Nikolishin to report to Silvertips

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Darrell Hay (Tri-City, 1996-2000) and F Ned Lukacevic (Spokane, Swift Current, 2001-06) each signed one-year contracts with Tohoku Free Blades Hachinohe (Japan, Asia Hockey League). . . . Last season, Hay had four goals and 16 assists in 40 games with Cortina (Italy, Serie A), while Lukacevic had no points in two games with Eispiraten Crimmitschau (Germany, 2. Bundesliga) and three goals and eight assists in 15 games with Banska Bystrica (Slovakia, Extraliga). . . .

F Aaron Gagnon (Seattle, 2001-07) signed a two-year contract with HV71 Jönköping (Sweden, SEL). He had three goals in 10 games with the Winnipeg Jets (NHL) and 11 goals and 13 assists in 43 games with the St. John’s Ice Caps (AHL) last season. Gagnon is due in Jönköping next week as HV71 opens its exhibition season on Tuesday, Aug. 13 at JYP Jyväskylä (Finland, SM-Liiga) — their training camp started July 29.
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F Jujhar Khaira, 19, has chosen to leave the Michigan Tech Huskies and sign with the Edmonton Oilers, who selected him in the third round of the NHL’s 2012 draft. His WHL rights are held by the Everett Silvertips, who acquired them from the Prince George Cougars. . . . Khaira, who is from Surrey, B.C., was drafted after playing for the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings. He then went to Michigan Tech. I can’t find a clause in the NHL-NHLPA CBA that covers a player drafted from junior who goes to college and then leaves early. But it is speculated that Khaira is eligible to play in the AHL this season. Should the Oilers decide he isn’t quite ready for that avenue, he could end up in Everett. . . . The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Khaira had 25 points, including six goals, in 37 games with Michigan Tech last season. In two seasons with the Spruce Kings, he had 121 points, 39 of them goals, in 112 games.
Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald has more on Khaira right here. Patterson also covers the Silvertips’ import situation, starting with the news that Russian F Ivan Nikolishin is expected to show up for training camp.
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The Portland Winterhawks are going to share their 2012-13 WHL championship with their season-ticket holders.
The team revealed Wednesday that every 2013-14 season-ticket holder will be presented with “a wearable championship ring that will be an exact replica of the ring that will be given to the players and coaches for winning last season's title.” . . . The presentations to fans will made at a game during the upcoming season.
"Championships require commitment, and no one is more committed to the Portland Winterhawks than our season ticket holders. We can't think of a better way to honor them than with championship rings of their own," Winterhawks president Doug Piper said in a statement. "This will be an exclusive gift for all of our full season ticket holders, something we hope they treasure for years to come."
Any season-ticket holders who might be flying in for the ceremony will have to foot the bill themselves. Or see if a QMJHL team will help them out.
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In the world of junior hockey, where new revenue streams are getting harder and harder to find, the SJHL just may have happened upon something.
The SJHL, under president Bill Chow, has sold the naming rights to one of its division. Yes, the Central Division, as it was called earlier this year when realignment was announced, now is the Kramer Division.
That’s because Kramer Ltd., a North Battleford-based outfit that specializes in selling farm equipment through auction, has cut a three-year deal for those naming rights.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Rick Emmett is the new head coach of the ECHL’s Gwinnett Gladiators. Emmett, an assistant coach with the Gladiators, was promoted after head coach John Wroblewski joined the AHL’s Rochester Americans as an assistant coach. . . . Emmett spent the past two seasons as an assistant under Wroblewski.
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Robbie Ftorek, who spent most of five seasons as head coach of the OHL’s Erie Otters, has been hired by the NHL’s Calgary Flames to work as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat. . . . Ftorek will work alongside head coach Troy Ward with the Heat. . . . George Johnson of the Calgary Herald has more right here.
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From Larry Stone (@StoneLarry) of the Seattle Times: “Just saw an usher in the elevator lugging a bunch of brooms left behind by Jays fans hoping for a sweep.”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Clayton Stoner (Tri-City, 2002-05) signed a lockout contract with Banska Bystrica (Slovakia, Extraliga). He had one goal and four assists in 51 games with the Minnesota Wild last season. . . .
D David Hajek (Spokane, 1998-99) signed a contract extensio with Dresdner Eislwen (Germany, 2. Bundesliga) through the end of this season. He has three goals and four assists in 16 games for Dresden this season. Hajek had originally signed a try-out contract with Dresden in August. This was converted into a 3 1/2-month contract after one exhibition game and was set to expire on Dec. 15.
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The OHL’s Erie Otters have named Kris Knoblauch as their new head coach, replacing Robbie Ftorek, 60, who was fired on Thursday. The Otters, whose roster includes 15-year-old phenom Connor McDavid, were 7-15-5, which has them in last place in the Western Conference. Knoblauch, 34, will work his first game tonight against the Hounds in Sault Ste. Marie. . . . Peter Sidorkiewicz remains as the Otters’ assistant coach. . . . Knoblauch was dismissed by the Kootenay Ice over the summer after he applied for the U of Alberta Golden Bears’ head-coaching position while still under contract. Knoblauch had been helping out as an assistant coach with the junior B Kimberley Dynamiters of the Kootenay International Junior League.
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JUST NOTES:
The Saskatoon Blades have decided to keep D Nelson Nogier for the remainder of the season. Nogier, a fourth-round selection in the 2011 bantam draft, started the season with the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts. Nogier was brought in prior to the Blades leaving on a B.C. Division swing. They are said to be especially enamoured with his leadership abilities, but don’t want to put too big a load on a 16-year-old freshman. . . . Nogier is the son of former WHL G Pat Nogier. . . . The Blades are in Calgary tonight and expect to have F Shane McColgan (concussion) back in their lineup after a three-game absence. . . .
The Prince Albert Raiders have signed F Austin Daae, 19, who was playing for the SJHL’s Estevan Bruins. Daae, who is from Estevan, had 16 points, including five goals, in 21 games. Daae had six points in 52 games with the Prince George Cougars last season. . . . The Raiders are looking for depth as they begin to prepare to lose a number of players to Christmas tournaments.
The Red Deer Rebels have acquired F Filip Vasko, who turns 19 on Dec. 10, from the Kelowna Rockets for a conditional sixth-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft. Vasko, a Slovakian sophomore, has 10 points, including three goals, in 19 games this season. Last season, in 51 games, he had 12 assists. The draft pick is payable if Vasko is on the Rebels’ roster after the Jan. 10 trade deadline.
A note from Alan Caldwell of Small Thoughts At Large about this trade: “Kelowna already owned Red Deer's 2013 6th round bantam pick from another conditional deal, the one that sent Austin Ferguson to Red Deer a month ago. Since Red Deer sent Ferguson home 2 weeks ago to decide if he wants to be a hockey player, I guess it's now safe to say the Ferguson trade has been nullified, Red Deer got the pick back and promptly traded it to Kelowna again for Vasko now.”
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In an interesting piece in The Globe and Mail, Alan Maki reports:
A season-long medical study like no other has examined head injuries among university hockey players and determined there is “significant underreporting” of concussions in both men’s and women’s hockey.
That story is right here.
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If you aren’t aware of it, there is an interesting story unfolding on a blog that carries the title The Myles McCauley Story. It is right here.
As the blog’s subtitle reads: “This is a story of Myles McCauley. Myles is hockey player from Sterling Heights, Michigan and this is the story of his journey in the OHL and a detour to Penticton, BC and the BCHL.”
The story includes emails and, well, you should check it out because someone, as they say, is going to have some splaining to do.

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.