Weekend of partying is over ... Tri-City d-man gets NHL deal ... More changes with Ice

One of these two special girls just turned one; the other is young
at heart (and kidney).

I’m back after a weekend in Burnaby where one of my two favourite girls celebrated her first birthday. Yes, a grand time was had by all.

But the traffic . . . oh my, the traffic! No, not the traffic on the Lower Mainland; the traffic on the Coquihalla Highway. We were heading west on Friday and everyone else seemed to be going east. On Sunday afternoon, things were reversed.

But if that is normal traffic volume for a summer weekend, I don’t like our chances of weaning ourselves off fossil fuels at any point in the next few years, if we don’t burn down between now and then, that is.

Anyway . . . back to hockey . . .

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D Landon Oslanski (Spokane, Lethbridge, Everett, 2009-13) has signed a one-year contract with the Braehead Clan Glasgow (Scotland, UK Elite). Last season, he had two goals and 15 assists with the Wichita Thunder (ECHL), and two goals and two assists in 12 games with the Toledo Walleye (ECHL). . . .

D Taylor Aronson (Portland, 2009-11) has signed a one-year contract with the Nuremberg Ice Tigers (Germany, DEL). Last season, with Lada Togliatti (Russia, KHL), he had two goals and 13 assists in 41 games. . . .

D Jesse Craige (Lethbridge, Chilliwack, 2004-10) has signed a one-year contract with the Guildford Flames (England, UK Elite). Last season, with Gap (France, Ligue Magnus), he had three goals and 21 assists in 42 games. . . .

D Giffen Nyren (Moose Jaw, Kamloops, Calgary, 2006-10) has signed a one-year contract with Sterling/Vipiteno (Italy, Alps HL). Last season, he was pointless in one game with the Colorado Eagles (ECHL), and had three goals and 12 assists in 19 games with Dijon (France, Ligue Magnus). . . .

G Barry Brust (Spokane, Calgary, 2000-04) has signed a one-year contract with Fribourg-Gottéron (Switzerland, NL A). Last season, in 42 games with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL), he was 19-15-5, 2.42, .918 with three shutouts, two assists and 106 penalty minutes. He finished sixth in the league in penalty minutes. . . . 

F Michal Řepík (Vancouver, 2005-08) was released by Fribourg-Gottéron (Switzerland, NL A) at his request. Řepík wants to play for a team where he will get the "maximum amount of ice time . . . and thus put all the chances on his side for the ultimate goal of playing the next Olympic Games in Pyeongchang with the Czech national team,” according to Fribourg-Gottéron's press release. . . . Řepík then signed a signed one-year contract with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). Last season, he was pointless in two games with Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia, KHL), and had seven goals and nine assists in 22 games with Sparta Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga). . . .

F Jordan Knackstedt (Red Deer, Moose Jaw, 2004-08) has signed a one-year contract with Eispiraten Crimmitschau (Germany, DEL2). Last season, he had 12 goals and 19 assists in 32 games with Herlev (Denmark, Metal Ligaen), and three goals and two assists in four games with Esbjerg (Denmark, Metal Ligaen).

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D Juuso Valimaki of the Tri-City Americans has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s Calgary Flames. They selected him in the first round of the NHL’s 2017 draft. . . . From Nokia, Finland, Valimaki had 61 points, including 19 goals, in 60 games with the Americans last season. In 2015-16, his freshman season, he had seven goals and 25 assists in 56 games. . . . Valimaki, who turns 19 on Oct. 6, will have to be returned to the Americans if he doesn’t crack the Flames’ roster out of training camp.

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Nathan Lieuwen has signed on as the Kootenay Ice’s video coach. The former Ice goaltender announced his retirement as a player earlier this year. He was forced out by vision problems that are a direct result of a concussion he suffered in one of seven NHL games he played with the Buffalo Sabres. . . . From Abbotsford, B.C., he played on 14 games last season — two with the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage and 12 with the ECHL’s Colorado Eagles. . . . Lieuwen was 85-59-15 in 178 regular-season appearances (2007-12) with the Ice. He backstopped the Ice to the 2011 Ed Chynoweth Cup when he was named the WHL’s playoff MVP. . . . James Patrick, the Ice’s freshman head coach, was an assistant coach in Buffalo when Lieuwen was in the Sabres’ organization.

The Ice also has hired Adam Douglas as its sports performance consultant. According to a news release, he “will he responsible for athlete testing, programming, training schedules and utilizing data to provide feedback to the Ice coaching staff on rest and recovery.”

Douglas also works with Hockey Canada as manager, sports performance for the men’s high performance teams, and he also is involved with strength and conditioning with the women’s teams. He also is the head strength-and-conditioning coach at York U in Toronto. In the past, he has worked in that area with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators.

Meanwhile, a source told Taking Note last week that the Ice had dropped “a whole bunch of scouts.”

The Ice, of course, changed hands earlier this off-season, with Winnipeggers Greg Fettes and Matt Cockell purchasing the franchise from the Chynoweth family. Cockell, who serves as the Ice’s president and general manager, hasn’t responded to a request for comment.

The WHL’s 2016-17 Guide, which came out late in the season, listed Carter Sears as scouting consultant with Wayne Dougherty, Peter Dubbeldam, Ward Edwards, Scott Frizzell, Chad Harden, Zenon Herasymiuk, Scott Perry and Tim Schick shown as scouts.

The Ice’s website once included a listing of scouts, but it no longer is there. The website does indicate that Garnet Kaziuk remains the director of scouting, a position he has filled since 2007.

In search of confirmation, I contacted someone familiar with the organization last week. The response: “I am not in a position to comment.”

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Jake Grimes has replaced Todd Harvey on the coaching staff of the OHL’s Guelph Storm. … Harvey, 42, has left the Storm, telling Tony Saxon of guelphtoday.com that he will be scouting for an NHL team in 2017-18. Harvey had been a Storm assistant coach for four seasons. . . . Grimes, 44, will be working alongside George Burnett, the Storms’ general manager and head coach, as associate coach. Grimes was an assistant coach for 11 seasons in Belleville when Burnett was the head coach. Grimes spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Peterborough Petes. . . . Saxon’s story is right here.

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Quiet Thursday rocked by two WHL trades; d-man, goalie on move ... Hey, Tri-City, Eli's coming!

Kelly Olynyk and Connor McDavid now make the same money. Take a drink. A big one.

— Kevin Paul Dupont (@GlobeKPD) July 7, 2017

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G Ville Kolppanen (Lethbridge, 2009-10) has signed a one-year contract with Rögle Ängelholm (Sweden, SHL). Last season, with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL), he was 9-14-3, 2.80, .917 in 30 games. He also had two shutouts. . . .

D Alex Plante (Calgary, 2004-09) has signed a one-year extension with Anyang Halla (South Korea, Asia HL). Last season, he had 12 goals and 12 assists in 48 games. He led all Asia League defencemen in goals. Plante has dual South Korean-Canadian citizenship.

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The Saskatoon Blades have acquired D Seth Bafaro, 17, from the Tri-City Americans in exchange for a

SETH BAFARO

pair of WHL bantam draft picks — a third-rounder selection in 2019 and a fifth-round pick in 2020.

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Bafaro, who is from Revelstoke, B.C., had one assist in 28 games with the Americans last season as a 16-year-old freshman. He battled injuries through the season, which limited his playing time.

Tri-City selected him in the third round of the 2015 bantam draft.

With the addition of Bafaro, the Blades could have seven defencemen in training camp with WHL experience. Only Bryton Sayers, who has used up his eligibility, won’t be back.

The Americans, with a surplus of young defencemen, were able to move Bafaro and get a decent return in a pair of draft picks.

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The Spokane Chiefs have acquired G Declan Hobbs from the Kootenay Ice for a seventh-round selection in the 2018 WHL bantam draft.

A third-round pick by the Ice in the 2013 draft, Hobbs, who is scheduled to turn 19 on Aug. 19, got into

DECLAN HOBBS

three games with Kootenay last season, going 0-3, 7.16, .800. He spent most of last season with the SJHL’s Nipawin Hawks (1.94, .929 in 13 games).

In 2015-16, Hobbs, who is from Saskatoon, made 24 appearances with the Ice, going 2-14-3, 4.66, .873.

With the acquisition of Hobbs, the Chiefs now have one goaltender from each of five age groups on their depth chart, the others being Dawson Weatherill, 18; Donovan Buskey, 17; Ross Hawryluk, 16; and Campbell Arnold, 15. Hawryluk, a fifth-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft, and Arnold, taken in the second round in 2017, aren’t signed to WHL contracts.

Weatherill was 11-14-6 in 36 games last season, while Buskey, in four games, went 0-2-1, 4.25, .866.

Hobbs is the younger brother of Regina Pats D Connor Hobbs, who has signed with the NHL’s Washington Capitals.

Barring more moves, the Ice is expected to go into camp with Mario Petit, 20, and Jakob Walter, 18, scrapping for the starting role. Petit was acquired from the Everett Silvertips in May for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2018 draft.

In Everett, Petit backed up veteran workhorse Carter Hart. In 22 games, Petit was 11-5-4, 2.93, .896.

Walter, a second-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft, got into 30 games while backing up Payton Lee, then 20, last season. Walter finished 4-17-2, 5.02, .868.

Also on the Ice depth chart are the likes of Jesse Makaj and Carter Woodside, both 16. Makaj, from North Vancouver, was a second-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft, while Woodside, from Asquith, Sask., was a sixth-round selection in that same draft.

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If you’re a regular here, and even if you aren’t, feel free to make 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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“Former B.C. Lions’ defensive lineman Rick Klassen may have died of lymphoma in December, but an autopsy of his brain has shown extensive chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a neurological disease that has led to such suspected symptoms as erratic behaviour and dementia,” writes Allan Maki of The Globe and Mail. . . . This one hits close to home, because Klassen’s son, Chad, is an acquaintance as he is a reporter with CFJC-TV here in Kamloops. As well, Rick Klassen played in the CFL while I was involved in coverage for the Regina Leader-Post. . . . One really has to wonder how many more stories like this one will develop as players of Rick Klassen’s generation reach 60 years of age? . . . Maki’s story is right here.

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The Tri-City Americans have hired Eli Wilson as their goaltending coach. He replaces Rejean Beauchemin, who had been with the Americans for two seasons. . . . Wilson is a veteran goaltending coach who has worked with the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks and Ottawa Senators. He also has been on staff with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. . . . Jerry Price, the father of G Carey Price of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens, remains with the Americans as a goaltending consultant. Carey spent four seasons (2003-07) with the Americans.

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Jason Christie, a former WHL player, is the new head coach of the ECHL’s Jacksonville IceMen, who are affiliated with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets. Christie is a veteran ECHL coach, having put up a record of 547-349-111 in 14 seasons. He also has a history with the Jets, having worked with previous affiliates in Ontario and Tulsa. He spent the past two seasons as the Tulsa Oilers’ head coach. Prior to that, he was the Ontario Reign’s director of hockey operations and head coach for four seasons. . . . Christie, from Gibbons, Alta., played four seasons (1986-90) with the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The Jacksonville franchise has morphed from the Muskegon Fury (1992-2008) to the Muskegon Lumberjacks (2008-10) to the Evansville IceMen (2010-16). The franchise sat out the 2016-17 season.

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Floor is coming along now at the @InnovationCU #iplex. Heat lines in & final layer of sand going down @SCBroncos home opener in 13 weeks! pic.twitter.com/vs5enKNFjN

— Jamie LeBlanc (@Butter_29) July 6, 2017

Brand NEW rinkboards being installed today by the great staff @ProsperaPlace #NewSeason #NewBoards #PuckMarks #Gerry #Kelowna 🚀🐉🌞 pic.twitter.com/eENYQDz59n

— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) July 6, 2017

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Americans get d-man from Blazers ... Pats lose forward to Sweden ... Meet Silvertips' valedictorian

F Matěj Stránský (Saskatoon, 2010-13) has signed a two-year contract with Severstal Cherepovets (Russia, KHL) after his KHL rights were traded to Cherepovets by CSKA Moscow (Russia, KHL) for cash considerations. Last season, with the Texas Stars (AHL), he had a team-high 27 goals, along with 20 assists, in 76 games.

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The Tri-City Americans have acquired D Dan Gatenby, 19, from the Kamloops Blazers. The news release from the Americans didn’t indicate what went the other way; the Blazers’ release indicates that they received a conditional seventh-round pick in the WHL’s 2018 bantam draft.

Gatenby had a goal and six assists in 41 games with Kamloops last season. In 2015-16, he had one assist in 22 games with the Kelowna Rockets.

Gatenby struggled to get ice time behind some experienced defencemen in Kamloops, especially as the Blazers made a late-season run in an attempt to finish atop the B.C. Division.

The Blazers acquired Gatenby and his brother, Joe, along with a conditional fifth-round selection in the 2019 bantam draft, from the Rockets for F Jake Kryski on Aug. 18.

Joe Gatenby, also a defenceman, is eligible to return to the Blazers for his 20-year-old season. He is one of six 20s on Kamloops’ roster, with F Rudolfs Balcers (San Jose Sharks), G Connor Ingram (Tampa Bay Lightning) and F Devon Sideroff (Anaheim Ducks) likely to play pro next season. That would leave Gatenby, F Nick Chyzowski and F Nic Holowko as holdovers.

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One and done — that describes Swedish F Filip Ahl’s WHL career. Ahl played last season with the

Regina Pats but will spend next season with Örebro HK in Sweden’s top professional league. . . . Ahl, who turned 20 on June 12, was a fourth-round pick by the Ottawa Senators in the NHL’s 2015 draft. With the Pats, he put up 28 goals and 20 assists in 54 games, then added five goals and 13 assists in 20 playoff games. . . . Of course, had he returned to Regina he would have been trying to make the Pats’ roster as a two-spotter — a 20-year-old import. . . . Regina has six 20s on its roster — F Matt Bradley, an off-season acquisition from the Medicine Hat Tigers, G Tyler Brown, D Connor Hobbs, F Wyatt Sloboshan, F Austin Wagner and Russian D Sergey Zborovskiy. However, Hobbs (Washington Capitals), Wagner (Los Angeles Kings) and Zborovskiy (New York Rangers) may well move on to the pro ranks.

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F Brian King of the Everett Silvertips was the valedictorian at Everett High School, and he did it at Xfinity Arena, which is where he spends so much of his time as a WHL player. The league’s scholastic player of the year graduated with a 4.0 GPA. . . . King, 18, is from Golden, Colo. He has eight goals and 19 assists in 122 games over two seasons with the Silvertips.

Jesse Gelenyse of the Everett Herald has more 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.

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Tuesday is a big day for @HockeyCanada and 197 Canadian teenage players as invites to U-20 (WJC), U-18 (Hlinka) and U-17 camps announced.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 20, 2017

CAN nat'l junior team camp is in Plymouth, Mich., in August, 42 players getting invitations to that.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 20, 2017

Team CAN U18 and U17 camps held simultaneously in July in CGY, 111 invited to U17 and 44 to U18.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 20, 2017

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Hitmen closing in on GM/head coach? ... Calgary signs draft pick ... Ex-WHLers in NHL coaching mix

F Ian McDonald (Tri-City, 2000-06) has signed a one-year contract with Gherdëina Selva Val Gardena (Italy, Alps HL). Last season, with Corona Brașov (Romania, MOL Liga), he had 26 goals and 36 assists in 38 games. He led his team in assists and was fourth in the league’s scoring race. . . .

F Martin Erat (Saskatoon, Red Deer, 1999-2001) has signed a one-year extension with Kometa Brno (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Last season, he had 13 goals and 23 assists in 39 games. . . .

F Jared Aulin (Kamloops, 1997-2002) has signed a one-year extension with Rapperswil-Jona (Switzerland, NL B). Last season, he had 19 goals and 35 assists in 47 games. . . .

F Brett Sonne (Calgary, 2004-10) has signed a one-year contract with Angers (France, Ligue Magnus). Last season, he had 10 goals and 21 assists in 37 games with Herlev (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). . . . Angers’ head coach is Brett’s older brother, Brennan (Everett, Red Deer, Edmonton, 2005-08; assistant coach Everett, 2014-17).

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Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

To all who took the time to offer congratulations after Taking Note was awarded a Paul Carson Award for a third straight year, thank you so much. It really means a lot.

There is no doubt in my mind that the best part of social media — like Facebook and Twitter — is the way it allows people to be in touch and to stay in touch. Once again, this all was proof of that.

Thanks again.

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The Calgary Hitmen have signed F Ryder Korczak to a WHL contract. He was a second-round selection in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. Last season, he had 27 goals and 56 assists in 30 games with the bantam AA Yorkton Terriers. He also played two games with the midget AAA Yorkton Maulers, recording two assists. . . . His older brother, Kaedan, was a first-round selection by the Kelowna Rockets in the 2016 bantam draft. Kaedan, a defenceman, played four regular-season and five playoff games with Kelowna last season.

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Meanwhile, the Hitmen continue their search for a general manager and a head coach.

They need a GM after the parent Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation moved Mike Moore, who also had been vice-president of business operations, to vice-president and alternate governor on May 15. Moore, a veteran of 20 seasons in the WHL, 10 of them with Calgary, had been the GM through four seasons.

The Hitmen need a head coach because Mark French, who signed a multi-year extension a year ago, left late last month to take over as head coach of the Fribourg-Gottéron Dragons of Swizerland’s NL A. French had spent three seasons as Calgary’s head coach.

There has been speculation that the Hitmen have shown interest in having Tim Hunter fill both positions. Hunter, 56, is preparing for his fourth season as the head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors, who announced on June 2 that he had signed a contract extension, the length of which wasn’t revealed.

It’s doubtful that the Warriors would release Hunter from his contract were he to move to another coaching position, but they almost certainly would let him go were he to take a GM/head coach job.

Hunter has some history with Calgary, having played nine full seasons (1983-92) and parts of two others with the Flames, who, like the Hitmen, are controlled by CSEC.

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Former WHL/NHL tough guy Rudy Poeschek now is facing a charge of failing to appear in court after missing a June 2 court date at which he was to have been tried on a charge of breaching probation. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. . . . Tim Petruk of Kamloops This Week has more right here.

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As you were laying in bed last night, you were wondering: Whatever happened to Peter Pocklington? . . . Well, the man who traded Wayne Gretzky — or did he sell him? — from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings is living in Palm Desert, Calif., and continuing to ponder ways to make money. Marty Klinkenberg has a look at Pocklington 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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The NHL’s Minnesota Wild are searching for an assistant coach to replace former NHL hitter Scott Stevens, who left the team after the season. According to Michael Russo of the Minneapolis StarTribune, Bob Woods, a former WHL player who did a turn as the Saskatoon Blades’ GM/head coach, “is the likely frontrunner.” . . . That’s because Woods has a long history with Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau, having coached alongside him with the AHL’s Hershey Bears and the NHL’s Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks. . . . Woods spent last season as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, but they have a new general manager (Jason Botterill) and a new head coach (Phil Housley) so change is in the wind. . . . Russo also speculates that a couple of other former WHLers — Ryan McGill and Dean Chynoweth — may be in the mix in Minnesota. McGill is the head coach of the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack. Chynoweth didn’t coach last season after spending the previous season as the head coach of the San Antonio Rampage, the Colorado Avalanche’s AHL affiliate. . . . According to Russo, Boudreau wants “a former defenceman with NHL experience.” McGill and Chynoweth both played and coached in the NHL.

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Back on the ice for the first time since ACL surgery in February. #RoadToRecovery pic.twitter.com/u8EQpPSh2F

— Jake Leschyshyn (@JakeLeschyshyn7) June 17, 2017

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Giants sign veteran trainer ... Brandon d-man tears Achilles ... T-Birds sign first pick

The Vancouver Giants have hired Mike Burnstein, a former NHL trainer, to fill the athletic trainer’s role in their organization. . . . Burnstein worked for the Vancouver Canucks for 20 years, a span covering almost 1,600 games, from 1995-2015. He was fired by the Canucks two years ago. He also has worked for Hockey Canada (four World Hockey Championships, the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the 2015 Spengler Cup). Last fall, he was the athletic trainer for Team Europe at the World Cup of Hockey. . . . With the Giants, Burnstein replaces Nick Murray, who spent six seasons there. He now is the head athletic therapist at Douglas College in New Westminster, B.C.

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There doesn’t seem much doubt but that F Klim Kostin is one of the most dynamic players available in next weekend’s NHL draft. The 6-foot-0, 207-pound Kostin played last season with the KHL’s Dynamo Moscow, although his season was shortened by shoulder surgery in January. . . . A year ago, the WHL’s Kootenay Ice selected him with the first pick in the CHL’s import draft. Obviously, he never reported to the Ice, which has finished with the WHL’s poorest record each of the past two seasons. . . . This season, because he will be drafted out of Russia, he will be eligible to play in the NHL, the AHL or the CHL, or he could choose to return to Russia. However, he told Joe Yerdon of NHL.com that he is not interested in playing for the Ice. . . . Through an interpreter, he told Yerdon: “I’d like to play for] a team that has some older players that are very strong players, those that can teach me a little bit more and I can benefit from their wisdom and skill.” . . . That story is right here.

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D James Shearer of the Brandon Wheat Kings has torn his right Achilles tendon and will be out until at least some time in October. Perry Bergson of the Brandon Sun reports that Shearer, who is entering his 20-year-old season, was injured on May 31 during an off-season workout. “I heard a pop, kind of like a chip bag being popped open and I couldn’t really put any pressure on it," Shearer told Bergson. "I immediately grabbed the back of my Achilles and was half standing and half crouching. As soon as I heard it, people had told me what it sounded like, so I knew what had happened and knew my fate at that point.” . . . Shearer has since had surgery and now has his right foot in a walking boot and is using crutches. . . . He is one of four 20s on Brandon’s roster, along with G Logan Thompson, D Kade Jensen and F Neyer Nell. . . . Bergson’s complete story is right here.

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The Seattle Thunderbirds have signed F Payton Mount, who was the 19th overall selection in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. From Victoria, he had 30 goals and 37 assists in 30 games with the Delta Hockey Academy’s bantam prep team last season. . . . The WHL’s 22 teams now have signed all but six of the first-round picks from the 2017 bantam draft.

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The Kamloops Blazers have signed G Dylan Garand, who was a third-round selection in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. The Blazers didn’t have a second-round pick, so Garand was their second selection, following F Josh Pillar, who signed on Monday. . . . Garand, from Victoria, is expected to play in 2017-18 with the Delta Hockey Academy midget prep team. Last season, he was 13-0-0, 1.15, .959 with Delta’s bantam prep Green team.

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F Tyler Sandhu, who captained the Tri-City Americans last season, will attend UBC and play for the Thunderbirds in 2017-18. Sandhu, from Richmond, B.C., played out his junior eligibility last season. . . . In 318 career WHL games, he had 90 goals and 138 assists. He also played with the Everett Silvertips and Red Deer Rebels. Last season, with the Americans, he had single-season highs of 23 goals and 60 assists in 72 games.

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The OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, who are preparing for their 50th anniversary season, have hired James Boyd as their new general manager and André Tourigny as vice-president of hockey operations and head coach. . . . Boyd spent last season as the GM of the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads, who reached the league’s championship series. He was with the Steelheads for six seasons, the first five as GM and head coach. . . . Tourigny was the head coach of the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads last season and leaves despite having four years left on his contract. He wanted to be closer to family in Ottawa. Prior to that, he was GM/head coach of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies from 2002-13. He also worked as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators in 2015-16 after spending two seasons in the same role with the Colorado Avalanche. . . . Boyd and Tourigny take over from Jeff Brown, who resigned as GM/head coach on April 25.

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Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet filed his 30 Thoughts piece over the weekend and, as usual, it is highly readable. Well down into the column, Friedman writes about John Spoltore, who was a smallish forward who really new his way around the offensive end of the ice.

Spoltore really made a name for himself with the ECHL’s Louisiana IceGators, where he became a real fan favourite. But he did get a moment in the AHL’s sun when he helped the Providence Bruins win an AHL title in 1999. The Bruins’ head coach was Peter Laviolette, now the head coach of the NHL’s Nashville Predators.

Spoltore was diagnosed with brain cancer in March 2010 and died shortly afterwards.

Former WHLer Louis Dumont played with Spoltore on the IceGators and later was the team’s general manager.

Dumont told Taking Note that “the owner of the IceGators for the last six seasons bought the team because of his friendship with John and his love of the IceGators. The company name of the IceGators was JS Hockey Ventures DBA Louisiana IceGators. The JS being the initials of Spoltore.  Spotty's hockey IQ, vision and ability to execute was high NHL quality.”

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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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It's a great day, Joey's a champ! In his 1st year as a pro our former captain, @Hicksy_2, & @griffinshockey have captured the #CalderCup! pic.twitter.com/nzoySfIipU

— Victoria Royals (@victoriaroyals) June 14, 2017

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Scattershooting: Circus comes to Calgary ... Acadia gets two ex-WHLers ... Ex-Wheaties D a head coach

Now that there is life on the NHL front in Seattle, how long until the Calgary Flames start using that for leverage as they attempt to get taxpayers to cough up cash for a new home? Oh wait, they’re already threatening to move to Quebec City. Here we go . . .

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"If you don't want to get a concussion, be a swimmer" - Brian Burke

— CTV - Chris Epp (@CTVchrisepp) June 7, 2017

Brian Burke, the Calgary Flames’ president of hockey operations, spoke to the Canadian Club of Calgary on Wednesday. CTV’s Chris Epp was there and tweeted the above, which should go over well with the many former NHL players who are suing the league in a concussion-related lawsuit.

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Yes, it was Brian Burke who mentioned a new arena in Calgary and Quebec City on Wednesday. The day wasn’t done when Ken King, the president and CEO of the Flames’ ownership, issued a statement pointing out that Burke “is not our spokesperson regarding a new events centre for our city.” . . . Calgary may not be getting a new arena any time soon, but it now has a circus on its hands.

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I’m sorry but there is nothing on TV these days that is as laughable as Buck Martinez pleading for baseballs to leave the park during Toronto Blue Jays’ telecasts. Of course, he practically whispers when the opposition lucks into a long ball.

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The Cincinnati Reds had utilityman Scooter Gennett in left field on Tuesday night. He had never hit four home runs in a month before he hit four in that game, becoming the 17th player in MLB history to perform that feat. . . . At that point, the San Francisco Giants’ left fielders had totalled three home runs this season. . . . One night later, Gennett hit into two double plays for the first time in his career.

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Randy Edsall was the highest-paid state employee in Maryland in 2016, pulling down US$2.673 million. As Eric Kolenich of the Richmond, Va., Times-Dispatch pointed out: “Just one odd thing about this . . . he was fired in 2015.” . . . Edsall was fired as the U of Maryland’s football coach six games into the 2015 season.

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A note from Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: ““A high-school cheerleader in El Paso was arrested on suspicion of submitting a false police report after she confessed she made up a story that her home had been burglarized so she could keep her uniform instead of having to turn it in. She was released from jail after posting bond of two bits, four bits, six bits, $5,000.”

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Verdun Hayes recently made history at the age of 101 when, as comedian Argus Hamilton reported, he became “the oldest man ever to voluntarily jump out of an airplane. That was United Airlines’ story, and they’re sticking to it.”

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Headline at SportsPickle.com: CBS dumps Tony Romo after Dak Prescott expresses interesting in broadcasting career.

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D Jace Coyle (Spokane, Medicine Hat, 2007-11) has signed a one-year contract with SønderjyskE Vojens (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). This season, he had two goals and two assists in 14 games with the  with Quad City Mallards (ECHL). He signed with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite) on Nov. 28 and had four goals and seven assists in 33 games with them. . . .

D Alex Roach (Calgary, 2010-14) has signed a one-year contract with Grizzlys Wolfsburg (Germany, DEL). He is a dual German-Canadian citizenship. This season, with the Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL), he had two assists in 12 games. He signed with Eisbären Berlin (Germany, DEL) on Dec. 21 and had two assists in 21 games there. . . . 

F Ben Walker (Victoria, 2011-14) has signed a one-year contract with Freiburg (Germany, DEL2). This season, in 16 games with České Budějovice (Czech Republic, 1. Liga), he had three goals and 10 assists.

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F Ryan O’Reilly, whose WHL rights belong to the Tri-City Americans, has committed to the U of Denver where he will play for the Pioneers. O’Reilly, 17, is from Southlake, Texas. The Americans selected him in the fifth round of the WHL’s 2015 bantam draft. . . . This season, he had 23 goals and eight assists in 26 games with the U-16 Dallas Stars. . . . In January 2016, O’Reilly had committed to the U of Nebraska-Omaha. . . . He is eligible for the NHL’s 2018 draft.

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Victor Findlay (@Finder_24) tweeted Thursday that Acadia U has commitments from F Rod Southam and D Micheal Zipp. . . . Southam, from Saskatoon, captained the Kelowna Rockets. This season, he had 46 points, 19 of them goals, in 71 games. He began his WHL career with the Tri-City Americans, before being moved to the Rockets early in 2014-15. In 247 regular-season games, he had 101 points, 41 of them goals. . . . Zipp, from Edmonton, was the captain of the Calgary Hitmen this season, during which he had four goals and 22 assists in 71 games. He began with the Everett Silvertips in 2012-13, then was traded to Calgary the next season. In 299 regular-season games, he had 77 points, including 18 goals.

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Daniel Tetrault, a former WHL defenceman, is the new head coach of the ECHL’s Rapid City Rush. Tetrault, 37, spent this season as an assistant coach with the Rush. He also is a former captain of the Rush; that was the fifth team for which he wore the ‘C’. . . . Tetrault played five seasons in the WHL (Brandon, 1995-2000). . . . In Rapid City, he takes over from Mark DeSantis, who was fired in April after a 96-game run (38-47-11) as head coach.

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The NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights have hired Mike Kelly as an assistant coach to work alongside head coach Gerard Gallant. They worked together with the Florida Panthers (2014-17) until both were fired on Nov. 27. . . . Interestingly, Kelly started the 2003-04 season as head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings, but was fired by owner Kelly McCrimmon on March 1 with a 22-32-12 record. McCrimmon, who still owns the Wheat Kings, is the Golden Knights’ assistant general manager.

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Oh, forgot to mention, here's the new #ICEcountry jerseys! That's ICE co-owner @greg_fettes at our Corporate Kick Off event. pic.twitter.com/sOUYGKyu0D

— Kootenay ICE (@WHLKootenayICE) June 9, 2017

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