Showing posts with label Prince George Cougars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prince George Cougars. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Ice firms up coaching staff ... Bondra signs with KHL team ... Mariners to honour T-Birds


F Adam Hughesman (Tri-City, 2006-12) has signed a one-year contract with Bordeaux (France, Ligue Magnus). This season, with Orli Znojmo (Czech Republic, Erste Bank Liga), he had 15 goals and nine assists in 49 games. . . . The head coach of Bordeaux is former St. Louis Blues F Philippe Bozon, father of F Tim Bozon (Kamloops, Kootenay, 2011-15). . . .
D Lukáš Bohunický (Kootenay, 2005-07) has signed a one-year extension with Dukla Trenčín (Slovakia, Extraliga). This season, he had three goals and five assists in 55 games. . . . 
F Denis Tolpeko (Seattle, Regina, 2003-06) has signed a one-year extension with Spartak Moscow (Russia, KHL). This season he started with Sochi (Russia, KHL), scoring two goals and five assists in 31 games. He was released on Dec. 20 and signed with Spartak on Dec. 21. He had two goals and an assist in 15 games with Spartak. . . . 
F Richard Rapáč (Moose Jaw, Prince George, 2006-07) has signed a one-year contract with Poprad (Slovakia, Extraliga). This season, with Zug Academy (Switzerland, NL B), he had eight goals and a team-high 16 assists in 39 games. He also was pointless in one game with Zug (NL A). . . . 
F Matt Ellison (Red Deer, 2002-03) has signed a two-year contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk (Russia, KHL). This season, with Dinamo Minsk (Belarus, KHL), he had 16 goals and 33 assists in 54 games. He led the team in scoring. Ellison had one year left on his contract with Dinamo Minsk but asked for his release and it was granted on June 2. . . .
F Radovan Bondra (Vancouver, Prince George, 2015-17) has signed a one-year contract with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). This season, with Vancouver, he had 19 goals and 12 assists in 32 games, then put up 13 goals and 19 assists with Prince George. He finished the season with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, going pointless in five games.
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 Jon Klemm, a former NHL defenceman who is from Cranbrook, B.C., has joined the Kootenay Ice as associate coach.
James Patrick, who was named the Ice’s head coach on Tuesday, made the announcement Wednesday morning.
The Ice also announced that assistant coaches Gordon Burnett and Roman Vopat will be returning, while they have added Denis Sproxton as goaltending coach.
Klemm, 47, was an assistant coach with the Spokane Chiefs for three seasons (2009-12). Klemm also played in the WHL with the Seattle Thunderbirds and Spokane (1987-91) before going on to a pro career that included 773 NHL games split between the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars and Los Angeles Kings. He won a Memorial Cup with the Chiefs in 1991 and  Stanley Cups with the Avalanche in 1996 and 2001. Klemm retired after playing the 2008-09 season with the Straubing Tigers of Germany’s DEL. In recent years, Klemm has been coaching minor hockey in the Dallas area.
Burnett, 36, is preparing for his third season with the Ice, while Vopat just completed his first season there. Prior to that, Vopat was on staff with the Prince George Cougars for two seasons.
Sproxton, 46, has served as a goaltending consultant with Hockey Canada, Hockey Alberta and the Chiefs. Sproxton played four seasons in the WHL (Prince Albert, Swift Current, 1987-91). He was the Spokane Chiefs’ goaltending coach (2003-11) and won a Memorial Cup there in 2008.
The Ice also added Jake Heisinger to its staff as manager of hockey operations and player experience. Heisinger has a degree in business management from Curry College in Boston. He is the son of Craig Heisinger, the assistant GM and director of hockey operations with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets.
The Ice also announced that director of scouting Garnet Kazuik, trainer/ equipment manager Darcy Ewanchuk, and athletic consultant Cory Cameron all will be returning.
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The Prince George Cougars have lost another 20-year-old from their roster with the news, as reported above in The MacBeth Report, that F Radovan Bondra has signed a one-year deal with Slovan Bratislava, a Slovakian team that plays in the KHL. . . . Bondra, who is from Trebisov, Slovakia, was a fifth-round selection by the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL’s 2015 draft. . . . Bondra started this season with the Vancouver Giants, then was traded to the Prince George Cougars for F Bartek Bison, F Tyler Ho and a third-round pick in the 2018 WHL bantam draft. . . . With Bondra gone, the Cougars still have nine 20s on their roster — F Jared Bethune, F Aaron Boyd, D Shane Collins, F Brodan O’Brien, F Jesse Gabrielle, D Brendan Guhle, F Jansen Harkins, D Tate Olson and F Tanner Wishnowski. Gabrielle (Boston Bruins), Guhle (Buffalo Sabres) and Harkins (Winnipeg Jets) have signed NHL contracts.
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Steve Konowalchuk, the head coach of the WHL-champion Seattle Thunderbirds, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Saturday evening before the Seattle Mariners face the visiting Toronto Blue Jays at Safeco Field. . . . It’s all part of an evening during which the Mariners will honour the WHL champions, who won the Ed Chynoweth Cup with a 4-3 OT victory over the host Regina Pats in Game 6 of the final series.
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The Medicine Hat Tigers have signed F Corson Hopwo to a WHL contract. He was a seventh-round selection in the 2016 bantam draft. From Victoria, he played this season at the Delta Hockey Academy, putting up 19 goals and 25 assists in 30 games with the Elite 15s.
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Rob Sklaruk is the new general manager of the Spruce Grove Saints, who are under new ownership. Team president Ryan Smyth made the announcement on Wednesday. Sklaruk has lived in the area for 25 years and for the past five seasons has been president, GM and assistant coach for the senior AAA Stony Plain Eagles. He also is a former Eagles player.
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The Kamloops Blazers expect to have 24 players with birthdates in 2000, 2001 and 2002 on the ice
Saturday and Sunday as they hold a prospects camp. However, F Massimo Rizzo, a first-round selection in the 2016 bantam draft, won’t be there. The 14th overall pick in that draft, Rizzo is vacationing with family in Italy after finishing this season with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees. . . . The 13 players selected ahead of Rizzo in that draft all have signed WHL deals. . . . Kamloops This Week reports that the Blazers expect to meet with the Rizzo family “at the end of the month to discuss Massimo’s future.” . . . Rizzo, who will turn 16 on June 13, had 53 points, including 12 goals, in 28 games with the Burnaby Winter Club’s prep team this season. He was pointless in three regular-season games with the Vees and had one goal in seven playoff games. In the Western Canada Cup, he put up a goal and four assists in six games, then added one goal in five games at the RBC Cup.
The Blazers expect to have F Josh Pillar, the 14th overall selection in the 2017 bantam draft, at their prospects camp, although he hasn’t yet committed to them. All told, eight of the WHL’s 22 first-round picks have yet to sign.
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A few days ago, Patrick Conway, who keeps close tabs on the KHL, took a look at the coaches of the Bobrov Division. This week, he checks out the men behind the benches in the Tarasov Division, and it’s all right here.
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If you’re a regular here, and even you aren’t, feel free to contribute to the feeding of the Drinnan family by making a donation to the cause. You are able to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
BTW, if you want to contact me with some information or just feel like commenting on something, you may email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).
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Coaching

 Two of the head coaches who appeared in the Memorial Cup and have WHL ties moved into the pro ranks on Wednesday, Kris Knoblauch with the Philadelphia Flyers and Rocky Thompson with the Chicago Wolves, the AHL affiliate of the NHL expansion Vegas Golden Knights.
Knoblauch, 38, signed on as an assistant coach with the Flyers after spending the past five seasons as the head coach of the Erie Otters, who won this season’s OHL playoff championship.
Knoblauch, who is from Imperial, Sask., took over as head coach during 2012-13. In each of his four full seasons as head coach, the Otters won at least 50 games, marking the first time in OHL history that a team posted more than three straight 50-win seasons. He played in the WHL (Red Deer, Edmonton/Kootenay, Lethbridge, 1996-99) and was the Ice’s head coach for two seasons (2010-12), winning the 2011 WHL championship.
Thompson, meanwhile, is the new head coach of the Chicago Wolves. The Golden Knights have taken over the Wolves from the NHL’s St. Louis Blues. Craig Berube, the Wolves’ head coach this season, is expected to end up on the Blues’ staff.
Thompson, 39, guided the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, as host team, to the Memorial Cup title, beating the Otters, 4-3, in the championship game.
Thompson, from Calgary, spent two seasons with the Spitfires.
As a player, he spent four seasons in the WHL (Medicine Hat, Swift Current, 1993-97). He began his coaching career in the WHL as an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oil Kings (2007-10), before moving on to the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons. He spent one season on staff with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, then took over the Spitfires’ bench.
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Former WHL D Nolan Baumgartner has joined the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks as an assistant coach with head coach Travis Green. Baumgartner had been an assistant coach with the AHL’s Utica Comets, where Green was the head coach before being moved up to the Canucks as head coach. . . . Baumgartner, 41, is from Calgary. He played four seasons with the Kamloops Blazers (1992-96) and was on two Memorial Cup-championships teams (1994, 1995). . . . He twice was named the WHL’s top defenceman and once was the CHL’s top defenceman. . . . The Canucks also announced that Green’s other assistant coaches would be Newell Brown, Doug Jarvis and Manny Malhotra. . . . Also returning are skills coach Glenn Carnegie and video coach Ben Cooper, who is a former Victoria Royals assistant coach (2011-13).
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The ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers have hired Rob Murray as their director of hockey operations and head coach. Murray, 50, spent the previous six seasons as head coach of the ECHL’s Alaska Aces, who have ceased operations. Murray has been coaching since 2003 when he was an assistant with the AHL’s Providence Bruins. In Tulsa, Murray replaces Jason Christie, who left the team after their season ended.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 9:33 PM
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Monday, June 5, 2017

The coach and the national security advisor ... Lambert's in Spokane ... Ex-WHLers ECHL champs


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 F Tomáš Vincour (Edmonton, Vancouver, 2007-10) has signed a one-year extension with Brno (Czech Republic, Extraliga). This season, in 39 games, he had nine goals and 13 assists.
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 The NHL’s Anaheim Ducks announced Friday that Rich Preston would be back for a second season as an assistant coach, alongside head coach Randy Carlyle and fellow assistant Trent Yawney.
Preston and I were in Regina at the same time back in the day — I was at the Regina Leader-Post and he was coaching the Pats — so have known each other for a while.
More recently, he spent four seasons (2009-13) as the general manager and head coach of the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Anaheim’s announcement gives me reason to re-post one of my favourite stories from my stint with the late Kamloops Daily News.
Here it is, from Oct. 1, 2009 . . . 
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Rich Preston has had friends in high places.
Preston, the general manager and head coach of the WHL's Lethbridge Hurricanes, is friends with Condoleeza Rice, who was the first African-American woman to hold the office of United States Secretary of State.
Preston, a 57-year-old native of Regina, and Rice, a 54-year-old native of Birmingham, Ala., became
RICH PRESTON
friends while both were attending the University of Denver in the early 1970s.
Preston was there on a hockey scholarship; Rice was earning a BA in political science, which she got in 1974 at the age of 19.
Preston said her family — her father, John, was an assistant dean and also taught — followed the hockey team closely and would have the team over to their home for dinner once every season.
At one point, Preston said Rice asked him out.
"It was one of those dances where the girls ask the guys," said Preston, before his squad met the Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday night at Interior Savings Centre. "Still, it was in 1972-73 . . . but I was Canadian."
In other words, eyebrows were raised when the two of them showed up at the dance.
Later, the two would go their separate ways.
After a stop at Stanford University, Rice ended up in the White House as President George W. Bush's National Security Advisor.
Preston wound up as an assistant coach with the NHL's San Jose Sharks.
And so it was that with the Sharks scheduled to play in Washington, Preston decided it would be nice to
CONDOLEEZA RICE
at least say hello.
To make a long story shorter, Preston eventually got through to Rice's personal assistant and asked to leave a message for Rice.
"I said, 'Just tell her Sergeant Preston called. She'll know who it is,' " a chuckling Preston recalled. His nickname while playing hockey at Denver was Sergeant Preston, after the legendary Mountie, of course. Preston told the assistant when the Sharks were to be in Washington and at what hotel they would be staying.
When the team arrived and he got to his room, there was a message from Rice awaiting him.
"So I called her back," he said, "and we talked for about 20 minutes."
As the conversation wound down, Rice told Preston that she would love to meet him for coffee but that she "had a meeting with the President" at 5:30, which was minutes away, immediately after which she was flying to Europe for a NATO meeting.
Preston's response?
A laughing Preston said: "I told her, 'Can't you postpone the NATO meeting?’ “
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In her biography — Condoleezza Rice: A Memoir of My Extraordinary, Ordinary Family and Me — Rice refers to Preston as “the captain of the hockey team and my first real crush.”
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As expected, the Spokane Chiefs announced on Monday that they have signed Dan Lambert as their new head coach. He is the 12th head coach in franchise history. . . . Lambert, 47, will be introduced to the Spokane fans and media at a news conference this afternoon (Tuesday) at Spokane Arena. . . . Lambert, who captained the Swift Current Broncos when they won the 1989 Memorial Cup, was fired by the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres as head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, on May 26. That was part of a regime change in Buffalo, where Lambert had spent 2015-16 as an assistant coach with the Sabres before being assigned to Rochester. . . . Prior to that, Lambert spent six seasons with the Kelowna Rockets, the first five as an assistant coach. In 2014-15, his one season as Kelowna’s head coach, he guided the Rockets to a WHL title (53-13-6) and into the Memorial Cup, where they lost the final, 2-1 in OT, to the OHL-champion Oshawa Generals. . . . The length of Lambert’s contract wasn’t disclosed. . . . Lambert replaces Don Nachbaur, the Chiefs’ head coach for the previous seven seasons. He and the team went their own ways after their season ended, even though Nachbaur had a year remaining on his contract.
There now are three WHL teams without head coaches — the Calgary Hitmen, Kootenay Ice and Victoria Royals.
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F Boston Maxwell has signed a WHL contract with the Prince George Cougars. From Saskatoon, Maxwell was a fourth-round selection in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. This season, with the bantam AA Saskatoon Stallions, he had 22 goals and 21 assists in 30 games. He will play with the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts in 2017-18.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have signed F Peyton McKenzie to a WHL contract. A native of Sherwood Park, Alta., he was a third-round selection in the 2017 WHL bantam draft. This season, he had 16 goals and 20 assists in 27 regular-season games with the bantam AAA Sherwood Park Flyers. He added six goals and six assists in 10 playoff games.
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ECHLFormer WHL scoring champion F Casey Pierro-Zabotel had a goal and an assist and was named the game’s first star as the Colorado Eagles beat the South Carolina Stingrays 2-1 on Monday in North Charleston, S.C., to sweep the ECHL’s best-of-seven championship final. . . . The Eagles won four one-goal games. . . . Pierro-Zabotel, who won the WHL’s 2008-09 scoring title while with the Vancouver Giants, opened the scoring at 17:10 of the first period with his fourth goal of the playoffs. He added an assist, his 11th, on F Luke Salazar’s tie-breaking goal at 1:19 of the second period. . . . Pierro-Zabotel has won back-to-back Kelly Cups, as he was with the Allen Americans a year ago. . . . Colorado’s lineup last night also included former WHLers D Mason Geertsen (Edmonton, Vancouver, 2011-15), D Sean Zimmerman (Spokane, 2003-07), F Johnny Lazo (Tri-City, 2007-10), D Teigan Zahn (Saskatoon, 2006-11), F Cam Maclise (Edmonton, 2009-10), F Ryan Harrison (Prince Albert, Medicine Hat, Everett, 2008-13) and G Kent Simpson (Everett, 2008-12), who backed up last night. . . . Zimmerman is the team captain. . . . F Jackson Houck (Vancouver, Calgary, 2011-16) also is on Colorado’s roster, although he hadn’t played since May 13. . . . The Eagles won their last eight games. They also set an ECHL playoff record with six OT victories. . . . Announced attendance: 5,519. . . . Former Prince Albert Raiders head coach Chris Stewart (1995-98) is Colorado’s president and general manager, while Ryan Tobler, who played with Saskatoon, Calgary, Swift Current and Moose Jaw (1994-97), is an assistant coach.
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If you’re a regular here, and even you aren’t, feel free to contribute to the feeding of the Drinnan family by making a donation to the cause. You are able to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
BTW, if you want to contact me with some information or just feel like commenting on something, you may email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).
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The Kootenay Ice’s new owners have set a target of 2,500 season-ticket holders. The Ice went into this season having sold 1,315.


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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 9:33 PM
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Friday, June 2, 2017

Kootenay owners ice head coach ... Giants, Cougars make deal ... Warrant out for ex-WHLer


F Carter Ashton (Lethbridge, Regina, Tri-City, 2006-11) has been traded by Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod to Lada Togliatti (both Russia, KHL) for cash considerations. This season, he had 18 goals and 10 assists in 59 games with Torpedo. . . .
F Spencer Edwards (Red Deer, Seattle, Moose Jaw, 2006-11) has signed a one-year contract with Bordeaux (France, Ligue Magnus). This season, with Dijon (France, Ligue Magnus), he had 15 goals and 13 assists in 42 games. He was an alternate captain. . . . 
F Tayler Thompson (Prince George, 2010-12) has signed a one-year contract with Brest (France, Division 1). This season, with the Fayetteville FireAntz (SPHL), he had 18 goals and 42 assists in 56 games. . . .
F Kyle Chipchura (Prince Albert, 2001-06) has signed a one-year contract with Kunlun Red Star Beijing (China, KHL). He had 13 goals and 16 assists in 59 games with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL) this season. . . .
D Ryan Button (Prince Albert, Seattle, 2007-11) has signed a one-year contract with Red Bull Munich (Germany, DEL). This season, with the Iserlohn Roosters (Germany, DEL), he had four goals and 18 assists in 49 games.
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 And now there are four . . . WHL teams without head coaches, that is.
The Kootenay Ice’s new owners fired head coach Luke Pierce on Friday morning, joining the Calgary Hitmen, Spokane Chiefs and Victoria Royals as teams in the market for a new leader.
“We are committed to a fresh start for the organization and this includes the business and hockey operations,” Matt Cockell, the president and general manager of the Ice, said in the second paragraph of
The Kootenay Ice has fired head coach Luke Pierce.
a news release. “We feel that this was a necessary decision to accomplish that objective.”
The third paragraph of the Ice’s four-paragraph news release read: “No further comment will be provided.”
Meanwhile, Pierce told Brad McLeod of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman that he didn’t see it coming.
“This is the first time that this has happened to me [and] you go through a lot of emotions,” Pierce told McLeod. “You go through it all: some anger, some disappointment, some embarrassment, you name it. We’re just trying to cope with it the best we can as a family.
“I think that when these things come about you can use hindsight a little bit to maybe look for reasons, but I really didn’t see it coming,” he said. “It was a shocker for me, for sure.”
McLeod’s story is right here.
Pierce spent two seasons as the head coach of the rebuilding Ice, going 14-46-12 this season after finishing 12-53-7 in 2015-16. The Ice had the WHL’s poorest record each season.
Pierce, who is from Merritt, B.C., replaced Ryan McGill on May 26, 2015. Pierce, 33, had spent the previous six seasons as the general manager/head coach of the BCHL’s Merritt Centennials, going 168-111-21 and making the playoffs each season.
From 2004-09, Pierce attended the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont., graduating with a bacher or arts with a psychology major and business minor. He also has an MBA with a concentration in strategic management.
Cockell and his partner, Greg Fettes, purchased the Ice from the Chynoweth family in a deal that was approved by the WHL’s board of governors on April 27.
The Hitmen are looking to replace Mark French, who will coach in Switzerland this season, while the Chiefs and Don Nachbaur went their separate ways after the season despite his having a year left on his contract, and the Royals lost Dave Lowry this week when he signed on as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.
Last month, the Everett Silvertips named Dennis Williams their new head coach, replacing Kevin Constantine whose contract wasn’t renewed after the season.
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If you’re a regular here, and even you aren’t, feel free to contribute to the feeding of the Drinnan family by making a donation to the cause. You are able to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
BTW, if you want to contact me with some information or just feel like commenting on something, you may email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).
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F Klim Kostin is NHL Central Scouting’s top-ranked international skater for the 2017 draft, which is scheduled for Chicago, June 23-24. The Kootenay Ice hold Kostin’s CHL rights, having selected the Russian with the first overall pick in the CHL’s 2016 import draft. . . . However, Kostin chose not to report, preferring to stay and play in Russia. Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in January and was limited to a total of 18 games — he was pointless in eight games with the KHL’s Dynamo Moskva, had one goal in nine games with the VHL’s Dynamo Balashikha, which is one step below the KHL, and had one goal in one game with HK MVD Balashikha in the MHL, a junior league. . . . This week, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Kostin has been at the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo. On Thursday, he told Joe Yerdon of NHL.com that he plans on playing in North America in 2017-18, but that he “will never go there,” in reference to Kootenay holding his CHL rights. . . . Of course, the NHL team that selects Kostin in the draft will be able to sign him and assign him within its organization because he will have been drafted out of Europe.
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The Vancouver Giants have acquired F Brad Morrison, 20, from the Prince George Cougars for a selection in the 2018 WHL bantam draft.
According to the Cougars’ news release, it’s a second-round selection; the Giants’ news release referred
BRAD MORRISON
to it as a conditional second-round pick.
Morrison, who is from Prince George, was the seventh overall pick in the 2012 bantam draft. In 260 regular-season games with the Cougars, he had 85 goals and 103 assists. He added 11 points, three of them goals, in 11 playoff games.
The New York Rangers selected Morrison in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL draft, but didn’t sign him by Thursday’s deadline, so he is eligible for the 2017 draft.
Morrison is one of six 20-year-olds on the Giants’ roster, the others being F Jack Flaman, F Ty Ronning, D Darian Skeoch, F Johnny Wesley and D Jordan Wharrie.
In Prince George, the Cougars still have 10 20-year-olds on their roster, including three who have signed NHL contracts — F Jesse Gabrielle (Boston Bruins), D Brendan Guhle (Buffalo Sabres) and F Jansen Harkins (Winnipeg Jets). Also there are F Jared Bethune, F Radovan Bondra, F Aaron Boyd, D Shane Collins, F Brodan O’Brien, D Tate Olson and F Tanner Wishnowski.
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Tim Petruk of Kamloops This Week reported Friday that “a warrant has been issued” for Rudy Poeschek, “a former National Hockey League enforcer accused of breaching his probation.” . . . Poeschek didn’t show up for court on Friday where he was to have gone on trial in provincial court on allegations he missed meetings with his probation officer last summer. . . . Poeschek, who played junior hockey in Kamloops, is one of the former players who is involved in a concussion-related lawsuit against the NHL. . . . Petruk’s story is right here.
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D Matt Sozanski, who played out his junior eligibility this season with the Moose Jaw Warriors, will attend Carleton U in Ottawa and play for the Ravens in 2017-18. Sozanski, from Calgary, played three seasons with the Spokane Chiefs before being dealt to Moose Jaw. This season, he had three goals and 33 assists in 63 games. In 207 career games, he had six goals and 55 assists.
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The Mount Royal U Cougars have added a pair of former WHLers for the 2017-18 season — F Mitch Lipon and D Kord Pankewicz. . . . Lipon (Kamloops, Saskatoon, Spokane, 2012-15) played this season with the AJHL’s Whitecourt Wolverines, putting up 25 goals and 48 assists in 58 games. In 71 WHL games, he had eight goals and seven assists. . . . Pankewicz (Brandon, Lethbridge, 2012-17) started this season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and finished it with the AJHL-champion Brooks Bandits. He had six goals and 22 assists in 31 games with Brooks. In 243 WHL games, he had 13 goals and 99 assists.
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Coaching

 Former WHL D Barret Jackman (Regina, 1997-2001) has rejoined the St. Louis Blues, this time as the NHL’s team’s development coach. Jackman ended a 14-year NHL career by retiring in October. . . . Jackman, 36, got a feel for the position late this season when he spent time with the Chicago Wolves, who at the time were the Blues’ AHL affiliate, and some prospects. . . . Jackman played 803 games with the Blues before finishing up his NHL career with the Nashville Predators in 2015-16.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 8:07 PM
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Saturday, May 27, 2017

Cougars redo ticketing system ... Peterson has seen it all in Nashville ... Ex-WHL goalie retires


The Prince George Cougars, having lost a big chunk of change over the past three seasons, have moved to a new ticket-pricing system. As Ted Clarke of the Prince George Citizen writes: “The team has dropped age-based pricing and will instead sell tickets based on where the seats are located in the arena.”
Greg Pocock, the franchise’s president, told Clarke:
"We've lost $2.3 million in three years and we can't continue to provide the players with the experience they're getting, that they've earned and deserve, and lose that kind of money. It's not sustainable.
“Projecting forward, this will put us up in the middle of the league in our pricing structure and it should encourage more people to come out and enjoy Cougars hockey.”
Here’s how Clarke explained the new pricing system:
“The team has set up four tiers of ticket-pricing for season memberships. A premium centre ice red ticket in the two main sections of the arena which starts a few seats shy of each goal line on either side will cost $728. The next most expensive tickets ($576) are in the blue section to the sides and behind the goal in what will be the Cougars' attacking end for the first and third periods.
“Seats in the white section, which will be to the sides and behind the goal the Cougars will defend for two periods, are priced at $420. The cheapest seats ($252 for a full 36-game season) are in the green section and will be in the first four rows in either end. Based on a 36-game schedule, the per-game ticket cost is $20.20 (red), $16 (blue), $11.67 (white) and $7 (green).”
Clarke’s complete story is right here.
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Back in the day, Brent Peterson was a player (1974-78) with the Edmonton Oil Kings/Portland Winterhawks and a coach (1991-98) with Portland. He was the Winterhawks’ head coach when they won the 1998 Memorial Cup. . . . These days, he’s getting ready for the Stanley Cup final as a radio analyst on the Nashville Predators’ radio crew. Peterson, 59, has been with the Predators since Day 1, so you know how much this means to him. He was on the coaching staff until Parkinson’s disease made that untenable. . . . Allan Maki of The Globe and Mail has more on Peterson’s story right here.
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Nathan Lieuwen played in the WHL for seasons (2008-12) in the WHL, all of them tending goal for the Kootenay Ice. He’s 25 years of age now and has chosen to retire from hockey. He got into seven NHL games during his career, all of them with the Buffalo Sabres, but he got run over in the last one and ended up with a concussion, one that has had an impact on his vision. . . . Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada has more in his 30 Thoughts and it’s all right here.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 10:07 PM
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Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Thunderbirds bow out of Memorial Cup ... Sea Dogs win, 7-0 ... Love staying in Everett


F Radek Meidl (Seattle, Tri-City, 2006-08) has signed a one-year extension with Orlik Opole (Poland, PHL). This season, he had three goals and an assist in four games there. He began the season with Frydek-Mistek (Czech Republic, 1. Liga), scoring a goal and adding three assists in 27 games, before joining Dukla Trencin (Slovakia, Extraliga), where he had one assist in 10 games. . . .
F Cody Sylvester (Calgary, 2008-13) has signed a one-year contract with Bad Nauheim (Germany, DEL2). This season, with Dornbirn (Austria, Erste Bank Liga), he had nine goals and 20 assists in 50 games. . . .
F Stanislav Balán (Portland, 2005-06) has signed a one-year contract with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, 1. Liga). This season, he had a goal and an assist in 30 games with Vítkovice Ostrava (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Balán's contract has an option clause that extends it by one year should Karlovy Vary win promotion to Extraliga next season. . . .
F Dylan Wruck (Edmonton, 2008-13) has signed a one-year contract with Cologne (Germany, DEL). This season, with the Iserlohn Roosters (Germany, DEL), he had eight goals and 16 assists in 52 games.
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QMJHLThe WHL-champion Seattle Thunderbirds bowed out of the Memorial Cup tournament in Windsor, Ont., on Tuesday night after losing 7-0 to the QMJHL-champion Saint John Sea Dogs. . . . The Thunderbirds lost all three of their games and were outscored 18-3 in the process. . . . While the Thunderbirds are finished, the Sea Dogs advanced to Friday’s semifinal where they will meet the loser of Wednesday’s game between the host Windsor Spitfires (2-0) and the OHL-champion Erie Otters (2-0). The winner moves on to Sunday’s final. . . . Without the need for a tiebreaker, Thursday is a day off, as is Saturday. . . . 
Last night, Seattle and Saint John played through a goalless first period before the Sea Dogs exploded for six goals in the second period. . . . F Joe Veleno opened the scoring at 1:14. The next five goals came in the span of 3:09, starting at 14:04. . . . Veleno finished with two goals and an assist, with F Bokondji Imama adding a goal and two assists. F Spencer Smallman, F Mathieu Joseph, D Chase Stewart and F Cole Reginato also had goals. . . . G Callum Booth recorded the shutout with 31 saves. . . . Seattle head coach Steve Konowalchuk went back to G Carl Stankowski after lifting him after he gave up three goals, in 38 seconds, on six shots to start Sunday’s 7-1 loss to the host Windsor Spitfires. Against Saint John, Stankowski was beaten four times on 14 shots in 34:57. Rylan Toth came off the bench to stop 11 of 14 shots. . . . Seattle was 0-2 on the PP; Saint John was 0-3. . . . 
Seattle made one lineup change, inserting F Luke Ormsby and scratching D Anthony Bishop. . . . The WHL champion now is 0-6 in the last two Memorial Cup tournaments, the Brandon Wheat Kings having gone 0-3 a year ago in Red Deer. . . . Announced attendance: 5,062.
Andy Eide of 710 ESPN Seattle has a game story right here.
Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun has a game story right here.
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The number of empty seats at Memorial Cup games in the WCFU Centre in Windsor, which has a capacity of 6,500, is becoming a story in its own right.
They haven’t come close to a sellout through five games in the four-team tournament, this despite the fact the host Spitfires are 2-0 and proving to be highly competitive. The announced attendances, in order, have been: 5,926, 5,259, 5,237, 5,114 and 5,062. Games 1 and 3 featured the Spitfires.
So where are the fans? Well, perhaps junior hockey fans have a problem paying $70 or more for a single ticket.
As pensionplanpuppets.com points out right here, the cheapest adult season-ticket for the Spitfires (34 games) could be had for $425, while the cheapest Memorial Cup pass (nine games) was $672.35, tax included.
The piece at pensionplanpuppets.com is headlined: I love you Memorial Cup, but we need to talk about ticket prices.
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The Prince George Cougars have signed F Tyson Phare to a WHL contract. Phare, from Maple Ridge, B.C., was the 18th overall selection in the 2017 bantam draft. He played this season with the Yale Hockey Academy Lions in Abbotsford, B.C., putting up 18 goals and 22 assists in 28 games.
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The Swift Current Broncos have signed F Ben King, who was the 13th overall selection in the 2017 WHL bantam draft. King, from Vernon, B.C., played this season with the Pursuit of Excellence’s bantam prep team, putting up 16 goals and 30 assists in 22 regular-season games.
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Matt Cockell, the Kootenay Ice’s new president and general manager, is getting settled in Cranbrook and has begun the work aimed at re-establishing the WHL franchise in the area. Cockell, 38, is a former WHL goaltender and is eager to get things rolling. Brad McLeod of the Cranbrook Townsman has a piece on Cockell right here.
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Chase Souto has been named assistant general manager of hockey operations for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings organization. Souto, who is from Yorba Linda, Calif., played four seasons (2010-14) with the Kamloops Blazers before his career was ended by concussion problems. . . . Souto, 22, has been coaching with the Jr. Kings for three seasons. With his new title, he also will work as an assistant coach with three teams from midget to pee wee. . . . There’s more on Souto and his new position right here.
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OHLThe Mississauga Steelheads, fresh off their first appearance in the OHL’s championship final, have parted company with general manager James Boyd. He told John Matisz of Postmedia that “we were unable to come to an agreement on a contract moving forward.” According to Matisz, Boyd said the parting was “amicable” and that the decision was “mutual.” . . . Boyd had been the Steelheads GM/head coach for five seasons (2011-16). Prior to this season, James Richmond stepped in as head coach, allowing Boyd to focus on the GM’s duties. On Tuesday, after Boyd’s departure was made public, the Steelheads announced that Richmond now is the GM and head coach, and that he had signed a five-year contract. . . . Boyd is expected to interview with the Ottawa 67’s, who are looking for a GM and head coach to replace Jeff Brown. . . . Matisz reported that assistant GM Jan Egert also is gone from Mississauga, his contract having expired. . . . Matisz’s story is right here.
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The U of Waterloo, Ont., Warriors have commitments from two players who finished up their junior eligibility this season in the WHL. . . . G Trevor Martin, who was with the Calgary Hitmen, and F Markson Bechtold, who finished the season with the Saskatoon Blades, both have chosen to attend Waterloo. . . . Martin, from Androssan, Alta., also played with the Saskatoon Blades and Red Deer Blades. He spent some time with the QMJHL’s Baie-Comeau Drakkar this season before joining the Hitmen. . . . From Strathmore, Alta., Bechtold was dealt to the Blades by the Spokane Chiefs this season. In 231 career regular-season games, he had 38 goals and 62 assists. . . . Stick tap to Victor Findlay on the tweets about both players. He keeps tabs on the Canadian university hockey scene at @Finder_24.
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USHLIn the USHL, F Tyler Gratton scored at 11:30 of OT to give the visiting Chicago Steel a 2-1 victory over the Sioux City Musketeers in the final game of the championship series. The Steel won the best-of-five series, 3-2. . . . That goal was the first point in 14 playoff games for Gratton, a 17-year-old from Pottstown, Pa. . . . The Musketeers had a 46-25 edge in shots on goal. . . . Jay Varady, who is in his fourth season as the Musketeers’ director of hockey operations and head coach, spent eight seasons (2003-11) on the coaching staff of the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. . . . Mark LeRose, in his third season as Sioux City’s GM, was an assistant coach in Everett for three seasons (2007-09, 2013-14).
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Coaching

 Mitch Love will be returning as an assistant coach with the Everett Silvertips, who introduced Dennis Williams, their new head coach, to their fans on Monday. Jesse Geleynse of the Everett Herald reported that Love’s signing to a two-year extension should be announced shortly. . . . Love played five seasons (2000-05) in the WHL, the last two with the Silvertips. He is heading into his sixth season on their coaching staff. He spent four seasons alongside head coach Kevin Constantine, whose contract wasn’t renewed after this season. . . . Geleynse also reported that the Silvertips will employ only one assistant coach this season, a decision having been made not to replace Brennan Sonne, now the head coach of the pro team in Angers, France. . . . Geleynse’s story is right here.
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The OHL’s Sudbury Wolves are in the market for a head coach after parting company with Dave Matsos on Tuesday. Matsos had been with the Wolves since 2013 when he was the associate coach. He took over as head coach in January 2015. Matsos had a year left on his contract when, according to a news release from the Wolves, the parties “mutually agreed to part ways.” . . . Rob Papineau, the Wolves’ vice-president of hockey operations and general manager, said in a news release: “We considered options on contract extensions but we were unable to come to an agreement moving forward.” . . . Assistant coach Barry Smith also is gone. He joined the Wolves in mid-November when assistant coach Drake Berehowsky left to take over as head coach of the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 10:38 PM
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Thursday, May 11, 2017

Source: Silvertips have deal with coach ... Brooks skating, but future uncertain ... Cougars lose goaltender


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 The Everett Silvertips appear poised to introduce Dennis Williams as their new head coach.
He would replace Kevin Constantine, who was told on April 18 that his contract wouldn’t be renewed.
Constantine, in his second go-round with the Silvertips, had been their head coach through four seasons.
One source told Taking Note on Thursday that he has heard from “a few different people that Everett has a done deal” with Williams. This was the second time in two days that Taking Note has received the same information from different sources.
Williams, 37, is a native of Stratford, Ont., He has spent three seasons as the general manager of hockey operations and head coach of the USHL’s Bloomington, Ill., Thunder. One source told Taking Note that Williams has two years left on his contract with Bloomington.
Before working with the Thunder, Williams was the director of hockey operations and head coach with the NAHL’s Amarillo, Texas, Bulls.
The Silvertips, Thunder and Bulls are owned by CSH International, Inc., the sports property division of The Monarch Corporation, a private investment company that is headquartered in Medicine Hat and is headed up by Bill Yuill, its chairman.
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The WHL’s championship final for the Ed Chynoweth Cup resumes tonight (Friday) in Kent, Wash., with the Regina Pats and Seattle Thunderbirds each having won twice. The Thunderbirds posted the most convincing victory over the series on Wednesday when they skated to a 6-1 victory.
The Pats, of course, have been without F Adam Brooks since he suffered a suspected concussion when he was hit by Seattle D Turner Ottenbreit during Game 1. Brooks, who won last season's WHL scoring title, put up 250 points between last season and this one.
Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reported Thursday that “Brooks is skating but it remains to be seen when he’ll get the green light.”
John Paddock, the Pats’ general manager and head coach, told Harder: “I don’t really have an answer. I definitely think there’s a chance to a good chance (he’ll play again in the series). In saying that, he’s not a lock to play (Friday) or the next two games after that.”
After Game 5, the teams will return to Regina for Game 6, which is scheduled for Sunday, and Game 7, if necessary, on Monday.
Harder’s complete story is right here.
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G Nick McBride has told the Prince George Cougars that he won’t be returning for his 20-year-old
NICK McBRIDE
season. Ted Clarke of the Prince George Citizen reports that McBride informed the Cougars of his decision “about a month ago.” . . . This season, McBride played in 22 games, going 14-5-1, 3.05, .903, as he backed up Ty Edmonds, 20, who made 53 appearances. . . . A native of Maple Ridge, B.C., McBride started his WHL career with the Prince Albert Raiders. He played two seasons there, before being dealt to the Cougars. . . . McBride, a former WHL scholastic player of the year, is expected to attend school rather than return to the Cougars. . . . Tavin Grant, 19, would appear to be No. 1 on the Cougars’ depth chart now. He played this season with the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings. Also on the depth chart is G Taylor Gauthier, the ninth overall selection in the WHL’s 2016 bantam draft. Gauthier, 16, played this season with the midget AAA Calgary Buffaloes. . . . According to Clarke, the Cougars also will bring in Ty Taylor, who turns 18 on July 5. He played this season with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers. . . . McBride is the second goaltender to leave the WHL for school in recent days, rather than return for his 20-year-old season. Zach Sawchenko won’t be back with the Moose Jaw Warriors, choosing instead to attend the U of Alberta and play for the Golden Bears. . . . Clarke’s story is right here.
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D Dallas Valentine, who played out his junior eligibility with the Kamloops Blazers this season, has decided to attend the U of Lethbridge and play for the Pronghorns. Valentine, who is from Red Deer, played four seasons in the WHL. Six games into his third season, the Moose Jaw Warriors traded him to the Blazers. . . . In 260 regular-season games, the 6-foot-4, 205-pounder had 10 goals and 55 assists.
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Aaron Keller, who has played and coach in Japan since 1997, announced his retirement via Facebook on Thursday. Keller, 42, is a native of Kamloops. A defenceman, he played four seasons (1992-96) with the Kamloops Blazers and was part of two Memorial Cup-championship teams (1994 and 1995). . . . Keller played one season of pro in North America, before joining the Snow Brand Sapporo in Japan for the 1997-98 season. Since 2002-03, he has been part of the Oji Eagles’ organization. He also represented Japan in various international competitions. Keller last played in 2013-14. This season, he was the Eagles’ head coach.
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The Red Deer Rebels have brought back a familiar face as their athletic therapist. The team announced that Josh Guenther has left the team, “due to personal reasons,” after one season, and that it has hired Terence Robertson as athletic therapist. . . . Robertson was the team’s athletic therapist from 2004-13. Since 2013, he was with Collegiate Athletic & Sports Medicine in Red Deer.
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The Tri-City Americans have signed F Kaden Kohle to a WHL contract. The Americans selected Kohle, who is from Humboldt, Sask., in the first round — 12th overall — of the 2017 WHL bantam draft. This season, Kohle, 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds. had 66 points, including 38 goals, in 29 games with the bantam AA Humboldt Broncos. In 2015-16, he had 12 goals and 14 assists in 26 games with the Broncos.
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If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
If interested, you also are able to follow me on Twitter at @gdrinnan.
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THURSDAY’S GAME:

No Game Scheduled.
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FRIDAY’S GAME (all times local):

Regina vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:35 p.m. (Series tied, 2-2)

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 9:39 PM
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