Winterhawks close in on GM/head coach

F Ian McDonald (Tri-City, 2000-06) signed a one-year contract with Briançon (France, Ligue Magnus). Last season, with Beibarys Atyrau (Kazakhstan, Vysshaya Liga), he had a team-leading 57 points, including 27 goals, in 54 games. He finished seventh in the league’s scoring race.
F Brad Schell (Spokane, 1999-2004) signed a one-year contract with Herning (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). Last season, with Rossoblu Milan (Italy, Serie A), he had 45 points, including a team-leading 35 assists, in 38 games. . . .
F Jozef Balej (Portland, 1999-2002) signed a one-year contract with Plzeň (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Last season, with Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga), he had 14 points, eight of the goals, in 37 games.
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1. The Portland Winterhawks are looking for a replacement for Mike Johnston, who had been their GM/head coach since October 2008. Johnston signed on as head coach of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins last month. . . . How close are the Winterhawks to signing someone? . . . “Should have an announcement on a new head coach very shortly,” a Portland insider told me on Friday. . . . When queried as to whether the Winterhawks were on the verge of hiring a GM or a GM/head coach, the response was “GM/head coach combo.”

2. The Prince George Cougars have hired Michael Hengen as what their news release called “an assistant/strength and conditioning coach.” . . . Hengen, from Surrey, B.C., spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees. . . . Hengen, 26, was selected by the Swift Current Broncos in the fifth round of the 2002 bantam draft. He split 226 WHL regular-season games between the Broncos, Edmonton Oil Kings, Moose Jaw Warriors, Calgary Hitmen and Saskatoon Blades. . . . With the Cougars, Hengen will work alongside head coach Mark Holick.

3. The Swift Current Broncos have signed Josh Dixon to a three-year contract as their associate coach. Dixon spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the Regina Pats. He left last month after being unable to reach a contract agreement with the Pats’ new owners. . . . In Swift Current, Dixon will work with GM/head coach Mark Lamb. . . . With the Broncos, Dixon also will be responsible for all off-ice training and what Lamb referred to as “the fitness aspect of the Broncos organization.” . . . Dixon fills the void created when Darren Evjen resigned after four seasons.

4. The Regina Pats have re-signed goaltending coach Rob Muntain for another season. He is preparing for his fourth season working with Regina’s goaltenders. Muntain, an officer in the Regina Police Service, is a former WHL goaltender (Brandon, 1995-96), who has worked with the Saskatchewan Hockey Association and Hockey Canada. . . . The Pats also are working to sign a head coach and two assistant coaches.

5. Kris Mallette has signed on as an assistant coach with the Kelowna Rockets. He will work with head coach Dan Lambert, who was promoted after five seasons as an assistant coach. Former head coach Ryan Huska now is head coach of the Adirondack Flames, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames. . . . Mallette (Kelowna, Moose Jaw, 1996-2000) spent last season as an associate coach with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers.

6. Through four days of NHL free agency, capgeek.com reports that 78 unrestricted free agents have signed for a total of US$560,950,000.


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Quinn Hancock (Tacoma/Kelowna, Calgary, Prince George, 1994-1998) signed a one year contract with SønderjyskE Vojens (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). He had four goals and 14 assists in 22 games with Graz 99ers (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) last season.
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The body of former WHLer Rick Rypien (Regina, 2001-05) was discovered in his home near Coleman, Alta., early Monday afternoon. Rypien, 27, had signed with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets earlier this summer.
The RCMP has said his death is not being treated as suspicious.
Rypien, a cousin to former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien, played parts of six season with the Vancouver Canucks. During his time in the Vancouver organization, he also played for the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, a team that was based in Winnipeg.
He twice took leaves of absence from the Canucks in order to deal with personal issues. He returned to the Moose in March after his most recent leave, one that lasted four months.
During his time with the Pats, he was one of the team’s most popular players.
When the news was confirmed Monday, Brent Parker, the Pats’ president, issued this release:
“The entire Regina Pats organization is deeply saddened to hear of the tragic news of the passing of former Regina Pats captain Rick Rypien. Rick was a tremendous friend, teammate and role model during his time in Regina and he epitomized everything we want our young men to be as people and as players. We would like to express our deepest sympathies to the Rypien family and all of his friends and teammates during this difficult time.”
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Gary Lawless of the Winnipeg Free Press takes a look at the Rick Rypien story right here.
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JUST NOTES: The Portland Winterhawks have signed F Joey Baker, 18, who played last season with the BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters. Baker was listed by the Winterhawks in September. He had 12 points in 57 games with Trail. . . . Alex Kermidas is the new equipment manager with the Spokane Chiefs. He was the assistant equipment manager with the AHL’s Binghamton Senators as they won the AHL championship in 2010-11. That was his second season with the Senators; the previous season he filled the same role under head coach Don Nachbaur, now the Chiefs’ head coach. . . . D Brendon Wall (Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Kelowna, 2007-11) will attend the U of British Columbia and play for the Thunderbirds this season. He started last season with the Kelowna Rockets and finished with the SJHL’s Melfort Mustangs.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The Regina Pats have added Rob Muntain to their coaching staff. Muntain (Brandon, 1995-96) was named goaltender coach. He takes over from Ryan Cyr, whose contract wasn’t renwed after last season. Cyr had been there for four seasons and has since joined the Spokane Chiefs. Muntain has worked extensively with the Saskatchewan Hockey Association as head goaltending consultant. He is an officer with the Regina Police Service. . . .
Don Granato is the new head coach at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich.. He will guide the U.S. U-17 team this season. Granato has been in coaching since 1993. He spent last season scouting for the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. Prior to that, he was head coach of the AHL’s Chicago Wolves (2008-10). Granato takes over from Ron Rolston, who left the NTDP after seven seasons to take over as head coach of the AHL’s Rochester Americans.

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