Showing posts with label Petr Kalus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Petr Kalus. Show all posts

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Ice mourns death of Memorial Cup winner . . . Ferner to the rescue . . . Americans win fourth in row

F Petr Kalus (Regina, 2005-06) has been released by the Nottingham Panthers (England, UK Elite). He had one assist in four games. Earlier in the season, he was pointless in three games with Orli Znojmo (Czech Republic, Erste Bank Liga). . . .
F Adam Courchaine (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, 2001-05) has been released by Székesfehérvár (Hungary, Erste Bank Liga) by mutual agreement. He had five goals and five assists in 16 games.
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Like a number of other hockey people, Jeff Chynoweth, the president and general manager of the Kootenay Ice, spent Sunday reflecting on the life of Marek Svatos.
Marek Svatos, here with the Colorado Avalanche, died
on the weekend at the age of 34. (Photo: nhl.com)
Svatos, who played for the Memorial Cup-champion Ice in 2001-02, was found dead on Saturday. Svatos died in Lone Tree, Colo., near Denver. He was 34.
According to the Denver Post:
“Lone Tree police responded to Svatos’ home on Bluffmont Street after a family member called shortly after midnight for medical aid, Sgt. Ryan Gallegos said Sunday. He didn’t divulge details of the call.
“A cause of death had not been confirmed as of Sunday afternoon.”
From Kosice, Slovakia, Svatos, who was selected by the Ice in the CHL’s 2000 import draft, played two seasons (2000-02) with the Ice, totalling 118 points, including 61 goals, in 92 games. In his second season, he put up 77 points, 38 of them goals, in 53 games.
He played 32 playoff games with Kootenay, scoring 19 goals and adding eight assists. In four Memorial Cup games, he had a goal and four assists.
“The news of his passing has hit the Ice family hard,” Chynoweth told Taking Note on Sunday morning, adding that he already had heard from a few former teammates. “It’s so sad. He gone way too young.”
Asked about his memories of Svatos, Chynoweth replied: “He always had a smile on his face.”
Svatos came over to Cranbrook after being drafted, but wasn’t able to play immediately for the Ice as his club team in Slovakia, HC Kosice, wouldn’t release him.
“We had to get a court injunction to get him released from his contract back home,” Chynoweth said. “But he made an immediate impact for us when he was cleared to play. He loved to score goals and went to the hard areas of the ice to do that. He was a great talent and teammate.”
En route to the Memorial Cup title, the Ice ran up against the Prince George Cougars in the first round. The Ice, then in the B.C. Division, had finished 38-27-0, two points behind the division-champion Kamloops Blazers and four ahead of the Cougars (34-27-2).
“Marek’s battles with (Prince George defenceman) Dan Hamhuis . . . stick out as another defining moment as they went tooth-and-nail against each other all series,” Chynoweth said. “Marek was tough as nails and played through shoulder and ankle injuries through our run to the Memorial Cup.”
Svatos went on to play 344 NHL games, all but 28 of them with the Colorado Avalanche, and put up 172 points, including 100 goals. His career was short-circuited by shoulder and knee injuries.
Svatos is survived by his wife, Diana, and two children.

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Imagine the surprise on Mark Ferner’s face when the general manager and head coach of the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers discovered a stranger in the team’s dressing room prior to a game in Duncan, B.C., on Friday night.
“I asked who he was and what he was doing there,” Ferner told the Vernon Morning Star.
What happened next?
“He ran and I chased him,” Ferner said.
Ferner’s players were out and about on a pre-game run prior to playing the Cowichan Valley Capitals.
“They jumped on him and got their cash and jewellery back,” Ferner said. “He was 16 and the police know him.”
Later, the Vipers watched a 2-0 lead disappear as they lost, 5-2, to the Capitals.
The Morning Star’s story is right here.
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SUNDAY’S GAME:


At Portland, G Rylan Parenteau blocked 44 shots in leading the Tri-City Americans to a 3-2 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . Tri-City overcame a 2-0 first-period deficit. . . . F Jake Gricius (2) and F Ryan Hughes (6) scored for Portland. . . . Tri-City F Kyle Olson started the comeback with his sixth goal at 8:45 of the second period. . . . The Americans tied it at 5:25 of the third period when F Michael Rasmussen counted his WHL-leading 16th goal on a PP. . . . The game-winner came from F Parker AuCoin, his seventh goal this season, at 11:14 of the third period. . . . Parenteau is 6-2-1, 3.57, .900 since the Americans acquired him from the Prince Albrert Raiders. This was his 50th regular-season victory. . . . G Cole Kehler turned aside 28 shots for Portland. . . . Tri-City was 1-3 on the PP; Portland was 0-4. . . . The Americans (12-6-1) have won four in a row. . . . The Winterhawks (8-11-0) have lost eight straight. . . . Announced attendance: 5,856.
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LEADERS

POINTS: F Sam Steel, Regina, F Mason Shaw, Medicine Hat, each 28; F Kailer Yamamoto, Spokane, 26; F Chad Butcher, Medicine Hat, 25; F Cody Glass, Portland, each 25.
GOALS: F Michael Rasmussen, Tri-City, 16; Steel, F Tyler Steenbergen, Swift Current, each 14; Yamamoto, F Zak Zborosky, Kootenay, each 13.
ASSISTS: Shaw, 23; F Brayden Burke, Lethbridge, Butcher, Glass, each 18; D Chase Harrison, Regina, F Steve Owre, Medicine Hat, F Aleksi Heponiemi, Swift Current, each 16.
VICTORIES: Nick Schneider, Medicine Hat, 11; Ty Edmonds, Prince George, Griffen Outhouse, Victoria, each 10; Carter Hart, Everett, Michael Herringer, Kelowna, each 9.
GAA: Hart, 1.89; Connor Ingram, Kamloops, 2.01; Ty Edmonds, Prince George, 2.29; Logan Flodell, Saskatoon, 2.34; Cody Porter, Calgary, 2.46.
SAVE %: Ingram, .937; Flodell, .932; Hart, .926; Edmonds, .921; Outhouse, Porter, Ian Scott, Prince Albert, each .920.
——

MONDAY’S GAMES (all times local):


No Games Scheduled.

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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 9:29 PM
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Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Report: Pats to get WHL support . . . Import* goalie cut by Everett . . . Minulin leads Broncos to win

F Petr Kalus (Regina, 2005-06) has ended a tryout agreement with Zvolen (Slovakia, Extraliga) in order to sign a one-year contract with the Nottingham Panthers (England, UK Elite). Kalus played for Nottingham in 2013-14.
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Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post is reporting that the Regina Pats are expected to get complete support from the WHL and its teams in their bid to serve as the host team for the 2018 Memorial Cup tournament.
That will be the 100th anniversary of the Memorial Cup; it also will be the 100th anniversary of the Pats.
The WHL’s board of governors is meeting in Calgary and Anthony Marquardt, the Pats governor and co-owner, is scheduled to ask for support today (Wednesday).
“Multiple league sources have told the Leader-Post that the Pats are a shoo-in to receive a full endorsement from the WHL,” Harder writes. “Once the formalities are complete, the nominee will be presented to the CHL for final approval.”
The CHL has said it will announce in November the successful applicants from each of the three major junior leagues.
Harder’s complete story is right here.
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One of the more interesting stories in the WHL may have come to an end on Tuesday when the Everett Silvertips dropped G Lasse Petersen from their roster.
LASSE PETERSEN
Petersen, 19, is expected to join the MJHL’s Swan Valley Stampeders.
Petersen is from Denmark; in fact, he has played for Denmark’s U-16, U-18 and U-20 teams. He also is a goaltender, and you will be aware that the CHL moved to ban import goaltenders more than three years ago.
Petersen’s father, Erik, is a Canadian, who played and coached in Denmark. Thus, Lasse has dual citizenship and isn’t considered an import by the CHL. Mark him as an import with an asterisk.
Petersen was 3-2-0, 3.13, .879 in seven games with the Calgary Hitmen last season, before moving on to the Spokane Chiefs with whom he was 
9-5-1, 2.95, .894 in 18 appearances. He also was 2-4, 3.25, .883 with the Chiefs in the playoffs.
This season, with Everett, he was 1-0-0, 1.00, .923 before being released on Tuesday.
The decision to drop Petersen means the Silvertips have decided to go with the same goaltending tandem that they used last season — Carter Hart, 18, who signed a three-year deal with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, and Mario Petit, 19.
Everett’s roster is down to 25, including two goaltenders and eight defencemen.
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The Lethbridge Hurricanes got F Giorgio Estephan back from the camp of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres on Monday.
Meanwhile, F Keegan Kolesar returned to the Seattle Thunderbirds after being with the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, Kolesar had surgery for a supraumbilical hernia and will be out for perhaps another five weeks.
By my count, and it’s strictly unofficial, the following WHL players remain in NHL camps, not including 20-year-olds:
Brandon Wheat Kings — D Ivan Provorov, Philadelphia Flyers.
Calgary Hitmen — D Jake Bean, Carolina Hurricanes.
Prince Albert Raiders — D Brendan Guhle, Buffalo Sabres.
Seattle Thunderbirds — F Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders.
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JUST NOTES:

F Eetu Tuulola of the Everett Silvertips was at practice on Tuesday but wasn’t on the ice. One of his arms was in a sling. He’s week-to-week. . . . 
F Tyler Popowich and F Owen Hardy, both of whom have been out with undisclosed injuries, practised with the Vancouver Giants on Tuesday. They should be available tonight against the visiting Victoria Royals. . . . The Giants also may have F Tyler Benson back in their lineup. He hasn’t played since a Sept. 11 exhibition game when he sat out the last eight minutes of the third period. He was in camp with the Edmonton Oilers — they took him in the second round of the NHL’s 2016 draft — but he didn’t see any game action.
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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:

At Cranbrook, B.C., the Moose Jaw Warriors scored the game’s last two goals and beat the Kootenay Ice, 3-2. . . . F Dylan Stewart gave the Ice a 1-0 lead at 14:53 of the first period. . . . D Jett Woo pulled the Warriors even at 7:49 of the second. . . . F Keenan Taphorn gave the Ice a 2-1 lead just 1:32 later. His twin brother, Kaeden, drew the primary assist. . . . Moose Jaw F Brett Howden tied the game at 4:31 of the third and F Nikita Popugaev got the winner at 14:49. . . . Popugaev also had an assist. . . . G Brody Willms stopped 32 shots for Moose Jaw (3-0-1). Kootenay (0-3-2) got 32 saves from Jakob Walter. . . . The Warriors were 0-1 on the PP; the Ice was 0-2. . . . Warriors F Dakota Odgers played in his 200th regular-season WHL game. . . . Announced attendance: 1,538. That is the smallest announced crowd in Cranbrook since the Ice moved into what now is known as Western Financial Place in time for the 2000-01 season.
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At Swift Current, D Artyom Minulin had a goal and three assists to help the Broncos to a 7-3 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Broncos held a 3-2 lead late in the second period when they struck four times in 3:24. . . . F Glenn Gawdin, who also had an assist, scored two of those goals, at 16:25 and 19:59. F Tyler Steenbergen and F Aleksi Heponiemi also scored in that burst. . . . The Broncos also got a a goal and two assists from F Lane Pederson. . . . F Cody Glass had two assists for the Winterhawks. . . . The Broncos (4-2-0) got 25 saves from G Travis Child. . . . Portland starter Michael Bullion gave up seven goals and 28 shots through two periods. Cole Kehler came on in relief and stopped 14 shots in the third. . . . The Broncos were 1-5 on the PP; the Winterhawks (3-2-0) were 1-4. . . . Both teams were without their head coaches as Mike Johnston of the Winterhawks and Manny Viveiros of the Broncos attended meetings in Calgary. . . . Associate coaches Kyle Gustafson (Portland) and Ryan Smith (Swift Current) ran the benches. . . . The Winterhawks scratched Latvian F Rodrigo Abols, 20, for a second straight game. . . . Portland had only one 20-year-old dressed (F Keegan Iverson). It had both of its freshman imports in action — F Joachim Blichfeld scored once, while F Henri Jokiharju had an assist. . . . Announced attendance: 1,697.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Tri-City at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Kelowna at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
Portland at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Kamloops at Red Deer, 7 p.m.

Victoria vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7 p.m.

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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 9:51 PM
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Monday, October 3, 2016

Three WHLers get NHL deals . . . Iconic BCHL franchise sold . . . Lots of WHL roster moves

F Carson McMillan (Calgary, 2005-09) has signed a one-year contract with Esbjerg (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). Last season, he was the captain of the Idaho Steelheads (ECHL). He had 19 goals and 15 assists in 70 games. . . . 
F Jonas Johansson (Kamloops, 2002-04) has signed a one-year contract with Gherdëina (Italy, Alps HL). Last season, he had three goals and seven assists in 21 games with the Stavanger Oilers (Norway, GET-Ligaen), three assists in seven games with the SønderjyskE Vojens (Denmark, Metal Ligaen), and four goals and four assists in 12 games with Troja-Ljungby (Sweden, Division 1). . . . 
F Petr Kalus (Regina, 2005-06) has signed a tryout agreement with Zvolen (Slovakia, Extraliga). He had been released by Orli Znojmo (Czech Republic, Erste Bank Liga) on Sept. 29 after going pointless in three games.
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The Prince George Cougars, flying high at 6-0-0 for the first time in franchise history, dropped three players from their roster on Monday. . . . D Jonas Harkins, 16, will join the Prince George-based Cariboo Cougars of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. D Cole Moberg, who turns 16 on Oct. 17, is off to the Vancouver-Northwest Giants of the BCMMHL. F Brendan Kochanski, 17, is expected to play for the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings. . . . Harkins was a second-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft. Last season, he had nine points, eight of them assists, in 37 games with Cariboo. He is the son of Cougars general manager Todd Harkins and the younger brother of Cougars F Jansen Harkins. . . . Moberg played last season for the North Shore Winter Club’s midget AAA side, putting up 48 points, including 21 goals, in 57 games. . . . Last season, Kochanski had 18 points, including eight goals, in 37 games with the midget AAA Winnipeg Thrashers. He is from Winnipeg. . . . The moves get the Cougars down to 27 players, including two goaltenders and nine defencemen.
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The Red Deer Rebels have acquired D Jared Freadrich, 18, from the Regina Pats for a fourth-round selection in the 2017 WHL bantam draft. The draft pick had belonged to the Swift Current Broncos; the Rebels acquired it in a trade for F Scott Feser in 2015. . . . A fourth-round pick by the Pats in the 2013 bantam draft, Freadrich has five goals and 16 assists in 61 career regular-season games. . . . The Rebels also dropped F Ben Hiltz, 17, from their roster. Hiltz is from Weyburn, Sask., and will play this season with the SJHL’s Red Wings.
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G Carter Hart of the Everett Silvertips has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers, who selected him in the second round of the 2016 NHL draft. . . . From Sherwood Park, Alta., Hart is going into his third season with Everett. Last season, he was the CHL’s goaltender of the year after going 35-23-4, 2.14 .918. He also put up six shutouts. . . . According to generalfanager.com, Hart’s contract calls for NHL salaries of US$742,500, $792,500 and $842,500, with an AHL salary of $70,000 each season. The first year of the contract includes $182,500 in performance bonuses with the next two carrying $132,500 and $82,500. There also is a signing bonus of $277,500, payable in three annual instalments of $92,500.
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You can bet that there were a lot of smiles around the Swift Current Broncos on Monday. That’s because two of their defencemen — Max Lajoie and Colby Sissons — signed three-year entry-level NHL contracts. . . . Lajoie, who turns 19 on Nov. 5, signed with the Ottawa Senators, who selected him in the fifth round of the NHL’s 2016 draft. The Broncos selected him in the fifth round of the 2012 bantam draft. He is into his third season in Swift Current. Last season, he had 37 points, eight of them goals, in 62 games. . . . According to generalfanager.com, Lajoie’s contract calls for an NHL salary of US$730,000 in each of the three seasons, with AHL salaries of $60,000, $65,000 and $67,500. There are $70,000 in performance bonuses each season and a $240,000 signing bonus, payable in three annual $80,000 instalments. . . . Sissons, an 18-year-old from Edmonton, signed with the New Jersey Devils after attending camp as a free-agent invitee. Last season, as a freshman, he had 22 points, including three goals, in 71 games with the Broncos. In 74 career games, he has 24 points, four of them goals. Sissons wasn’t selected in the WHL bantam draft. . . . According to generalfanager.com, Sissons’ deal includes NHL salaries of US$610,000, $690,000 and $690,000, with the AHL salaries set at $55,000, $55,000 and $60,000. There is a signing bonus of $105,000, payable in $35,000, $40,000 and $40,000 annual instalments.
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The Lethbridge Hurricanes have acquired D Brennan Riddle, 19, from the Prince Albert Raiders for a sixth-round selection in the 2018 WHL bantam draft. . . . The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Riddle was a first-round selection by the Calgary Hitmen in the 2012 bantam draft. He played from 2012-14 with the midget AAA Tisdale, Sask., Trojans. . . . In 111 games with the Raiders, he had 10 assists. Last season, in 50 games, he had four assists.
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The Portland Winterhawks have signed defencemen Nick Cicek and Darren Gisti. . . . Cicek, 16, was a seventh-round pick in the WHL’s 2015 bantam draft. Last season, he had 36 points, including 11 goals, for the Winnipeg Monarchs of the Winnipeg City Midget Hockey League. . . . Gisti, 17, also played in the WCMHL last season, putting up 35 points, 18 of them goals, in 30 games. He will play this season with the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings. Portland add him to its protected list in August. . . . The Winterhawks open a six-game swing through the East Division tonight (Tuesday) against the Swift Current Broncos.
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The Kamloops Blazers got their roster down to 24 on Monday by releasing F Brodi Stuart, 16, and D Tylor Ludwar, 17. . . . Stuart, from Langley, B.C., will join the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. A fourth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft, he had two assists in four exhibition games and was pointless in one regular-season game. . . . Ludwar, who was pointless in four exhibition games, is to join the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. He is from Regina.
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Players who were returned to WHL teams by NHL teams on the weekend:
Calgary Hitmen — F Matteo Gennaro, Winnipeg Jets; F Jordy Stallard, Winnipeg Jets.
Everett Silvertips — D Noah Juulsen, Montreal Canadiens.
Kelowna Rockets — F Nick Merkley, Arizona Coyotes.
Prince George Cougars — F Jansen Harkins, Winnipeg Jets; F Jesse Gabrielle, Boston Bruins.
Red Deer Rebels — F Michael Spacek, Winnipeg Jets.
Regina Pats — F Austin Wagner, Los Angeles Kings.
Swift Current Broncos — F Colby Sissons, New Jersey Devils.
Vancouver Giants — F Tyler Benson, Edmonton Oilers.
Victoria Royals — D Chaz Redekopp, Los Angeles Kings.
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By my count, and it’s strictly unofficial, these are the WHL players still in NHL camps, not including 20-year-olds:
Brandon Wheat Kings — D Ivan Provorov, Philadelphia Flyers.
Calgary Hitmen — D Jake Bean, Carolina Hurricanes.
Lethbridge Hurricanes — F Giorgio Estephan, Buffalo Sabres.
Prince Albert Raiders — D Brendan Guhle, Buffalo Sabres.
Seattle Thunderbirds — F Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders; F Keegan Kolesar, Columbus Blue Jackets. (Kolesar will miss about six weeks after undergoing surgery for a supraumbilical hernia last week.)
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Barret Jackman is expected to make it official today — he is retiring after playing 876 regular-season NHL games and 53 playoff games. He played four seasons (1997-2001) with the Regina Pats. I was at the Regina Leader-Post for a lot of Jackman’s time with the Pats and I have often said he was one of the toughest players I have seen in the WHL. I don’t know of anyone who could match him in a one-on-one puck battle in any corner. Ken Campbell of The Hockey News has more right here. 
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BCHLThe BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters, one of the great organizations in Canada’s hockey history, have been sold. The franchise’s board of directors has said it will hold a public information session today (Tuesday) at which it will provide some details of the sale. . . . “The hockey club has been for sale for over a year now,” Tom Gawryletz, the club’s president, told the Nelson Daily. “We want to keep the team in Trail and this sale makes that possible. The buyer’s interest is in the team, the players and investing in our community, and not in making a large profit.” . . . Gawryletz told Kari Lee Campbell the identity of the buyer, who lives in Minnesota, won’t be revealed. “This will not be a disclosure meeting,” he said. “The intent is to provide information, explain our decision and why we have moved in this direction. We would not have moved in this direction if we didn't feel it is a positive move for the team and for the city.”
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JUST NOTES:

The Spokane Chiefs named D Tyson Helgesen, 19, as their captain. Helgesen, from Fairview, Alta., is into his third season with the Chiefs. . . .
The Lethbridge Hurricanes dropped F Jayden Davis, who turns 17 on Nov. 14, from their roster on Monday. He is expected to join the SJHL’s Estevan Bruins. Davis, from Alameda, Sask., had one assist in two games with the Hurricanes. Lethbridge is down to 24 players, including two goaltenders and eight defencemen. . . . 
The Swift Current Broncos have dropped F Josh Baker, 17, from their roster. He is likely to play this season with the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints. The Broncos selected him in the eighth round of the 2014 bantam draft. Last season, Baker, who is from Edmonton, had 46 points, including 32 goals, in 36 games with OHA Edmonton’s prep team in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. . . .
The Moose Jaw Warriors have released sophomore F Landon Quinney, 18. From Las Vegas, Quinney had 16 points, three of them goals, in 69 games with the Warriors last season. He is the younger brother of Gage Quinney, who played out his junior eligibility with the Kamloops Blazers last season. . . . Their father, Ken, played four seasons (1981-85) with the Calgary Wranglers. . . .
The Kootenay Ice has its roster at 24 players after dropping F Jared Legien, 18. From Pilot Butte, Sask., Legien is expected to end up with a team in the SJHL. . . . The ninth overall selection in the 2013 bantam draft, Legien has nine points, including four goals, in 84 career regular-season games with the Ice. . . . The roster includes three goaltenders and seven defencemen.
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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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MONDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Moose Jaw vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, B.C., 7 p.m.

Portland at Swift Current, 7 p.m.

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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 9:17 PM
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Thursday, September 29, 2016

Blazers d-man gets pro deal . . . Wheaties add blueliner. . . . Ex-Everett coach to run U.S. squad

D Stefan Elliott (Saskatoon, 2006-11) has signed a one-year contract with Ak Bars Kazan (Russia, KHL). Last season, with the Arizona Coyotes (NHL), he had two goals and four assists in 19 games. He also was pointless in two games with the Nashville Predators (NHL), and he had eight goals and 11 assists in 35 games with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL). . . .
F Cam Reed (Portland, 2011-12) has been released by Ravensburg Towerstars (Germany, DEL2). He had a goal and two assists in four games. . . .
F Petr Kalus (Regina, 2005-06) has been released by Orli Znojmo (Czech Republic, Erste Bank Liga). He was pointless in three games.
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“A group of former players suing the Canadian Hockey League (is) asking a Calgary judge to order 42 major junior teams to turn over their tax returns and financial statements dating back to 2011 to establish whether those franchises are profitable or lose money,” reports Rick Westhead of TSN. “The players are also asking an Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench judge to order Western Hockey League commissioner Ron Robison and Ontario Hockey League commissioner David Branch to produce all of their leagues’ revenue-sharing agreements.
“Robison and Branch have testified that one third of the teams in the WHL and one third of the teams in the OHL lose money each season. Neither Branch nor a WHL spokesman responded to an email requesting comment.”
Westhead’s story is right here.
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D Ondrej Vala of the Kamloops Blazers has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s
Dallas Stars. Vala, a free-agent, played for the Stars entry at the Traverse City, Mich., prospects tournament. . . . The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Vala, 18, is from Kolin, Czech Republic. Last season, as a WHL freshman, he had 21 points, four of them goals, in 72 games. This season, he is pointless in two games. . . . A lot of NHL scouts showed up in Kamloops early last season to watch Vala and were disappointed in his play as he really struggled. Perhaps it was the culture shock, because he really picked up his play after Christmas when he appeared to be much more comfortable. Still, he wasn’t drafted and ended up in the camp of the Stars, whose owner, Tom Gaglardi, is the majority owner of the Blazers.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings of recent vintage never have been shy about having players from southwestern Manitoba on their roster. They added another one on Thursday when they sent a conditional fifth-round selection in the 2018 bantam draft to the Red Deer Rebels for D Zach Wytinck, 17. He was listed by the Rebels in 2015. . . . The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Wytinck, who has been playing with the midget AAA Southwest Cougars, is from Glenboro, which is about six slapshots south east of Brandon. Last season, he had 27 points, including six goals, in 44 games with the Cougars. . . . Wytinck is expected to skate with the Wheat Kings today (Friday). They are at home to the Rebels on Saturday night and the Swift Current Broncos on Sunday afternoon. . . . Brandon’s roster, which now sits at 24, includes eight players from Brandon and area, and five others from Winnipeg.
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The Saskatoon Blades have dropped D Payton McIsaac, 16, from their roster. The move was made after D Libor Hajek returned from the camp of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. . . . A second-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft, McIsaac had one assist in five exhibition games. He will return to the midget AAA Fort Saskatchewan Rangers. . . . The Blades’ roster now is at 24, including two goaltenders and seven defencemen. . . . Saskatoon visits the Medicine Hat Tigers on Friday and the Kootenay Ice on Saturday. The Blades continue to play without injured forwards Cam Hebig and F Ryan Graham.
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The Prince George Cougars trimmed two players off their roster on Thursday. . . . G Tavin Grant, 18, will be joining the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings, while F Reid Perepeluk, 16, is off to the Prince George-based Cariboo Cougars of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. . . . The Spruce Kings, who acquired Grant’s rights from the junior B Kamloops Storm, made room for him by dealing G Liam McCloskey, 18, to the AJHL’s Whitecourt Wolverines. . . . The Cougars’ roster now is at 30 players, including two goaltenders and 11 defencemen. . . . The Cougars, at least for now, will go with Ty Edmonds, 20, and Nick McBride, 19, as their goaltenders. However, Edmonds is one of four 20-year-olds on the roster and that’s one over the maximum, so there will be movement there before Oct. 15.
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The Red Deer Rebels have acquired F Dawson Martin, 18, from the Calgary Hitmen for a sixth-round pick in the 2017 bantam draft. Martin, from Winnipeg, had two goals and nine assists in 60 games as a freshman last season. This season, he has one assist in two games. . . . The 5-foot-11, 160-pound Martin was a second-round pick by the Hitmen in the 2013 draft.
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Among the players returned by NHL teams to the WHL on Thursday . . .
Calgary Hitmen — F Beck Malenstyn, Washington Capitals.
Kamloops Blazers — F Garrett Pilon, Washington Capitals.
Kelowna Rockets — D Lucas Johansen, Washington Capitals.
Moose Jaw Warriors — D Dmitri Zaitsev, Washington Capitals.
Regina Pats — D Connor Hobbs, Washington Capitals; F Sam Steel, Anaheim Ducks.
Tri-City Americans — D Parker Wotherspoon, New York Islanders.
Victoria Royals — F Tyler Soy, Anaheim Ducks.
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By my count, and it’s strictly unofficial, these are the WHL players still in NHL camps as of Thursday evening, not including 20-year-olds:
Brandon Wheat Kings — D Ivan Provorov, Philadelphia Flyers.
Calgary Hitmen — D Jake Bean, Carolina Hurricanes; F Matteo Gennaro, Winnipeg Jets; F Jordy Stallard, Winnipeg Jets.
Everett Silvertips — D Noah Juulsen, Montreal Canadiens.
Kelowna Rockets — F Nick Merkley, Arizona Coyotes.
Lethbridge Hurricanes — F Giorgio Estephan, Buffalo Sabres.
Prince Albert Raiders — D Brendan Guhle, Buffalo Sabres.
Prince George Cougars — F Jesse Gabrielle, Boston Bruins; F Jansen Harkins, Winnipeg Jets.
Red Deer Rebels — F Michael Spacek, Winnipeg Jets.
Regina Pats — F Austin Wagner, Los Angeles Kings.
Seattle Thunderbirds — F Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders; F Keegan Kolesar, Columbus Blue Jackets. (Kolesar will miss about six weeks after undergoing surgery for a supraumbilical hernia this week.)
Swift Current Broncos — F Colby Sissons, New Jersey Devils.
Vancouver Giants — F Tyler Benson, Edmonton Oilers.
Victoria Royals — D Chaz Reddekopp, Los Angeles Kings.
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D Connor Hobbs has been returned to the Regina Pats by the NHL’s Washington Capitals. Apparently, he is OK after taking a hard hit from behind from F Andrew Shaw of the Montreal Canadiens in an exhibition game on Tuesday night. The NHL slapped Shaw with a three-game suspension on Thursday. Yes, he will miss three exhibition games. Because they are exhibition games, he won’t even lose any money. . . . Stop laughing!
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JUST NOTES:

The Calgary Hitmen have their roster down to 26 after releasing F Brayden 
Brown, 19, and F Bryce Platt, 18. . . . Brown, from Calgary, was pointless in two games with the Hitmen. He had eight points, including five goals, with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2014-15. Last season, he played three games with the Oil Kings and 12 with the AJHL’s Calgary Canucks. . . . Platt is form Regina. He had seven points, four of them goals, in 34 games with the Hitmen last season. This season, he had one assist in two games. . . . 
F Reid Gardiner, who is eligible to return the the Prince Albert Raiders for his 20-year-old season, has been in camp with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. On Thursday, he was sent to their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. . . .
F Brett Howden, just back from the camp of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, has been named captain of the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . 
F Matt Campese, who was released last week by the Kamloops Blazers, will play for the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors. Campese, who turns 19 on Dec. 10, had 10 goals and six assists in 95 regular-season WHL games, 79 with Kamloops and 16 with the Victoria Royals. . . .
The Everett Silvertips have released D Gianni Fairbrother from their roster and he will play for the Vancouver-Northwest Giants of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. Fairbrother, who turns 16 on Sept. 30, was the CSSHL Elite 15’s top defenceman last season while with the Burnaby Winter Club. He got into three playoff games with the Silvertips last season. He was a fourth-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft. . . . 
F Jaeger White, 18, has joined the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits. White, who is from Medicine Hat, had been released by the Brandon Wheat Kings. In 84 regular-season WHL games — he also played with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Everett Silvertips — he had five goals and 15 assists.
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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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Coaching
Jay Varady, a former coach with the Everett Silvertips, has been named head coach of the U.S. Junior Selects, a team that will compete in the 2016 World Junior A Challenge in Bonnyville, Alta., Dec. 11-17. . . . Varady, from Cahokia, Ill., is in his fourth season as the head coach of the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers. He was the head coach of the U.S. team that won the 2014 World Junior A Challenge. He was with the Everett Silvertips for eight seasons (2003-11), serving as an assistant coach, associate coach and interim head coach during his time there. . . . Chris Hartsburg, the head coach of the USHL’s Lincoln Stars, will be one of Varady’s assistant coaches. He spent four seasons (2009-12) as an assistant coach in Everett.
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THURSDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.
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FRIDAY GAMES (all times local):

Kootenay at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Red Deer at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Kelowna at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Everett at Portland, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Regina, 7 p.m.
Seattle vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7:30 p.m.
Kamloops at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.

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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 9:37 PM
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Friday, June 26, 2015

Five WHLers go in NHL's first round . . . Eakins back in coaching game . . . Pat Canadians have new coach








D Sergei Drozd (Tri-City, 2009-10) signed a one-year extension with Dinamo Minsk (Belarus, KHL). Last season, he had two goals and one assist in 57 games. . . .
F Nigel Dawes (Kootenay, 2001-05) signed a three-year extension with Barys Astana (Kazakhstan, KHL). Last season, in 60 games, he had 32 goals and 24 assists. He led his team in goals and points, and was second in the league in goals.
F Petr Kalus (Regina, 2005-06) signed a one-year contract with Grenoble (France, Ligue Magnus). Last season, with Herning (Denmark, Metal Ligaen), he had 21 goals and 18 assists in 35 games. He led the league in penalty minutes, with 178.
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There were 17 CHL players selected in the first round of the NHL draft on Friday evening in Sunrise, Fla., the home of the Florida Panthers. Five of those 17 were from the WHL. . . . D Ivan Provorov of the Brandon Wheat Kings went to the Philadelphia Flyers at No. 7, followed by F Jake DeBrusk of the Swift Current Broncos to the Boston Bruins at No. 14, F Mathew Barzal of the Seattle Thunderbirds to the New York Islanders at No. 16, D Noah Juulsen of the Everett Silvertips to the Montreal Canadiens at No. 26, and F Nick Merkley of the Kelowna Rockets to the Arizona Coyotes at No. 30. . . . The draft concludes today. . . .
The Vancouver Canucks selected F Brock Boeser with the 23rd selection. Boeser’s WHL rights belong to the Seattle Thunderbirds. He is from Burnsville, Minn., and has committed to North Dakota, something he reiterated after being drafted by Vancouver. Last season, he had 68 points, including 35 goals, in 57 games with the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks. . . . Four Russian-born players were selected in the first round, something that hadn’t happened since 2001.
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The sale of the OHL’s Erie Otters came to a screeching halt on Friday as the league asked James A. Waters to cover US$175,000 in legal fees. Waters had agreed Thursday to buy the franchise out of bankruptcy for US$7,225,000. . . . Valerie Myers has the story right here.
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Dallas Eakins is the new head coach of the San Diego Gulls, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Anaheim
Ducks. The Gulls are preparing for their first season in San Diego, after relocating from Norfolk, Va., where they were the Admirals. . . . Eakins spent more than one season as head coach of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, going 36-63-14 before he was fired last season. Prior to that, he was the head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, with whom he was 157-114-41. . . . Eakins is believed to have interviewed with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, who are searching for a head coach. In fact, there has been speculation that the Giants’ three-candidate short list included Eakins, Ryan McGill and Lorne Molleken.
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Darrin McKechnie is the new head coach of the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. He replaces Brad Herauf, who now is an assistant coach with the Regina Pats. . . . McKechnie spent last season as an assistant coach with the Pats, but left in order to focus on his responsibilities with the Regina Police Service. He also coached the midget AA Regina Capitals, who won the South Saskatchewan league championship.
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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 9:36 PM
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Tuesday, September 9, 2014

WHL feeling secure with Lacasse . . . Brain injury ends another career








D Jim Vandermeer (Red Deer, 1997-2001) has signed two-year extension with Kloten (Switzerland, NL A). Last season, he had two goals and 10 assists in 49 games. . . .
F Milan Kytnár (Kelowna, Saskatoon, Vancouver, 2007-10) has signed a contract through Nov. 2 with Banská Bystrica (Slovakia, Extraliga). Last season, with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga), he had four goals and six assists in 41 games. . . .
F Petr Kalus (Regina, 2005-06) has signed a one-year contract with Herning (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). Last season, with Dukla Trenčín (Slovakia, Extraliga), he had one assist in three games; with Djurgården Stockholm (Sweden, Allsvenskan), he was pointless in two games; and in 42 games with the Nottingham Panthers, he had 38 points, including 18 goals. . . .
F Masi Marjamäki (Red Deer, Moose Jaw, 2002-05) has signed a one-year-plus-option contract with Tappara Tampere (Finland, Liiga). Marjamäki missed all of last season and most of 2012-13 due to injury. In 2012-13, with Ilves Tampere (Finland, Liiga), he had three goals and three assists in nine games.
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Yves Lacasse has joined the WHL as its volunteer
security officer.
(Photo: Kamloops Daily News files)
The WHL announced Tuesday that Yves Lacasse, a former RCMP superintendent in Kamloops, has signed on as its volunteer security officer.
Lacasse, who had been with the Kamloops detachment for eight years, left the RCMP after 27 years early in 2013 to become the manager of external affairs for KGHM International, which is wanting to start a copper and gold mine near Kamloops.
The proposed mine, which would border the Aberdeen section of Kamloops, has caused a deep divide in the community because those who are opposed to it for environmental reasons and those who are for it because of the economic benefits for the community.
Lacasse, who was raised in Thetford Mines, Que., is friends with Kamloops Blazers majority owner Tom Gaglardi and general manager Craig Bonner. Lacasse also has worked with the Blazers for 10 seasons.
According to a WHL news release: “Acting in a volunteer capacity in his new role with the WHL, Lacasse will conduct internal reviews and investigations on behalf of the WHL office to ensure WHL clubs are operating in accordance with league standards and regulations.”
The news release adds that Lacasse “will also be responsible to facilitate the implementation of a new league-wide security program with all WHL clubs.”
The news release also made mention of the success of the WHL's seven-point plan that was enacted in time for 2011-12.“In the first three seasons since being implemented by the WHL, the (plan) has been effective in reducing concussions and other injuries,” according to the news release.
Unfortunately, the WHL, once again, didn’t release any numbers to back up its claims.
At the same time as the WHL was issuing this release, Sean Rooney and Ryan McCracken of the Medicine Hat News were preparing a story that marks the end of F Gavin Broadhead’s career with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Broadhead, a 19-year-old from Hay River, NWT, last played on Jan. 22.
According to The News’ story, Broadhead took a shoulder to the face during a Jan. 18 game against the Calgary Hitmen. Then, despite not feeling well, he went on a road trip to the West Coast. On Jan. 21, in Victoria, he took another hit. Broadhead said that a Royals’ team doctor checked him over and, according to The News, “concluded it wasn’t a concussion.”
On Jan. 22, Broadhead said he was hit from behind in Vancouver. “Then I knew,” he said. “I was dizzy, I wasn’t feeling well, I was nauseous.”
What followed was eight months of headaches, and now Broadhead, whose father, Curt, also played for the Tigers (1977-81), is moving on.
“My head just wasn’t going to hold up,” Gavin said. “I want to be able to think . . . I don’t want to be smashing up my head anymore.”
Broadhead was selected by the Tigers in the fourth round of the 2010 bantam draft. In 97 regular-season games over parts of three seasons, he had four goals and eight assists. Last season, in 44 games, he had a goal and eight assists.
At some point this morning, The News’ story should appear right here.
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The Everett Silvertips have their roster down to 27 players after releasing F Chris Stockl, 19, on Tuesday. Stockl, from Winnipeg, played with the Saskatoon Blades and Red Deer Rebels over the last two seasons. Last season, he had one goal in 16 games with Red Deer. In 78 regular-season games, he has four goals and seven assists. . . . The Silvertips are carrying four goaltenders, eight defencemen and 15 forwards.
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The Lethbridge Hurricanes have signed F Brett Davis, who was a fourth-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft. From Oakbank, Man., he had 49 points, 26 of them goals, in 36 games with the bantam Notre Dame Hounds, who play in the South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League.
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Two men have been indicted on drug-related charges in the death of former WHL and NHL enforcer Derek Boogaard. One of the men is Jordan Hart, the son of former Flin Flon Bombers/New York Islanders D Gerry Hart. . . . John Branch and Benjamin Weiser of The New York Times have more right here.
Branch has been on top of the Boogaard story right from the start. Right here, there’s a piece he wrote almost three years ago that is headlined Derek Boogaard: A boy learns to brawl.
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Kevin Kwasny was a football player at Bishop’s U in Montreal when he suffered a concussion during a game. Now he is suing the school, asking for $9.3 million in damages. Karen Seidman of the Montreal Gazette has more right here.
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Today, while the Ray Rice thing is fresh in our minds, is a good time to take a look at some sporting sleazebags. Thanks to Drew Magary and GQ Magazine we can do just that and we can do it right here. Enjoy . . . then take a shower!
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The Everett Silvertips have signed Wayne Duncan as their new trainer. He had been working with high schools in the Seattle area. Duncan takes over from Marc Paquet, who has moved on to the AHL’s Adirondack Flames. . . . The 2016 IIHF world women’s hockey championship will be played in Kamloops. Dates for the 22-game championship have yet to be released, but it will be played in April in the Interior Savings Centre and McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 11:21 PM
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