Doug Soetaert was fired Thursday as the Everett Silvertips' general manager.
(Photo from the Silvertips' website)

The Everett Silvertips played their first WHL season in 2003-04.
They finished atop the U.S. Division, going 35-27-8-2 (the 8 being ties) and, incredibly enough, getting all the way to the WHL’s championship final where they lost to the Medicine Hat Tigers.
The Silvertips were in their first season in the WHL; the Tigers were in their 34th. In the previous 10 seasons, the Tigers had, in order, been bounced in the first round four times, missed the playoffs five times and lost in the second round once.
I bring this up because the Silvertips fired general manager Doug Soetaert on Thursday.
Soetaert, 55, was named the Silvertips’ vice-president and GM on April 16, 2002, a position he filled until May 16, 2005, when he left to work as the GM of an AHL franchise in Omaha that was hooked up with the NHL’s Calgary Flames. He stayed there one season, then returned to Everett.
Soetaert, a former WHL goaltender, built a franchise that won three U.S. Division titles and a Western Conference championship in its formative years. The Silvertips also finished atop the WHL’s overall standings in 2006-07, when they went 54-15-3.
Two seasons ago, Everett went 46-21-5 and finished in a tie with the Tri-City Americans for top spot in the U.S. Division and the Western Conference. The Americans, however, won one more game (47-46) than did Everett, so was awarded the pennant.
The last two seasons, however, haven’t been as kind to Everett. It was 28-33-11 last season, after which head coach Craig Hartsburg left to join the Flames’ coaching staff. You may recall, too, that the season was disrupted somewhat when Hartsburg left the team to undergo a heart procedure.
This season, under head coach Mark Ferner, the Silvertips are 12-30-9 and may well miss the playoffs for the first time in the franchise’s history.
Prior to this season, Soetaert admitted that he was beginning a full-scale rebuild. This wasn’t a reload. This would be a complete rebuild.
Soetaert now won’t be around to see his plan to fruition.
“Doug's contract was expiring this year, and we've been spending months evaluating our direction," Silvertips president Gary Gelinas told Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald. "We made the decision not to renew his contract. We decided to make the decision sooner rather than later so we could find the right individual to bring in and lead the organization.”
Gelinas also told Patterson that no other changes are expected for the time being.
The Silvertips are owned by Bill Yuill, who sold the Seattle Thunderbirds in order to purchase the expansion franchise for Everett. Gelinas is the franchise’s president and governor.
Firing Soetaert at this particular point in time is a risky proposition and, on the face of it, doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense.
Soetaert has more than proven himself in this league and, one might have thought, had earned a chance to right the ship.
You also have to wonder how secure Ferner is feeling this morning. He left a situation with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers in which he could have stayed indefinitely. Under Ferner, the Vipers had made three straight trips to the RBC Cup, the national junior A championship tournament, winning two of them.
With Soetaert gone, assistant GM Zoran Rajcic and Ferner will handle those duties.
Now, with a new GM to come in sometime in the next few months, you have to wonder just how safe the coaching staff will be once this season ends.
As one WHL team official told me last night: “It’s a (crappy) game sometimes.”
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ASK THE COMMISSIONER:
Why only allow players to have until Dec. 31 of the completion of their 21-year-old season to play professional and then force them to make a decision about pro vs. school? Why not give them a full season or two . . . or five? Also, how much is currently in the WHL education fund and how much gets used?
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JUST NOTES: D Corbin Baldwin of the Spokane Chiefs has drawn a two-game suspension after taking a major and game misconduct for a check to the head in a 4-1 loss to the Blazers in Kamloops on Wednesday night. With the score tied 1-1 in the third period, Baldwin laid out Kamloops F Dylan Willick with an elbow to the head. . . . I would love to show that video to OHL commissioner David Branch and ask him what a check like that would be worth in the OHL. . . . Baldwin won’t play against the visiting Victoria Royals tonight or against the host Kootenay Ice on Saturday. . . .
Rose Mary Hartney and Greg (Spike) Wallace are the recipients of the WHL Distinguished Service Award for this season. Hartney, who has worked at Vanier Collegiate in Moose Jaw for 38 years, has been a long-time education advisor to the Warriors. Wallace has been around the WHL for a long while, first in Victoria and now Kamloops. He joined the Blazers as their trainer/equipment manager in 1984 and now is their community and sponsorship co-ordinator. . . .
The Vancouver Giants will wear special sweaters tonight for a game against the visiting Kamloops Blazers. Zip on over to the Giants’ website for a look at the sweaters that will honour Gordie Howe.
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Patrick Roy, the GM and head coach of the Quebec Remparts, has been fined again. This time he’ll pay $5,000 for comments he made concerning Gilles Courteau, the league’s commissioner. That story is right here.
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Writers from The Associated Press have spent the last two months interviewing ex-NFL players about concussions.
Here is how the story, written by Howard Fendrich, Martha Irvine, and Nancy Armour begins:
The helmet-to-helmet shot knocked Tony Dorsett out cold in the second quarter of a 1984 Cowboys-Eagles game, the hardest hit he ever took during his Hall of Fame NFL career.
“It was like a freight train hitting a Volkswagen,” Dorsett says now.
“Did they know it was a concussion?” he asks rhetorically during an interview with The Associated Press. “They thought I was half-dead.”
This is a lengthy and frightening story. It is right here.
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The Globe and Mail has decried fighting in junior hockey. In a crisp, four-paragraph editorial headlined ‘The game’s dark side,’ the newspaper notes that “there is no earthly reason to put teenagers’ brains through a meat grinder to keep purists happy.”
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Brent Peterson, a former player and coach with the Portland Winterhawks, will be inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame tonight prior to a game against the visiting Everett Silvertips. Jim Beseda of the Oregonian checked in with Peterson, who has been battling Parkinson’s disease. And the picture with the story tells it all — a smile on his face and a golf club in his left hand. That story is right here.


 

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Doug Lynch (Red Deer, Spokane, 1998-2003) was signed to a contract extension for the rest of this season by Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) at the end of his three-month contract. He has four goals and five assists in 16 games for Red Bull this season. Last season, Lynch had seven goals and 21 assists in 44 games for Red Bull.
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Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports either has too much time on his hands, or he’s a real hard-core junior hockey fan.
Bet on the latter.
F Emerson Etem of the Medicine Hat Tigers goes into the weekend with 22 goals in 16 games, which is eight more goals than any other WHL player.
“So just for fun,” Sager writes, “and to be a huge stat nerd, someone pored through 15 years of WHL game-by-game stats to look up how many other players had scored so prolifically through their first 16 games.”
We will leave it to you to figure out who that someone was.
His findings are reported right here.
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The WHL firmed up a pair of suspensions on Thursday.
F Darian Dziurzynski of the Brandon Wheat Kings will sit two games for a charging major he incurred late in their 7-3 victory over the Broncos in Swift Current on Tuesday. He will sit out Friday and Saturday games against the visiting Calgary Hitmen and Medicine Hat Tigers. (The latter game, by the way, signals Chapter 2 in the Clouston Contest, with Shaun, the head coach of the Tigers, holding 1 -0 edge over Cory, the Wheat Kings’ head coach.)
F Jordyn Boyd of the Everett Silvertips received a one-game suspension after being hit with a clipping major in a 4-3 shootout loss to the host Lethbridge Hurricanes on Wednesday.
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In the QMJHL, meanwhile, F Jonathan Lessard of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar was hit with a 15-game suspension. He initiated a knee-on-knee hit on Quebec Remparts F Nick Sorensen on Oct. 28. Sorensen, a freshman from Sweden, suffered a season-ending knee injury on the play. According to the Remparts, Sorensen has ACL and MCL damage and won’t play for up to six months.
As a sidebar to that suspension, Patrick Roy, the Remparts’ GM/head coach, was fined $2,500.
The QMJHL employs a discipline system that employs an independent disciplinarian, in this case a gentleman named Raymond Bolduc.
After the game in which Sorensen was hurt, Roy told the media that the league’s disciplinary system had one problem, that being that Bolduc was “too nice”, resulting in discipline that wasn’t nearly stiff enough.
Gilles Courteau, the QMJHL commissioner, said in a statement: "At no time will I permit that a staff member of a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League club make inappropriate comments toward League personnel, especially in regards to their capacity to accomplish a mandate which I have given them."
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JUST NOTES: The ECHL’s Alaska Aces have released G Andrew Hayes (Brandon, 2007-10). The move was made in order to make roster room for G Adam Courchaine, who played with the Aces last season but opened this season with the AHL’s Providence Bruins. The NHL’s Boston Bruins re-assigned Courchaine to the Aces on Thursday. . . . Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reports that Hayes “is expected to go to the University of Regina.” . . . The Vancouver Giants have Russian F Alex Kuvaev, 18, on their list. Kuvaev had 24 points in 58 games with the Lethbridge Hurricanes last season, but was dropped prior to the 2011 CHL import draft. The Kootenay Ice picked up his rights, but dropped him after learning that he had signed a three-year contract with the KHL’s Dynamo Moscow. Dynamo had acquired Kuvaev’s rights from HC Vityaz Chekhov. The Giants are playing with just one import — Slovakian F Marek Tvrdon, who has 20 points in 17 games after shoulder woes limited him to 12 games (and 11 points) last season . . . .
D Zach Habscheid of the Victoria Royals will be back in the lineup tonight against the visiting Vancouver Giants. Habscheid, 19, has missed 11 games since suffering the fourth concussion of his career on Oct. 6. . . . The Royals continue to be without D Tyler Stahl, 19, who has sat out 13 games since suffering a concussion on Oct. 1.
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From today’s Regina Leader-Post:
“Delisle Chiefs goalie Cam Irwin scored an empty-net goal with 44 seconds left in Wednesday's Prairie Junior Hockey League game against the visiting Saskatoon Quakers.
Irwin, who also made 20 saves, helped the Chiefs win 7-4. Paul Sonntag led the Chiefs with two goals and an assist.”
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The Connolly family quite enjoyed it when F Brett Connolly of the Tampa Bay Lightning scored his first NHL goal the other night.
Dave Kearsey of the Western Star in Corner Brook, Nfld., has that story right here.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
This comes from the aforementioned Brett Connolly, who on Thursday afternoon tweeted:
“Nothing like buying your first car. And nothing like going to the rink in flip flops. What a job.”

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

Wednesday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
Kevin Saurette (Regina, 1997-99) signed a one-year contract with Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (Germany 2.Bundesliga). He had 16 goals and 33 assists in 48 games for Eispiraten Crimmitschau (Germany Oberliga) this season. . . .
F Robin Figren (Calgary, Edmonton, 2006-08) signed a two-year contract with Linköping (Sweden Elitserien). He had 14 goals and 17 assists in 76 games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) this season. Linköping GM Johan Hemlin: "It's great that Robin chose Linköping. He is an exciting forward who will be good for us."
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JUST NOTES: F Tyler Pitlick of the Medicine Hat Tigers, who hasn’t skated in six weeks, is due to return to the ice today. He has been out with a broken ankle. . . . The QMJHL has fined Patrick Roy, the GM and head coach of the Quebec Remparts, for “inappropriate comments.” This comes after Martin Mondou, the Shawinigan Cataractes’ GM, complained about security at the rink in Quebec City after fans dumped beer and assorted other stuff on his players. Roy responded by saying that Mondou “has a brain the size of a pea.” . . .
D Alex Petrovic signed a three-year deal with the NHL’s Florida Panthers last week. Capgeek.com reports that his AHL salary will be US$67,500 per season, with NHL salaries of $760,000, $815,000 and $900,000. The signing bonus was $270,000, payable over three years. . . . Petrovic was the 36th overall pick in the 2010 NHL draft. . . . F Tyler Johnson of the Spokane Chiefs has been suspended by the WHL for the first game of the Western Conference final. That’s for a kneeing major he incurred in Game 6 of the conference semfinal against the Tri-City Americans on Tuesday. The Chiefs won that game 5-4 in OT. Johnson was ejected at 18:31 of the first period for a hit on Tri-City F Brendan Shinnimin, who returned to the bench but didn’t play again. The Chiefs open the conference final in Portland against the Winterhawks on Friday. Johnson, the WHL’s second-leading scorer in the regular season, has nine points in nine playoff games this spring. He missed the last two games of the Chiefs’ first-round 4-1 series victory over the Chilliwack Bruins with a concussion. . .
Kevin Dickie, who did a stint as head coach of the Saskatoon Blades (2000-03), is the new athletic director at Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S. He had been the hockey coach at Acadia before joining the Blades. Most recently, Dickie was the athletic director at the U of New Brunswick in Fredericton. . . . Kris Mallette (Kelowna, Moose Jaw, 1996-2000) is the new head coach of the junior B North Okanagan Knights, who play in the Kootenay International junior league out of Armstrong, B.C. Mallette, 32, was an assistant coach and replaces Sylvan Leone. Mallette is a native of Kelowna. . . . Nathan Lieuwen of the Kootenay Ice is the CHL’s goaltender of the week. He was 2-0 with a 1.00 GAA and a .965 save percentage last week.

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

F Brooks Laich of the Washington Capitals is making headlines again.
Laick (Moose Jaw, Seattle, 2000-03) has been nominated for a prestigious award — Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year.
Last spring, while on the way home after a Game 7 loss to the visiting Montreal Canadiens, Laich stopped to help when he noticed a car with a flat tire on the side of a freeway.
It turned out that the car belonged to a Capitals fan who was on the way home from the game.
In nominating Laich, Michael Farber of Sports Illustrated wrote: "Many of the men and women who have earned the award have changed their sports, their communities and sometimes even the world. This year there should be consideration for a man who changed a tire."
The winner is scheduled to be announced on Nov. 30.
Other nominees: Pitcher Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies, LPGA star Lorena Ochoa, Alabama Crimson Tide QB Greg McElory and the Butler University men’s basketball team.
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Former WHLer Jonathan Milhouse (Everett, 2005-07) made his professional debut with the ECHL’s Victoria Salmon Kings in a 3-2 victory over the visiting Idaho Steelheads on Tuesday. F Mark Derlago (Brandon, 2003-07), playing his eighth game, scored his eighth goal of the young season for Idaho in that one. That gave him a share of the league lead. . . . F David Toews (high ankle sprain) may return to the Brandon Wheat Kings’ lineup tonight as they meet the visiting Spokane Chiefs. Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reports that Toews, who hasn’t played in a month, skated Thursday on a line with Mike Ferland and Scott Glennie. . . . The Wheat Kings also will have F Jens Meilleur (broken hand), D Ryley Miller (jaw, concussion) and F Shayne Wiebe (leg) available tonight. . . . However, Brandon has had illness in its dressing room and F Hampus Gustafsson and D Eric Roy didn’t practise Thursday. . . . One of the WHL’s best rivalries resumes tonight as the Moose Jaw Warriors visit the Regina Pats. Regina will be without F Andrew Rieder (shoulder), while the Warriors are listing F Joey Kornelson (shoulder) and F Brendan Rowinski (knee) as day-to-day. Rowinski, a 30-goal man last season, had major knee surgery over the offseason and is getting awfully close to returning. . . . This also is the first meeting between Moose Jaw and Regina since the Pats hired former Warriors general manager Chad Lang as their GM. . . . Regina hasn’t played since absorbing an 11-1 beating at the hands of the visiting Spokane Chiefs on Saturday night. . . . And, yes, the teams will meet again Saturday, this time in the Crushed Can. . . . Rowinski just may return to the Moose Jaw lineup on Saturday. . . . Spokane F Levko Koper had six points, including two goals, in that Saturday victory. The last Chiefs player to enjoy a six-point game? F Ned Lukacevic had three goals and three assists in a 7-4 victory over the visiting Portland Winterhawks on Dec. 15, 2004. . . . Spokane F Anthony Bardaro, who had 11 points in 63 games last season, is enjoying a six-game point streak. He has all four of his goals and seven of his nine assists over his last six games. . . . The Saskatoon Blades have assigned D Davis Vandane, 18, to the SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers, while moving F Austin Daae, 17, to an as-yet-unnamed junior A team. . . . F Joel Ridgeway (Tri-City, Portland, 2006-10) of the Selkirk Steelers is the MJHL’s RBC player of the month. He put up 26 points, including 13 goals, in his first 18 games.
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The Saskatoon Blades introduced their Canadian tuxedo jerseys earlier this week. They certainly have been getting a lot of publicity, which can only be a good thing. And what kind of reaction has there been to the jerseys with the denim look. Cory Wolfe of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix checks that out right here.
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F Brendan Shinnimin of the Tri-City Americans is nearing the end of his 12-game suspension. You will recall that he was disciplined after a hit from behind on F Josh Nicholls of the Saskatoon Blades. Shinnimin will be eligible to return Nov. 13 when the Americans play the Chiefs in Spokane. . . . And what of Nicholls? He wasn’t seriously injured but it took him a few games to get back into the swing of things. Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star has that story right here.
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Eddie Litzenberger, who played in two Memorial Cups with the Regina Pats, died on Monday. He was 78. . . . His name is one of the magic ones and he captain the Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks in 1960-61. Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has the Litzenberger story right here.
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Patrick Roy’s Quebec Remparts are the best team in the QMJHL to this point in the season and just may be the top club in the 60-team CHL. Roy, never one to say “No comment,” is in the headlines again after being somewhat critical of former Drummondville Voltigeurs head coach Guy Boucher, who now is the head coach of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. Roy was critical of the defensive style of game coached by Boucher when he was in the QMJHL. Needless to say, there has been plenty of reaction. . . . Stephanie Myles, writing in the Montreal Gazette, noted that former NHL coach Bob Hartley, had a couple of good lines on a Montreal radio station. “I hope Patrick doesn’t light his barbecue too often because when he does, the entire province goes up in flames,” Hartley joked. . . . Hartley also noted: “And Patrick will never have an ulcer, because whatever he has in his gut, he lets it out.” . . . Myles’ complete story is right here and it’s a good read.

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