MacBeth Report: F Kirill Starkov (Red Deer, 2006-07) signed a one-year contract with Esbjerg (Denmark AL-Bank Liga). He had two goals and two assists in 55 games for Timrå (Sweden Elitserien) last season. . . .
F Martin Ruzicka (Everett, Lethbridge, 2003-05) signed a two-year contract with Trinec (Czech Republic Extraliga). He had 23 goals and 24 assists in 51 games with Trinec last season. . . .
F Duncan Milroy (Swift Current, Kootenay, 1998-2003) signed a one-year contract with Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic Extraliga). He had 12 goals and 24 assists in 74 games for the Houston Aeros (AHL) last season. Milroy becomes the eighth individual in Mlada Boleslav with a connection to the WHL. The others are sports manager Milan Hnilicka (goalie in Swift Current, 1992-93), assistant coach Leo Gudas (father of Everett D Radko), and players G Marek Schwarz (Vancouver, 2004-05), D Darrell Hay (Tri-City, 1996-2000), F Jordan Krestanovich (Calgary, 1997-2001), F David Vrbata (Calgary, 2000-01), and F Zdenek Bahensky (Saskatoon, 2004-06). . . .
F Petr Dvorak (Regina, 2002-03) signed a one-year contract with Cracovia Krakow (Poland). He had 20 goals and 45 assists in 42 games for Valasske Mezirici (Czech Republic 2.Liga) last season.
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The Everett Silvertips have signed F Ryan Chynoweth, who was their first pick, 24th overall, in the 2010 bantam draft. From Cranbrook, he had 60 points and 78 penalty minutes in 32 games with the bantam AAA Lethbridge Golden Hawks last season. . . . He is the son of Jeff Chynoweth, the president and general manager of the Kootenay Ice, and the grandson of the late Ed Chynoweth, the former WHL commissioner.
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Outside of Kelowna, not much has been said or written about Zach Franko, a 17-year-old forward out of Winnipeg. He apparently had made a commitment to Bemidji State, but decided to attend the Rockets' camp and check things out. He liked what he saw and chose to stay. . . . The Rockets had picked him 32nd overall in the 2008 bantam draft. Last season, with the MJHL's Winnipeg South Blue, he put up 54 points in 51 games. . . . Lorne Frey, the Rockets' assisant GM, head scout and director of player personnel, told the Kelowna Daily Courier that Franko "isn't an overly big guy yet, but he’s got great skill, great speed and he competes, which is what we're looking for." . . . The Daily Courier story referred to Franko as being 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds. . . . There's a bit more right here from the Western College Hockey blog.
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The Vancouver Giants held their intrasquad game and the top story had to be F Brendan Gallagher scoring four goals. I had someone tell me, however, that F Craig Cunningham, who turns 20 on Friday (Sept. 3), was the best player on the ice. Cunningham will go to camp with the Boston Bruins, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2010 NHL draft, in search of a contract. . . . "Cunningham was head and shoulders above anybody else," an observer told me. . . . The long-time WHL observer also told me that the Giants look to be "bigger and faster than last season." Which can't be good news for the rest of the teams in the B.C. Division and Western Conference.
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The Tri-City Americans have signed three 16-year-old players to WHL contracts — D Justin Hamonic, F Dylan Fluter and F Gage Rapitta. . . . Hamonic, from Winnipeg, was a fifth-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder had 21 points and 54 penalty minutes with the midget AAA Winnipeg Monarchs last season. . . . The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Fluter, from Saskatoon, was an eighth-round pick in 2009. He had 25 points and 43 penalty minutes in 43 games with the midget AAA Battlefords Stars last season. . . . Rapitta, a list player, is from Regina. The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder had 15 points and 56 penalty minutes with the midget AAA Yorkton Harvest last season.
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D Dallas Jackson (Regina, Red Deer, Prince George, Kelowna, 2007-10) has signed with the ECHL's Reading Royals. Jackson, from Edson, Alta., split last season between Prince George and Kelowna, picking up 45 points in 45 games. He totalled 102 points and 173 penalty minutes in 174 regular-season WHL games over three seasons.
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F Willie Coetzee scored four goals Wednesday night to help Team White to a 9-8 shootout victory over Team Black in the Red Deer Rebels' intrasquad game. Coetzee, 20, has signed with the Detroit Red Wings. He leaves for their camp next week and is expected to play in the Detroit organization.
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You know what they say about one man's misfortune being another man's opportunity, or something like that. Well, D Hubert Labrie has a knee injury so won’t be able to play for the Dallas Stars’ team at the NHL prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich., Sept. 11-15. So . . . the Stars have added 19-year-old F Cole Grbavac (Kamloops, Medicine Hat, 2008-10) to their roster.
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The Spokane Chiefs have reassigned four players as they prepare to head for Everett and the Silvertips’ tournament this weekend. D Boomer Rooney, 16, and D Cole Wedman, 16, will play midget AAA or junior A in Alberta, while D Jordan Swenson, 17, will play midget AAA or junior A in Saskatchewan, and F Josh McEwan is to join the BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters. . . . The Chiefs go into Everett with a 31-man roster — four goaltenders, nine defencemen and 18 forwards.
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Kevin Heise, who has worked in the WHL with the Tri-City Americans and Seattle Thunderbirds, has signed on as the ECHL-Victoria Salmon Kings’ athletic therapist. He spent last season with the Central league’s Amarillo Gorillas.
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A former WHL head coach and a former star player are among those the NHL has announced as recipients of the 2010 Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the U.S. David Andrews, the president of the American Hockey League since 1994, and Cam Neely, the president of the Boston Bruins, will be honoured, along with Jack Parker, the longtime coach at Boston University, and Jerry York, the coach at Boston College. . . . Andrews was head coach of the Victoria Cougars for two seasons (1982-84), while Neely starred with the Portland Winterhawks during the sdame two seasons.
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F Quinn Peplinski, whose father, Jim, had a pretty good run in the NHL, is in camp with the Calgary Hitme. The Calgary Herald has that story right here.
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Here’s something from the Winnipeg Sun that will be of interest to fans of the late, great Winnipeg Jets (and the early Phoenix Coyotes):
Curt Keilback is going back behind the microphone.
The former voice of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets will call 10 Manitoba Junior Hockey League games this season on NCI-FM radio.
Keilback spent more than two decades calling Jets games. His first MJHL contest will be on Sept. 23, when the OCN Blizzard visits the Winnipeg Saints.
Showing posts with label Broadcasters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Broadcasters. Show all posts
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
Wednesday...
THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Jakub Sindel (Brandon, 2004-05) signed a one-year contract with the Pelicans Lahti (Finland SM-Liiga) after his release by Tappara Tampere (SM-Liiga) earlier in the day. He had 11 goals and nine assists in 44 games with Kometa Brno (Czech Republic Extraliga) last season and no points in six exhibition games with Tappara this season. . . .
D Josef Melichar (Tri-City Americans, 1997-99) has been assigned on loan to Ceske Burejovice (Czech Republic Extraliga) by Linköping (Sweden Elitserien) until mid-October. He had five goals and nine assists in 52 games for Ceske Budejovice last season.
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The WHL’s exhibition season began Wednesday night with two games. In Moose Jaw, the Warriors doubled the Swift Current Broncos, 4-2, while, in Prince Albert, the Saskatoon Blades edged the Raiders, 3-2, in a shootout. Yes, the dreaded shootout already has reared its ugly head! . . . Anyway, for more on those games, visit the WHL website. A tip of the cap to whomever is responsible for the posting of scoring summaries on the website. Tonight’s were there by 9:50 Pacific time. Great stuff. . . . By the way, attendance in Moose Jaw was reported at 2,473.
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A teenaged shoplifter in Kelowna has learned not to mess with Hitch. Don Plant of the Kelowna Daily Courier reports that well-known hockey coach Ken Hitchcock, who hangs out in Kelowna during the summer these days, “was in a parked car outside clothing shop Cruzwear Unlimited on Bernard Avenue on Wednesday morning. A 14-year-old boy left the store with three pairs of shorts as employee Sherrie Lessare grabbed his pack sack and held on.
When she called for help, Hitchcock and a man riding a motorcycle seized the thief and pinned him against the store window. Lessare phoned the downtown security patrol while the two men detained the youth.
“They were both just wonderful people,” she said later. “Both guys, no questions asked, just came and helped.”
The youth ended up being banned from the store and also was informed that he would be charged with trespassing were he to return.
And if you know Hitchcock, you know he wasn’t done.
The former Kamloops Blazers head coach, Plant reports, “came back to the store half an hour later to see if Lessare was OK.”
Hitchcock declined The Daily Courier’s request for an interview.
By the way, Plant also reported that “Lesarre . . . described (Hitchcock) as ‘distinguished,’ tanned, wearing walking shorts and expensive white runners.”
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You likely have heard by now that the Subway Super Series will be stopping in Kamloops on Nov. 17 and Prince George on Nov. 18, with the Blazers and then the Cougars facing a touring Russian side.
If you missed it, the CHL/WHL press release started like this:
“Team WHL will renew their rivalry with the Russian National Junior Team in Kamloops . . .”
Isn’t it time people took off the blinders and quit calling the Russian outfit the national junior team? Sheesh, the CHL holds a 36-6 record in the seven years of the series.
The WHL, by the way, is 13-1 and has outscored the Russians, 65-21.
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The Regina Pat have acquired F Colin Reddin, 20, from the Prince Albert Raiders for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft. Reddin split 68 games between the Portland Winterhawks and Prince Albert last season, totalling 23 points, including 10 goals. He is preparing for his fourth WHL season, and is from Corona Del Mar, Calif. . . . Regina now has two 20-year-olds on its roster, with F Cass Mappin being the other. . . . The deal leaves the Raiders with three 20-year-olds — D Nathan Deck, D Jordan Rowley and Belarussian F Igor Revenko. Revenko is due to arrive in Prince Albert on Friday and GM/head coach Bruno Campese is adamant that he will be one of the 20-year-olds this season.
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The Swift Current Broncos have signed five players — F Brandon Bruce, 17, of Kelowna; F Brendan Hopkins, 16, of Airdrie, Alta.; F Zac MacKay, 15, of Swift Current; F Josh Sinatynski, 15, of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.; and, D Bobby Zinkan, 15, of Calgary. . . . The latter three all are 2010 bantam draft selections.
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Swift Current F Dillon Wagner, 19, is at home in Edmonton, recovering from offseason knee surgery. The Broncos hope to have him back late this month. . . . F Michael Hay, a Winnipegger who had one point in 30 games with Swift Current last season, will play this season with the MJHL's Selkirk Steelers.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have signed F Brayden Cuthbert, a 2009 bantam draft pick from Brandon, and G Brandon Stone, 17, of Langley, B.C.
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Kelly Kisio, the general manager of the defending-champion Calgary Hitmen, admits that, yes, he had discussions with the Calgary Flames’ brass about moving up to the NHL club. But, yes, he’s back with the Hitmen. The Calgary Herald has that story right here.
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The Tri-City Americans have broken up one of the three brother acts that were in their training camp. F Mitch Owsley, the 17-year-old brother of starting goaltender Drew Owsley, is on his way back to Lethbridge. . . . Also leaving are G Ross Baadsvik of Langley, B.C., G Jay Hudon of Zenon Park, Sask., D Josh Cronan of Nanaimo, B.C., and D Brett Pile of Winnipeg. . . . F Lucas Nickles has been reassigned to the junior B team in Golden, B.C. . . . .Two others players — G Eric Comrie and F Trevor Moore — will be returning to Los Angeles after Thursday’s workout. Both will report to the midget AAA Los Angeles Selects.
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Veteran F Carter Ashton, who had taken part in only day of training camp, struck for four goals Wednesday night as Team Blue beat Team White 4-2 in the Regina Pats’ intrasquad game. . . . A sprained wrist suffered at the Canadian national junior team’s selection camp in August had kept Ashton out of contact drills.
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The Prince George Cougars survived a scare Tuesday when F Brett Connolly, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s first pick in the NHL’s 2010 draft, went down during their intrasquad game. Connolly, who missed most of last season with hip problems, was felled in a collision and came up limping. Eventually, he was diagnosed with a bruised kneecap. "We were a little bit (concerned) but he's fine," Dallas Thompson, the Cougars’ general manager, told the Prince George Citizen. "The doctor and (Cougars trainer Ramandeep Singh Dhanjal) looked at him and he had a bruised kneecap. So he iced it down and he was fine." . . . The Cougars weren’t on the ice Wednesday, choosing to have a team softball game, instead. The Citizen reports that Connolly played an active role in the softball game. . . . As for the intrasquad game, Team Black dumped Team White, 9-4. F Parker Stanfield and F John Odgers each scored twice for the winners, with F Spencer Asuchak doing the same for Team White.
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D Scott Jackson (Seattle, 2002-08) is getting closer to his goal of a regular spot in the NHL. That story is right here.
F Jakub Sindel (Brandon, 2004-05) signed a one-year contract with the Pelicans Lahti (Finland SM-Liiga) after his release by Tappara Tampere (SM-Liiga) earlier in the day. He had 11 goals and nine assists in 44 games with Kometa Brno (Czech Republic Extraliga) last season and no points in six exhibition games with Tappara this season. . . .
D Josef Melichar (Tri-City Americans, 1997-99) has been assigned on loan to Ceske Burejovice (Czech Republic Extraliga) by Linköping (Sweden Elitserien) until mid-October. He had five goals and nine assists in 52 games for Ceske Budejovice last season.
———
The WHL’s exhibition season began Wednesday night with two games. In Moose Jaw, the Warriors doubled the Swift Current Broncos, 4-2, while, in Prince Albert, the Saskatoon Blades edged the Raiders, 3-2, in a shootout. Yes, the dreaded shootout already has reared its ugly head! . . . Anyway, for more on those games, visit the WHL website. A tip of the cap to whomever is responsible for the posting of scoring summaries on the website. Tonight’s were there by 9:50 Pacific time. Great stuff. . . . By the way, attendance in Moose Jaw was reported at 2,473.
———
A teenaged shoplifter in Kelowna has learned not to mess with Hitch. Don Plant of the Kelowna Daily Courier reports that well-known hockey coach Ken Hitchcock, who hangs out in Kelowna during the summer these days, “was in a parked car outside clothing shop Cruzwear Unlimited on Bernard Avenue on Wednesday morning. A 14-year-old boy left the store with three pairs of shorts as employee Sherrie Lessare grabbed his pack sack and held on.
When she called for help, Hitchcock and a man riding a motorcycle seized the thief and pinned him against the store window. Lessare phoned the downtown security patrol while the two men detained the youth.
“They were both just wonderful people,” she said later. “Both guys, no questions asked, just came and helped.”
The youth ended up being banned from the store and also was informed that he would be charged with trespassing were he to return.
And if you know Hitchcock, you know he wasn’t done.
The former Kamloops Blazers head coach, Plant reports, “came back to the store half an hour later to see if Lessare was OK.”
Hitchcock declined The Daily Courier’s request for an interview.
By the way, Plant also reported that “Lesarre . . . described (Hitchcock) as ‘distinguished,’ tanned, wearing walking shorts and expensive white runners.”
———
You likely have heard by now that the Subway Super Series will be stopping in Kamloops on Nov. 17 and Prince George on Nov. 18, with the Blazers and then the Cougars facing a touring Russian side.
If you missed it, the CHL/WHL press release started like this:
“Team WHL will renew their rivalry with the Russian National Junior Team in Kamloops . . .”
Isn’t it time people took off the blinders and quit calling the Russian outfit the national junior team? Sheesh, the CHL holds a 36-6 record in the seven years of the series.
The WHL, by the way, is 13-1 and has outscored the Russians, 65-21.
———
The Regina Pat have acquired F Colin Reddin, 20, from the Prince Albert Raiders for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft. Reddin split 68 games between the Portland Winterhawks and Prince Albert last season, totalling 23 points, including 10 goals. He is preparing for his fourth WHL season, and is from Corona Del Mar, Calif. . . . Regina now has two 20-year-olds on its roster, with F Cass Mappin being the other. . . . The deal leaves the Raiders with three 20-year-olds — D Nathan Deck, D Jordan Rowley and Belarussian F Igor Revenko. Revenko is due to arrive in Prince Albert on Friday and GM/head coach Bruno Campese is adamant that he will be one of the 20-year-olds this season.
———
The Swift Current Broncos have signed five players — F Brandon Bruce, 17, of Kelowna; F Brendan Hopkins, 16, of Airdrie, Alta.; F Zac MacKay, 15, of Swift Current; F Josh Sinatynski, 15, of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.; and, D Bobby Zinkan, 15, of Calgary. . . . The latter three all are 2010 bantam draft selections.
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Swift Current F Dillon Wagner, 19, is at home in Edmonton, recovering from offseason knee surgery. The Broncos hope to have him back late this month. . . . F Michael Hay, a Winnipegger who had one point in 30 games with Swift Current last season, will play this season with the MJHL's Selkirk Steelers.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have signed F Brayden Cuthbert, a 2009 bantam draft pick from Brandon, and G Brandon Stone, 17, of Langley, B.C.
———
Kelly Kisio, the general manager of the defending-champion Calgary Hitmen, admits that, yes, he had discussions with the Calgary Flames’ brass about moving up to the NHL club. But, yes, he’s back with the Hitmen. The Calgary Herald has that story right here.
———
The Tri-City Americans have broken up one of the three brother acts that were in their training camp. F Mitch Owsley, the 17-year-old brother of starting goaltender Drew Owsley, is on his way back to Lethbridge. . . . Also leaving are G Ross Baadsvik of Langley, B.C., G Jay Hudon of Zenon Park, Sask., D Josh Cronan of Nanaimo, B.C., and D Brett Pile of Winnipeg. . . . F Lucas Nickles has been reassigned to the junior B team in Golden, B.C. . . . .Two others players — G Eric Comrie and F Trevor Moore — will be returning to Los Angeles after Thursday’s workout. Both will report to the midget AAA Los Angeles Selects.
———
Veteran F Carter Ashton, who had taken part in only day of training camp, struck for four goals Wednesday night as Team Blue beat Team White 4-2 in the Regina Pats’ intrasquad game. . . . A sprained wrist suffered at the Canadian national junior team’s selection camp in August had kept Ashton out of contact drills.
———
The Prince George Cougars survived a scare Tuesday when F Brett Connolly, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s first pick in the NHL’s 2010 draft, went down during their intrasquad game. Connolly, who missed most of last season with hip problems, was felled in a collision and came up limping. Eventually, he was diagnosed with a bruised kneecap. "We were a little bit (concerned) but he's fine," Dallas Thompson, the Cougars’ general manager, told the Prince George Citizen. "The doctor and (Cougars trainer Ramandeep Singh Dhanjal) looked at him and he had a bruised kneecap. So he iced it down and he was fine." . . . The Cougars weren’t on the ice Wednesday, choosing to have a team softball game, instead. The Citizen reports that Connolly played an active role in the softball game. . . . As for the intrasquad game, Team Black dumped Team White, 9-4. F Parker Stanfield and F John Odgers each scored twice for the winners, with F Spencer Asuchak doing the same for Team White.
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D Scott Jackson (Seattle, 2002-08) is getting closer to his goal of a regular spot in the NHL. That story is right here.