boughner.
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USA Hockey released the roster for the team that will play at the U-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament next month. The roster includes F Kailer Yamamoto of the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Yamamoto had 57 points, including 23 goals last season, and was named the WHL Western Conference’s rookie of the year. . . . The tournament is scheduled for Aug. 10-15 in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Piestany, Slovakia. . . . The USA Hockey news release is right here, with a link to the roster.

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Laxdal leaves Oil Kings . . . Price is right at U of T

The KHL has announced that Lev Prague (Czech Republic) will go on “administrative leave” for the 2014-2015 season for financial reasons. Two major sponsors, Gazprom and Skoda, have withdrawn their financial sponsorship, reducing Lev Prague’s revenue by 50 per cent. Lev remains a member of the KHL and may rejoin the league in 2015. Ex-WHL players on Lev last season included F Michal Řepík (Vancouver, 2005-08) and F Jakub Klepiš (Portland, 2001-02), who signed with Färjestad Karlstad (Sweden, SHL) last week. . . .
D David Turon (Portland, 2002-03) has signed a one-year contract with Havířov (Czech Republic, 1. Liga). He grew up and played as a youth in Havířov. Last season, with Meran/Merano (Italy, Inter-National-League), he had 22 points, including 12 goals, in 25 games. In 16 games from January on with Fassa (Italy, Serie A), he had nine points, two of the goals, in 16 games. . . .
F Kris Foucault (Swift Current, Kootenay, Calgary, 2006-11) has signed a one-year contract with the Vienna Capitals (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). Last season, he had 22 points, 11 of them goals, in 58 games with the Iowa Wild (AHL). . . .
F Kris Beech (Calgary, 1996-2001) has signed a one-year contract with Innsbruck (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). Last season, with the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL), he had 24 points, eight of them goals, in 36 games. In two games in March with the Vienna Capitals (Austria, Erste Bank Liga), he had a goal and three assists.
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There will be yet another coaching change in the WHL with the news on Thursday that Edmonton Oil Kings head coach Derek Laxdal has signed a three-year deal with the Texas Stars, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars.
Laxdal leaves the Memorial Cup-champion Oil Kings for the team that won the Calder Cup as the AHL’s playoff champions. Willie Desjardins, the AHL team’s head coach, now is the head coach of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks.
Laxdal, 48, spent four seasons with the Oil Kings, with the team winning at least 50 games in each of the last three. The Oil Kings also appeared in the last three WHL championship finals, winning two of them.
With Laxdal behind the bench, the Oil Kings put together a 182-83-23 regular-season record.
Prior to joining the Oil Kings, Laxdal spent five seasons as head coach of the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads, who were affiliated with Dallas. Under Laxdal, the Steelheads won the Kelly Cup as ECHL champions in 2007.
From Stonewall, Man., Laxdal also played in the WHL (Portland, Brandon, New Westminster, 1982-86) and was a member of the Memorial Cup-champion Winterhawks in 1983.
It will be a shock if the Oil Kings don’t fill the head-coaching vacancy from within by promoting highly touted assistant coach Steve Hamilton, who is presently on vacation. Chances are he’ll be introduced as head coach next week.
Meanwhile, the Moose Jaw Warriors, Portland Winterhawks, Regina Pats and Vancouver Giants continue to search for head coaches, while the Calgary Hitmen, Kamloops Blazers, Kelowna Rockets, Saskatoon Blades and Tri-City Americans have already made changes at that position.
Interestingly, only the Rockets have promoted from within as five-year assistant coach Dan Lambert has taken over from Ryan Huska, who now is the head coach of the Adirondack Flames, the Glens Falls, N.Y.,-based AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames.
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Hockey Canada will have to replace Derek Laxdal as head coach of the U-18 team that is to play in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament in August.
Laxdal was named head coach on June 12, with Jody Hull, the head coach of the OHL’s Peterborough Petes, and Eric Veilleux, the head coach of the QMJHL’s Baie-Comeau Drakkar, as assistant coaches.
The U-18 team’s selection camp is scheduled for Calgary, Aug. 2-5, with the tournament to run Aug. 11-16 in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Piestany, Slovakia.
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1. So what are we to make of all these WHL coaches who have move on up hockey’s ladder? . . . “That tells you how good this league is,” former Moose Jaw Warriors head coach Mike Stothers told Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald. “It’s outstanding. I don’t want to blanket it and say it’s the best in all of junior hockey, but I don’t know how it can’t be. Every team has a great coach and that just bodes well for the league and the future of it.” . . . After three years with the Warriors, Stothers is leaving to become head coach of the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs.

2. The Swift Current Broncos are expected to introduce Josh Dixon as associate coach this morning. . . . “Although Dixon offered a polite ‘no comment’ when contacted via text message on Thursday,” Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reported, “multiple WHL sources confirmed that Dixon is set to be named the new associate coach of the Broncos, replacing Darren Evjen, who recently stepped down for family reasons.” . . . Evjen is going back to teaching school, although he will remain involved with the team to some extent. . . . Dixon spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the Regina Pats but resigned last month when he and the team’s new owners weren’t able to reach agreement on a new contract.

3. Malcolm Cameron, who was fired as head coach of the Regina Pats last week, has told the Regina Leader-Post’s Greg Harder that he is “very, very interested” in the opening in Moose Jaw. In fact, Cameron already has submitted his resume. . . . Cameron spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Pats, before taking over a year ago after the resignation of Pat Conacher. In Cameron’s lone season as head coach, the Pats finished atop the East Division and then were swept from the playoffs by the Brandon Wheat Kings in the first round.

4. Jim Brosnan was a decent relief pitcher who turned out to be a much better writer. He wrote The Longest Season, one of the best baseball books in anyone’s library. In fact, it’s one of the best books. Period. . . . Brosnan died Saturday at 84. . . . There’s more right here from The New York Times.

5. Ira Berkow of The New York Times writes:
“Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner whose remarkable story of survival as a prisoner of war in World War II gained new attention in 2010 with the publication of a best-selling biography by Laura Hillenbrand, died on Wednesday in Los Angeles. He was 97.
“A statement released by his family said he had been suffering from pneumonia.”
If you haven’t read Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, do yourself a favour and give it a read.
Berkow’s obituary of Zamperini is right here.

6. D Nick Walters, 20, of the Lethbridge Hurricanes has signed an amateur tryout (ATO) with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. A fourth-round pick by the St. Louis Blukes in the 2012 NHL draft, Walters wasn’t signed, so was a free agent. He also has played with the Everett Silvertips and Brandon Wheat Kings.

7. Veteran WHL coach Dan Price has signed on as a full-time assistant coach with the CIS U of Toronto Varsity Blues. Price, a former goaltender with the U of Regina Cougars (1995-98), will work alongside Darren Lowe, who is preparing for his 20th season as the Blues’ head coach. . . . Price graduade from law school at the U of Saskatchewan in 2001. . . . Last season, he was an assistant coach with the Tri-City Americans. He also has worked as a scout or assistant/associate coach with the Regina Pats, Calgary Hitmen and Chilliwack Bruins.
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Fantastic day on the water. 78 pound halibut. It's like bringing up a grand piano from the ocean floor! #workout pic.twitter.com/cp8kXSCmXA
— Todd Harkins (@coachharks) July 3, 2014

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Outdoor game for Portland?; long arm of law looking for Gaetz

F Kris Beech (Calgary, 1996-2001) has been loaned to the Vienna Capitals (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) by the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL) for the rest of this season. With Straubing, Beech had 24 points, including eight goals, in 36 games. . . .
D Kenton Smith (Calgary, 1995-2000) has returned to the Braehead Clan Glasgow (Scotland, UK Elite) for the rest of the season. Smith left Clan a month ago to be with his family in Cardiff. This season, in 33 games, he has 11 points, three of them goals.
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F Tyler Benson, the first overall selection in the 2013 WHL bantam draft, is expected to play for the Vancouver Giants against the Rockets in Kelowna tonight. Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that Benson is expected to join the Giants on a full-time basis next week. . . . Benson, who is pointless in three games with the Giants, has been playing for the Kelowna-based Pursuit Of Excellence under-18 prep team. He put up 91 points, including 35 goals, in 46 games. That team’s season ends this weekend, freeing Benson up to join the Giants. . . .
Ewen also reports Giants F Dominik Volek didn’t practise Thursday because of an undisclosed injury. D Dalton Thrower (ankle) has yet to return to the ice. According to Ewen, “both are unlikely for Friday in Kelowna.“
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Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Kelowna Rockets, was in Kennewick, Wash., on Wednesday night. Here’s a note from his blog:
“In talking to Annie Fowler, the beat writer for the Americans, it was confirmed that the Tri-City Herald Best of the West Poll has met its end. The poll, which allowed players, coaches/management and media to vote on several categories has been a staple for the last 25 years and has always been an interesting conversation piece. The process is time consuming and receiving ballots from teams was always a chore.” . . .
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F Sam Reinhart of the Kootenay Ice takes a 21-game point streak into Saskatoon for a game with the Blades tonight. He has 47 points, 18 of them goals, in the streak that has tied F Mike Comrie for the franchise record. . . . Reinhart also is riding a 14-game assist streak. . . . Both streaks are the longest in the WHL this season.
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Prince George is at home for Friday-Saturday doubleheader with the Victoria Royals, and Cougars F Troy Bourke is closing in on the club’s career point record. Bourke has 229 points in 270 regular season games; the record is held by F Eric Hunter (2002-07), who put up 233 points in 323 games. . . . Note that this doesn’t include the Victoria Cougars. . . . Prince George F Todd Fiddler goes into the weekend on a 16-game point streak. He has 30 points, 15 of them goals, over that stretch.
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Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune brings word that the Portland Timbers and Portland Winterhawks have chatted about the possibility of a playing an outdoor WHL game at Providence Park, the home of the MLS team that could seat 20,000 for such a contest. . . . Eggers has more on that right here. . . . There have been two outdoor games played featuring WHL teams. In Spokane, the Chiefs beat the Kootenay Ice 11-2 before 7,075 fans in Avista Stadium on Jan. 15,2011. The Regina Pats beat the host Calgary Hitmen 3-2 in a game played at McMahon Stadium before 20,888 fans on Feb. 21, 2011. (If you are so inclined, there is a list right here of every outdoor game played since Oct. 6, 2001, and there have been more than 100 of them. So much for the novelty!)
Eggers also writes about Winterhawks GM/head coach Mike Johnston’s niece, Rebecca, who was a major contributor to the Canadian women’s Olympic hockey team. Oh, and Eggers also confirms that Winterhawks G Brendan Burke has been out with mononucleosis.
Meanwhile, in The Oregonian, Molly Blue talks with Burke, and updates his status. That report is right here.
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The long arm of the law is reaching out in an attempt to locate Link Gaetz. The former WHL defenceman (New Westminster, Spokane, 1986-88) has failed to appear in a Kamloops court room, nor has he been in touch with his lawyer. The result is that an arrest warrant has been issued for Gaetz. There’s more right here from Kamloops This Week.
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IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Red Deer (8)
Regina (2) vs. Brandon (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
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Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Everett (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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FRIDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Lethbridge at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Kamloops at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Victoria at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Vancouver at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Portland at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Tri-City at Everett, 7:35 p.m.
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THURSDAY’S GAMES:
No games scheduled.
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From Geoff Baker (@gbakermariners) of the Seattle Times: “Just returned from Seattle delegation trip to Vancouver for (Wednesday) night's #Canucks game. Interesting time. Lots of #NHL optimism brewing.”
The story that Baker filed is right here.
 
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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Dominik Pacovsky (Kootenay, 2008-10) signed for the rest of the season with Lev Prague (Czech Republic, KHL). It's a two-way deal with him scheduled to join Lev today. This season with Sparta Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga), he had five points, including three goals, in 13 games. Last season with Sparta, he had 26 points, 13 of them goals, in 37 games. . . .
F Alex Leavitt (Swift Current, Everett, 2003-05) signed a tryout contract with Aalborg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). The tryout runs until Nov. 1. He was released earlier by Oskarshamn (Sweden, Allsvenskan) after picking up three points, one of them a goal, in 10 games. . . .
F Erik Christensen (Kamloops, Brandon, 1999-2004) signed for the rest of this season with HV71 Jönköping (Sweden, SHL) after being released by Lev Prague on Thursday. He is to arrive in Jönköping on Thursday. With Lev this season, he had a goal and an assist in 12 games.
F Kris Beech (Calgary, 1996-2001) has signed a tryout deal with the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL). He played last season with Pardubice (Czech Republic, Extraliga), getting eight points, including two goals, in 21 games, and AIK Stockholm (Sweden, Elitserien), putting up five points, three of them goals, in 23 games. . . .
D Tomas Fojtik (Portland, 2003-04) has been released by the Slough Jets (England, Premier). He had three assists in 10 games. . . .
F Ned Lukacevic (Spokane, Swift Current, 2001-06) has been released by the Tohoku Free Blades Hachinohe (Japan, Asian HL). He had seven points, including two goals, in 10 games. . . . Lukacevic has since signed with the ECHL's Bakersfield Condors.
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1. The Kootenay Ice was looking for a defenceman who could play in its top four; the Kamloops Blazers were looking for draft picks.
So general managers Jeff Chynoweth (Ice) and Craig Bonner (Blazers) got together and swapped four players and three bantam draft picks on Tuesday.
The Ice got F Tim Bozon and D Landon Cross, both 19, with the Blazers landing D Matt Thomas, 18, F Collin Shirley, 17, and the three picks -- first- and fifth-round selections in 2015 and a third-rounder in 2014.
While Bozon, a third-round pick by the Montreal Canadians in the 2012 NHL draft who has signed with the Habs, is the biggest name in the deal, the swap's genesis came on the weekend when Ice general manager Jeff Chynoweth inquired about the availability of Cross.
Chynoweth told me via text yesterday afternoon that he made the first call, inquiring "about Cross."
"It just grew from there," Chynoweth said. "We thought why not ask about Bozon, thinking he would look very good playing with (Sam) Reinhart and (Jaedon) Descheneau."
As well, Chynoweth said, "Cross gives us much needed depth on our back end."
Bozon is coming off 71- and 91-point seasons and has seven points in 13 games this season. He is an interesting study because he was born in St. Louis, while his father, Philippe, was playing with the Blues, calls Switzerland home and plays internationally for France.
Bozon had great chemistry for most of the last two seasons with forwards Colin Smith and JC Lipon, both of whom have signed NHL deals and are in the AHL. The Blazers don't have anyone who has been able to fit that well with Bozon, who has played like it. With the Ice, Bozon will get a chance to revive his role as a triggerman, this time alongside Reinhart and Descheneau.
Cross, from Brandon, was a third-round pick by Kamloops in the 2009 bantam draft. In his third full WHL season, he has 24 points in 134 regular-season games. He has turned into a solid stay-at-home defender who should enjoy playing for Ice head coach Ryan McGill.
Shirley, from Saskatoon, had 23 points, including nine goals, in 60 games last season. This season, he has three points, two of them goals, in 11 games. He was the 17th overall selection in the 2011 bantam draft.
Thomas, who was listed by the Ice prior to last season, is from Calgary. He had two assists in 66 games last season and has one in 11 outings this season.
Here's a paragraph from the Blazers' news release, which sums up their reason for making this trade: "In acquiring a first-round pick in 2015 and a third-round pick in 2014, the Blazers recoup draft picks that were traded to acquire defenceman Joel Edmundson last season and (forward) Tyson Ness this season."
The Ice is off to a 6-5-2 start, and has scored 37 goals. Reinhart and Descheneau have accounted for 16 of those, and have combined for 42 points. Yes, Chynoweth and McGill will be eager to get a look at Bozon alongside those two.
The Blazers are 4-9-0 and in a definite rebuilding/reloading mode, although they will continue to pursue a Western Conference playoff spot.
The Ice next plays Friday against the visiting Portland Winterhawks, while the Blazers are at home to the Everett Silvertips on Saturday.
The Ice is scheduled to visit Kamloops on Dec. 6.
Meanwhile, the Ice has dropped D Clint Filbrandt, 18, from its roster. He is expected to end up with a junior A team. Filbrandt was acquired from the Tri-City Americans on May 14 for a fifth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft.
Some Twittering on the Kamloops-Kootenay swap:
From Alan Caldwell (@smallatlarge): "I'm surprised Blazers are declaring themselves as sellers so early though. I didn't think they'd drop as much from last year as they have."
From Trevor Crawley (@tcrawls) of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman: "#FunFact: Tim Bozon is the 4th @WHLKootenayICE player whose father played in the NHL (Elynuik, Reinhart & Dirk).)
From Dan Russell (@DanRussellST): "Taking page out of brother Scott's book? Last yr D Musil signified rebuild mode in Oct for Van -Craig's T Bozon deal today says same in Kam?"
From Regan Bartel (@Reganrant), the radio voice of the Kelowna Rockets: "I won't bet against Chynoweth. I mean really, have the @WHLKootenayICE ever sucked? No! Plus the little engine that could has 3 WHL titles."
From Daniel Nugent-Bowman (@DNBsports) of the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix: "Spoke with Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth about the trade. Said talks started with Landon Cross and expanded from there."

2. How did Hamilton Burger keep his job for so long?

3. When the Kamloops Blazers played the Silvertips in Everett on Saturday night, it marked a return for Mark Ferner. Fired as the Silvertips' head coach last season, he now is the Blazers' associate coach. Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald checks in with Ferner right here.

4. As I stroll the streets of downtown Vancouver, I notice that most pedestrians have only one free hand, the other carrying either a phone or a cup of coffee. (Of course, some of the more highly skilled pedastrians fill both hands.) Hilary Stout of The New York Times has more right here on our love affair with coffee. This is interesting stuff.

5. Over at the Monday Morning Quarterback website, they are spending a lot of this week with the focus on concussions in football. You should check it out right here because it's important stuff.

6. Steve Miller, an assistant coach with the Denver University Pioneers for more than 19 seasons, is flying like an eagle (sorry!) to a USHL expansion franchise that will begin play in Madison, Wis., next season. He will be the general manager and head coach in Madison. Miller starts his new job on Jan. 1.

7. If you enjoy good hockey photos, check out this spot right here. You may even be interested in purchasing a photo or two. Yes, Chris Mast is involved.

8. F Zach Jones scored with 1:05 left in the third period Tuesday night, giving the visiting Calgary Hitmen a 2-1 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. Calgary G Chris Driedger stopped 38 shots. Attendance was 4,674. . . . In Lethbridge, the Portland Winterhawks scored three first-period goals and went on to a 3-2 victory over the Hurricanes. Portland, the WHL's defending champion, has won five straight games. . . . In Kennewick, Wash., F Phil Tot scored 34 seconds into the game and added an empty-netter as the Tri-City Americans dumped the Swift Current Broncos, 4-1. The Broncos went 0-5 on their U.S. Division swing and were outscored 24-10 in the process.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
AIK Stockholm (Sweden, Elitserien) announced that they will not re-sign three players to contracts for next season, including F Kris Beech (Calgary, 1996-2001). Beech had three goals and two assists in 23 games with AIK. He started the season with Pardubice (Czech Republic, Extraliga), where he had two goals and six assists in 21 games before being released in mid-November and joining AIK. . . .


Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) announced they will not re-sign D Brad Cole (Seattle, Kootenay, Saskatoon, 2003-07) for next season. Cole had three goals and 12 assists in 42 games for Villach this season.


———
A week ago, the Saskatoon Blades were skating on top of the world.
They had finished the regular season on a 22-2-3 run that included an 18-game winning streak.
The trials and tribulations of a horrible 2-7-0 start to this season were well behind them.
The host team for the 2013 Memorial Cup was ready for bear. Or so it seemed.
However, a closer look at that 22-2-3 run shows that 11 of those games were against the Moose Jaw Warriors and Brandon Wheat Kings, neither of whom qualified for the playoffs. The Blades were 10-0-1 in those 11 outings.
Granted, a team can’t do anything about its schedule but play it. However, when the Blades finished the regular season by losing twice to the host Prince Albert Raiders, who didn’t finish strongly at all, perhaps we should have heard the warning bells.
But just three days before the first of those losses, the Blades had gone into Edmonton and beaten the Oil Kings, 3-2.
Talk about mixed messages — the Blades were handing those out all season long.
Somewhere in all of this, Lorne Molleken, the general manager and head coach, had to be wondering just which team was the real Blades. Was it the team that beat the Calgary Hitmen 6-0 and 3-2 or the one that lost 9-5? Was it the one that beat the Medicine Hat Tigers twice – 4-3 and 6-3 – after the Jan. 10 trade deadline?
Or is it the one that lost four straight games to the Tigers and now is on the outside looking in and waiting for the Memorial Cup to arrive?
Yes, it all came crashing down on the the Blades in a matter of six nights. The 18-game winning streak? The 22-2-3 finish? None of it means a thing today.
There was Molleken addressing the Saskatoon media on Thursday.
"It's disappointing,” he said. “We didn't get the job done. We thought we were peaking at the right time."
(Amazingly, there were people who, upon hearing that owner Jack Brodsky and Molleken would hold a news conference yesterday, actually thought there would be a coaching change.
“I’m not going to let a game or a series or a year be a measure of what this hockey club is about or what my life is about,” Brodsky told the gathering. “I’m not talking about changes. I’m not going to talk about that today because the guy that’s behind the bench for our hockey club is my guy and I’ve got all the trust and respect in the world or him. Period.”)
I also wonder about the impact starring in their own TV show has had on the Blades during this tumultuous season. The TV camera has been there from Day 1 and it has been relentless, following the players everywhere, from shopping trips to hospital gurneys. If they had it to do all over again, I really wonder whether the Blades’ management would be all-in with this project.
Anyway . . . it is what it is and now the Blades are out, having been swept from the first round of the playoffs by the Tigers. This wasn’t just your average sweep, either. This was a SWEEP! The Blades never held a lead, not even for one second. They were outscored 15-4 by a Medicine Hat team that entered the playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s No. 7 seed. The No. 2 Blades were supposed to be the ones with the brooms.
But it didn’t happen.
Let’s pause here and forget about the Blades for a moment. Let’s not forget that the Tigers won this series. Sheesh, they must have done something right.
So perhaps some credit should be given to Shaun Clouston, the general manager and head coach of the Tigers, his staff and the players. Obviously, they got superb goaltending from Cam Lanigan, and that always helps. But the Tigers also have two of the league’s top forwards in Hunter Shinkaruk and Curtis Valk, and their back end, led by Derek Ryckman, has proven to be solid, too.
And now, while the Tigers prepare to play in the second round, perhaps against the Edmonton Oil Kings, Saskatoon’s players are going home.
Those who are in high school will return on April 8, with the others coming back on April 15. They don’t play until May 17 when they are to open their Memorial Cup schedule against the OHL champions.
By the time May 17 arrives, they will be awfully tired of trying to explain what happened during those six days in late March.
Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix was at the news conference. His story is right here.
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The Kelowna Rockets, already without F J.T. Barnett (ill), F Carter Rigby (shoulder, foot), F Colton Sissons (shoulder) and D Mitchell Wheaton (shoulder), may be down two more players for Saturday’s game against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier writes that D MacKenzie Johnston and F Rourke Chartier, both of whom suffered undisclosed injuries in Games 3 and 4 in Kent, Wash, this week, might not play in Game 5 on Saturday. The Rockets trail 3-1 in the series. . . . If they can’t answer the bell, F Nick Merkley and D Joe Gatenby, the Rockets’ first two selections in the 2012 bantam draft, may draw in. Merkley, who is from Calgary, has played in one regular-season game; Gatenby, who played for the major midget Okanagan Rockets, has yet to make his debut. . . .
The Everett Silvertips have lost F Manraj Hayer for the remainder of the season. Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald reports that Hayer broke a finger in blocking a shot by Portland Winterhawks D Seth Jones on Wednesday night. The finger will require surgery. . . . Everett F Ryan Harrison (concussion) won’t play in Games 4 and 5 of that series this weekend. . . .
If you’re wondering what’s happening in Medicine Hat regarding a new arena. Colin Gallant of the Medicine Hat News tackles the subject right here. . . .
The BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings have signed general manager Mike Hawes to a contract extension that runs through 2014-15. He has been the GM since November 2010. (A tip of the cap to Hartley Miller.)
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The WHL’s first-round situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
(Edmonton leads 3-1; Game 5 tonight in Edmonton)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
(Medicine Hat wins 4-0)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
(Calgary wins 4-1)
Red Deer (4) vs Prince Albert (5)
(Red Deer wins 4-0)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
(Portland leads series 2-1; Game 4 tonight in Everett)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
(Seattle leads 3-1; Game 5 on Saturday in Kelowna)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
(Kamloops leads 3-1; Game 5 on Saturday in Kamloops
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
(Spokane leads 3-1; Game 5 on Saturday in Kennewick, Wash.)
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In the East, if Edmonton takes out Kootenay, the second round will feature Edmonton against Medicine Hat and Calgary versus Red Deer.
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THURSDAY’S GAMES:
In Calgary, G Chris Driedger stopped 34 shots as the Hitmen dumped the Swift Current Broncos, 3-1. . . . Driedger had a solid season, going 1.91 and .942. . . . F Jake Virtanen and F Elliott Peterson each scored his first postseason goal for Calgary. . . . The elimination of the Broncos means there aren’t any East Division teams left in the playoffs. The Saskatoon Blades and Prince Albert Raiders bowed out on Wednesday night. . . . A tweet from Alan Caldwell (@smallatlarge): “Since the WHL went from 2 divisions to 3 (and later to 4) in 1995-96, one division has never been completely eliminated this early” . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., F Blake Gal scored at 5:10 of OT as the Spokane Chiefs beat the host Tri-City Americans, 4-3. . . . This was the 16th time in the past 29 playoff games between these teams that OT has been needed. . . . Tri-City D Drydn Dow forced extra time when he scored his third goal of the series at 17:17 of the third period. . . . Americans G Luke Lee-Knight stopped 41 shots before leaving at 2:02 of OT with an undisclosed injury. Lee-Knight was holding his left arm as he left the ice after Spokane F Adam Helewka slid into him. G Troy Trombley finished up. . . . Gal scored his third game-winner against the Americans this month. He got the OT winner in the last meeting of the regular season and then scored the winner in Game 2 of this series. . . . Tri-City F Justin Feser had a goal and an assist. He now has 402 career points, including regular-season and playoff games. . . . A scoring change has given the OT goal in Tri-City’s 5-4 victory on Tuesday to F Connor Rankin. Originally, it was credited to F Parker Bowles. . . .

In Victoria, F Dylan Willick scored at 17:47 of OT to give the Kamloops Blazers a 5-4 victory over the Royals. . . . That was the only time the Blazers led in this game. . . . Kamloops D Marek Hrbas forced OT with a goal at 15:42 of the third period. . . . Hrbas and Victoria G Patrik Polivka, who made 43 saves, grew up friends in Plzen, Czech Republic. . . . F Kale Kessy scored Kamloops’ first three goals. . . . The Blazers got three assists from each of F JC Lipon and F Colin Smith. Lipon now leads all WHL scorers in assists (7) and points (10). . . . F Jamie Crooks, F Logan Nelson, F Brandon Fushimi and F Ben Walker replied for the Royals, who led 1-0, 2-0. 2-1, 3-2 and 4-3. . . . Fushimi played his first game in the series. He was inserted when the Royals scratched F Brandon Magee, their second-leading scorer, with an undisclosed injury. . . . Kamloops scratched F Tim Bozon (undisclosed) after he took the warmup. . . . The Blazers last appeared in a playoff overtime game on March 23, 2010, when they lost 5-4 to the visiting Vancouver Giants in Game 3 of a first-round series. F Brett Breitkreuz scored the winner, at 2:28. . . . The Blazers last won an OT playoff game on March 25, 2005, when F Terrance Delaronde scored 16 seconds in for a 4-3 victory over the host Kootenay Ice.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (9):
F Alessio Bertaggia, Spokane

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (4):
None


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Kris Beech (Calgary, 1995-2001) signed a contract with AIK Stockholm (Sweden, Elitserien) for the rest of this season. Beech, who signed a "game-by-game" contract with AIK in December, has two goals in two
games with AIK. He started the season with Pardubice (Czech Republic, Extraliga), getting two goals and six assists in 21 games before his release in November. . . .

G Marek Schwarz (Vancouver, 2004-05) was traded by Sparta Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga) to Liberec (Czech Republic, Extraliga) for G Marek Pinc. Schwarz has a 3.84 GAA and an .890 save percentage in 16 games with Sparta this season. . . .


D Darcy Werenka (Lethbridge, Brandon, 1989-1993) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Kapfenberg (Austria, National Amateur). Werenka has not played so far this season. Last season, he had four goals and 20 assists in 26 games for Rouen (France Ligue Magnus). Werenka has dual Canadian-Austrian citizenship.
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TANNER MORT

The Spokane Chiefs have shut down D Tanner Mort, 19, “for the foreseeable future after he and the organization reassessed his injury situation,” according to a news release issued by the team on Friday.
Mort, from Post Falls, Idaho, was in his fourth season with the Chiefs. He suffered a suspected concussion on Oct. 12, during a 5-1 loss to the Blazers in Kamloops.
He suffered what the Chiefs are calling “an upper body injury.”
"Tanner's injury has steadily improved,” Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz said in the news release, “but he is still experiencing some discomfort so we all agreed that it would be best to shut him down to rest and recover."We are all willing to be patient with the process and understand that Tanner's health is the number one priority.”
Mort has 32 points in 137 career regular-season games with the Chiefs.
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Three Friday afternoon tweets from TSN’s Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie):
1. “NHL teams have until Fri Jan 18 to return underage juniors to their respective teams or they must be put on the NHL roster.”
2. “If an underage junior plays 6 NHL games this season, it burns a year of entry-level contract.”
3. “Underager can be returned to jr until April 3 (NHL trade deadline/roster freeze). If played in 5 NHL or less games, no contract year burned.”
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Put your team in front of a bus and you will get a three-game suspension. At least that’s what happened to Terry Jones, the head coach of the junior B Beaver Valley NiteHawks. There’s more right here.
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FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Moose Jaw, D Nick Walters drew three assists to help the Brandon Wheat Kings end a five-game losing streak with a 6-2 victory over the Warriors. . . . The victory moved Brandon, which is last in the 12-team Eastern Conference, to within a point of the Warriors and kept them within a point of the Kootenay Ice. . . . Walters was acquired from the Everett Silvertips on Thursday. He had nine assists in 35 games with Everett this season. . . . This was the first three-point game of Walters’ career and came in his 146th regular-season game. . . . According to Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald, “Walters . . . drove from Everett to Abbotsford, B.C., at 5 a.m., caught a flight to Calgary, then flew to Regina where the Wheat Kings bus picked him up to drive him to Moose Jaw.” . . . Brandon D Rene Hunter scored his first goal of the season and was plus-4. . . . The Warriors have lost six straight games. . . . Among Brandon’s scratches were F Jayce Hawryluk (ill) and D Ryan Pulock (wrist). . . . F Ben Duperreault, who plays for the midget AAA Moose Jaw Generals, made his debut with the Warriors, who were without F Jordan Wyton (undisclosed) and F Torrin White (mononucleosis). . . . Moose Jaw is without D Morgan Rielly, who is in Toronto preparing for the Maple Leafs’ training camp. . . .

In Swift Current, F Adam Lowry ran his point streak to 19 games as the Broncos beat the Prince Albert Raiders, 3-1. . . . Lowry drew an assist on F Colby Cave’s empty-netter at 19:52 of the third period and now has the longest point streak in the WHL this season. . . . Swift Current G Eetu Laurikainen stopped 43 shots. . . . Broncos F Jay Merkley broke a 1-1 tie at 2:25 of the third period. He’s got 16 goals. . . . There was only one minor penalty called in the game, that to Swift Current F Daniel Dale for goaltender interference at 3:00 of the second period. . . . The Raiders were without F Mark McNeill (ill). . . .

In Regina, the Calgary Hitmen won their sixth straight game and 30th of the season, beating the Pats, 6-1. . . . F Brady Brassart and F Jake Virtanen had two goals each for Calgary. . . . Calgary F Brooks Macek may not be the second-coming of ‘Sudden-Death’ Mel Hill, but there has to be a nickname for him. He set a franchise record by scoring nine seconds into a game earlier this week, and then counted six seconds into the second period in the next game. Last night, he scored 13 seconds into the game. . . . Macek has 23 goals this season. . . . The line of Macek, Brassart and Cody Sylvester, who had two assists, has 38 points over its last six games. . . . The Hitmen lead the Eastern Conference and are three points ahead of the Edmonton Oil Kings atop the Central Division. . . .

In Saskatoon, the Red Deer Rebels scored the game’s first three goals and beat the Blades, 3-1. . . . Red Deer G Patrik Bartosak stopped 34 shots. . . . Saskatoon G Andrey Makarov, in his first appearance since playing for Russia at the World Junior Championship, turned aside 29 shots. . . . Red Deer F David Volek scored his fourth goal in nine games with the Rebels, while F Rhyse Dieno got his 11th goal in 23 games. . . . D Matt Dumba was in Red Deer’s lineup. He leaves today for training camp with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.

In Edmonton, G Tristan Jarry set a club record as the Oil Kings blanked the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 4-0. . . . Jarry stopped 23 shots for his WHL-leading fourth shutout this season and the fourth of his career. That is a single-season record. He had shared the record with Torrie Jung and Laurent Brossoit. . . . Jarry has recorded back-to-back blank jobs — he turned aside 24 shots in a 5-0 victory over visiting Vancouver on Saturday. . . . F Trevor Cheek scored his first goal with Edmonton, and his 19th this season. He came over from Vancouver in a trade earlier in the week. . . . D Keegan Lowe had two assists. . . . This is the Oil Kings’ lone three-game weekend of the season. They are in Saskatoon tonight and in Medicine Hat on Sunday. . . . D Griffin Reinhart played for the Oil Kings. He leaves today for the training camp of the NHL’s New York Islanders. . . .

In Cranbrook, F Brock Montgomery and F Sam Reinhart scored three times each as the Kootenay Ice beat the Medicine Hat Tigers, 7-5. . . . Montgomery’s third goal, his 18th, came via the PP and broke a 5-5 tie at 16:42 of the third. . . . F Jaedon Descheneau had three assists for the Ice, which has won seven in a row. . . . Reinhart completed his hat trick with an empty-netter, giving him 19 goals this season. . . . F Elgin Pearce, a former Ice skater, had two goals, giving him 18, and an assist for the Tigers. . . . The Ice was 3-for-5 on the PP. . . . F Boston Leier had a goal and two helpers for the Tigers. . . . According to Ice radio voice Jeff Hollick, it was the second time two Kootenay players have had hat tricks in the same game. F Marek Svatos and F Tyler Beechey did it in a 10-7 victory over Medicine Hat in January 2001. . . . Earlier Friday, the Ice named D Joey Leach, 20, as its new captain. . . .

In Kelowna, the Rockets erased a 2-0 deficit with four straight goals and beat the Tri-City Americans, 6-3. . . . Kelowna has won 17 in a row on home ice. . . . The Rockets next play at home Tuesday against the Spokane Chiefs. A Kelowna victory would tie the franchise record for longest home-ice winning streak. . . .  F Dylen McKinlay had two goals and two assists for the Rockets. . . . The Rockets have won eight in a row and now lead the B.C. Division by four points over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke stopped 26 shots as he put up his 15th straight victory. . . . Kelowna F Myles Bell left in the third period after checking Tri-City D Zach Yuen from behind. Bell received a major and game misconduct; Yuen was helped off the ice but returned. . . . Tri-City F Justin Feser picked up an assist for his 296th career point. He is four points from becoming the seventh player in Tri-City history to get to 300. . . .

In Portland, the Winterhawks scored four third-period goals and beat the Spokane Chiefs, 5-2. . . . D Troy Rutkowski scored his 13th goal and added two assists. . . . F Brendan Leipsic of the Winterhawks broke a 2-2 tie at 15:06 of the third period on a PP. . . .
Starting with Leipsic's goal, Portland scored three times in a span of 1:39. . . . Leipsic also had an assist and now is on an 11-game point streak. He had an 18-game run earlier in the season. . . . Portland F Nic Petan had a goal and an assist. He leads the WHL scoring race with 71 points. . . . Petan and Spokane F Todd Fiddler each scored his 28th goal, one shy of the WHL lead held by Saskatoon F Josh Nicholls. . . . This was the Chiefs’ first visit to Portland this season. . . . Prior to the game the Winterhawks assigned F Alex Schoenborn, 17, to the BCHL’s, errrr, NAHL’s Wenatchee Wild. He had two points in 18 games with Portland. . . . The Winterhawks also assigned D Layne Viveiros, 17, to the AJHL’s Camrose Kodiaks for the balance of this season. He had three assists in 20 games in his second season in Portland. Last season, he finished with three assists in 39 games. He was a ninth-round selection in the 2011 bantam draft. . . .

In Prince George, G Brett Zarowny stopped 44 shots to lead the Cougars to a 1-0 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Zarowny, a 17-year-old freshman from Edson, Alta., evened his record at 9-9-0 as the Cougars halted a seven-game losing streak. . . . Sophomore forward Jordan Tkatch scored the game’s only goal, getting his fourth of the season at 12:15 of the second period. . . . Zarowny stopped 23 shots in the third period to post his third shutout of the season. . . . This was the first time the Blazers have lost 1-0 since March 12, 2011, when Kelowna’s Adam Brown stopped 33 shots and the host Rockets won 1-0 in a shootout. . . . The Cougars took all three of the game’s minor penalties. . . . D Rinalds Rosinkis, who played for Latvia at the World Junior Championship, was back in the Cougars’ lineup. . . . Kamloops had F JC Lipon and D Marek Hrbas back in the lineup. Both played at the WJC, Lipon with Canada and Hrbas with the Czech Republic. . . . The Blazers, who have lost two in a row after having won three straight, and Cougars meet again tonight in Prince George. . . .

In Everett, the home side struck for seven goals for the first time this season and beat the Victoria Royals 7-4 in the Silvertips’ first game with GM Garry Davidson running the bench. . . . Davidson replaced Mark Ferner as head coach earlier in the week. . . . Everett has won four of six. . . . F Ryan Harrison scored twice for Everett, with both goals into an empty net. . . . F Tyler Sandhu had three assists for Everett. . . . The victory lifted Everett into seventh place in the Western Conference, a point ahead of the idle Seattle Thunderbirds.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Tyler Yaworski, Brandon
F Myles Bell, Kelowna (major)
F Mikulas Rimmel, Spokane

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
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From Swift Current D Reece Scarlett (@reecescarlett7): “Just got stuck for 45 mins. Thanks to the gentlemen that stopped and helped.. Still no thanks to you and your snowplowing swifty”
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From Paul Buker (@Pnbuker), a sports writer with The Oregonian: “Going to Winterhawks game vs. Spo, 7 p.m. Ladies night. They’re giving away a $7,000 pair of earrings. If a player’s mom wins this there . . .”
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Buker, cont’d: “. . . is a $200,000 reward for the first fan to report this egregious extra benefit to the WHL office in Calgary”

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