The Wotherspoon brothers, Parker (left) and Tyler, met up
at the Everett tournament. Do you think Mom is a little bit
proud of her two defencemen, or what? Parker was
selected with the 21st pick of the 2012 bantam draft; Tyler,
the 23rd selection in the 2008 draft, has played the last
three seasons with the Portland Winterhawks.

In case you missed it on Sunday, the CHLPA – no, it hasn’t gone away yet – began tweeting what is says are “est tickets sold for 2011-12” and “est. revenue” from those sales in all three major junior leagues. . . . For example, it tweeted that the OHL's Sarnia Sting had “est tickets sold for 2011/12 = 99,844 with an est. revenue of $1,792,194.00 just in tickets sale.” . . . That works out to $17.95 per ticket, a figure I doubt very much. . . . Wait. It gets better. . . . Using CHLPA figures as tweeted, the Kamloops Blazers’ average ticket price was $18.10. Don‘t think so. . . . Uhh, the Portland Winterhawks had an average ticket price of $44.55. I’m thinking everyone in their front office is looking for a raise this morning. . . . The Red Deer Rebels with an average ticket price of $34.45? No wonder Brent Sutter is back in the general manager’s office. He couldn’t afford to stay in the NHL. . . . The Tri-City Americans at $24.38? The Seattle Thunderbirds at $34.40? Stop it. You’re killing me!
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Dear CHLPA:
I doubt that approaching things in this fashion is the way to forge a relationship of any kind with the CHL. In fact, to date, I doubt that you have done anything that will in any way be the beginning of any kind of a relationship with the CHL. So . . . why don’t you just go away and stop embarrassing yourself? And come back when you have all your ducks in a row.
It becomes more and more apparent every day that you are in no way prepared for all the things that would be involved in forming a union/association that would work on behalf of major junior hockey players.
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As I have stated before, I’m all for there being an advocate or ombudsman or someone in some kind of position who could deal one-on-one with major junior hockey players who might have concerns or problems. . . . But the CHLPA has yet to show even one indicator that it should be in that position.
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So . . . if there aren’t any objections, we will move on from the CHLPA and get on with playing some hockey.
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In other news, the WHL is preparing to do away with the trapezoid behind each net.
The QMJHL announced earlier this summer that it had killed the trapezoid and it’s believed that the OHL is headed in the same direction.
With the WHL, it seems it wasn’t an easy decision and I’m guessing that there was a whole lot of discussion and a lot of back-and-forth on this.
No trapezoid means that a goaltender is allowed to roam far and wide in order to play the puck. There are those who feel that without the trapezoid, and with goaltenders more involved in playing pucks, it is a lot harder to get in on the forecheck. That, of course, means coaches will call off the forecheck and go into a trapping defence.
I have felt since its inception that the trapezoid is unfair simply because it penalizes those goaltenders who have worked hard to develop puck-handling skills.
But if removing it takes us back to the days of the trap, well, as someone said: “For me, this is a classic case of ‘careful what you wish for.’ ”
The last thing the game needs is to have 10 skaters clogging up the neutral zone at the same time.
The coaching in the WHL has never been better. Surely, those coaches are able to use the skilled players on their rosters in such a way as to avoid having to trap.
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JUST NOTES: The BCHL’s Langley Rivermen have added D Tyler Vanscourt, 20, to their roster. The native of Corona, Calif., split 70 games between the Moose Jaw Warriors, Prince Albert Raiders and Vancouver Giants last season, putting up a total of 32 points, including 12 goals. . . . F Marek Tvrdon, 19, is back in Vancouver and skated with the Giants for the first time on Sunday. He had been delayed getting out of Slovakia due to visa problems. After missing all but 12 games in 2010-11 due to shoulder problems, Tvrdon had 74 points, 30 of them goals, in 60 games last season. . . . The Giants have assigned F Brodyn Nielsen to junior A. Nielsen, 18, had one goal in 14 games with the Giants last season. He was a 10th round selection by the Saskatoon Blades in the 2009 bantam draft. . . . Jeff Olson, a fifth-round pick by the Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2008 bantam draft, was killed in an car accident on Friday. Olson, who was from Kindersley, Sask., finished last season with the Vermilion Tigers of the Northeastern Alberta Junior B Hockey League. He had 21 points and 20 penalty minutes in 17 games.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Paul Deniset (Kamloops, Swift Current, Vancouver, Prince Albert, 1989-2002) signed a contract for the rest of this season with the Belfast Giants (Northern Ireland, UK Elite). He had 18 goals and 20 assists in 21 games for Amiens (France, Ligue Magnus) last season.
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Monday in the Western Hockey League:
EDMONTON OIL KINGS—Traded F Cam Reid, 20, to Portland Winterhawks for 2012 eight-round bantam draft pick.
LETHBRIDGE HURRICANES–Traded F Cam Braes, 20, to Moose Jaw Warriors for a 2012 first-round bantam draft pick and a 2013 second-round bantam draft pick.
MOOSE JAW WARRIORS–Traded D Tyler Vanscourt, 19, to Vancouver Giants for a 2012 fifth-round bantam draft pick.
TRI-CITY AMERICANS–Traded D Riley Guenther, 17, to Prince Albert Raiders for a 2013 fifth-round bantam draft pick.
VANCOUVER GIANTS–Traded F Levi Bews, 17, to Swift Current for a 2012 sixth-round bantam draft pick.
VICTORIA ROYALS—Traded F Kevin Sundher, 19, to Brandon Wheat Kings for D Jordan Fransoo, 18, F Dakota Conroy, 17, and a 2012 first-round bantam draft pick.
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DRAFT TRACKER (since Dec. 27):
Trades made: 13
Players: 23
Bantam draft picks: 13
Deadline: Tuesday, Jan. 10, 3 p.m. MT
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The Brandon Wheat Kings added F Kevin Sundher, 19, from the Victoria Royals but it cost them a 2012 first-round bantam draft pick, as well as D Jordan Fransoo, 18, and F Dakota Conroy, 17. . . . Sundher, a third-round selection by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2010 NHL draft, has 64 points in 40 games this season, leaving him seventh in the WHL scoring race. . . . From Surrey, B.C., Sundher was the seventh overall pick in the 2007 bantam draft, taken by the Chilliwack Bruins. He goes to Brandon with 240 points in 254 career regular-season games. He is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer and is second in games played. . . . “It’s been a crazy day,” Sundher said in a Wheat Kings news release. “The (Royals were) just heading out for the prairies and I was pulled off the bus and told about the trade. I play to win and I'm looking forward to joining a team that has a chance to go far." . . . Fransoo, a seventh-round pick by the Ottawa Senators in the 2011 NHL draft, is in his sophomore season. From North Battleford, Sask., he has 11 points in 41 games this season. A good skater with a big shot, he was a fifth-round bantam pick by Brandon in 2008. . . . Conroy, a third-round bantam draft pick in 2009, Conroy has eight points in 37 games this season. He is from Edmonton and is projected as a top-six forward in time. . . . The Wheat Kings hope to have Sundher in their lineup Wednesday against the visiting Saskatoon Blades. . . . Interestingly, the Royals are scheduled to play in Brandon on Saturday.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors picked up a top-six forward with the acquisition of F Cam Braes, who turns 21 on Thursday, from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. But it cost them a first-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft and a second-rounder in 2013. That may seem like a steep price to pay for a player who is in his final season of eligibility. But obviously the Warriors felt they needed at least one more forward — a first-line centre — in order to keep up with the Eastern Conference-leading Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Braes, from Shawnigan Lake, B.C., was the Hurricanes’ captain. He has 203 points, including 99 goals, in 320 regular-season games with Lethbridge. This season, he has 45 points, 24 of them goals, in 44 games. . . . He was a third-round selection in the 2006 bantam draft. . . . Only Shane Peacock (336) played more games in a Hurricanes’ uniform than Braes.
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The Prince Albert Raiders acquired D Riley Guenther, 17, from the Tri-City Americans for a fifth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. Guenther, from Calgary, had one assist and six penalty minutes in 10 games with the Americans. He played last season with the midget AAA Calgary Northstars. . . . The Americans selected him in the third round of the 2009 bantam draft.
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The Vancouver Giants acquired D Tyler Vanscourt, 19, from the Moose Jaw Warriors for a 2012 fifth-round bantam draft pick that originally belonged to the Prince George Cougars. He had a goal and three assists in 14 games with Moose Jaw after being acquired from the Prince Albert Raiders. All told, he has 21 points in 40 games this season. . . . Vanscourt is from Corona, Calif., and was a seventh-round selection of the Kootenay Ice in the 2007 bantam draft.
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The Swift Current Broncos acquired F Levi Bews, 17, from the Vancouver Giants for a 2012 sixth-round bantam draft pick. . . . Earlier this season, Bews went from the Saskatoon Blades to the Giants in a four-player deal. . . . He was a second-round pick, 42nd overall, by the Blades in the 2009 bantam draft. . . . The Giants had assigned him last week to the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers. . . . In 38 WHL games this season, he has nine points, three of them goals. . . . Bews is from Longview, Alta.
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The Portland Winterhawks have dealt a 2012 eighth-round bantam draft pick to the Edmonton Oil Kings for the rights to F Cam Reid, 20, who is with the St. Cloud State Huskies. . . . A sophomore, Reid has 15 points, including six goals, in 22 games this season. Last season, in 37 games, he had 29 points, eight of them goals, in 37 games. . . . The Nashville Predators selected Reid, who is from Delta, B.C., in the seventh round of the 2009 NHL draft. . . . Before heading to St. Cloud State, Reid played 167 BCHL games with the Victoria Grizzlies and Westside Warriors, putting up 138 points. . . . Reid’s WHL rights originally belonged to the Vancouver Giants, who selected him in the seventh round of the 2006 bantam draft. The Giants sent him to Edmonton in lieu of the Oil Kings selecting a player off their roster in the expansion draft prior to the 2007-08 season. . . . Reid’s arrival in Portland — and he is leaving school — will leave Portland with four 20-year-olds, meaning one of D William Wrenn, F Oliver Gabriel or F Dillon Wagner will have to go. Or it could be that Gabriel, who suffered a shoulder injury on Dec. 30 and hasn’t play since then, could be headed to the long-term injury list.
Reid told Mick Hatten of the St. Cloud, Minn., Times that he got a call from Portland on Sunday night, telling him he had 24 hours to make a decision to stay or join the Winterhawks.
“They offered to have me play center on the first line with their top two players,” Reid said. “I talked it over with my parents, and it was something I couldn’t pass up or say no to.”
That being the case, Reid will join Ty Rattie, the WHL’s scoring leader, and Sven Bartschi on Portland’s top line.
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JUST NOTES:
Regina Pats D Brandon Underwood, who hasn’t played since Dec. 4 when he broke a bone in a foot while blocking a shot, has been cleared to skate again. He still is a week or two from getting back in the lineup. . . .
The Portland Winterhawks have signed F Alex Schoenborn, 16, who is from Minot, N.D. He is expected to finish the season with the Omaha Jr. Lancers, an under-16 AAA team that plays in the North American Prospects league. He has 27 points in 13 games with the Lancers. . . . The Lancers are coached by David Wilkie (Seattle, Kamloops, Regina, 1999-94). . . .
Eric Welsh of the Chilliwack Progress has spoken with D Jesse Pauls, 19, who retired from the Victoria Royals last week. That story is right here. . . .
The Portland Winterhawks will play host to the Kelowna Rockets twice this week, on Wednesday and Friday. The Winterhawks go into the series having won their last 14 home games, two shy of the franchise record that was set in 1993-94. . . .
Don Nachbaur, the head coach of the Spokane Chiefs, is on the verge of becoming the sixth coach in WHL history to win 500 games. Nachbaur is at 499 going into two straight games with the Everett Silvertips. They’ll play in Spokane on Wednesday and in Everett on Friday. . . . Ken Hodge (742), Ernie McLean (548), Pat Ginnell (518), Lorne Molleken (543) and Don Hay (541) also have more than 500 victories. . . . Nachbaur also has served as head coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds (202 victories) and Tri-City Americans (229). He has three times been named winner of the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as coach of the year, once with each team.
———
An interesting observation from columnist Cam Cole of the Vancouver Sun, following the move by Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins to submarine Canucks defenceman Sami Salo in a game on Saturday:
“It’s a curious thing, but a current listing of NHL villains will turn up several members of Canada’s world junior squads over the past 15 years or so, which may reveal an unflattering pattern to the way Hockey Canada carefully constructs its rosters. Though some confined their borderline sociopathic behaviour primarily to their junior days, these Team Canada alumni/incendiary devices include Matt Cooke (1998), Raffi Torres (2001), Jordin Tootoo (2003), Steve Downie (2006-07), Brad Marchand (2007-08) — how’s that for a start to the all-cheap-shot-team? — and, more recently, Patrice Cormier (2009-10) and Zack Kassian (2011).
“Cooke, mind you, has renounced his evil ways and joined the choirboys, and Cormier and Kassian haven’t really got their pro careers properly warmed up yet.”
———
Paul Kelly, the executive director of College Hockey Inc., was in Winnipeg on the weekend and Arctic Ice Hockey was able to get an interview. Perhaps the battle between College Hockey Inc. and the CHL is heating up again. That complete interview is right here.


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Left over from Monday . . . The RCMP announced that charges won’t be laid after that hazing incident involving the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives. The mother of one of the victims has told CBC News that she isn’t happy and that the family is considering filing a lawsuit.
There is more right here.
———
Going into Tuesday’s games, the Prince Albert Raiders were 6-20-2 and 16 points out of a playoff spot. The reality is that the Raiders won’t be in the playoffs in the spring.
On Tuesday, then, they dealt D Tyler Vanscourt, 19, to the Moose Jaw Warriors for fourth- and fifth-round selections in the 2013 bantam draft.
The Raiders had acquired Vanscourt, who is from Corona, Calif., from the Spokane Chiefs on Sept. 15, giving up G Luke Lee-Knight and a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2013 draft in the exchange. Vanscourt, who was in Moose Jaw’s lineup against the visiting Vancouver Giants on Tuesday night, had 17 points and 25 penalty minutes in 26 games.
Vanscourt was one of four 19-year-old defencemen on the Raiders’ roster and that is too many considering the way things have gone south in Prince Albert. Vanscourt’s departure means more playing time for Sawyer Lange, 17, and Josh Morrissey, 16.
Also on Tuesday, the Raiders added F Luke Mahura, 16, to their roster. He had been with the midget AAA St. Albert, Alta., Raiders. He was sixth in the AMHL scoring race, with 21 points in 21 games. He was the 28th overall selection in the 2010 bantam draft.
There are less than three weeks left before the WHL goes into its pre-Christmas roster freeze, which lasts through Dec. 26. It will be interesting to see if Raiders GM Bruno Campese is busy between now and then.
One thing we know for sure — his phone is ringing.
The Warriors, meanwhile, are hoping Vanscourt can provide some depth to a back end that has lost Morgan Rielly (knee, perhaps for the season) and also has done without Joel Edmundson, Kendall McFaull and Dylan McIlrath at various times due to injuries and suspensions.
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JUST NOTES: The Portland Winterhawks have signed D Zach Paterson and F Tyler Sandhu, their two second-round 2011 bantam picks. Paterson, taken 34th overall, is from Edmonton. Sandhu, the 42nd selection, is from B.C.’s Lower Mainland. . . .
The Seattle Thunderbirds have launched a free mobile app for iPhone and Android devices. It was developed by NewSport Media. According to a Thunderbirds’ news release: “The Official Seattle Thunderbirds iPhone and Android Apps incorporate the latest team headlines and news, scores and schedule, stats, standings and roster. The apps will connect fans to the team's social media platforms, website and promotions calendar. The new app will also let fans purchase tickets through their mobile browser. . . . If you want it, go to the Thunderbirds website and scan the appropriate QR code. Or search for Thunderbirds in the App Store or Android Marketplace. . . .
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In Moose Jaw, F Matt Bellerive scored the only goal of a five-round shootout to g ive the Vancouver Giants a 4-3 victory over the Warriors. . . .
In Edmonton, the Oil Kings won their fourth straight game, beating the Spokane Chiefs, 4-1. . . . F Dylan Wruck had two goals, with F Michael St. Croix scoring once and setting up two others. F Tyler Maxwell, the third player on the line, had an assist. . . .
In Lethbridge, F Brody Sutter had two goals and an assist as the Hurricanes beat the Red Deer Rebels, 3-1. . . . Lethbridge has won four of six and has taken three in a row from the Rebels. . . . The  Rebels, already down a few bodies, lost D Alex Petrovic at 16:20 of the first period when he took a major and game misconduct for a check to a head. . . . The Rebels, who have lost six straight, already were without D Aaron Borejko, F Daulton Siwak and F Adam Kambeitz, with injuries, while F John Persson was ill and F Turner Elson is suspended. . . . The Rebels dressed F Scott Feser from the midget AAA Red Deer Optimist Rebels. He also may play tonight against the visiting Spokane Chiefs. . . .
In Kent, Wash., the Seattle Thunderbirds scored three goals in a span of 2:48 late in the third period and beat the Swift Current Broncos, 4-2. . . . The Broncos led 2-1 when D Shea Theodore pulled Seattle even at 17:11. . . . F Chance Lund got the winner 35 seconds later. . . . The Broncos went 1-4-0 on their U.S. Division tour. Gotta think they were able to get some breaks on Black Friday sales, though.
———
TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Martin Gernat, Edmonton
F Daniel Dale, Swift Current
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gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

Connor Rankin (27) of the Tri-City Americans and Zach Franko (9) of the
Kelowna Rockets battle for position Friday night in Kennewick, Wash.
(Photo courtesy John Allen/Tri-City Americans)

SOME FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS:
F Emerson Etem scored four times but it wasn’t enough as his Medicine Hat Tigers dropped a 5-4 decision to the Royals in Victoria. The Tigers, who are to play the Giants in Vancouver tonight, had beaten the host Royals 4-2 on Thursday. . . . On Friday, Victoria D Hayden Rintoul, the team captain, broke a 4-4 tie with 24 seconds left in the third period. Rintoul, who was acquired from the Kootenay Ice over the summer, had two goals and two assists, while F Kevin Sundher, healthy after fighting off a flu bug, had four assists. . . . The Tigers have scored 22 goals in six games; Etem has 11 of those scores in just five games. Etem could have had five goals but came up short on a second-period penalty shot on G Keith Hamilton. . . . With 11 goals and no assists (11-0), Etem is an early favourite for the Cy Young Award. . . . Etem has had two four-goal games in his career, the other coming in his freshman season. . . . Medicine Hat was without F Cole Grbavac, its captain, on Friday. He apparently has a minor injury of some kind. . . . The Royals, already without D Tyler Stahl (concussion), now are without D Zach Habscheid, who is believed to have a concussion after being hit from behind by Medicine Hat F Kale Kessy on Wednesday night. Kessy, who was given a double minor, now is under one of those TBD suspensions. . . .
In Kent, Wash., the Prince Albert Raiders got three goals from D Tyler Vanscourt as they beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 5-0. The Thunderbirds slipped to 0-3-0 with the loss. . . . Raiders G Eric Williams stopped 36 shots for his first shutout this season and the second of his career. . . . Vanscourt, who was acquired from the Spokane Chiefs last month, scored his first three goals of the season. He went into the game with five goals in 90 regular-season games. . . .
In Kennewick, Wash., the Kelowna Rockets lost for the first time i four games this season as they dropped a 5-2 decision to the Tri-City Americans. . . .  Tri-City got two goals from F Adam Hughesman and 27 saves from freshman G Eric Comrie. . . . The Rockets were the last of the WHL’s 22 teams to taste defeat this season. . . .
F Michael Ferland had three goals as the host Brandon Wheat Kings dumped the Prince George Cougars, 6-3. . . . It was the second three-goal regular-season game of Ferland’s career. He also has two playoff hat tricks. . . . Brandon F Mark Stone had three assists. He leads the WHL scoring race with 16 points in six games. . . . Brandon D Ryan Pulock, who is in his second season but isn’t eligible for the NHL draft until 2013, had a goal and two assists. . . . The Wheat Kings now are headed out on a 13-day swing during which time they will play seven games. They open Wednesday in Spokane against the Chiefs. . . .
Mark Ferner picked up his first victory as head coach of the Everett Silvertips as they beat the visiting Portland Winterhawk, 4-2, behind 40 saves from G Kent Simpson. . . . The Silvertips now are 1-1-2. . . . Portland had D Joe Morrow and D Tyler Wotherspoon in its lineup for the first time this season. Morrow had been with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins; Wotherspoon is had offseason shoulder surgery. . . .
In Moose Jaw, F Martin Gernat scored twice to help the Edmonton Oil Kings to a 3-1 victory over the Warriors. Gernat, in his first season, has 10 points, including five goals, in six games. . . . D Collin Bowman was in the Warriors’ lineup for the first time this season, having returned from the AHL’s Connecticut Whale. . . . The Oil Kings are without D Griffin Reinhart, who is under a TBD suspension for a kneeing major in a game against the visiting Kootenay Ice on Wednesday. . . .
In Regina, the Pats beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes 5-4 in a shootout. . . . The Hurricanes tied the game 4-4 when F Brody Sutter scored on a penalty shot at 18:24 of the third period.
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JUST NOTES: Hockey Canada has added Scott Walker, who is in his first season as the head coach of the OHL’s Guelph Storm, to the coaching staff of the national junior team. Walker replaces Pascal Vincent, who now is an assistant coach with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets. Don Hay of the Vancouver Giants is the national junior team’s head coach, while the other assistants are George Burnett of the OHL’s Belleville Bulls and Ryan Huska of the Kelowna Rockets. . . . F Logan Harland, who was reassigned earlier in the week by the Vancouver Giants, now is with the AJHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs. . . .
The Saskatoon Blades have F Darian Dziurzynski back after he was returned by the AHL’s Portland Pirates. Dziurzynski, 20, had 57 points, including 35 goals, and 125 penalty minutes in 72 games last season. . . . His return leaves the Blades with four 20-year-olds, the others being F Michael Burns, F Jesse Paradis and F Jake Trask. . . . The WHL’s 20-year-old declaration day is Oct. 13, but the Blades will have 14 days after Dziurzynski’s return to make their decision because he is coming back from a professional team.
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Jim Thomson, a former NHL enforcer, found himself in Don Cherry’s crosshairs on Thursday night. Thomson then came out Friday and blasted fighting in hockey. He also can’t understand why major junior hockey is working to elminate headshots but still allows fighting.
As he told Sunaya Sapurji of Yahoo! Sports:
“How does it make sense that we’re taking these headshots out but I’m still allowed to drop my gloves and land three bombs on your melon – hit you square in the skull with three punches – but we’re taking head shots out?”
Sapurji’s complete story is right here.
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Today’s good read comes from John Blanchette, a columnist with the Spokane Spokesman-Review.
Blanchette writes about Joe Tofflemire, who went from Post Falls, Idaho, which is near Spokane, to an NFL career as an offensive lineman.
He was buried Monday, dead at 46, another former NFLer who left this world far too soon.
Blanchette’s piece is right here.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

The Spokane Chiefs have dealt D Tyler Vanscourt, 19, to the Prince Albert Raiders in exchange for G Luke Lee-Knight, 18, and a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft.
(Note that the news release from the Raiders refers to the draft pick as conditional; the news release from the Chiefs doesn’t use the word conditional.)
Lee-Knight, who was listed by the Raiders in January 2011, was 7-7-7, 2.56, .912 with the midget AAA Calgary Royals last season. He got into two exhibition games with the Raiders, going 4.00, .886 in 60 minutes of action.
Vanscourt was a seventh-round selection by the Kootenay Ice in the 2007 bantam draft. He had 23 points, including four goals, and 49 penalty minutes in 57 games with the Chiefs last season.
"This trade was dictated by our abundance of young defensemen ready to take the step and play in the WHL," Spokane GM Tim Speltz said in a news release. "It strengthens our draft position, which is always important, and also strengthens our goaltending position."
At the same time, the Chiefs released G Jacob Edwards, 19, who is from Calgary.
They now are carrying 26 players, including three goaltenders and nine defencemen.
Joining Lee-Knight in the crease are veteran Mac Engel, 18, and newcomer Zach Rakochy, 18, who is from Canora, Sask.
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The Calgary Hitmen have traded D Kyle Schmidt, 18, to the Saskatoon Blades for a fourth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft.
Schmidt, from Waldheim, Sask., is a right-hand shot, something for which teams often are searching. He had 10 points, three of them goals, and 74 penalty minutes in 65 games with Calgary last season.
The Blades’ roster is at 26, including two goaltenders and seven defencemen.
———
The Tri-City Americans have dealt F Max Moline, 18, to the Lethbridge Hurricanes for a conditional fifth-rounder in the 2013 bantam draft.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Moline, who is from Lethbridge, had four points and 42 penalty minutes in 53 games with the Americans last season. He was a fifth-round pick by the Americans in the 2008 bantam draft.
“Max is a quality kid and this move will allow him to play closer to home in front of his family and friends,” Bob Tory, the Americans’ GM, said in a news release.
Moline should be in the Lethbridge lineup for games tonight against the Kootenay Ice and Saturday against the Calgary Hitmen in the Crowsnest Pass, Alta. Those teams are taking part in the Thunder in the Pass preseason tournament to benefit Crowsnest Minor Hockey.
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D Josh Caron, 20, of the Kamloops Blazers has what the Minnesota Wild is calling a “minor injury” and is to see a doctor today.
Caron was with the Wild’s rookie team at the tournament in Traverse City, Mich., and is on Minnesota’s main camp roster. Caron travelled the same road last season and came out of it with an NHL contract. Thus, he is eligible to play in the Wild’s organization.
He also is one of three 20-year-olds on the Blazers’ roster, the others being D Bronson Maschmeyer and F Chase Schaber, who is the team captain and who was on the Edmonton Oilers’ rookie team that played in the Young Guns tournament in Penticton, B.C., this week.
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F Brett Hextall is in camp with the Phoenix Coyotes as he gets his first shot at helping the Hextalls become the NHL’s second four-generation family.
This will be worth watching.
Eons and eons ago I was in camp with the MJHL’s Portage Terriers when Bryan Hextall Sr. was their coach. The family patriarch has been a Hockey Hall of Famer since 1969. I also spent some time in the Brandon Wheat Kings’ camp a long, long time ago when Randy Hextall was there.
I would later cover the Wheat Kings when Ron Hextall, Brett’s father, was their starting goaltender. And, yes, Ron was a starting goaltender in every sense of the word — he was known to start things. Ron now is the Los Angeles Kings’ assistant general manager.
I also got to know Ron’s father, Bryan Jr., who split 549 NHL games and 99 goals between six teams.
And let’s not forget Dennis, Bryan Jr.’s brother, who scored 153 goals in 681 NHL games and was as tough as they came. He finished with 1,398 PMs.
Rick, another brother, didn’t get to the NHL but he did play pro for a handful of seasons.
It’s worth noting that the Hextall clan will gather in Poplar Point, Man., which is where it all began, early in 2013. There will be a celebration from Feb. 1-3.
The Detroit Red Wings alumni team will be there to play against the Poplar Point Alumni in a fund-raiser for the local community club.
Anyway . . . Brett, who played three seasons at North Dakota, was in action on Wednesday night against the Kings (yes, Ron was in the stands) and Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times was there. Her report is right here.
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Greg Meachem, the sports editor of the Red Deer Advocate, reports:
“Veteran Adam Kambeitz returned to the Rebels Wednesday after attending the Phoenix Coyotes rookie camp, while fellow forward John Persson is expected back Saturday from the rookie camp of the New York Islanders.
“Forward Turner Elson and defencemen Alex Petrovic and Justin Weller will attend the main camps of the Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers and Coyotes, respectively, starting this weekend. All three are expected to be back with the Rebels before the team’s regular-season opener Sept. 23 versus the defending league champion Kootenay Ice.
“Byron Froese, a Chicago Blackhawks prospect, will at least start the season in the AHL and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will be given every chance to earn regular employment with the Edmonton Oilers as the first overall pick in June’s NHL entry draft.”
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Despite what you may have seen or heard — Vancouver’s Tom Gaglardi gets an NHL team, read the headline on one website — Vancouver’s Tom Gaglardi doesn’t own the Dallas Stars.
Not yet, anyway.
Gaglardi, the majority owner of the Kamloops Blazers, has been in hot pursuit of the NHL franchise for at least a year now. And, finally, it would appear that the end is near.
First, though, things have to go through bankruptcy court in Delaware, after which there is likely to be an auction.
As Kate Hairopoulos writes in the Dallas Morning News:
“The bankruptcy plan allows for a court-supervised auction of the sale, so Gaglardi’s offer is subject to higher bids.”
Why Delaware? As Hairopoulous notes: “Delaware is known as an efficient place to do bankruptcy business.”
Her complete story is right here and is a must read if you want to know the latest in this long, drawn-out saga.
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It seems G Deven Dubyk, 20, was rather surprised when to learn he had been claimed on waivers by the Moose Jaw Warriors. Darren Steinke of the Medicine Hat News has that story right here.
———JUST NOTES: F Jason Swyripa of the Brandon Wheat Kings didn’t practise on Thursday after taking a hit to the head during a 4-0 loss to the Pats in Regina on Wednesday night. Regina F Michael Jung was given a major penalty for checking to the head. A suspension may follow. . . . The Alberni Valley News reports that F Sawyer Mick has had to end his hockey career because of a shoulder injury. According to the newspaper, he “will instead pursue a new career as a firefighter. Mick is enrolled in a three-month firefighting course at Kilgore College in Kilgore, Texas. After Mick completes the course, he will participate in a two-week practicum en route to becoming a firefighter.” . . .
Larry Mitchell, the dean of St. Albert, drops a note to let us know that D Landan Viveiros, who will turn 18 on Oct. 25, is in camp with the AJHL’s St. Albert Steel. His brother, Layne, 16, is with the Portland Winterhawks. Their father, Emanuel, was a star defenceman with the Prince Albert Raiders back in the day and was named head coach of the Austrian national team earlier this week. . . . Tri-City F Adam Hughesman returned from the camp of the NHL’s New York Islanders to score two goals Thursday night and help the Americans to a 5-1 victory over the visiting Spokane Chiefs. Hughesman also had an assist. . . .
The Victoria Royals have released F Blair Wentworth, 19, who spent the last three seasons with the Chilliwack Bruins. He had 14 points and 132 penalty minutes in 149 regular-season games. “We have a lot of 16 and 17 year olds and we’re building with those young guys. Our strength is in our youth,” Royals GM/head coach Marc Habscheid told Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist. “(Cutting a veteran like Wentworth) is one of the most difficult things to do. But it’s part of the business. And the only constant in this business is change. Blair is a great kid and hopefully he can catch on with another (WHL) team or with a team in Junior A.” . . .
Former WHLer Josh Holden (Regina, 1994-98) has drawn an eight-game suspension in the Swiss National League A. He plays for Zug and was penalized for a hit to the head of Christian Dube of SC Bern. Holden was hit hard because he is a repeat offender. . . .
F Wheaton King, 19, has been released by the Medicine Hat Tigers and will return to the SJHL’s Kindersley Klippers. King had 11 points in 38 games with the Wheat Kings last season and 15 points in 16 games with the Klippers. . . . The Everett Silvertips got F Tyler Maxwell, 20, back from the Minnesota Wild’s rookie team that was in the Traverse City, Mich., tournament, while the Vancouver Canucks returned F Ryan Harrison. Everett F Josh Birkholz move on to the Florida Panthers’ main camp. . . . The Edmonton Oilers have returned G Adam Brown, 20, to the Kelowna Rockets. However, the Minnesota Wild have taken Kelowna D Colton Jobke and F Brett Bulmer on to main camp. The Rockets also got D Jessey Astles back from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From F Cody Beach of the Moose Jaw Warriors, who is in camp with the NHL’s St. Louis Blues: “physicals done, finally got to eat after 7 hours of no food. Pretty interesting places the doctor went, dont want to get into details #yikes”

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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