Chase to Russians? . . . Barzal on crutches . . . An ECAC coach loses it

F Adam Řehák (Medicine Hat, 2011-12) has signed for the rest of this season with Nice (France, Division 1). Last season, with Meran/Merano (Italy, Inter-National-League), he had seven goals and five assists in 12 games; he also had 29 points, including 11 goals, in 29 games with Cracovia Krakow (Poland, Ekstraliga). . . .
F Toni Rajala (Brandon, 2009-10) has been released by Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia, KHL) by mutual agreement. He had 13 points, three of them goals, in 21 games. . . .
G Barry Brust (Spokane, Calgary, 2000-04) signed a contract through the end of 2015-16 with Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia, KHL). Brust exercised an NHL opt-out clause to get released from Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL) last week. With Zagreb, he had a 2.15 GAA and a .933 save precentage in 19 games. . . .
D Shawn Belle (Regina, Tri-City, 2000-05) signed for the rest of this season with Düsseldorf (Germany, DEL). Last season, with Färjestad Karlstad (Sweden SHL), he had three goals and three assists in 39 games. . . .
D David Hájek (Spokane, 1998-99) signed a contract through Dec. 31 with Bad Nauheim (Germany, DEL2). The club has the option to extend the deal through the rest of the season. Last season, with Dresdner Eislöwen (Germany, DEL2), he had three goals and 22 assists in 42 games. . . .
F Justin Taylor (Medicine Hat, Red Deer, 1999-2001, 2003-04) has signed a contract through the end of this season with Mörrum (Sweden, Division 1). Last season, with Sterzing/Vipiteno (Italy, Serie A), he had three assists in six games.

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With apologies to Blackie Sherrod, we're scattershooting on a Monday night, while watching the WHL and a touring pack of Russians play in Saskatoon. . . .

1. The Russians won the game, 3-2, but not before a shootout that lasted 11 rounds. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has a game story right here.
2. F Greg Chase, who is waiting for the Calgary Hitmen to trade him, played for the WHL against the Russians last night in Saskatoon. There is no truth to the rumour that Calgary GM Mike Moore was in Saskatoon trying to trade Chase to the Russians.
3. Is it true that the only way U.S. fans could watch last night's Super Series game was to fork over $8 and watch via Neulion? All the while, of course, Canadian fans were watching on Sportsnet. You really have to wonder when the American franchises and their fans will start to be treated as equals by the WHL.
4. Attendance in Saskatoon last night was announced at 5,383. As of Monday afternoon, about 3,700 tickets had been sold for tonight's Super Series game in Brandon.
5. D Austin Madaisky picked up five points in two weekend games and now is the AHL-Springfield Falcons' leading scorer, with 10 points. Madaisky, 22, played in the WHL with the Kamloops Blazers and you've got to think he's about due to get a look from the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets.
6. After a two-day break, the WHL schedule resumes tonight with the Kelowna Rockets in Spokane to meet the Chiefs. The Rockets will be without F Tyson Baillie and D Madison Bowey, both of whom played for the WHL against the Russians last night in Saskatoon. . . . The Subway Super Series continues tonight in Brandon.
7. The Rockets are the hottest thing since summer in the Okanagan. They are 17-1-1 overall and riding a 7-0-1 streak.
8. If you go by winning percentage, 14 of the WHL’s 22 teams are above .500 at this point in the season. . . . If you go by wins and losses, that number is at 11.
9. Unless I missed it, the WHL hasn’t acknowledged that there seem to have been issues with its website practically all season long. Do you think perhaps no one has told them?
10. Today is the 11th day of the 11th month, meaning it is the day we stop to remember our veterans and to thank those who continue to serve in our military and on our behalf all over the world. . . . If you haven’t already seen this right here, it’s a story I wrote about Hick Abbott, a giant of a man and a war hero after whom the since-retired Abbott Cup is named. . . . He also was among the 2014 inductees into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in Regina.
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With two injured goaltenders healthy again, the Portland Winterhawks have returned G Michael Bullion to the NAHL's Wenatchee, Wash., Wild. In four appearances with Portland, Bullion is 2-2-0/3.22/.900. . . . He joined the Winterhawks with Brendan Burke and Adin Hill both injured. They are healthy again, so the Winterhawks moved out Bullion and Bolton Pouliot, 20. Pouliot, who went from the Kamloops Blazers to Portland, was released last week. . . .

The Kamloops Blazers might be without two veteran defencemen when they play host to the Spokane Chiefs on Friday. The Blazers had neither Josh Connolly nor Brady Gaudet in their lineup on Saturday when they lost 4-3 in OT to the Winterhawks in Portland. . . . Both defenders sat out with undisclosed injuries. . . . Kamloops will have F Jake Kryski, 16, back in its lineup as he has returned from the U-17 World Hockey Challenge. He's got 11 points, including five goals, in 16 games. In Kryski's last game, the Blazers beat the host Tri-City Americans, 2-0. Since then, the Blazers are 0-3-2. . . .

D Evan Wardley of the Seattle Thunderbirds is awaiting word from the WHL office on what will be his second suspension in less than a month. Wardley was hit with a seven-game suspension for a headshot major during a game against the Winterhawks in Portland on Oct. 11. On Saturday, Wardley was ejected from a game in Saskatoon with the Blades for a checking-from-behind incident. . . . The Thunderbirds are 1-1-0 on an East Division swing that continues Wednesday in Moose Jaw. . . .

The Red Deer Rebels have released F Cole Chorney, 18, who is expected to play in the AJHL. Chorney, from Beaumont, Alta., had 11 points, including six goals, in 58 games with the Rebels last season. This season, he had one assist in six games as he had trouble getting into the lineup. . . .

G Zach Sawchenko has started each of the Moose Jaw Warriors' past six games. He won't make it seven. Sawchenko suffered an injury to his right leg late in the third period of a 4-2 loss to the Tigers in Medicine Hat on Saturday. . . . He is expected to be out for at least week. . . . G Justin Paulic is expected to start against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds on Wednesday. . . .

On Sept. 23, the Calgary Hitmen traded F Pavel Padakin, a 20-year-old Ukrainian, to the Regina Pats for a third-round pick in the 2017 bantam draft. Last season, Padakin had 54 points, including 27 goals, in 66 games. . . . On Nov. 4, the Brandon Wheat Kings traded F Richard Nejezchleb, a 20-year-old Czech, to the Tri-City Americans for two third-round bantam draft picks, one in 2015 and the other in 2017. Last season, Nejezchleb had 57 points, including 32 goals, in 66 games. . . . Perhaps all of that explains why Brandon's Kelly McCrimmon is the WHL's best general manager. As a former WHL general manager once told me: "I wouldn't buy a used car from him." . . .
 
On the weekend, Cody Nickolet tweeted: “Mathew Barzal roaming around on crutches. Have heard the diagnosis of ‘a couple of weeks’ is very optimistic. Tough news if that's true.” . . . Barzal was the No. 1 selection by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft. . . . If what Nickolet heard is correct, you have to wonder if Barzal will be back before Christmas. The Thunderbirds have four games left on an East Division tour that continues Wednesday in Moose Jaw. All told, Seattle has 15 games remaining before the 10-day Christmas break, with eight of those at home and eight of them inside the U.S. Division. . . . Barzal has 18 points, including seven goals, in 16 games. Last season, his first in the WHL, he had 54 points, 14 of them goals, in 59 games. . . . Meanwhile, the Thunderbirds should have D Shea Theodore, 19, back in their lineup on Wednesday in Moose Jaw. He was returned to them by the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks over the weekend. Theodore played five games with the Ducks’ AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, scoring three times and adding two assists. . . . He played for the WHL in the Super Series game last night in Saskatoon. . . .

Former WHL D Wil Tomchuk, 20, is back with the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons. Tomchuk was released last week when the Prince George Cougars acquired G Jared Rathjen, 20, from the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . The Oil Barons were at the maximum of six 20-year-olds and to make room for Tomchuk they dealt G Jesse Gordichuk to the Olds Grizzlys. Gordichuk had requested a trade -- see, it doesn’t only happen in the WHL! . . . Tomchuk played with the Oil Barons in 2011-12 before moving on to the Tri-City Americans and then to Prince George. . . .

Things got a bit heated late in an NCAA hockey game between Cornell and Quinnipiac on Saturday. Yes, some bad words were spoken. We don’t see this kind of thing in the WHL these days, not even in the interests of trying to sell tickets. Too bad! . . . Chris Dilks has more right here. (This one comes with a language warning!) . . . Later on Monday, Cornell head coach Mike Schafter issued an apology; he also drew a one-game suspension from the ECAC.
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Honored to attend a fitting tribute to @chamblin6 and his life today.God has just acquired the playing rights to a great player #cancersucks
— Garth Mitchell (@GMitch61) November 11, 2014

Hitting right notes in Prince George . . . Two more players leave teams . . . Another shutout for Whistle

THE MUSIC MAN:

CURTIS ABRIEL

Recently, the Moose Jaw Warriors' Twitter account (@MJWARRIORS) was playing a game of "Remember When . . ." At one point, the tweet was: “We had the actual organ in the Civic Centre #glorydays #livemusic #intune.”
Which brings us to Prince George’s CN Centre, the home of the Cougars who, if you aren't aware, are under new ownership this season.
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The Cougars’ new owners are hoping for a revival in their community this season.
And like the hosts to a good revival meeting, they see nothing wrong with a little organ music at their games.
It used to be that an organist was almost the entire stoppage-time
entertainment at a lot of hockey games. However, with the growth of computers, more and more teams have gone to pre-packaged music and the organs got squeezed out.
In Prince George, the Cougars have done something to reverse that. Yes, a keyboardist has become a big part of their game presentation.
"Apart from our relatively good improvements on the ice, the thing we are most happy about is that an exciting, electric atmosphere has once again returned to the CN Centre, and the fans are having an extremely good time attending our games," Andy Beesley, the Cougars' vice-president business, told Taking Note via email. "We’ve made some dramatic changes to the ‘fan experience’, including our incredible pre-game light/laser show, and, of course, our music upgrades."
The Cougars have hired Curtis Abriel as their music director. A resident of Prince George who is from Kitimat, Abriel is a well-known figure on the city's music scene.
With the Cougars, Abriel controls all music and sound effects, and also plays a live keyboard which, according to Beesley, is "mostly organ" and is used a lot throughout a game.
"Curtis has a natural ability to read the crowd, and get them clapping and cheering with various musical punctuations to mimic the mood of the crowd during stoppages in play," Beesley added. "Curtis has made a major contribution to the atmosphere inside the CN Centre . . . the power of a live keyboard with a skilled musician cannot be overstated."
How popular has the addition of Abriel proven to be?
The Cougars, who are at home to the Kamloops Blazers on Saturday (7 p.m.) and Sunday (2 p.m.), now have added a camera inside the video control room where Abriel operates from "so we can show live shots of him on the video scoreboard from time to time," Beesley writes.
The Cougars are using a lot of live music on game nights. On opening night, they had a local band, Out of Alba, on the roof of the CN Centre to welcome fans to the game; Out of Alba also played inside during 90-second timeouts during the game.
During a recent Saturday game, the Cougars had a live DJ -- DJ Ant -- doing his thing during stoppages in play and intermissions. Beesley reports that the DJ was "set up in the stands and was a huge hit."
In fact, DJ Ant was so popular, according to Beesley, "that we have arranged to have him set up in the stands again and play ALL the music for an upcoming game, with Curtis also playing live organ from time to time."
The Cougars, Beesley reports, also plan to include more live musicians during future games, including, yes, a trumpet player.
CHARGE!
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MORE PLAYER DEPARTURES:

Two more players have chosen to leave their WHL teams.
D Connor Hobbs, 17, has asked to be traded and has left the Medicine Hat Tigers, while D Tyler Green, 19, has decided to leave the Moose Jaw Warriors.
Hobbs, from Saskatoon, had two assists in five games with Canada at last summer's Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament. He had a goal and an assist in 12 games with the Tigers this season. Last season, he had three points, including a goal, in 10 games. He had been one of eight defencemen on the Tigers' roster.
Hobbs was a fourth-round pick by the Prince Albert Raiders in the 2012 bantam draft. The Tigers acquired Hobbs on Jan. 1, 2013. Along with Hobbs, they got D Zach Hodder, then 19, F Logan McVeigh, 18, and a second-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft for D Dylan Busenius, 19, F Jayden Hart, 18, and a sixth-round pick in the 2014 draft.
Green, meanwhile, apparently told the Warriors that he wants to get on with his education.
“He contacted us (Wednesday) and asked to meet with Tim (Hunter) and I,” Alan Millar, the Warriors' general manager, told Katie Brickman of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald. “He just explained to us that he has lost the passion for the game and didn’t feel like he wanted to play any longer.”
Green, 19, is from Port Coquitlam, B.C. He was a second-round selection by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the 2010 bantam draft. Seattle dealt him to the Brandon Wheat Kings and they, in turn, traded him to Moose Jaw on Oct. 5 for a fifth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft.
The Warriors acquired the 6-foot-7, 220-pound Green after D Austin Adam, a 6-foot-5, 200-pounder, suffered a shoulder injury. Adam is back skating but isn't expected to play for a couple of weeks.
Green's departure leaves the Warriors with six defencemen.
Green is at least the third player to walk away from the Warriors this season. Veteran forwards Brandon Potomak, 19, and Scott Cooke, 20, left after having played just two games each.
On Wednesday, the Kootenay Ice and D Jordan Steenbergen, 18, parted company by mutual agreement. He was pointless in 12 games this season.
The Prince Albert Raiders had two players -- F Dakota Conroy and F Colton McCarthy -- leave the club earlier this month. Conroy, 20, had two points in 10 games, while McCarthy, 18, was pointless in eight games.
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G Jared Rathjen, who has yet to play this season, is joining the Prince George Cougars. Rathjen, 20, is from Prince George. He was placed on waivers by the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Rathjen opened training camp with the Tigers and got into two exhibition games. However, he was sidelined when a health issue was discovered. He recently received medical clearance to return to action but has yet to play, although he has been practising with the Tigers. . . . Rathjen was acquired by the Tigers from the Vancouver Giants over the summer. The Tigers gave up a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft in the exchange. . . . In 74 regular-season games with the Victoria Royals and the Giants, he is 20-30-8/3.81/.873. Last season, he was 13-8-5/2.98/.898. . . . The acquisition of Rathjen leaves the Cougars with three goaltenders, the other two being sophomore Ty Edmonds, 18, and freshman Tavin Grant, 16. . . . Edmonds is 7-7-0/4.04/.875, while Grant is 1-1-0/5.75/.828. . . .
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In order to make room for Rathjen, the Cougars have waived D Wil Tomchuk, who is joining the AJHL's Fort McMurray Oil Barons. He is from Fort McMurray. . . . The Cougars are left with Rathjen, F Jari Ericsson and F Chance Braid as their 20-year-olds. . . . Tomchuk have five assists in 26 games with the Cougars last season, after coming over from the Tri-City Americans. This season, he had two assists in 15 games. In 131 regular-season games, he had a goal and 10 assists. . . . The Tigers are down to 23 players, including eight defencemen and 13 forwards. Their 20s are D Tyler Lewington, D Kyle Becker and Czech G Marek Langhamer. Lewington turns 20 on Dec. 5.
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Scoop Cooper, who writes at hockeybuzz.com, has known Gordie and Mark Howe for a number of years. With Gordie having suffered a stroke, Cooper writes right here about Mr. Hockey
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Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal chatted with former Portland Winterhawks head coach Brent Peterson about Gordie Howe, Andrew Ference and more. It's all right here. . . .

F Alex Forsberg, who suffered an undisclosed injury a week ago, practised with the Saskatoon Blades on Thursday. He is listed as questionable for tonight's game against the Pats in Regina. Saskatoon D Ryan Coghlan has been out since Oct. 22 and will sit for at least another month. He suffered a separated shoulder during a fight. . . . The Blades will make a move on defence before too long because they are down to six healthy defenders. . . .

There was an interesting revelation from the NHL's St. Louis Blues on Thursday morning. In an era when hockey teams are reluctant to release information regarding injuries, Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock told reports that forwards David Backes and T.J. Oshie have concussions and are out indefinitely. . . . "Backes is concussed, out ... Oshie is concussed, out," Hitchcock said.
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THE COACHING GAME:

There is an interesting story developing in Cold Lake, Alta., where the board of the directors of the Ice, a junior B team, has fired head coach Neil Langridge. The Ice was 10-2 when Langridge was fired on Tuesday. Furthermore, the Ice is coming off four straight league titles and is to be the host team for the 2015 Keystone Cup. Theresa Seraphim and Peter Lozinski of the Cold Lake Sun have more right here. "I can say that I will be leaving this organization with my head held allot higher then others involved," Langridge tweeted.
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THURSDAY'S GAMES:

In Portland, G Jackson Whistle stopped 29 shots to lead the Kelowna Rockets to a 5-0 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . It was Whistle's second shutout in his last three starts. He's got three shutouts this season and six in his career. . . . The Rockets (13-1-0) have won three in a row. . . . F Rourke Chartier scored twice, giving him 11 goals this season. . . . F Justin Kirkland added a goal, his sixth, and two assists, while F Austin Glover drew three assists. . . . The Winterhawks hadn't been shut out at home since Oct. 9, 2011, when Ty Rimmer of the Tri-City Americans stopped 43 shots in a 4-0 victory. . . . The Americans also blanked Portland on Dec. 11, 2011, the last time the Winterhawks have gone without a goal. On that night, Rimmer turned aside 29 shots in a 3-0 victory. . . . With eight defencemen dressed, the Rockets had Jesse Lees playing on a forward line at times. . . . The Rockets were without head coach Dan Lambert, who is in Sarnia, Ont., preparing to coach one of Canada's entries in the U-17 World Hockey Challenge. . . . If you keep track of such things, the coaching victory belongs to assistant coach Kris Mallette, his first. . . . The Rockets and Winterhawks (5-10-2) will meet again Saturday in Portland, where the Winterhawks are 0-5-2. . . .

In Seattle, F Lane Pederson scored his first two WHL goals to help the Thunderbirds to a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Pederson, a 17-year-old from Saskatoon, was playing in his 14th game of the season. He was pointless in two regular-season and three playoff games last season. . . . Seattle scored the game's first four goals and took a 5-1 lead into the third period. . . . Seattle G Taran Kozun stopped 22 shots, three more than Edmonton's Patrick Dea. . . . F Mathew Barzal and F Ryan Gropp each scored his seventh goal of the season for Seattle. . . . “I thought they just outworked us,” Oil Kings head coach Steve Hamilton said on the team’s website. “We need to play with more pace to our game. We have to be harder to play against. We got our show run by a team that was aggressive and in our face.”
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198 - With tonight's 5-0 victory, the @Kelowna_Rockets have ended Portland's streak at 198 straight reg season games with at least one goal
— WHL Facts (@WHLFacts) October 31, 2014

Ex-coach: Depression, anxiety among factors in players leaving

It happens every August as WHL teams get their training camps rolling.
Some veteran players don’t show up. For one reason or another, they decide to move on to other things.
A lot of these players would be going into their 20-year-old seasons. Are they tired of the grind? Are they concerned about getting caught up in the 20-year-old game and its uncertainties, with each team being allowed to keep only three of them?
Some of the departing players are younger, perhaps feeling the impact of injuries or not wanting to be away from home anymore.
One former WHL coach wonders if this is just a sign of the times.
“Kids in general today do not have the same character required by people who have been in the game for 20-plus years,” he said. “Players have changed; managers, owners, coaches have not.
“The idea of ‘earning’ something seems to have gone by the wayside. Once a player gets drafted, it’s expected by the player, parents and agent for the ‘team’ to make him a player. (That is) unfortunate, but very true.”
This former coach also pointed a finger at the rigours of being a major junior hockey player.
These days, hockey at this level offers little in the way of down time. As a result, he said, “Players are getting worn out by pushing themselves in the off-season. Whatever happened to playing another sport?”
He suggests that hockey’s push to being a year-round sport has taken a lot of the “fun” out of the game.
“It’s a game,” he said. “But we do not treat it like a game. It’s all or nothing. TSN thrives on the business and compete part of the game. Rogers will do the same. It’s big business in the CHL.”
The former coach also touched on a couple of things that don’t get a whole lot of play in the hockey world.
“Depression and anxiety play a huge part in all of this,” he said. “The stress and pressure for a player to reach his ‘potential’ is a lot of times insurmountable. When you have been the best from 10-15 (years of age) in a small pool, expectations become unrealistic. Jump in the big pool, and the sharks eat you.”
It all adds up to a lot of burnout and pressure, he said, adding that “I would easily say that 75 per cent of players in the entire pool of players fall because of unrealistic expectations.”
Another former WHL coach wonders if some players who leave before their 20-year-old seasons would stay if they had no-trade clauses.
“The 20-year-olds don’t want to be suitcases and would like to play but not get traded,” he suggested. “As you have seen over the years, there is that the glut of 20-year-olds at the start of the season and players get moved or dropped to junior A. The kids are smarter now and don't like it.
“If the WHL wants to change this, then they need to open up the 20-year-olds to five or maybe even seven, and then they won’t quit.”
The ex-coach also is of the opinion that such a move would only help the WHL’s product.
“It would give better value to the $20,” he reasoned. “I also think that this would help the NHL coaches coming to the WHL as they won’t have to do skills and progression drills . . . just systems.”
From time-to-time, there has been talk among WHL officials about increasing the 20-year-old roster limit. However, it won’t happen without support from the OHL and QMJHL and, to date, that support hasn’t been there.
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G Brett Zarowny didn’t report to training camp with the Prince George Cougars. Zarowny, 19, was a third-round bantam draft pick in 2010. From Edson, Alta., Zarowny played two seasons with the Cougars. He was 9-19-0/3.74/.886 in 2012-13; last season, he went 3-10-2/4.23/.885. . . . A groin injury suffered in late November limited Zarowny to 17 games last season. . . . Cougars head coach Mark Holick told Taking Note that Zarowny “has decided to go to school.”
With Zarowny gone, it would appear that the top two goaltenders on the Cougars’ depth chart would be Ty Edmonds, 18, and Adam Beukeboom, 20, with Matt Kustra, 17, perhaps third. Edmonds got into 55 games last season, going 19-19-6/3.85/.887. With Zarowny hurt, Beukeboom came on to play in 14 games, going 5-8-0/4.25/.887. Kustra was an eight-round bantam draft pick in 2012.
The Cougars’ roster shows four 1994-born players, the others being F Chance Braid, F Jari Erricson and D Wil Tomchuk.
Holick told Taking Note that Erricson is in camp and has been cleared to participate. Erricson had one assist in four games last season before suffering a season-ending brain injury during a fight with F Jessey Astles of the Tri-City Americans on Sept. 22.
In 192 career games, the first 129 with the Everett Silvertips, Erricson, who is from Prince George, has 62 points, including 26 goals.
There is more good news in Prince George as F David Soltes, a 19-year-old Slovakian, is on the training camp roster. He had his freshman season ended by a knee injury after just 15 games. He had four goals and one assist in those 15 games.
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The Lethbridge Hurricanes have signed Russian F Pavel Skumatov, 17, who was their second-round selection in the CHL’s 2014 import draft. He is from Mescherskoye. The 6-foot-0, 165-pounder played for Vityazi Chekhov in the U20 MHL last season. He was one of the youngest players on his team and had two assists in 26 games.
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Stay home, or hand over big bucks and go to the game. Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle has that argument with himself right here.
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More rosters added/updated with cuts. http://t.co/mRUqirz94K Still nothing available from Edmonton, Kelowna, Medicine Hat.
— Alan Caldwell (@smallatlarge) August 23, 2014

It's nothing new, same teams every year. Slightly disappointing that some teams make it so difficult for their fans to follow their camps.
— Alan Caldwell (@smallatlarge) August 23, 2014

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.

Former WHLer David Rutherford tweeted this photo
after Game 1 of the ECHL final on Monday night.

When F David Rutherford played in the WHL (Vancouver, Spokane, 2005-08), he was known to play on the edge, and he didn’t mind running his mouth.
That mouth, as you can see by the above photo, is a little sore these days.
Rutherford, who plays for the Florida Everblades, was injured in Game 1 of the ECHL final against the host Las Vegas Wranglers on Monday. The Wranglers won that game, 2-1.
Rutherford lost five teeth at 2:28 of the second period. D Mike Madill of the Wranglers was given a double minor for high-sticking on the play, but the Everblades weren’t able to score on the PP.
Last night, despite the missing teeth, Rutherford had a goal and two assists as the Everblades evened the series with a 7-2 victory.
After Game 1, Rutherford (@Rutherford91) put the above photo on Twitter, along with a couple of tweets.
“Thanks for all the love @WheelsHockey!!! This shit doesn't happen in soccer ! Right back at it tomorrow!”
“Tough 1 tonight ! Right back @ it tomorrow! Who needs teeth in the playoffs too @FL_Everblades #QUESTFORKELLY&NewTeeth.”
And then there was this tweet from Stephanie Wilson (@StephW425):
“There's nothing like your bf sending you a pic of all his front teeth knocked out and saying ‘well it's playoffs’ #QUESTFORKELLY #stillhot”
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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Casper Carning (Vancouver, 2010-11) signed a one-year contract with Bäcken Gothenburg (Sweden, Division 2). He had eight goals and 20 assists in 39 games for Kungälv (Sweden, Division 1) this season. . . .
F Bostjan Golicic (Calgary, 2007-09) signed a one-year contract with Briançon (France, Ligue Magnus). he had five goals and 10 assists in 38 games with Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, Austria Erste Bank Liga) this season. . . .
F Jordan Krestanovich (Calgary, 1997-2001) signed a one-year contract extension with Braehead Clan Glasgow (Scotland, UK Elite). He had 29 goals and 40 assists in 50 games as captain of the Clan this season. . . .
F Mark Mieritz (Brandon, 2010-11) signed a one-year contract with Copenhagen Hockey (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). He had two goals and two assists in 38 games for Esbjerg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga) this season.
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THE COACHING GAME, Part 1:
Kelly McCrimmon, the owner and general manager of the Brandon Wheat Kings, announced Tuesday that head coach Cory Clouston won’t return for a second season. Clouston, who had been fired by the NHL’s Ottawa Senators after the 2011-12 season, signed a two-year deal with Brandon on Aug. 3.
"I have given a great deal of thought to our coaching situation for the upcoming season," McCrimmon said in a news release. "I do not want uncertainty with this important position and as a result have decided we will not have Cory return next season. He will perhaps have opportunities to coach professionally, failing that, we will honor the second year of his contract."
Clouston, 42, told Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun: “I don’t think I expected it, but I definitely understand Kelly’s thinking. He feels the team is in a rebuilding mode for the next couple years and he told me he just doesn’t want to have the coaching position in limbo for the next two months. I have options.
“He doesn’t want me coming in early July, telling him I’m going to the American league or wherever it may be. I’m not saying that was going to happen, but he doesn’t want that as an option and I can understand his reasoning.”
The Wheat Kings finished sixth in the Eastern Conference (39-28-5) and got past the No. 3 Calgary Hitmen in the opening round of playoffs. Brandon was then swept by the eventual-champion Edmonton Oil Kings.
McCrimmon was Brandon’s head coach for the seven seasons prior to his decision to hire Clouston.
McCrimmon doesn’t have a list of potential coaches. When he puts one together, you have to wonder if his name will be on it?
Clouston played four seasons (1989-93) with the U of Alberta Golden Bears, who happen to be in the market for a head coach. In fact, the closing date for applications was yesterday. You have to think, however, that the Golden Bears’ job wouldn’t be Clouston’s first choice.
Evan Daum of the Edmonton Journal has more on the Golden Bears coaching situation right here.
Bruce Luebke, the veteran play-by-play man who calls Wheat Kings games on CKLQ, offers up his take right here and it’s rather evident that he feels Clouston wasn’t a good fit.
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THE COACHING GAME, Part 2:
Harvey Smyl, a veteran BCHL head coach, and the Chilliwack Chiefs finally got around to putting together a contract. The new deal covers the just completed season and two more, taking him through 2013-14. . . . “The contract is actually for three years, but the first year is already in the books,” said Chiefs president Glen Ringdal in a news conference. “We were so busy getting the organization set up last year we didn’t get around to such matters until late in the season.” . . . You may recall that Chilliwack became home to the Chiefs – they had been the Quesnel Millionaires – after the WHL allowed the sale and relocation of the Chilliwack Bruins to Victoria where the franchise now operates as the Royals. . . .
Leigh Mendelson has signed on as associate head coach with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers. He was an assistant with the Lancers in 2000-01 and against in 2007-08. The Lancers reached the Clark Cup championship in both of those seasons. In Omaha, he will work alongside GM/head coach Mike Aikens. Mendelson spent this season as an assistant coach with the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies. Mendelson was an assistant coach with the Spokane Chiefs in 2008-09.
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JUST NOTES:
According to the Brandon Sun, the Wheat Kings are close to a new lease with the Keystone Centre. The parties are operating under the terms of a five-year extension that is the continuation of a lease first signed in 1997. It expires on May 31. . . .
D Wil Tomchuk, who turns 18 on Sept. 27, has signed with the Tri-City Americans. Tomchuk had six points and 55 penalty minutes as a freshman with the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons this season. The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder is from Fort McMurray. He is represented by Turning Point Sports Management. . . .
The Americans also announced Monday that F Nathan MacMaster won’t be returning to Tri-City for his 20-year-old season. MacMaster, who was acquired from the Calgary Hitmen early this season, had 11 points and 41 penalty minutes in 55 games with the Americans. He was a second-round selection by the Moose Jaw Warriors in the 2007 bantam draft. “Nathan has earned a four-year scholarship from the WHL and will return to Calgary to begin his studies and continue with hockey,” Bob Tory, the Americans’ general manager, said in a news release. . . .
A year ago, brothers Max and Sam Reinhart played in the Memorial Cup with the WHL-champion Kootenay Ice. Now it’s the turn of their other brother, Griffin, who is a defenceman with the Edmonton Oil Kings who won the WHL title on Sunday night. Elliot Pap of the Vancouver Sun checks in with the Reinharts right here. . . .
The QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques are getting a new arena, one that will replace the Robert Guertin Arena. The province will cough up $26.5 million, as will the city of Gatineau, and the 4,000-seat facility, which will include 40 corporate boxes, should be ready for the start of the 2014-15 season. . . . Originally, Gatineau wanted to built a 5,000-seat arena that would cost $67 million. But those plans changed after the feds said they wouldn’t be tossing in any loose change. . . .
The keys to the Edmonton Oil Kings winning the WHL championship in only their fifth season of existence? General manager Bob Green tells Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal that it’s all about the bantam draft and being patient. That story is right here. . . .
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That video that Chris Rumble, the son of Seattle Thunderbirds assistant coach Darren Rumble, put together on the hemoncology floor of Seattle Children’s Hospital had received 1,834,214 views on YouTube as of late last night.
If you haven’t seen it yet – it features patients singing the Kelly Clarkson smash hit Stronger – it’s right here. . . . There’s also an extended look at what went on behind the scenes as well as a message from Kelly Clarkson to the patients at SCH.
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Justin Bourne — no, not that Bourne; he’s Jason — knows a bit about hockey. He’s from a hockey family and he played some puck. Right here, he writes about what a young player goes through as he chooses between the college route and the CHL. Bourne should know what he’s talking about, too, because he went through it.

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