Hockey loses another friend . . . Pats sign, uhh, an assistant trainer

F David Stieler (Swift Current, 2006-08) has signed a one-year contract with Regensburg (Germany, Oberliga). Last season, with Skalica (Slovakia, Extraliga), he had 28 points, including 13 goals, in 54 games. . . .
F Dan DaSilva (Portland, 2002-05) has signed a one-year contract with the Augsburger Panther (Germany, DEL). Last season, with the Ontario Reign (ECHL), he had 26 points, seven of them goals in 14 games. In 61 games with the Worcester Sharks (AHL), he had 37 points, including 17 goals. . . .
F Matt Keith (Spokane, Red Deer, 1998-2003) has signed a two-year contract with the Braehead Clan Glasgow (Scotland, UK Elite). Last season, with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga), he had seven goals and eight assists in 53 games. . . .
F Luke Walker (Portland, 2007-10) has signed a one-year contract with the Graz 99ers (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). Last season, with Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL), he had a goal and two assists in 36 games. The general manager and head coach of Graz is Todd Bjorkstrand, the father of F Oliver Bjorkstrand of the Portland Winterhawks.
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Adam and Dale Hughesman, enjoying a father-son day.
(Photo: Tri-City Americans)

 Hockey lost another friend when Dale Hughesman died Thursday night after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Hughesman, who was 51, was the father of former Tri-City Americans F Adam Hughesman. Among so many other things, Dale also was heavily involved with the MJHL’s Selkirk Steelers, and had served as the franchise’s governor in recent years.
Funeral arrangements are pending.

Words can't describe how much I will miss my dad. Have a new guardian angel watching over our family! I love you so much and will continue
— Adam Hughesman (@Hughdog17) August 1, 2014

To make you proud in the way I carry myself and act in the future!You battled so hard and it's your time to rest Dad.See you again @hughey17
— Adam Hughesman (@Hughdog17) August 1, 2014

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John Fisher is the corporate secretary with the Portland Winterhawks’ Booster Club. I would suggest he also is the de facto director of communications because no one does more to keep the club’s members informed than he does.
On Friday, after I had written here about mental health awareness as an issue, he responded with this:
This is a subject very near and dear to me for almost 30 years in helping those teenagers who "manifest" mental health issues usually around 15 years of age ... As I have specialized in teenagers with Bipolar and/or Schizophrenia as well as all the related issues of these illnesses ...
Thank you Gregg Drinnan for posting and bringing to the forefront this most important issue as well as other "health matters" for children and teens in our favorite sport, including "concussion injuries."
I, too, have always taken the stance that "the stronger person” is the one who seeks out medical intervention and counseling ... Even if someone else "intervenes" on your behalf."
The stigma of Mental Health should never be a sign of any sort of weakness! In fact, most of "my kids" have "tested academically in the 90th percentile in most all subjects." They just have issues and frustrations applying their "God Given Smarts" in meaningful ways ...
So, being extremely "smart" does not make you immune to illnesses, including Mental Health issues ...
I say to those afflicted, BE STRONG AND SEEK OUT help and do not let any preconception of weakness stop you ... You are stronger than the illness by having a "support team!"
... And YOU MATTER ... YES YOU MATTER to so many ... Tomorrow will be a better day!
Mental Health assistance and crisis lines are available 24 Hours a Day Seven Days a Week (24/7) all across North America. A call to ANY Emergency Room can help you with immediate assistance and crisis line telephone numbers.
... YOU ARE NOT ALONE ... People are there to Help and Not to there to judge ... Just "pick up the phone."
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Back in the day, I quite enjoyed watching Mike Toth when he appeared on TSN and later on Sportsnet. It was the dry sense of humour and the fact that he didn’t make sports more than they are -- a game.
But . . . one day Toth was there, and the next day he wasn’t. That was four years ago.
What happened?
Toth answers that question, at least partially, right here. He also writes about having “struggled with depression my entire life.”
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The Lethbridge Hurricanes and former assistant coach Brad Lukowich have settled a lawsuit that was launched by Lukowich after he had been fired by the organization on Feb. 8. . . . A source told Taking Note a few weeks ago that the claim had been settled, with Lukowich getting paid out and also getting all fees and costs and an apology.
Carmela Gentile of Global News reports that “Lukowich was seeking $108,000 plus damages at the time the court documents were filed.”
Here is the complete news release that was issued Friday morning by the Hurricanes:
The Lethbridge Hurricanes Hockey Club and Mr. Brad Lukowich have settled Mr. Lukowich’s claim arising from his departure from the Lethbridge Hurricanes Hockey Club in February, to their mutual satisfaction.
Lukowich stated: “I appreciate the Hurricanes willingness to resolve these matters constructively. My wife Cara, our daughters and I have grown very fond of the city of Lethbridge and all it has to offer. My goal is still to teach and coach at the highest level possible the game that gave me so much so that I can give back. I look forward to the next opportunity to pursue that goal.”
Brad Robson, General Manager, stated: “Although we initially announced Brad was terminated for cause, it has subsequently been determined by the Lethbridge Hurricanes Hockey Club that his departure was not for cause. The Club extends their sincere appreciation for his services and wish him success. Brad's strength is his focus on player development. I expect to see him involved in hockey operations next season."
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Taking Note also has been told that Doug Soetaert and the Everett Silvertips have settled a breach of contract lawsuit that he filed March 14, 2012. . . . Soetaert, who was fired as Everett’s general manager on Feb. 2, 2012, and the Silvertips actually made it into the courtroom for a three-day trial last month. Apparently, the two parties got together and resolved things before Judge Bruce I. Weiss issued a decision.
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The NHL’s Ottawa Senators have promoted former WHL player/coach Bob Lowes to chief amateur scout. . . . Lowes joined the Senators as a part-time amateur scout in 2006. He has been a full-time scout since 2008. . . . According to a news release, “As chief amateur scout, he will provide direction to the entire amateur scouting staff as the group prepares for each year’s NHL draft.” . . . Lowes spent nine seasons as a head coach with the Brandon Wheat Kings and three with the Regina Pats. . . . The Senators also announced that they have hired Don Boyd, another former WHL coach (Regina, 1982-83), as a full-time amateur scout. He had been working for the Senators as a scouting consultant.
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The Regina Pats are rumoured to be close to signing a head coach; of course, they also are rumoured to be close to adding Lorne Molleken to their front office, too.
One thing they do have is an assistant trainer. The Vernon Morning News reported Friday morning that Gord Cochran, who has been with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers since 2009, has signed on with the Pats. A native of Williams Lake, B.C., he had been the Vipers’ trainer/equipment manager.
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Jim Hiller, a former WHL head coach with the Chilliwack Bruins and Tri-City Americans, signed on earlier this week as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. On Thursday, Hiller appeared on The Locker Room Show (610 KONA). That clip is right here, starting at about the 9:30 mark. (Stick tap to Locker Room co-host Craig West for the link.)
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Dave McLellan is the new GM/head coach of the junior B Nelson Leafs, who play in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. He replaces Matt Hughes, who signed on in May but left last weekend to coach at the Pursuit of Excellence in Kelowna. The Nelson Daily has more right here.
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So the Hurricanes acknowledge that they did not have cause to fire Brad Lukowich. I imagine he'll now be paid his contract as he should?
— Alan Caldwell (@smallatlarge) August 1, 2014

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Pray for Keaton

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Matt Keith (Spokane, Red Deer, 1998-2003) signed a one-year contract with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had no points in four games with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga) and seven goals and 21 assists in 37 games with Dornbirn (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) last season. . . .



D Ivan Baranka (Everett, 2003-05) signed a one-year contract with Avangard Omsk (Russia, KHL). He had two goals and six assists in 43 games with Salavat Yulaev Ufa (Russia, KHL) last season.
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Here’s some news you were waiting for: I was in Costco in Kamloops on Friday. Some Christmas wrapping paper is available, as are a couple of Christmas trees. . . . Sorry, shoppers, but no Christmas carols yet.
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Bob Robson, who had a lot to do with the Prince Albert Raiders and their history in that Saskatchewan community, died a week ago. There’s more right here from the Prince Albert Daily Herald.
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The National Post has discovered Liam Stewart of the Spokane Chiefs. Actually, Sean Fitz-Gerald, one of the NP’s writers, has discovered that Stewart’s parents are model/actress Rachel Hunter and singer Rod Stewart. . . . Liam, of course, is a forward with the Spokane Chiefs who has been named to Great Britain’s preliminary roster for the IIHF’s Division 1B world championship tournament in December. . . . “It’s amazing how one guy can get us so much exposure,” a laughing Pete Russell, Great Britain’s head coach, told FitzGerald. . . . That story is right here. . . . While the package includes a still photo of Hunter, along with a music video in which she starred (Fountains of Wayne and the, uhh, catchy Stacy’s Mom), and there is a video of Liam’s Chiefs highlights, sorry, Rod, but there isn’t a photo or video that includes you.
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Here’s a nugget from Greg Douglas’s Saturday column in the Vancouver Sun:
“There had been speculation that (Dan) Russell might surface as play-by-play announcer for the Vancouver Giants but that was snuffed out when the Giants let it be known that Blake Price and Brendan Bachelor of Team 1040 would be sharing the team’s broadcasts this year. Bachelor, who did the play-by-play with the Surrey Eagles last season, will work the majority of the Giants’ road games. It appears 1040s Jeff Paterson is the odd man out of the hockey club’s broadcasting mix.”
For Douglas’s complete column, click right here. He spells out the latest changes on the Vancouver sports radio scene.
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F Brenden Walker, who captained the Saskatoon Blades last season, has signed on as a free agent with the AHL’s Portland Pirates. Walker, who is from Brandon, used up his junior eligibility last season. The Blades had acquired him from the Brandon Wheat Kings during the summer. . . . Walker had 76 points, including 33 goals, in 72 regular-season games with the Blades. In his career, he put up 228 points, 93 of them goals, in 269 games.
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From Brent Parker (@Patguy65): “That guys on the call in show sure made some well thought out intelligent comments....said nobody ever! Put the phone down people!”
Yes, Parker lives in Regina. Yes, the Saskatchewan Roughriders lost, 42-27, to the Stampeders in Calgary.
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And now to put everything in perspective, here’s a Friday tweet from Dana Dirks (@chug48), who scouts for the BCHL’s Cowichan Valley Capitals:
“Need a lot of positive thoughts and prayers from you all. We just found out my 3 year old son needs a heart transplant. #prayforkeaton.”


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Radek Meidl (Seattle, Tri-City, 2006-08) has signed a try-out contract with Sumperk (Czech Republic, 1. Liga). Meidl was on try-out with Berounsti Medvedi (Czech Republic, 1. Liga) earlier this season but it ended at the end of October. While with Berounsti Medvedi, Meidl had three goals and two assists in 15 games. . . .
D Logan Stephenson (Try-City, 2001-06) was released by Karlskrona (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had one assist in 21 games this season. . . .
F Matt Keith (Spokane, Red Deer, 1998-2003) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Dornbirn (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) after a successful try-out. He has four goals and four assists in 12 games with Dornbirn. Keith started the season with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga), with no points in four games before his release in early October.
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Paul Buker of The Oregonian has spoken with Ken Hodge, the winningest head coach in WHL history, about the goings-on between the WHL and the Portland Winterhawks, and that piece is right here. . . . It’s interesting that Hodge’s handicap has gone up in semi-retirement. Next thing you know he’ll be trying a belly putter!
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Todd Ripplinger has resigned as the Vancouver Giants’ director of player development and has joined The Sports Corporation (TSC) as its director of player personnel. . . . This is a new position with one of the most prominent agencies in the business of representing players. . . . Ripplinger, who lives in Regina, spent 14 years as the Regina Pats’ director of scouting before his contract wasn’t renewed in 2011. . . . Gerry Johannson, TSC’s president and CEO, told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post: “It’s a position we’ve been looking to fill for some time and we wanted to make sure we got the right guy. Todd was our No. 1 choice. We were able to get him out of Vancouver in a very positive and seamless way. It’s not every day you get a guy with Todd’s experience. He’s a really honest and really smart guy and a really easy guy to communicate with. He understands junior hockey and he knows the people and the game. He understands the players and knows how the system works. That’s exactly what we’re looking for.”
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FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Prince Albert, F Levi Cable scored the only goal of a six-round shootout as the Kootenay Ice beat the Raiders, 5-4. . . . The Raiders led 4-2 midway through the second period. . . . The Ice tied it on goals by F Luke Philp, his second of the game, at 13:55 of the second and F Sam Reinhart, his 11th this season, at 9:10 of the third. . . . 

In Portland, the Winterhawks scored three times on the PP and beat the Everett Silvertips, 4-2. . . . Those three PP goals gave the Winterhawks a 3-0 lead by 2:43 of the second period. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic scored his 22nd goal, while F Nic Petan got his 21st and also had an assist. . . . Portland D Seth Jones was held pointless in his final game before joining the U.S. national junior team. . . .

In Vancouver, F Cain Franson’s 11th goal, at 13:02 of the third period, broke a 1-1 tie as the Giants beat the Prince George Cougars, 2-1. . . . The teams both hit the road immediately after the game because they play tonight and Sunday in Prince George. . . . That’s about an 800-kilometre jaunt. . . . The Giants snapped a three-game skid and co-owner Michael Buble was in the house to watch. . . . Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun reports that the Giants are thinking about taking a look at F Jakob Stukel, a second-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft, right after Christmas. He plays for the major midget Valley West Hawks. . . . Pap also reports that the Giants won’t be getting a look at F Ty Ronning, their first-round pick in 2012, any time soon. “Ronning suffered a greenstick fracture in his left arm at the Giants training camp in August,” Pap writes, “returned in November to play for the South Delta Hockey Academy but bowed out of the lineup last week when he hurt the arm again. He is gone for at least six weeks.” . . .

In Lethbridge, the Hurricanes scored three times on the PP and beat the Kamloops Blazers, 4-2. . . . F Jaiden Yakubowski broke a 2-2 tie with his 20th goal of the season at 16:26 of the second. . . . Lethbridge’s last three goals came via the PP as it went 3-for-10. . . . The Blazers were 1-for-3. . . . The Blazers, who released F Charles Inglis, 20, on Wednesday night, were able to dress only 10 forwards. F Dylan Willick (ankle) and F Cole Ully (mononucleosis) should be back shortly after Christmas, while F JC Lipon is with Canada’s national junior team. . . . The two head coaches, Guy Charron of Kamloops and Lethbridge’s Rich Preston, exchanged Christmas greetings near game’s end, but I don't think they met for egg nogs later. . . . “It was a good, physical game,” Preston told Dylan Purcell of the Lethbridge Herald. “Our guys had to play disciplined and they did. They took some dumb penalties and we made them pay. It’s tough, in the third period we had a two goal lead and we had to turn the other cheek because we had to get the win.They were taking some liberties and we’re really not that kind of team. You wish you were up three or four goals in the third, then you could return the favour. But our guys showed good discipline and got the win.” . . . Charron, on Radio NL’s post-game show, said a naughty word — bullshit — on three occasions. That was in response to play-by-play man Jon Keen asking Charron what it was Preston had to say. It seems that Preston thought a late-game hit by one of the Blazers wasn’t quite, uhh, kosher. . . .

In Spokane, the Chiefs erased a four-goal deficit and beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 7-6 in a shootout. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg keyed the comeback with three straight third-period goals, his second hat trick this season. He also scored in the circus. . . . Holmberg, who also had two assists, scored at 8:09, 14:31 and 17:09. . . . F Mike Aviani forced OT with his 17th goal at 19:05 of the third. . . . Seattle F Connor Honey scored at 1:27 of the third to give the Thunderbirds a 6-2 lead. . . . D Brendan Kichton also scored for Spokane in the shootout, while F Connor Sanvido counted for Seattle. . . .

In Saskatoon, the Blades ran their winning streak to five with a 4-3 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . Saskatoon, which started so poorly, now is 18-14-1 and sixth in the Eastern Conference, just nine points out of top spot. . . . Saskatoon F Josh Nicholls scored twice, giving him 26 and the WHL goal-scoring lead. . . . Nicholls gave the Blades a 3-2 lead at 2:45 of the third, only to have F Coda Gordon pull the Broncos even at 4:46. . . . Saskatoon F Shane McColgan won it at 11:21. . . .

In Brandon, the Wheat King scored four times in the third period and beat the Moose Jaw Warriors, 4-2. . . . All six goals were scored in the game’s final 15:44. . . . F Tim McGauley scored twice for Brandon. He has missed the previous six games with an undisclosed injury. . . . Moose Jaw F Torrin White (broken hand) was back after missing 14 games. . . .

In Medicine Hat, D Damon Severson had a goal and two assists as the Kelowna Rockets beat the Tigers, 4-2. . . . Kelowna, which wraps up a stretch of four games in five nights tonight in Red Deer, has won five straight. . . . Kelowna wraps up its Alberta trek on Sunday in Calgary. . . . F Nick Merkley, the ninth overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft, will make his WHL debut with Kelowna tonight in Red Deer. Merkley is from Calgary. . . .

In Red Deer, the Rebels scored three times in the circus to beat the Victoria Royals, 3-2. . . . F Rhyse Dieno, F Matt Bellerive and F Conner Bleackley all scored for the Rebels in the shootout. They need all three of them, too, because Victoria got circus goals from F Logan Nelson and F Steven Hodges. . . . Victoria D Jack Walker scored his first goal at 15:28 of the third period to force OT. . . . Victoria F Ben Walker, Jack’s older brother, had two assists. . . .

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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Ryley Miller, Brandon
D Sam Grist, Kamloops
F Ryan Olsen, Kelowna
F Matt Bellerive, Red Deer
D Nick Walters, Everett

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
F Chance Braid, Prince Albert
D Jordan Thomson, Kamloops
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From Lethbridge F Russell Maxwell (@Russizzle7): “Just to avoid any confusion . . . The reason for my frustration at the end of the game was because I lost new teeth . . . Dentist here I come.”


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Patrik Vrana (Moose Jaw, Prince George, 2006-07) was released by mutual agreement by Sumperk (Czech Republic, 1.Liga). He had one goal in nine games with Sumperk this season. Last season, Vrana had three goals and three assists in 31 games with Piestany (Slovakia, 1.Liga) and no points in seven games with Olomouc (Czech Republic, 1.Liga). . . .
D Jordan Henry (Moose Jaw, Red Deer, 2003-07) was released at the end of his tryout contract with Södertälje (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had one goal and one assist in seven games during his tryout. . . .
F Matt Keith (Spokane, Red Deer, 1999-2003) signed a tryout contract with Dornbirn (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had no points in four games with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga) earlier this season. . . .
G Alexander Fomitchev (Calgary, Seattle, 1997-2000) was traded from Tver (Russia, Vysshaya Liga) to Ryazan (Russia, Vysshaya Liga) for G Andrei Shutov. Fomitchev had a 3.63 GAA and a .884 save percentage in eight games with Tver this season.
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The fur has started to fly in Saskatoon where the Blades, the host team for the 2013 Memorial Cup, are trying to put the brakes on an early-season skid.
The Blades, whose 2-5-0 start includes a 10-1 loss to the visiting Swift Current Broncos on Friday, have acquired F Adam Kambeitz, 20, who was the captain of the Red Deer Rebels.
In return for Kambeitz, the Blades surrendered F Christian Stockl, 17, and a third-round selection in the 2014 bantam draft.
That moves gets the Rebels down to the limit of three 20-year-olds — F Turner Elson, F Charles Inglis and D Brandon Underwood. Elson has been on the shelf with a lower-body injury, but might return tonight in Swift Current against the Broncos.
The deal also allows the Rebels to get back a third-round pick in the 2014 draft, as they had given one to the Vancouver Giants last month in exchange for F Matt Bellerive.
The Blades, meanwhile, will have to make another move this week, as they also are carrying F Brenden Walker, F Josh Nicholls and D Connor Cox as 20s.
Stockl, a Winnipegger, was a fourth-round pick by the Blades in the 2010 bantam draft. He had 69 points in 38 games with the midget AAA Winnipeg Wild last season. D Kevin Pochuk and F Jesse Miller, both of whom are on the Rebels’ roster, also were with the Wild lastd season.
Stockl played in five of the Blades’ seven games, scoring once.
As for Kambeitz, there’s not much doubt what the Blades are hoping to get from him.
“He’s a real intense kid that plays the game for keeps,” Lorne Molleken, the Blades’ GM/head coach, told Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. “That’s something we need to improve on in our forward group. I think that he’ll do a real good job for us.”
Kambeitz has four points, all assists, in nine games with the Rebels this season.
Nugent-Bowman’s complete story is right here.
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D Dalton Thrower, a healthy scratch for two games, is expected back in the Saskatoon Blades’ lineup when they play host to the Portland Winterhawks on Wednesday. Thrower was a second-round selection by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2012 NHL draft.
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For today’s good read, check out the incomparable Roy MacGregor’s latest take on the NHL lockout. It’s right here.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Vancouver Sun sports columnist Iain MacIntyre (@imacVanSun): “As long as Bettman insists on immediate rollback and Fehr says every $ of every contract must be paid, nothing else matters.”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Jesse Schultz (Tri-City, Prince Albert, Kelowna, 1999-2003) signed a one-year plus option contract with Milano Rossoblu (Italy, Serie A). He had 24 goals and 40 assists in 49 games with Rapid City Rush (CHL) last season. . . .
D Kyle Cumiskey (Kelowna, 2003-06) signed a one-year contract with MoDo Örnsköldsvik (Sweden, Elitserien). He had six goals and 23 assists in 57 games with Syracuse Crunch (AHL) last season. . . .
D Ross Lupaschuk (Lethbridge, Prince Albert, Red Deer, 1996-2001) signed a one-year contract with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had 10 goals and 17 assists in 38 games last season with the Vienna Capitals (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) before transferring to Jokerit Helsinki (Finland, SM-Liiga), where he had one goal and three assists in 15 games. . . .
Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga) announced the signing of D Dustin Kohn (Calgary, Brandon, 2003-07) and F Matt Keith (Spokane, Red Deer, 1998-2003) to one-year contracts. Kohn and Keith both played for Örebro (Sweden, Allsvenskan) last season; Kohn had five assists in 38 games, while Keith notched 11 goals and 16 assists in 52 games. . . .
F Joni Lindlöf (Kelowna, Lethbridge, 2002-04) signed a one-year plus option contract with Nyköping (Sweden, Allsvenskan). In 33 games with Kristianstad (Sweden, Allsvenskan) last season, Lindlöf had eight goals and four assists.
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Remember that story from last week that appeared in the Michigan Daily that claimed the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers had cut a $200,000 deal to land D Jacob Trouba?
Well, it seems that the Rangers have filed suit against the Daily and reporter Matt Slovin.
"It's not a threat anymore," Rangers chief operating officer and governor Steve Bienkowski told the Waterloo Region Record on Monday. "We served the newspaper and the writer there to either back it up or retract it."
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THE COACHING GAME:
Chad Kletzel is the new assistant coach with the Kootenay Ice. Kletzel signed a two-year contract with a club option for a third season. He replaces Todd Johnson, who left to take over as head coach of the U of Regina Cougars. . . . Kletzel is a former WHL player (Edmonton Ice, 1996-97; Lethbridge Hurricanes, 1997-99). Ryan McGill, the Ice’s new head coach, was on Edmonton’s coaching staff in 1996-97. . . . Kletzel, 32, later played three seasons with the U of Lethbridge Pronghorns while earning two degrees (bachelor of arts in kinesiology and a bachelor of education). . . . Last season, he was the head coach of a midget AAA team in Lethbridge. . . . The Ice also announced that assistant coach Jerry Bancks is returning for a third season. . . .
The Oklahoma City Barons, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, has re-signed head coach Todd Nelson and assistant coaches Gerry Fleming and Rocky Thompson. . . . All three are former WHL players and all are going into their third seasons with the Barons. . . .
Ross Yates has signed on as an assistant coach with the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs. Yates, 53, is a former head coach of the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. . . . In Saint John, he will work alongside GM/head coach Mike Kelly.


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Goalie puts house on market

 THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Matt Keith (Spokane, Red Deer, 1998-2003) signed a one-year contract with Örebro (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had 20 goals and 15 assists in 77 games with the Abbotsford Heat (AHL) last season. . . .
F Rob Niedermayer (Medicine Hat, 1990-95) signed a one-year contract with Lugano (Switzerland, NLA). He had five goals and 14 assists in 71 games for Buffalo Sabres (NHL) last season. . . .
F Paul Vincent (Seattle, Swift Current, 1993-95) signed a one-year contract with Eindhoven Kemphanen (Netherlands, Eredivisie). He had 18 goals and 37 assists in 35 games for the Friesland Flyers (Netherlands, Eredivisie) last season. . . .
F Petr Sachl (Tri-City, 1996-97) signed a one-year contract extension with Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had 24 goals and 32 assists in 55 games for Olimpija last
season.
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JUST NOTES: F Dylan Willick of the Kamloops Blazers will attend the Minnesota Wild’s development camp on July 11. Willick, heading into his third WHL season, wasn’t selected in the 2011 NHL draft. Willick had 44 points, including 24 goals, last season. He is represented by CS Sports Management. . . . D Alex Roach of the Calgary Hitmen has accepted a tryout offer from the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, while F Jacob Doty of the Seattle Thunderbirds will go to camp with the Florida Panthers in September. . . . Roach, 6-foot-4 and 217 pounds, had 21 points and 77 penalty minutes in his freshman season with the Hitmen. Roach, a native of Quesnel, B.C., is scheduled to attend the Kings’ development camp that opens July 10 and also is to be at the Kings’ main camp in September. . . . Doty, from Billings, Montana, had seven points and 176 penalty minutes in 70 games last season, his first in the WHL. He was second in the league with 25 fighting majors. . . . Roach and Doty are represented by Turning Point Sports Management, which also had former WHL D Brad Lukowich (Kamloops, 1992-96) sign a one-year deal with the NHL’s Dallas Stars. Lukowich, who turns 35 on Aug. 12, played 67 games with the AHL’s Texas Stars and five with Dallas last season. He has played 658 NHL games during his career.
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The Edmonton Oilers signed F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the first pick in the 2011 NHL draft, to a three-year contract on Saturday. Joanne Ireland of the Edmonton Journal has the story right here.
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If you need more convincing about the danger of concussions, or even if you don’t, here’s a great read from Eliott C. McLaughlin of CNN about former NFLer Dorsey Levens, who is making a documentary about concussions and the NFL. The name of the doc is “Bell Rung.” Give it a read right here.
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If you’re looking for a home in the Tri-City area of Washington State, former NHL G Olaf Kolzig has his home for sale. Check it out right here.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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