Ex-WHL coach off to Slovakia ... Hitmen coach talking with Swiss team? ... Blades sign three picks

F Brad Ross (Portland, 2007-12) has signed a one-year contract with the Heilbronner Falken (Germany, DEL2). This season, with the Iserlohn Roosters (Germany, DEL), Ross had four assists in six games. His season ended prematurely due to a hand injury. Heilbronner’s head coach is Gerhard Unterluggauer (Brandon, 1995-97). . . .

F Dalibor Bortňák (Kamloops, 2008-11) has signed a one-year extension with Banská Bystrica (Slovakia, Extraliga). This season, in 49 games, he had 10 goals and 22 assists.

———

Former Kamloops Blazers head coach Dave Hunchak will
coach in Slovakia next season.
(Photo: Hugo Yuen/Kamloops Daily News)

It took more than three years, but former WHL coach Dave Hunchak is back in the game.

Hunchak has been named associate coach with Banská Bystrica, which won the Slovak Extraliga this season. Hunchak, who got a two-year contract, will work alongside head coach Vladimir Országh.

Hunchak, 43, coached in the WHL for 10 seasons, with the Swift Current Broncos, Moose Jaw Warriors and Kamloops Blazers. He was the head coach in Moose Jaw for four seasons (2007-11) and spent two-plus seasons in Kamloops.

Hunchak was the Blazers’ head coach when he left the team while it was in Spokane in January 2014. More than a year later he spoke with Allan Maki of The Globe and Mail for a piece headlined: Hockey world steps up mental health support. But is it enough?

That story is right here.

Banská Bystrica was looking to replace Richard Zednik, who had left its coaching staff, and chose to get in touch with Hunchak.

“During the interviews . . . many names fell,“ Julius Koval, Banská Bystrica’s sports manager, said on the team’s website. “But finally, on the basis of recommendations, like Jason Bast or Ty Wishart, we decided to reach Dave.”

Bast and Wishart played for Hunchak in Moose Jaw. Bast played in Banská Bystrica in 2015-16, while Wishart just completed his first season there.

Hunchak will leave for training camp in mid-July.

——

Excited to be returning to Bruneck and @hcpustertal Looking forward to working with the great group of players and staff we have there.

— Mark Holick (@coachholly68) May 17, 2017

——

The Calgary Hitmen are looking for a new general manager, having moved Mike Moore up to vice-president and alternate governor on Tuesday.

Might they also be in the market for a head coach before too long?

Mark French, their 46-year-old head coach, is said to be in the running for the head-coaching job with the Fribourg-Gotteron Dragons of Switzerland’s National League A.

Earlier this month, the Swiss newspaper La Liberte reported that French was the front-runner to replace Larry Huras, and that French was likely to meet with team president Michel Volet in the near future.

French has completed three seasons as Calgary’s head coach. He received what the team said was a “multi-year” contract extension on June 20.

Before signing with Calgary, he was the head coach the AHL’s Hershey Bears for four seasons and with Medvescak Zagreb of the KHL for one season.

——

The Saskatoon Blades had two first-round selections in the 2017 WHL bantam draft and signed both of them on Wednesday. . . . D Aidan De La Gorgendiere, the fifth overall selection, is from Langley, B.C. De La Gorgendiere played this season at the Yale Hockey Academy. He had 26 points, including five goals, in 30 games with the bantam prep team and added two goals and two assists in four games with the Elite 15s. His parents grew up in Saskatoon so he has a lot of family there. . . . The Blades also signed F Kyle Crnkovic of Chestermere, Alta., who was the 10th overall pick. He had 79 points, 40 of them goals, in 30 games with the Pursuit of Excellence bantam prep team. . . . The Blades also announced the signing of F Braden Plaschewsky, who was taken in the second round with a pick acquired from the Red Deer Rebels for F Mason McCarty, 20. Plaschewsky, from Calgary, had 72 points, including 30 goals, in 35 games with the bantam AAA Calgary Bisons.

——

F Tim Vanstone has made a commitment to the U of Calgary where he will play for the Dinos. Vanstone, from Swift Current, played out his junior eligibility this season. He was the Raiders’ captain for the past two seasons. This season, he had 30 points, including 12 goals, in 68 games. In 299 career regular-season games, all with the Raiders, he had 36 goals and 58 assists. The Raiders selected him in the third round of the 2011 bantam draft.

——

D Josh Mahura of the Regina Pats has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. From St. Albert, Alta., Mahura was a third-round pick by the Ducks in the NHL’s 2016 draft. . . . Mahura had two goals and six assists in 51 games as a 16-year-old with the Red Deer Rebels. He missed all but two games of the 2015-16 regular season due to a knee injury, but came back to play in 17 playoff games, picking up two goals and two assists. He was dealt to the Pats this season -- he had nine goals and 24 assists in 39 games with Red Deer, and eight goals and 12 assists in 34 games with Regina. But he really caught fire in the playoffs, putting up eight goals and 13 assists in 23 games as the Pats got six games into the championship final before losing to the Seattle Thunderbirds.

——

The Vancouver Giants have signed D Tanner Brown, who was a second-round pick in the 2017 WHL bantam draft. From Kelowna, Brown had seven goals and 22 assists in 26 games with the Pursuit of Excellence’s bantam prep team this season.

——

Ryan McGill of the Owen Sound Attack and Kris Knoblauch of the Erie Otters were named the OHL’s first- and second-team all-star coaches on Wednesday. Both are former WHL players and coaches. . . . McGill played for the Lethbridge Broncos, Swift Current Broncos and Medicine Hat Tigers (1985-89) and was a coach with the Edmonton/Kootenay Ice (1996-2002, 2012-15). . . . Knoblauch played for the Red Deer Rebels, Edmonton/Kootenay and the Lethbridge Hurricanes (1996-99). As a coach, he spent one season (2006-07) with the Prince Albert Raiders and five (2007-12) with Kootenay. . . . Knoblauch guided his Otters to the OHL championship and they are in Windsor, preparing for the Memorial Cup tournament that begins on Friday. Two of the other three head coaches also have WHL ties. Steve Konowalchuk, who is in his sixth season with the WHL-champion Seattle Thunderbirds, played two seasons (1990-92) with the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Rocky Thompson, in season No. 2 as the head coach of the host Windsor Spitfires, played four-plus seasons (1993-97) with the Medicine Hat Tigers, finishing up with 22 games with the Swift Current Broncos. He began his coaching season with three seasons (2007-10) as an assistant with the Edmonton Oil Kings.

——

If you are interested in Part 2 of Lucas Aykroyd’s interview with Dave King, it’s right here. These days, King is working as an assistant coach with Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship. . . . BTW, King jogs every morning. In fact, he has jogged every morning for almost 30 years without missing a day.

——

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.

———

Jesse Dorrans no longer is the general manager and head coach of the AJHL’s Drayton Valley Thunder. The team revealed Wednesday morning that Dorrans “has resigned due to personal reasons.” . . . Dorrans spent one season with the Thunder, going 17-39-4 to finish sixth in the eight-team Viterra North Division. In the playoffs, the Thunder was swept from a best-of-five first-round series by the Spruce Grove Saints.

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.

Fleury: Canada is 'Disneyland for pedophiles' . . . Oil Kings' opener sells out . . . Full practice for Patrick

Graham James uses his middle name "Michael" now. "Michael James" is Graham James. He can change his name, but not who he really is.

— Greg Gilhooly (@GregGilhooly) September 15, 2016

One day after the Swift Current Broncos celebrated the organization’s decision to support Safe Places Initiative, a program that aims to reduce potential risks to children and youth, their former general manager and head coach was granted full parole.

Graham James was serving a seven-year sentence for the sexual assault of players he was coaching. He had been on day parole in the Montreal area.

Sheldon Kennedy, one of James’s victims, now advocates on behalf of young people and has been a big part of the Broncos’ and the City of Swift Current’s involvement with Safe Places Initiative.

Having James on parole with various restrictions gave Kennedy a sense of deja vu.

“In my case a number of years ago, Graham got out and made all these promises,” Kennedy told Calgary radio station 660 NEWS. “He had all these conditions on full parole, but we found Graham teaching youth hockey in Spain.

“We’ll never get decisions that are supportive of the impact of his crime until we start understanding the severity and the lifelong impact this crime has on children and into adulthood.”

Full Parole for Pedophile #GrahamJames 
MY THOUGHTS ARE WITH HIS VICTIMS THAT STRUGGLE EVERYDAY...and all VICTIMS pic.twitter.com/GHLrPIcpae

— Sheldon Kennedy (@ShelKenn) September 15, 2016

Theo Fleury, another former WHL player who was abused by James, chose not to do any interviews on Thursday from Vernon, B.C., where he was speaking to high school students. But he issued a news release in which he referred to Canada as “Disneyland for pedophiles.”

That news release is right here.

CBC News has more on the story right here.

——

The Edmonton Oil Kings have sold out their first game at Rogers Place, the new facility that they will share with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. The Oil Kings will entertain the Red Deer Rebels on Sept. 24 before the first sellout (18,102) in the modern history of the franchise. . . . That will set a new franchise single-game attendance record. The previous record (16,651) dates to a March 10, 2012 game against the Rebels. The Oil Kings won that one, 7-4. . . . The WHL’s single-game regular-season attendance record for a game played indoors (19,305) was set on March 16, 2008, as the host Calgary Hitmen beat the Kootenay Ice, 5-1. . . . On Feb. 21, 2011, the Regina Pats beat the host Hitmen, 3-2, in front of 20,888 fans at McMahon Stadium, the home of the CFL’s Calgary Flames.

——

The WHL announced Thursday that its teams are sending 140 players to NHL training camps.

All of those players are eligible to return for another WHL season, although a number of them aren’t expected back.

In fact, there likely are around 20 players on the WHL list, most of them 2014 NHL draft picks, who aren’t expected to return for their 20-year-old season.

At least one player on the WHL list, F Evan Polei of the Red Deer Rebels, is injured and won’t be attending an NHL camp. He had accepted a free-agent invitation from the St. Louis Blues.

Still, no matter how you look at it, that’s a lot of players leaving WHL teams for NHL camps.

And now the waiting game begins. The WHL’s regular season is to open on Sept. 23 and a number of those players likely won’t be back in time to take part.

The World Cup of Hockey hits high gear this weekend and, because of it, NHL main camps will open a few days later than normal. NHL teams may also hold over a few major junior players if for no other reason than to fill out rosters.

The Tampa Bay Lightning, for example, has its top two goaltenders — Ben Bishop and Andrei Vasilevskiy — playing in the WCoH. Does that mean that G Connor Ingram of the Kamloops Blazers, a third-round pick in the NHL’s 2016 draft, will end up in main camp?

The Blazers will be watching closely, while other WHL teams also are in the same position with other players.

——

The mystery has been solved.

On Wednesday, F Tanner Nagel, 18, tweeted a farewell to Portland and the Winterhawks, while mentioning that he was looking forward to joining the Lethbridge Hurricanes. However, everyone went to bed without seeing an announcement from either team.

Well, late Thursday morning, it was revealed that the Hurricanes had acquired Nagel for the rights to G Shane Farkas, who is to turn 17 on Dec. 1.

Lethbridge GM Peter Anholt told Dale Woodard of the Lethbridge Herald that “it’s a depth deal for us,”

“We never felt that Farkas was going to play for us,” Anholt said. “We had another deal we had done for Farkas, but when (Portland) threw out the option of taking Nagel we thought we’ll add some depth and see what comes of it.”

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Nagel was a Portland list player. A native of Mossbank, Sask., he had one goal in 38 games with the Winterhawks last season. In 23 games with the SJHL’s Battlefords North Stars, he had six goals and an assist.

Farkas, from Penticton, B.C., was a fourth-round pick by Lethbridge in the 2014 bantam draft. The 6-foot-2, 155-pounder played last season at the Okanagan Hockey Academy and now is with the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors.

Later Thursday, West Kelowna announced the acquisition of G Xavier Burghardt, 19, from the SJHL’s Kindersley Klippers for future considerations. Burghardt, from Medicine Hat, played last season with the AJHL’s Drumheller Dragons.

Burghardt’s arrival leaves the Warriors with four goaltenders on their roster, including Jordan Wilde, who is an AP (affiliated player). Burghardt also joins Farkas and Keelan Williams, 20, on the roster. Williams, who is injured, got into 11 games with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice in 2014-15 and two games last season. He also played in 22 regular-season and three playoff games with the Warriors last season.

The Warriors, under GM/head coach Rylan Ferster, are the defending Royal Bank Cup champions.

——

Prince Albert and Seattle swapped 19-year-old wingers on Thursday, with Nic Holowko going to the Raiders for Layne Bensmiller and an undisclosed conditional pick in the 2017 bantam draft. . . . The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Holowko, from Burnaby, B.C., had nine points, five of them goals, with Seattle in 2014-15 and added 20 points, including six goals, in 72 games last season. . . . The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Bensmiller, from Red Deer, had 11 points, including six goals, in 34 games with the Calgary Hitmen in 2014-15, then added 24 points, eight of them goals, in 44 games last season before being dealt to the Raiders. With P.A., he had three goals and three assists in 30 games.

——

JUST NOTES:

F Nolan Patrick was the first player off the ice at the Brandon Wheat Kings’ practice on Thursday. Still, it was his first full practice since he underwent sports hernia surgery in Winnipeg in mid-July. Patrick is the consensus No. 1 pick for the NHL’s 2017 draft. The Wheat Kings open the regular season on Sept. 23 against the Warriors in Moose Jaw. . . . With eight players at pro camps, F Rod Southam injured and D Nolan Foote out with mononucleosis, the Kelowna Rockets are expected to dress just 14 skaters for an exhibition game tonight against the visiting Vancouver Giants. . . . Darren Zary of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix reports that F Cam Hebig of the Saskatoon Blades, who has had concussion issues, is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury. Hebig, 19, had 69 points, including 26 goals, in 59 games last season, his third with the Blades.

———

Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

———

The Edmonton Oil Kings have added former NHLer Fernando Pisani to their coaching staff as their development coach. Pisani spent the past three seasons on staff with the U of Alberta Golden Bears. . . . The Oil Kings also re-signed head coach Steve Hamilton and assistant coach Ryan Marsh. Contract terms were released. . . . David Pelletier is Edmonton’s skating coach, with Dustin Schwartz the goaltending coach, Kurtis Mucha the goaltender development coach, and Jory Stuparyk and Michael Chan the video coaches.

———

THURSDAY’S GAMES:

At Prince Albert, F Tim Vanstone had a goal and four assists to lead the Raiders to a 6-3 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Moose Jaw (3-3-0) held a 42-23 shot advantage, including 19-6 in the third period. . . . F Parker Kelly added two goals and an assist for the Raiders (2-2-0), with F Sean Montgomery getting a goal and an assist, and D Loch Morrison drawing two assists. . . . Kelly’s first goal, at 8:22 of the second period, broke a 2-2 tie. His second goal, at 13:59 of the third, gave the Raiders a 5-2 edge. . . . 

At Crowsnest Pass, Alta., F Ryley Lindgren scored two goals and set up another to help the Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 5-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Hurricanes (2-3-0) took a 2-0 lead, only to have the Ice (0-3-1) tie it early in the second period. . . . F Colton Kroeker scored a PP goal to give Lethbridge a 3-2 lead. That goal stood up as the winner.

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.

Lajoie gives Broncos joy . . . Raiders end five-game drought . . . McAndrews big for Chiefs

F Ryan Kinasewich (Medicine Hat, Tri-City, 1998-2004) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Dornbirn (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). Last season, with the Graz 99ers (Austria, Erste Bank Liga), he had 13 goals and 11 assists in 28 games.
---


ROOT Sports has announced its eight-game TV schedule that features Friday night WHL games that include U.S. Division teams.
The schedule opens Jan. 16 with the Tri-City Americans in Vancouver to face the Giants. Once again, Ian Furness will handle the play-by-play with analysis from former D Kevin Sawyer.
The schedule:
Jan. 16 -- Tri-City at Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 23 -- Everett at Kelowna - 7:05 p.m.
Feb. 6 -- Portland at Seattle - 7:35 p.m.
Feb. 20 -- Tri-City at Everett - 7:35 p.m.
Feb. 27 -- Spokane at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
March 6 -- Seattle at Portland, 7 p.m.
March 13 -- Portland at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
March 20 -- Everett at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
---

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:

A scheduled game that was to have had the Medicine Hat Tigers in Victoria to play the Royals was postponed until tonight. The Tigers had problems getting through the Interior of B.C., due to highway closures for avalanche control. . . . The highway opened late Wednesday morning and the Tigers were able to catch an evening ferry to Victoria.
—-
In Prince Albert, G Rylan Parenteau stopped 44 shots to lead the Raiders to a 5-1 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . F Tim Vanstone scored twice for the Raiders, giving him five this season. He opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal at 12:58 of the first period. . . . F Brayden Point, who played for Canada at the WJC, returned to the Warriors’ lineup. He drew an assist on F Jack Rodewald’s 20th goal of the season, running his point streak to 13 games. . . . The Warriors scratched D Connor Clouston and F Axel Blomqvist, both of whom were acquired in trades this week. . . . D Dalton Yorke and F Kris Schmidli, acquired by the Raiders from Kelowna in the deal for F Leon Draisaitl, both played. . . . The Raiders(17-23-1) snapped a five-game losing skid and closed to within a point of the Warriors, who are fourth in the East Division. . . . Moose Jaw (16-22-4) has lost two in a row. . . .

In Swift Current, D Max Lajoie scored the only goal of a five-round shootout to give the Broncos a 5-4 victory over the Calgary Hitmen. . . . Broncos F Jake DeBrusk forced OT with a PP goal at 19:11 of the third period. He scored twice, giving him 22. . . . The Hitmen held leads of 2-0 and 3-1 but found themselves tied 3-3 after Broncos F Colby Cave got his 19th goal at 8:56 of the third. . . . Calgary F Connor Rankin gave the Hitmen a 4-3 lead with his 20th goal at 9:23. . . . Lajoie had three assists, all in the third period. . . . F Adam Tambellini and D Travis Sanheim each had two assists for Calgary. . . . Broncos G Landon Bow stopped 43 shots, six more than Calgary’s Mack Shields. . . . The Broncos lost F Coda Gordon to an undisclosed injury in the first period. . . . G Brendan Burke, acquired Tuesday from the Portland Winterhawks, was on Calgary’s bench backing up Shields. . . . The Hitmen were without F Taylor Sanheim, who drew a two-game suspension for a headshot major and game misconduct he incurred Tuesday night in Moose Jaw. . . . The Broncos (20-17-4) had lost their previous two games. . . . The Hitmen (22-15-4) had won two straight. The loser point lifted them into second in the Central Division, a point ahead of the Red Deer Rebels. . . .

In Regina, G Tyler Brown stopped 25 shots to help the Pats to a 3-1 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . F Braden Christoffer, in his first game as the Pats’ captain, opened the scoring on the PP at 10:29 of the first period. . . . He’s got 14 goals. . . . Everett F Nikita Scherbak tied it, with his 19th goal, at 13:05. . . . Regina F Pavel Padakin broke the tie with his 10th goal at 16:54 of the second. . . . Pats F Jesse Gabrielle added insurance with his 14th goal at 13:18 of the third. . . . The Pats scratched G Daniel Wapple (groin), so G Tyler Fuhr of the SJHL’s Estevan Bruins was on the bench. . . . F Taylor Cooper and D Connor Hobbs, acquired in deals this week, were in Regina’s lineup. . . . Everett G Austin Lotz stopped 32 shots. . . . Regina (25-12-3) is 5-0-1 in its last six. . . . Everett (24-12-4) had won its last three games, all on an East Division swing. . . .

In Prince George, G Evan Sarthou turned aside 33 shots to lead the Tri-City Americans to a 5-3 victory over the Cougars. . . . Americans’ F Justin Gutierrez broke a 1-1 tie with his sixth goal, on a PP, at 16:38 of the second period. . . . F Nolan Yaremko, one of three affiliate players in Tri-City’s lineup, scored his first goal at 9:27 of the third period for a 4-2 lead. . . . Cougars F Brad Morrison got his 15th goal at 14:12, on a PP, but Americans F Richard Nejezchleb iced it with his 11th goal, an empty-netter, at 19:52. . . . F Chase Witala had three assists for the Cougars. . . . The Americans (19-19-2) snapped a four-game losing skid. They are fifth in the U.S. Division, two points behind the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Cougars slipped to 20-22-0. . . .

In Spokane, F Devon McAndrews scored his first two goals to help the Chiefs to a 4-1 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . McAndrews broke a 1-1 tie at 9:13 of the second period and added insurance at 1:50 of the third. . . . Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand, in his first game since playing for Denmark at the WJC, got his 22nd goal at 14:07 of the first period. . . . Spokane scored the game’s last four goals. . . . Spokane F Kailer Yamamoto had two assists. . . . Chiefs F Adam Helewka scored his 21st goal into an empty net at 18:32 of the third. . . . Spokane D Jason Fram counted his eighth goal and added an assist. . . . Spokane G Garret Hughson stopped 38 shots, six fewer than Portland’s Adin Hill. . . . Hill, who had put up back-to-back shutouts, had his shutout string end at 174:38. According to Todd Vrooman, the Winterhawks’ play-by-play voice, that is just 1 minute 16 seconds shy of Brendan Burke’s franchise record. . . . F Nic Petan, who played for Canada at the WJC, wasn’t in Portland’s lineup, but Danish F Oliver Bjorkstrand was back. . . . D Adam Henry, acquired Tuesday from Saskatoon, made his debut with Portland. . . . The Chiefs (22-14-3) had lost their previous two games. They are second in the U.S. Division, two points ahead of Portland. . . . The Winterhawks (21-18-3) had won their previous two games. . . .

In Kelowna, F Leon Draisaitl scored a goal and added an assist in the second period as the Rockets beat the Vancouver Giants, 4-2. . . . Draisaitl, who was acquired from the Prince Albert Raiders on Tuesday, was playing his first game after being returned to the WHL by the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. . . . Draisaitl drew an assist on a PP score by F Gage Quinney that broke a 1-1 tie at 1:13 of the second period. . . . Draisaitl scored the Rockets’ third goal at 5:00 of the second. . . . F Jakob Stukel scored his third goal of the season at 12;44 of the third to get the Giants to within one. . . . Kelowna F Rourke Chartier got his WHL-leading 36th goal into an empty net at 19:00. . . . F Dillon Dube drew two assists for Kelowna. . . . Rockets G Jackson Whistle stopped 39 shots, 10 more than Vancouver’s Cody Porter. . . . The Rockets (32-6-3) have won three in a row. . . . Vancouver (18-20-2) was 2-0-1 in its previous three games.
---

News - The new Score Clock at the @BrandtCentre is coming January 23rd! http://t.co/ORUcg64CsJ pic.twitter.com/gvIiMf8T7v
— Regina Pats (@WHLpats) January 7, 2015

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.

Farewell to a friend

Roy Antal, the Regina Leader-Post photographer who took the above photo on Nov. 18, 1994, has died. He passed away Saturday in Regina after a bout with cancer. He would have turned 67 in November.
Antal, who retired in 2010 after working at The Leader-Post for 41 years, was one of the good guys, quick to laugh and with an infectious smile. He had something of a unique golf swing, too; at least, I doubt that there is another one like it anywhere out there.
During my 17 years at The Leader-Post, we shared some breakfasts and more than a few Chinese food buffets. Mostly, though, we shared a lot of stories and more than our share of laughter.
That's Norm Johnston, then of the Regina Pats, on the left in the above photo, and Al Tuer, then with the Moose Jaw Warriors, bringing a bit of WWE to the WHL, which, it seems, was a lot more fun back in the day. That is Antal’s left hand in the bottom right corner of the photo. We can only imagine Antal's surprise when the two coaches brought their act right to him as he stood, camera in hand, between the team's benches in what was then the Regina Agridome.
If you would like to see some of Antal's best work, click right here.
(The flash bounce in the above photo is all mine. It happened when I attempted to make a copy of the photo that I have in my home.)

2. There is controversy brewing on the campus of the U of British Columbia and among the school's many alumni, many of whom donate money to the athletic department. . . . Iain MacIntyre of the Vancouver Sun has a terrific piece right here, as he delves into what has all the signs of turning into something really messy in the not-too-distant future.

3. If you've been following the mess that is the saga involving Senator Mike Duffy and haven't seen the story that appeared in Maclean's in September, well, you should pour a cuppa and click right here. Jonathon Gatehouse does a great job of explaining Duffy's past and present situations.

JUST NOTES:
The BCHL's Penticton Vees have signed former WHL D Clint Filbrandt. An 18-year-old from Calgary, Filbrandt was released earlier by the Kootenay Ice, who had acquired him from the Tri-City Americans over the summer. The Americans had selected him in the 10th round of the 2010 bantam draft. He was to make his debut with the Vees last night. . . . The OHL's Erie Otters ran their winning streak to 10 on Saturday, beating the visiting Peterborough Petes, 4-0. Kris Knoblauch, Erie's head coach, is a former WHL player and coach.

SATURDAY NIGHT:
In Medicine Hat, F Curtis Valk had two goals and an assist to help the Tigers to a 6-4 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Medicine Hat snapped a three-game losing skid. . . . Among the Tigers' scratches was veteran F Hunter Shinkaruk (hip). . . . Saskatoon F Collin Valcourt played, and drew two assists, despite taking a charging major for running into Rebels G Patrik Bartosak in Red Deer on Friday night. Valcourt actually scored on the play and the Blades went on to a 4-3 victory. . . .

In Swift Current, the Broncos beat Edmonton 3-1, snapping the Oil Kings' winning streak at three. . . . F Connor Sanvido had an empty-net goal and two assists for the Broncos. . . . Edmonton F Curtis Lazar didn't finish, as he left the game with an undisclosed injury. . . .

In Prince Albert, the Raiders got 27 saves from G Cole Cheveldave as they got past the Regina Pats, 3-1. . . . Raiders F Tim Vanstone, 17, scored his first WHL goal in his 55th game, 15 of which are from this season. . . . Veteran F Shane Danyluk scored his first goal of the season, in game No. 15, for the Raiders. . . . Regina G Dawson MacAuley, who is from Prince Albert, started in his hometown for the first time. . . . The Raiders have won three of four, while the Pats have lost three in a row. . . .

In Cranbrook, F Jaedon Descheneau scored twice as the Kootenay Ice beat the Moose Jaw Warriors, 5-4. . . . The Ice had Mike Dyck helping its coaching staff on the weekend. The former WHL defenceman who has coaching experience with Lethbridge and Vancouver, will help assistant Jay Henderson when head coach Ryan McGill joins Canada's national junior team in December. . . . Among the Moose Jaw scratches was F Brandon Potomak, who injured a shoulder during Thursday's 4-3 OT victory over the Hurricanes in Lethbridge. . . .

In Prince George, F Pavel Padakin got the shootout winner as the Hitmen got past the Cougars, 4-3. . . . The Hitmen are 7-0-3 in their last 10 games and hold a four-point lead atop the Eastern Conference. . . . F Greg Chase had his first WHL hat trick to give the Hitmen a 3-1 lead in the first period. He's got 13 goals this season. . . . F David Soltes, a Czech freshman, missed 12 games with a leg injury. He returned Friday night and scored the shootout winner and added his second career goal last night. . . . F Chase Witala forced OT with his ninth goal at 12:21 of the third. . . .

In Kamloops, F Josh Winquist scored in overtime as the Everett Silvertips beat the Blazers, 7-6. . . . Winquist got his ninth goal on the PP at 3:32 of extra time. . . . Everett was 4-9 on the PP. . . . Winquist also had three assists for the second straight game. . . . Remember when Everett head coach Kevin Constantine was a defensive guru? Well, his Silvertips have given up 13 goals in their last two games and won them both. . . . Blazers F Cole Ully forced OT when he scored with 6.9 seconds left in the third period. . . . The Blazers led 2-0, 3-1, 4-2 and 5-4, before trailing 6-5 in the third period. . . . The Blazers took the game's last seven minor penalties. . . . Three of the four on-ice officials were from Kamloops. . . . The Silvertips (10-2-2) have won four in a row and are just a point back of the Western Conference-leading Portland Winterhawks. . . . Everett goaltender Austin Lotz made his 11th straight start. . . .

In Kent, Wash., F Seth Swenson scored twice, the second into an empty net, as the host Thunderbirds beat the Vancouver Giants, 5-3. . . . F Jaimen Yakubowski, acquired this week from the Lethbridge Hurricanes, made his Seattle debut. F Sam Mckechnie, who also came over in that swap, didn't play. . . . Seattle F Branden Troock, who has an injury-filled WHL career, needed help off the ice in the second period with an undisclosed injury. . . .

In Spokane, Portland ran its winning streak to eight games with a 4-3 victory over the Chiefs. The Winterhawks went 5-0 on a road trip that ended last night. . . . Portland (11-3-1) also moved into top spot in the Western Conference, one point ahead of the Chiefs (11-4-0). . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic scored his 100th regular-season goal and also had two assists. Leipsic has 226 points in 211 career games. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg had two assists. He leads the WHL with 37 points. He holds a seven-point lead on Portland forwards Oliver Bjorkstrand and Nic Petan. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., the host Tri-City Americans dumped the Brandon Wheat Kings, 4-1. . . . The Americans, who have won three in a row, won four of five games on the homestand. . . . The Wheat Kings are 0-2 in the U.S. Division and have been outscored 11-2. . . .

In Victoria, F Myles Bell scored in the shootout to give the Kelowna Rockets a 2-1 victory over the Royals. . . . Kelowna had opened the weekend doubleheader with a 4-1 victory on Friday. . . . The Royals went into the weekend leading the B.C. Division by two points over the Rockets. . . . Kelowna (9-2-2) now holds a one-point edge on Victoria (9-7-1).

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.

The Vancouver Giants will give G Payton Lee, 16, a second straight start tonight as they play host to the Victoria Royals. . . . Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that head coach Don Hay will start Lee, who stopped 25 shots in a 3-2 loss to the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings on Wednesday night. Lee has been playing with the junior B Richmond Sockeyes, while the Giants have been working with Liam Liston and Tyler Fuhr as their goaltenders. On Wednesday, Liston backed up and Fuhr was scratched. . . . Ewen also reports that F Cain Franson is being listed by the Giants as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Franson was the hittee on a late game play on which Brandon D Tyler Yaworski was given a checking-to-the-head major on Wednesday. Apparently, the penalty was originally given as a charge, but the officials huddled and changed it. . . . As of early this morning, Yaworski hadn’t been suspended by the WHL. The Wheat Kings are in Kamloops tonight. . . . Here’s Ewen on Franson’s injury: “Does Franson have a concussion? Good luck getting that out of the Giants. Hay hates the idea of concussions, hates the stigma that comes with them. He quite likely had the word surgically removed from his vocabulary. For what it’s worth, Franson did stay on the ice to finish the game.” . . . The Giants will have F Kale Kessy, 20, in the lineup for the first time tonight. Kessy was acquired from the Medicine Hat Tigers while serving his seventh WHL-issued suspension, this one a 12-gamer. That suspension has been served. . . . The Giants (2-9-0) have lost five straight games and have the WHL’s poorest record.
———
In something of a scheduling quirk, the Moose Jaw Warriors are in Prince Albert where they will play the Raiders tonight and Saturday. . . . Dave Leaderhouse of the Prince Albert Daily Herald reports that the Raiders are expected to use D Shayne Gwinner and D Riley Guenther as forwards. . . . F Anthony Bardaro will miss both games as he has left the team for a family funeral. . . . F Tim Vanstone finishes up a four-game WHL suspension tonight. . . . F Reid Gardiner could miss up to three weeks with an undisclosed injury. He hasn’t played since Oct. 16. . . . The Raiders will get D Zach Hodder (shoulder) back tonight after an 11-game absence. . . .
———
The Everett Silvertips have cleared up their goaltending situation, at least for now, by moving out Cole Holowenko, 19. Holowenko had been acquired from Prince Albert on Sept. 17, with the Raiders getting G Andy Desautels, 18, and D Evan Morden, 19, in return. . . . Holowenko went 0-2-1, 6.41, .808 with the Silvertips, who have chosen to go with sophomore Austin Lotz, 17, and Daniel Cotton, 18, who was acquired from the Seattle Thunderbirds on Oct. 7 for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft. Cotton is turning into one of the really good stories in the WHL. After getting into  only 18 games over the last two seasons while backing up Calvin Pickard in Seattle, Cotton has gone 4-2-0, 2.45, .918 with Everett.
———
TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Los Angeles Times hockey writer Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen): “One phrase I haven't uttered during lockout: "Gee, I miss those sumo hockey intermission stunts."
———
TWEET OF THE DAY II:
From Brock Sutherland (@brock_obama): “Thought this would be the year I'd finally crack the subway series roster. Oh well, there's still world j's to look forward too #showguy”
Sutherland, who played in the WHL with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Tri-City Americans and Calgary Hitmen, now is with the U of Manitoba Bisons. He’s 21 years of age.
———
TWEET OF THE DAY III:
From TSN’s Dave Hodge (@TSNDaveHodge): “NHL withdraws latest proposal. Similarly, my dinner offer to Charlize Theron is off the table.”

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.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Tomas Kopecky (Lethbridge, 2000-02) signed a lockout contract with Dukla Trencin (Slovakia, Extraliga). He had 10 goals and 22 assists in 80 games with the Florida Panthers last season. . . .
D Tomas Mojzis (Moose Jaw, Seattle, 2000-03) has been assigned on loan for an indefinite period by Lev Prague (Czech Republic, KHL) to Sparta Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He has no points in five games with Lev this season.
———
The Prince George Cougars have made a move in an attempt to solve some early-season goaltending woes.
The Cougars gave up a 2014 fourth-round bantam draft pick in order to acquire G Mac Engel, 19, from the Spokane Chiefs.
Engel spent the previous two seasons with the Chiefs, but lost the starter’s job to Eric Williams during last spring’s playoffs. Williams then won the No. 1 spot during training camp and the Chiefs sent Engel home to Red Deer last week to await a trade.
The Cougars (5-3-1) have been going with Devon Fordyce, 18, who backed up Drew Owsley last season, and freshman Brett Zarowny, 17.
Fordyce hasn’t finished two of his last three starts.
"Every game there's been a goal that hasn't been good," Cougars head coach Dean Clark told Sheri Lamb of the Prince George Citizen. "It's not a good thing. When you're a goaltender for me you've got to stop all the easy ones and most of the hard ones, not most of the hard ones and some of the easy ones.”
Prince George general manager Dallas Thompson said the Cougars will go with three goaltenders, at least for now.
The Cougars are at home to the Calgary Hitmen tonight and will meet the Rockets in Kelowna on Thursday. Then, wouldn’t you know it, the Cougars will play three in a row against the Chiefs. They’ll play Saturday in Spokane, and Tuesday and Wednesday in Prince George.
———
Richard Doerksen, the WHL’s vice-president, hockey, handed out 14 games worth of suspensions to four players on Monday.
F Lucas Grayson of the Everett Silvertips drew five games for a checking-to-the-head major in a game at Regina on Saturday. Pats F Dryden Hunt, who had just returned from a concussion, left after the hit and didn’t return. Grayson will miss games in Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Prince Albert and Saskatoon, and a home game against Spokane.
F Ryan Olsen of the Kelowna Rockets will sit for three games after taking a checking-to-the-head major at Victoria on Saturday. He was penalized for a high hit on Royals D Joe Hicketts. Olsen will sit for visits by Prince George and Brandon, and won’t play in Medicine Hat on Oct. 24.
D Dalton Thrower of the Saskatoon Blades got two games for a checking-to-the-head major at Lethbridge on Saturday. Thrower didn’t play Sunday against the host Lethbridge Hurricnes, so will complete his suspension by missing Wednesday’s game against the visiting Tri-City Americans.
F Tim Vanstone of the Prince Albert Raiders will watch for four games after taking a checking-from-behind major at Moose Jaw on Saturday. F Miles Warkentine of the Warriors, who was hit by Vanstone, was left with a concussion. The Raiders start a seven-game game homestand tonight against Tri-City. Vanstone will miss that game and visits by Everett, Swift Currrent and Moose Jaw.
———
F Lyndon Martell (Kamloops, Regina, 2010-12) of the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings suffered a concussion during an Oct. 6 game against the host Langley Rivermen. So far, Martell, 19, has missed three games.
———
Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reported Monday that, according to the Vancouver Giants, “the WHL has changed how it’s counting Kale Kessy’s 12-game suspension and he’ll now be available to the Giants for a Friday, Oct. 26 visit from the Victoria Royals.” . . . The Giants acquired Kessy from the Medicine Hat Tigers last week. He is serving a suspension for an incident in a game on Sept. 22. . . . Had he not been traded, he would have been eligible to return to the Tigers’ lineup for an Oct. 26 game in Calgary. . . . While Kessy was Tigers’ property, he sat out six games. From Oct. 12 through Oct. 25, inclusive, the Giants are scheduled to play four games. . . .
———
The Red Deer Advocate reports that Rebels G Patrick Bartosak has vacated the Chateau Bow Wow.
Bartosak, a 19-year-old Czech sophomore, returned to practice yesterday after being suspended by the club late last week.
“It was a disciplinary thing that has been dealt with,” Brent Sutter, the Rebels owner and general manager, told the Advocate. “He understands it, he knows why (he was suspended). I don’t think we need to go any deeper with it than that.
“It was something that had to be done. He’s a great kid and he’s obviously a heck of a goaltender, one of the best in our league.”
The Rebels are at home to the Kamloops Blazers tonight.
———
The Tri-City Americans, who are on their six-game East Division swing, stopped at a Tim Hortons outlet in Moose Jaw on Monday before making their way to Saskatoon.
“Tim Hortons is about $350 richer,” Jim Hiller, the Americans’ head coach, jokingly told Annie Fowler of the Tr-City Herald.
The Americans are 2-0-0 on their swing. They are in Prince Albert tonight and Saskatoon on Wednesday.
———
F Rodney Southam of the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts has signed with the Tri-City Americans. The 5-foot-11, 167-pound Southam, 16, has 10 points, five of them goals, in his first five games with the Contacts. . . . Southam was listed by the Americans in July. Last season, as a rookie with the Contacts, he had 23 points and 93 penalty minutes in 43 games. . . . Southam will be with the Americans on Wednesday when they play the Blades in Saskatoon.
———
The Brandon Wheat Kings have assigned F Quintin Lisoway, 17, to the MJHL’s Steinbach Pistons. Lisoway, a ninth-round pick in the 2010 bantam draft, had one assist in three games with the Wheat Kings. Last season, he had 46 points with a midget team in Omaha, Neb. . . . The Wheat Kings, who left Monday on the longest road trip of their season, are carrying 24 players, including eight defencemen and 14 forwards. . . . The Wheat Kings (5-3-1) open the swing tonight in Medicine Hat.
———
F Cody Fowlie, who was released last week by the Everett Silvertips, has signed with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers. Fowlie got caught up in the 20-year-old numbers game after the Silvertips claimed D Connor Cox, who had been dropped by the Saskatoon Blades. That left Everett with four 20s, meaning one had to go. That one was Fowlie, who turns 20 on Nov. 5. Fowlie had 40 points, including 14 goals, in 72 games last season with Everett.
———
The QMJHL’s Val-d’Or Foreurs fired head coach Marc-André Dumont on Monday. Assistant coach Mario Durocher moved up as head coach. Dumont was in his fourth season as head coach. The Foreurs are 4-6-0 and in fourth place in the six-team West Division. Dumont said he already is looking for an assistant coach. . . .
Meanwhile, the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles have dismissed general manager Pierre Roux. Head coach Ron Choules will handle the GM’s duties on an interim basis. Interestingly, Roux was hired in May 2011 to replace Mario Durocher. The Screaming Eagles are 2-6-3, sixth in the six-team Maritime Division
———
Jack Todd writes an entertaining read in Monday editions of the Montreal Gazette. Part of this week’s piece was ‘The Top 10 Things We Don’t Miss About NHL Hockey:
10. Foghorn Dreghorn telling us that “TSN has just learned that the Stanley Cup is awarded to the team that wins the NHL playoffs.”
9. Barry Melrose, with or without the mullet.
8. Pierre Gauthier.
7. Leaf fans waving tin-foil Stanley Cups after the team wins two in a row in October.
6. Scott Hartnell’s hair.
5. Brian Burke’s 21,375th interview.
4. Morning skates.
3. “We just have to stay focused and take it one game at a time.”
2. Lobotomized fans watching themselves on the big scoreboard.
And the No. 1 thing we don’t miss about NHL hockey? Don Cherry.
For Todd’s complete column, click right here.
———
TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Saskatoon Blades (@blades hockey): “Hey @justinbieber, the members of @blades hockey wanted to send out an invite to come practice with the team when your in Saskatoon tomorrow.”
———
If you haven’t seen this right here, well, give it a look. It’s a music video that involves members of the Red Deer Rebels taking off on the latest fad — Gangnam Style. . . . It also features members of the morning crew from Red Deer radio station The Kraze 101.3. . . . The star of the show, however, is Morris Flewwelling, the obviously fun-loving mayor of Red Deer. . . . If you’re wondering where Brent Sutter, the Rebel’s owner and general manager, is in the video, well, if you look behind the flower beds at about the 1:27 mark.

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.