Another player at home with brain injury . . . To dry scrape, or not to dry scrape

G Leland Irving (Everett, 2003-08) has signed a one-year contract with Salavat Yulaev Ufa (Russia, KHL). He was invited to the Tampa Bay Lightning’s training camp on a tryout basis on Sept. 9. Last season, with Jokerit Helsinki (Finland, Liiga), he was 2.14 and .922 in 55 games. . . .
F Karel Hromas (Everett, 2004-06) has been released by Kadaň (Czech Republic, 1. Liga). Last season, he had one assist in seven games with Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had 11 points, including six goals, in 29 games on loan to Kadaň.
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CONCUSSION REPORT:

Veteran F Chase Souto, 20, no longer is with the Kamloops Blazers. Souto, who is hoping to play in his fifth season with the Blazers, has returned to his California home as he tries to recover from at least the fourth concussion of his WHL career.
Souto suffered his latest concussion on Feb. 7 and still wasn’t feeling well when he reported to the Blazers training camp in late August.
“He took part in the first two days of training camp,” Blazers head coach Don Hay told Earl Seitz of CFJC-TV in Kamloops. “He came to us and said he wasn’t feeling quite right. Our doctors looked at him and shut him down.
“We’ve given him some time to go home, get well rested, then have the possibility of coming back and joining us at a future date.”
Souto finished last season with 31 points, including 20 goals, in 47 games. He suffered a broken hand during a fight in Moose Jaw on Dec. 15 and didn’t play again until Jan. 17.
His latest concussion came in a game against the visiting Victoria Royals on Feb. 7. He tried to play again, on Feb. 28 in Calgary, but it didn’t work and his season was over.
Now there isn’t any time frame for a return.
“The doctor feels he’s not at 100 per cent right now,” Hay said,
“and wants to give him a little more time to recover.”
Souto incurred two concussions as a 16-year-old freshman, the first coming four games into the season on an open-ice hit in Chilliwack, the second occurring when he was on the receiving end of a heavy check in Cranbrook.
Then, on Sept. 10, 2011, he took an elbow to the head during an exhibition game against Kelowna and that resulted in brain injury No. 3.
Three years ago, after Souto suffered that third brain injury, I talked with him and wrote this piece right here. The interesting part is how he kept playing after the hit and intentionally got into a fight. That way, he got tossed with the automatic game misconduct and was able to buy some time as he tried to determine whether he might be able to keep the brain injury from training Colin Robinson and the coaching staff.
With Souto gone, the Blazers are down to two 20-year-olds -- G Bolton Pouliot and D Brady Gaudet.
Will Souto be back in time to fill that third spot.
“That is open right now,” Hay told Seitz, “but there’s always the possibility it might get filled.”
The Blazers also need Souto’s offence. With him on the roster, they return 106 goals from a team that had the second-poorest offence in the WHL last season.
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Sometime during the next week, the WHL will issue a news release covering rule changes for the 2014-15 regular season. Don't expect the trapezoid behind the nets to be expanded or for the area between the hash marks at faceoff circles to be widened, a la the NHL. No doubt the WHL would like to use both rules, but there isn't time to change the paint schemes in all of the arenas before the season opens on Friday. . . . I experienced the dry scrape before overtime for the first time on Friday night. I would hope the WHL dumps that idea before the regular season begins. There are times when there is a real buzz in a building as everyone prepares for OT. But the time it takes to do a dry scrape sucks the atmosphere right out of the building. At least, that was the case last night in Kamloops, where the Blazers scored at 18:53 of the third period to forge a 3-3 tie and force OT with the Prince George Cougars.
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Some impressions from that game:
Kamloops F Matt Needham needs to have a lot of games just like that one for the Blazers to have success this season. The Blazers’ captain had the winning goal, on the PP, and two assists. He set up the tying goal by winning a faceoff in the Cougars’ zone. . . . Kamloops D Patrik Maier, a Slovakian freshman, had a goal and an assist and showed some flair. He slammed his gun into its holster after rifling a shot through a screen for a third-period goal. He also showed a sharp stick and some feistiness in front of his net. . . . Blazers F Jake Kryski, 16, was the best player on the ice. The kid has a lot of game for someone that young. It’ll be interesting to see how he handles the grind of a WHL schedule. . . . The Cougars had a few veterans who played like it was the last exhibition game, which it was. At this level, coaches shouldn’t have to be yelling at players to skate hard on the way back into their zone. . . . Prince George D Dominic Thom looks like one of those players you hate to play against but love to have on your team. . . . Cougars F Jari Erricson, 20, has some rust after playing only four games last season thanks to a brain injury. . . . The Cougars scratched F Jansen Harkins, meaning he finishes the exhibition season with nine points, including four goals, in three games.
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The Medicine Hat Tigers are waiting to find out exactly what is wrong with G Jared Rathjen. Shaun Clouston, the Tigers’ GM and head coach, has told Ryan McCracken of the Medicine Hat News that Rathjen, 20, has yet to get medical clearance to play. . . . “In his medical, (Rathjen) had some abnormalities appear on some testing, and so basically until those are investigated and looked into, our doctor has said he can’t participate,” Clouston told McCracken. “So he’s been just kind of waiting. He’s going to see a specialist next week and hopefully he’ll be back to normal.” . . . For now, then, Nick Schneider will be the Tigers’ starting goaltender, with Cole Schafer from the junior B Medicine Hat Cubs backing up. That means Schneider starts tonight against the Red Deer Rebels in Stettler, with Schafter on the bench. . . . McCracken also reports that F Anthony Ast (wrist) and F Chad Labelle (knee) are hobbled.
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It’s hard to believe, but F Tim Bozon is in camp with the Montreal Canadiens. It was only in March when Bozon, then with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice, was in the intensive care unit of a Saskatoon hospital, deathly ill with Neisseria meningitis. He has come a long way since then, though, and Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette has the story right here.
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The OHL has handed out its first major suspension of the season, hitting F Noah Bushnell of the Sarnia Sting with a 10-game sentence for a headshot -- an elbow to the an opponent’s chin -- during a preseason game. . . . There’s more, including video, right here.
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It sounds like Tim Hunter, the first-year head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors, got welcomed to the WHL on Friday night. His club was outshot 42-20 en route to a 6-2 loss to the host Brandon Wheat Kings. Afterwards, Hunter told Katie Brickman of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald: “I never trust the shot clock on the road. I don’t think it was quite as bad as it was but, still, they did outshoot us and outwork us.” . . . Ah, yes, the shot clock on the road in the WHL. There isn‘t a coach in the league who hasn‘t walked the same ground as Hunter. . . .
An interesting note from Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, after the Blades’ 3-2 shootout victory over the visiting Swift Current Broncos last night: “The 1,134 fans who attended Friday’s game got a taste of what the setup will look like at the rink this season. The upper bowl will be curtained off for almost all games in an effort to create a better atmosphere and stronger demand for tickets. The lower bowl holds approximately 6,000 people.” . . . During that game, Nugent-Bowman tweeted: “Broncos D Jordan Harris dumped to the side of the SC net. He skates off the ice with his left shoulder dangling down.” . . .
F Justin Hickman of the Seattle Thunderbirds was to have joined the Winnipeg Jets team at the Young Guns tournament in Penticton, B.C., but those plans were ruined by an undisclosed injury suffered in practice this week. . . . The Toronto Maple Leafs revealed Friday that D Rinat Valiev of the Kootenay Ice won’t participate in their camp because of an undisclosed injury. . . .
F Kristian Ferletak of the Victoria Royals drew a one-game suspension for the goaltender interference major and game misconduct he incurred Thursday against the visiting Vancouver Giants. He won't play tonight in Kelowna against the Rockets. . . . Victoria D Joe Hicketts wasn’t selected in the NHL’s 2014 draft, but is with the Detroit Red Wings’ rookie team in a tournament at Traverse City, Mich. Last night, he scored in OT and also drew an assist as the Red Wings beat the St. Louis Blues, 6-5.
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Please @TheWHL, no dry scrapes before overtime.
— Daniel Nugent-Bowman (@DNBsports) September 13, 2014

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Bibeau sharp as Foreurs open with victory; Royals goaltender signs pro deal

G Patrik Polivka (Victoria, 2012-14) has signed a two-year contract with Plzen (Czech Republic, Extraliga). This season with the Royals, he was 2.56 and .915 in 43 games. . . . Polivka, who turned 20 on March 4, is eligible to return to Victoria for one more season, but would have been a two-spotter -- a 20-year-old and an import. . . .


G Leland Irving (Everett, 2003-08) has signed a one-year contract with Avangard Omsk (Russia, KHL). This season with Jokerit Helsinki (Finland, Liiga), he was 2.14 and .922 in 55 games.
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1. Dan Kinvig of the Abbotsford News reports right here that the CHL had some people conducting a survey in a local shopping centre on Wednesday. However, Jeff Hubert, the WHL’s director of communications, told Kinvig that the purpose of the survey wasn’t to test Abbotsford’s receptiveness to a WHL team. . . . I wonder how many Chilliwack residents happened to be in that particular shopping centre on Wednesday?

2. The news in The MacBeth Report that G Patrik Polivka has signed to play
professionally with his hometown team (he’s from Plzen, Czech Republic) puts G Coleman Vollrath, 19, atop the Victoria Royals’ depth chart. . . . Vollrath had a terrific season (20-8-2, 2.39, .928), really stepping up his game when Polivka missed time in early January and again in early February with a concussion. . . . Michael Herringer, an 18-year-old from Comox, B.C., who was a ninth-round draft pick in 2011, likely is in the Royals’ No. 2 slot, at least at this moment.

3. Wondering what’s in store for the Canadian Hockey League in terms of TV exposure through Rogers Communications over the next few years? Chris Zelkovich of the Eh Game over at Yahoo! Sports has some answers right here.

4. The championship game for the 2014 Memorial Cup is eight days away, but I have no idea what time the puck will drop. On what I believe is the tournament’s official website, there is one place where it has game time as noon Eastern. But I received an email today that contained the entire schedule, with starting times for every game but the final, which is listed as “TBD.” . . . So let’s go with TBD until TV decides when the game will begin.

5. When this season began, F Brendan Ranford was struggling to find playing time with the AHL’s Texas Stars. Things have since changed and Ranford, in his first pro season, is tied for the AHL playoff lead in goals. . . . Alyssa Dombrowski has more right here on Ranford, who played the previous five seasons with the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Ranford got his seventh goal last night as the visiting Stars beat the defending-champion Grand Rapids Griffins 3-2 to take a 3-2 lead in that series. Game 6 is Sunday in Texas.

6. The Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers open the third round of Stanley Cup play today and the puck drops at 10 a.m. Pacific. Thank you, Gary Bettman, and tell me again how TV doesn’t rule your world. . . . Come on! The Canadiens and Rangers in a Stanley Cup game has to be on CBC-TV on Saturday night.

7. The Drummond men now are involved in the ownership of two hockey teams, father Gary with the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes and son Jason with the Regina Pats. Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has Jason’s story right here.
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The Vancouver Giants have signed G Cody Porter, a North Vancouver native who turns 17 on Sept. 23. . . . Porter played this season with the midget AAA Vancouver-North West Giants (1.75, .942 in five games) and the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors (3.55, .875 in 16 games).
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THE COACHING GAME:
Craig Mohr is the new head coach of the junior B Fernie Ghostriders of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. Mohr is quite familiar with the KIJHL, having coached the Ghostriders in their first two seasons (2004-06) in the KIJHL and also worked with the Golden and Beaver Valley franchises. He also has worked with the midget AAA Calgary North Stars. This season, he was the assistant GM and assistant coach with the AJHL’s Calgary Canucks. . . . He also played 17 games with the Flin Flon Bombers in what was then the WCHL in 1971-72. . . . Mohr takes over in Fernie from Dale Hladun, who now is head coach of the KIJHL’s 100 Mile House Wranglers.
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The B.C. Major Midget Hockey League has revealed its list of head coaches for 2004-15. If you are interested, that list is right here.
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MEMORIAL CUP
(at London, Ont., all times Eastern)
(all games televised by Sportsnet)
Friday: Val-d’Or 1 vs. London 0 (8,863)
Saturday: Guelph vs. Edmonton, 4 p.m.
Sunday: London vs. Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Monday: Guelph vs. Val-d’Or, 7 p.m.
Tuesday: Edmonton vs. Val-d’Or, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: London vs. Guelph, 7 p.m.
Thursday: Tiebreaker, if necessary, 7 p.m.
Friday: Semifinal, 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 24: No game scheduled.
Sunday, May 25: Final, TBD.
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FRIDAY’S GAME:
The Val-d’Or Foreurs’ two stars came through in a 1-0 tournament-opening victory over the London Knights. . . . G Antoine Bibeau, whose NHL rights belong to the Toronto Maple Leafs, stopped 51 shots and F Anthony Mantha scored his 87th goal this season at 16:20 of the first period. . . . Mantha has 82 goals in 82 games for the Foreurs this season. . . . London G Anthony Stolarz, playing his first game in seven weeks after also serving an OHL suspension, stopped 27 shots. . . . The Knights were playing their first game after a 34-day layoff. They were eliminated by the eventual-champion Guelph Storm in the second round of the playoffs. . . . Bibeau stopped London F Bo Horvat on a third-period penalty shot. . . . In Saturday’s lone game, the WHL-champion Edmonton Oil Kings will meet the OHL-champion Guelph Storm.

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Seaman not expected in Brandon camp

THE MacBETH REPORT:
G Leland Irving (Everett, 2003-08) signed a one-month try-out contract with Jokerit Helsinki (Finland, SM-Liiga). He had a 3.33 GAA and a .883 save percentage in six games with the Calgary Flames (NHL) and a 3.40 GAA and a .884 save percentage in 12 games with the Abbotsford Heat (AHL) last season. . . .

F Brad Schell (Spokane, 1999-2004) signed a one-year contract with Milan Rossoblu (Italy, Serie A). He had 15 goals and 49 assists in 44 games with Lillehammer (Norway, GET-Ligaen) last season to finish fifth in league scoring and second in the league in assists. . . .

F Ales Kilnar (Vancouver, 2012-13) signed a one-year plus option contract with Orli Znojmo (Czech Republic, Austria Erste Bank Liga) after a successful tryout. He had two goals and one assist in five exhibition games during his two-week trial. Last season, Kilnar had no points in one game with the Vancouver Giants, no points in three games with Jokipojat Joensuu U20 (Finland, A-Junior SM-Liiga), four goals and seven assists in 15 games with Vitkovice Ostrava U20 (Czech Republic, Extraliga U20), and three goals and three assists in seven games on loan to Poruba (Czech Republic, 2. Liga). . . .

F Jaroslav Kristek (Tri-City, 1998-2000) signed a one-year contract extension with Neman Grodno (Belarus). He had 21 goals and 33 assists in 42 games last season to finish second in league scoring for the league champions from Grodno.
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Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reports that F Tyrel Seaman won’t be with the Brandon Wheat Kings when they open camp on Aug. 28.
Henderson writes: “Wheat Kings head coach/GM Kelly McCrimmon said . . . Seaman, who hasn’t played since Nov. 18, 2012 due to concussion issues, won’t be at training camp next week.”
Seaman, a 19-year-old from Choiceland, Sask., had eight points in 24 games last season, after putting up 19 points in 32 games as a sophomore. In 2010-11, he had eight points in 52 games.
Seaman suffered a brain injury in late November 2011, came back after the Christmas break and was re-injured in his first game back. He returned to play in the regular-season’s last four games.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors selected two Russian players — D Alexei Sleptsov and F Alexander Chirva — in the CHL’s 2013 import draft. They expect Sleptsov to arrive today, but Chirva’s arrival has been delayed. It seems a strike by Canada’s foreign service workers is causing problems with the visa process.
Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald has more right here.
Gourlie also has reported that F Jordan Wyton, 20, won’t be returning to the Warriors, choosing instead to play for the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits. That leaves the Warriors with two 20-year-olds on their roster — F Todd Fiddler and F Sam Fioretti.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have traded D Spencer Morse, 18, to the Red Deer Rebels for an undisclosed conditional selection in the 2016 WHL bantam draft. Morse, from Calgary, was a second-round selection by Moose Jaw in the 2010 bantam draft. The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder had five points in 46 games with the Warriors last sesaon. The pick starts out as a 10th-rounder and can improve from there, depending on what Morse brings to Red Deer.
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Kevin Sawyer is back with the Spokane Chiefs, this time as a part-time assistant coach working in the areas of player development and player evaluation. Sawyer, a former Chiefs captain (1994-95) and assistant coach, will work on a monthly basis. Last season, he filled a similar role while Spokane head coach Don Nachbaur was away as an assistant coach with Canada’s national junior team. Sawyer also was an assistant with the Chiefs from 2004-06. He also has worked on Chiefs’ broadcasts on SWX and WHL telecasts on Root Sports.
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Elmore Leonard died Tuesday at the age of 87. If you don’t know Leonard’s writing, it isn’t too late. . . . Right here is The New York Times obituary on Leonard.
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Steve Fainaru and John Barr of ESPN.com have written another incisive piece that involves a doctor, former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and the concussion-related lawsuit filed by more than 4,800 retired players against the NFL. That piece is right here.
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The Philadelphia Phillies fired manager Charlie Manuel earlier this week, replacing him with Ryne Sandberg (who really should be managing the Chicago Cubs, shouldn’t he?). . . . Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes right here about what it was like covering Manuel’s Phillies.
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From Corey Graham (@CoreyGraham): “Oil Kings have scheduled a presser with GM Randy Hansch and HC Derek Laxdal for (today). Just speculation, contract extension for HC?”

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F Max Reinhart of the Kootenay Ice made his AHL debut Sunday by scoring two goals as his Abbotsford Heat beat the visiting Toronto Marlies 5-4 in OT. . . . "My two wingers were making passes right on the tape, which in junior you don't always get," Reinhart told The Canadian Press. "The guys are a lot stronger (than in junior) but having said that if you find open space, your teammates are going to find you." . . . Reinhart scored off a rebound in the first period and then put home a low shot in the second period. . . . The Heat, which has won seven in a row, completed its regular season and will meet the Milwaukee Admirals in the first round of playoffs. . . . Heat G Leland Irving, a product of the Everett Silvertips, got the victory. He hadn’t played since March 30 as he missed five games while awaiting the birth of a daughter. . . . The Heat is the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames.
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G Tyler Bunz of the Medicine Hat Tigers is off to join the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons. The parent Edmonton Oilers selected Bunz with the 121st pick of the 2010 NHL draft. . . . The Oil Barons drew the Houston Aeros in the first round of the playoffs.
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One final AHL note . . . The Norfolk Admirals take a 28-game winning streak into the playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 4-2 victory over the host Adirondack Phantoms on Sunday. The Admirals finished with a 55-18-1-2 mark. . . . F Brandon Segal, a graduate of the Calgary Hitmen, had a goal and three assists for Norfolk, the AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning. . . . The Admirals, who haven’t lost since Feb. 5, will meet the Manchester Monarchs in the first round of playoffs.

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If you’re a regular around here, you are familiar with our friend Jessi,
who is a huge fan of the Tri-City Americans. Jessi was bowling with
the Americans the other day, and here she is with Adam Hughesman (left)
and Mitch Topping. Spies indicate that Jessi won the day!

 THE MacBETH REPORT: D Oleg Tverdovsky (Brandon, 1994-95) signed a contract for the rest of the season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk (Russia, KHL) after being released by Salavat Yulaev Ufa (Russia, KHL). He was pointless in 12 games with Salavat Yulaev this season. He did report to Salavat Yulaev's farm team, Toros Neftekamsk (Russia, Vysshaya Liga), after clearing KHL waivers. Tverdovsky was pointless in two games with Toros before gaining his release. . . .
To make room on their roster, Metallurg traded D Renat Mamashev (Moose Jaw, 2000-01) to Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL) for an undisclosed 2012 KHL draft pick. Mamashev had two goals and four assists in 16 games with Metallurg this season, his first with the club after spending the past two seasons with Neftekhimik. . . .
F Stefan Meyer (Medicine Hat, 2000-05) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Färjestad Karlstad (Sweden, Elitserien). He had no points in six games this season with the Abbotsford Heat (AHL). . . .
F Shayne Toporowski (Prince Albert, 1991-95) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) after a successful tryout. He has four goals and four assists in 11 games with Villach this season.
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On a night in March 2005, a motorist pulled into a gas station in Maple Ridge, B.C., put $12 in gas into his vehicle, and attempted to flee without paying.
Gas station attendant Grant DePatie tried to stop the gas and dash. He was struck by the car and dragged to his death.
In the province of B.C., you now have to abide by Grant’s Law — pay for your gas before pumping.
Over the last three days, The New York Times has carried a three-part series, written by John Branch, detailing the life and hockey career of the late Derek Boogaard.
This series is, in a word, devastating.
In Part 3, Branch reveals that Dr. Ann McKee, a renowned neuropathologist who has examined the brains of numerous athletes, examined Boogaard’s brain and discovered chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Boogaard’s family was informed during an October conference call.
Boogaard, who died at 28, was in a more advanced state of CTE than was Bob Probert, who died at 45.
“To see this amount? That’s a ‘wow’ moment,” McKee said as she pointed to magnified images of Boogaard’s brain tissue. “This is all going bad.”
She is right. This is all going bad.
The NHL, however, doesn’t see things that way.
Branch writes:
The NHL is not convinced that there is a link between hockey and CTE.
“There isn’t a lot of data, and the experts who we talked to, who consult with us, think that it’s way premature to be drawing any conclusions at this point,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. “Because we’re not sure that any, based on the data we have available, is valid.”
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Junior hockey operators need to take a long, hard look at what’s going on here. The evidence is starting to mount that CTE is caused by repeated blows to the head. There also is evidence that once it’s there, it’s there — it only grows.
The brain of a young hockey player gets jostled around enough just playing the game. Who knows what damage is done by repeated punches to the head in a fight? Who knows what damage is done if a player is involved in a dozen or more fights in a season?
Perhaps it’s time for a league like the WHL to take the bull by the horns and ban fighting. Get it out of the game. Write a rule that bans it.
Call it Derek’s Rule.
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Part 3 of the NYT series is right here. It is devastating. Give it a look and take advantage of the various sidebars and videos available.
And, when you’re done, convince yourself again that adults should be sending teenagers out to fight on ice.
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Late Monday night, more than 600 comments had been posted at the end of Part 3 of the NYT series.
Here’s one of them:
“Congrats to the Times for this excellent series. This is a sport that is in denial, much like the cigarette industry was for so long about the hazards of smoking. Clearly a league that does not care about its players. This is little better than the gladiators of old.
“This is a problem that cannot be ignored; players are getting bigger, faster and more powerful and I guess more players will have to end up in a stupor or die before anything is done about it.”
And then there was this one:
“Let me get this straight: adults purposely place a 16 year old kid in an adult environment (Junior A level for-profit hockey) and coerce him (you fight or you are cut from the team) to be violent and expose him to trauma and this is not called child abuse?
“What we now know about children exposed to chronic emotional and physical trauma is that they typically develop a biologically based hyper-vigilant fight/flight system and maladaptive coping mechanisms such as emotional numbing through alcohol and drug use.
“The old men who run hockey need to wake up to the realities of brain science and stop grooming adolescent boys as hockey gladiators.
“I played hockey in the Canadian juniors back in the 70's and was keenly aware that it was always the frustrated and angry adults most interested in living out their rage, blood lust, and impotence through the violence of the kids on the ice.
“Sadly, too many of these adults are still running the game today. Yea Don Cherry, I'm talking about you. When was the last time you dropped the gloves and were able to put 'em up?”
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Meanwhile . . .
If you click right here, it will take you to a three-minute video clip of the Winterhawks’ Wedding from Fox 12 Oregon. There is entertaining stuff here, including video of the bride waiting and her reaction when the Teddy Bear goal is scored.
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THE COACHING GAME: Stan Drulia has resigned as head coach of the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers and move up to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals as an assistant under new head coach Ian Herbers. All of that came about because Kirk Muller, the Admirals’ head coach, moved up to the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes as their head coach last week. Clark Donatelli, an assistant coach with Drulia, was named the Nailers’ interim head coach.
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JUST NOTES: The NHL’s Calgary Flames have recalled G Leland Irving (Everett, 2004-08) after putting Henrik Karlsson (knee) on the injured list. Karlsson was injured Saturday in a 5-1 loss to the Canucks in Vancouver. Irving, a first-round selection by the Flames in the NHL’s 2006 draft, has yet to play in the NHL. He has been with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat. Dan Kinvig of the Abbotsford News reports that Irving, who played Sunday afternoon in a 3-1 victory over the host Chicago Wolves, and some teammates were watching the NHL game in a Chicago restaurant when Karlsson went down. “Ten minutes later," Kinvig reported, “Irving's cell phone rang. It was Heat head coach Troy Ward, informing him he was being recalled by the Flames.” . . . On Monday, Irving, 23, told Kinvig: "It was pretty exciting, and the guys were excited for me. It was very cool to share it with your teammates – the guys that helped you get there. It just means that much more when I've had to wait a while and work hard to even get a chance (in the NHL)." . . . This season, with the Heat, Irving is 15-7-0, 2.30, .914. . . .
The Prince Albert Raiders have added F Joey Santucci, 17, to their roster through Dec. 16. Santucci has 18 points and 48 penalty minutes in 21 games with the junior B Grandview Steelers of the Pacific International junior league. . . . The Spokane Chiefs have assigned D Cole Hamblin, 18, to the MJHL’s Selkirk Steelrs. he had one assist in seven games this season with the Chiefs. The Chiefs are left with a 23-man roster, including two goaltendes and eight defencemen. . . .
F Emerson Etem of the Medicine Hat Tigers is the lone WHL player on the preliminary roster for the U.S. national junor team. The roster was announced Monday. . . . The roster is 29 players deep and will be cut to 22 after a camp that is to open in Camrose Alta., on Dec. 17. . . .
The Calgary Flames have signed F Michael Ferland of the Brandon Wheat Kings to a three-year NHL contract. He was a fifth-round selection in the 2010 NHL draft. Ferland, 19, has 42 points, including 17 goals, in 29 games this season. He is to report to the Canadian junior team’s selection camp in Calgaryon Saturday. . . .
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City council in Gatineau, Que., has voted to build a 4,000-seat multi-purpose facility that will replace Robert Guertin Arena, the home of the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques. It looks like the cost will be between $50 million and $53 million.
Darren Desaulniers of the Ottawa Citizen has more right here.
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In St. Catharines, Ont., city council has voted to build a multi-purpose facility with 4,500 to 5,300 seats for a maximum of $50 million. Bill and Denise Burke, who own the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs, say they will sign a 20-year lease.
Marlene Bergsma of the St. Catharines Standard has more right here.
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In Medicine Hat, city council . . . ahh, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.
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The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel presents a day in the life of D Victor Bartley (Kamloops, Regina, 2004-09) right here.
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Friday's stuff . . .

Alan Millar, the director of hockey operations with the Moose Jaw Warriors, and Dave Hunchak, the team’s ex-head coach, have taken issue with something that appeared here on Friday.
That bit, which dealt with the Warriors’ decision not to renew Hunchak’s contract despite the club’s having won 40 games this season, included this bit:
“It also seems that Millar and Hunchak, 37, perhaps didn’t see eye-to-eye. That became obvious late in February when the two engaged in a morning yelling match deep in the bowels of the Crushed Can that was overheard by a handful of folks.”
A source had told me that the incident to which I referred occurred on Feb. 20, one day after the Warriors had dropped 3-2 decision tot he visiting Prince Albert Raiders.
“The information about Dave Hunchak and I having a screaming match . . . is completely false,” Millar told me Friday afternoon. “It never happened. . . . it’s completely not true. Never happened. . . . All my dealings with Dave, including my meeting (Thursday) morning with him, were always professional.”
As for my source, who indicated that at least two others had heard the dispute, Millar said: “they have their information wrong. They’re full of (bleep).
“I’m just telling you that it never happened. . . . I don’t really care about the date because I can honestly tell you it did not happen.”
Hunchak also said “that stuff never happened.”
Asked who it might have been, Hunchak said: “I have no idea. It wasn’t us. I guarantee it wasn’t us.
“We have never had an altercation like that. We never got into it . . . ever.”
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During our conversation, Millar also provided some information on the club’s two assistant coaches — Trevor Weisgerber and Mike Vandenberghe.
Millar said Weisgerber “had not been told he’s not coming back.”
The club holds an option on Weisgerber until July 15, while Vandenberghe’s contract expires on April 17.
Millar said both coaches “have been told there’s a process that we’re going to go through. They will get a strong recommendation from me to be part of the organization. I want to give the new head coach some flexibility in the hire. I’ve also told both of those guys that we understand other opportunities may come their way and we may lose them.”
Millar also said Vandenberghe “has some other things on the go to. I also think we’ll probably interview Mike for the head coaching job.”
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The hockey community in Spokane is mourning the death of Novelli (Nels) Venerus, who played for two Allan Cup winners in that city.
Steve Bergum of the Spokane Spokesman-Review has more right here.
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In the final game of the WHL’s regular season, Brandon Wheat Kings F Shayne Wiebe put a hit on Moose Jaw F Quinton Howden and found himself in a bout with Warriors D Dylan McIlrath.
McIlrath, a first-round pick by the New York Rangers in the NHL’s 2010 draft, has a three-year NHL contract in his pocket and is finishing the season with the AHL’s Connecticut Whale.
Wiebe signed an ATO (amateur tryout) deal with the Whale earlier this week.
So . . . guess who is rooming together with the Whale?
You got it.
“It’s kinda  funny,” Wiebe told Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun. “But he’s a really good guy.”
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Portland Winterhawks F Brad Ross has been handed one of those ‘tbd’ suspensions after he was hit with a charging major for a first-period check on F Zach Franko of the visiting Kelowna Rockets in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal on Thursday night.
Franko left the game and didn’t return. He is believed to have a concussion and is doubtful for Game 2 on Sunday. You can look for Ross to at least sit out Sunday’s game as well, and perhaps one more after that.
“He’s a hard-hitting guy,” Portland GM/head coach Mike Johnston told Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune after Game 1. “Those type of players, that’s their job — to deliver hits and play physical. He never intended to catch (Franko) like that. He was coming in from the side and caught the guy leaning into his shot. At the NHL level, all those hits are under scrutiny nowadays.
“Brad is a key player for us. He played so well for us in the first series. You don’t want him to take a penalty like that, you don’t want a hit like that, but there’s a fine line. If the guy were turned one more step to the left, (Ross) would have been fine on that hit.”
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F Jonathan Parker of the Prince Albert Raiders has joined the ECHL’s Bakersfield Condors for the remainder of the season. Parker, 19, is from Solana Beach, Calif. He had 86 points, including 45 goals, in 71 games with the Raiders this season. . . . F Tyler Johnson, the WHL’s second-leading scorer in the regular season, is expected to play tonight as his Spokane Chiefs open their series against the visiting Tri-City Americans. Johnson (concussion) missed the last two games of the Chiefs’ five-game victory over the Chilliwack Bruins. . . . F Ryan Stone (Brandon, 2001-05) set a franchise single-game record with five points Friday night to lead the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat to a 6-0 victory over the host Grand Rapids Griffins. Stone had two goals and three assists. G Leland Irving (Everett, 2003-08) stopped 27 shots for his 30th victory and eighth shutout of the season.
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ON THE ICE:
Yikes! What’s going on here? The visiting teams are 3-0 in the second round of the playoffs, and have outscored the home teams 18-3. . . .
In Saskatoon, G Nathan Lieuwen stopped 35 shots as the Kootenay Ice dropped the Blades 4-1 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. . . . Game 2 is in Saskatoon tonight. . . . The Blades had beaten the Ice four times as many meetings in the regular season. . . . F Matt Fraser scored twice for the Ice, the second into an empty net. He has seven goals in seven postseason games. . . . Ice F Kevin King scored his first goal of these playoffs, at 11:57 of the second period, to break a 1-1 tie. . . . The Ice was 2-for-5 on the PP; the Blades were 0-for-3. . . . Saskatoon G Steven Stanford stopped 29 shots. . . . Each member of the Blades’ big line — Curtis Hamilton, Brayden Schenn and Jake Trask — was minus-2. . . . Kootenay had F Sam Reinhart, the 15th pick in the 2010 bantam draft, in the lineup. . . . Attendance was 7,612. . . . The Ice had D Luke Paulsen (shoulder) back in the lineup after a six-week absence, but F Drew Czerwonka (upper body) was scratched. . . . Saskatoon remains without F Ryan Olsen (upper body). . . .
In Red Deer, F Linden Vey, the reigning WHL scoring champ, had two goals and two assists as the Medicine Hat Tigers skated to a 9-1 victory over the Rebels. . . . Game 2 in the Eastern Conference semifinal is scheduled for Red Deer tonight. . . . The Tigers, who finished 6-for-11 on the PP, scored three goals in the first half of the first period and never looked back. . . . D Matthew Konan had four assists for the visitors, while F Wacey Hamilton had a goal and three assists, D Jace Coyle was two and one, and F Emerseon Etem was one and two. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz made a triumphant return with 36 saves. He missed his club’s last five games with a concussion. . . . Vey now has a WHL-leading 16 playoff points, two more than Kelowna Rockets F Shane McColgan. . . . Attendance was 5,926.
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FRIDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Two minors:
Saskatoon F Curtis Hamilton.
Red Deer F Brett Ferguson.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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