Ray Kinasewich, who coached the Edmonton Oil Kings to the 1966 Memorial 
Cup championship, died in Vancouver on Aug. 30. He was 87. . . . Kinasewich took over the coaching reins from Bill Warwick during the 1965-66 season. He guided the Oil Kings to their seventh straight appearance in the Memorial Cup final in 1966 — they also won in 1963 — after beating the Estevan Bruins to win the Abbott Cup, which went to Western Canada’s junior A champion. . . . The 1966 Memorial Cup final, the last one to be played in Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens, also featured Bobby Orr and the Oshawa Generals. The Oil Kings won the best-of-seven series, 4-2. . . . Kinasewich went on to stints as the head coach of the CPHL’s Houston Apollos and the GM/head coach of the WHL’s Salt Lake Golden Eagles. By 1972-73, he was back in Edmonton as head coach of the WHA’s Edmonton Oilers. However, “Wild” Bill Hunter, part-owner and GM, replaced him behind the bench in midseason. . . . Kinasewich, from Smoky Lake, Alta., played two seasons (1950-52) with the junior Calgary Buffaloes and one (1952-53) with the Oil Kings. He split 1953-54 between the Oil Kings and the senior Edmonton Flyers. During his playing career, which ended after 1964-65, he also played for the WIHL’s Nelson Maple Leafs, the AHL’s Hershey Bears and Cleveland Barons, and the WHL’s Seattle Totems.
Former Edmonton/Kootenay Ice D Steve McCarthy has joined the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets as an assistant coach after Sylvain Lefebvre quit after refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. . . . In the NHL, all team employees not covered by a collective bargaining agreement must be fully vaccinated. . . . McCarthy, now 40, played one season (1997-98) with Edmonton and the next two with Kootenay. The Chicago Blackhawks selected him with the 23rd pick of the NHL’s 1999 draft. He played 302 regular-season NHL games over eight seasons, splitting time with the Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks and Atlanta Thrashers. . . . For the past five seasons, he has been an assistant coach with the Cleveland Monsters, the Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate. . . .
In the CFL, two of the Toronto Argonauts assistant coaches — defensive co-ordinator Glen Young and DB coach Josh Bell — weren’t at Monday’s practice and are reportedly on leave. Dave Naylor of TSN tweeted that “this comes after (Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment) implemented a policy requiring all employees (not under a CBA) to be vaccinated.” . . .
Billy Ray Stutzmann, an assistant coach with the United States Naval Academy’s football team, revealed on Monday that he no longer is with the team. “The Naval Academy Athletic Association policy regarding COVID-19 requires all coaches and staff to be vaccinated against this virus,” he wrote. “Based on my religious convictions, and after much thought and prayer, I am unable to follow (those) requirements.” . . . He continued: “After applying for a religious exemption and attempting to further negotiate alternative working arrangements, I was ultimately relieved of my duties here at Navy.”
If you’re wondering why the CFL would schedule a tripleheader on Saturday, well, just maybe it doesn’t want to face the NFL monster that owns TV whenever it’s on. . . . According to Adam Seaborn (@AHBSeaborn), Saturday’s CFL game between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and host Winnipeg Blue Bombers drew 551,000 viewers, with the Calgary Stampeders at Edmonton Eskimos watched by 593,000 fans, and the late game — it had the Ottawa Redblacks in Vancouver against the B.C. Lions — having an audience of 358,000. . . . Meanwhile, Thursday’s NFL season-opener that had the Dallas Cowboys in Tampa against the Buccaneers had a total viewing audience, via TV and streaming, of 26.4 million.
The WHL’s Vancouver Giants and Kelowna Rockets have cancelled an exhibition 
game that had been scheduled for Wednesday in Ladner, B.C. According to a tweet from the Giants, “The game . . . has been cancelled due to a lack of available players.” . . . In a news release on the team’s website, Vancouver GM Barclay Parneta said: “The combination of players currently attending NHL training camps, and the number of recent injuries sustained during training camp have made it so that the Vancouver Giants are unable to ice a reasonably sized roster.” . . .
Meanwhile, with Interior Health having relaxed some restrictions regarding attendance at indoor sporting events, the Kamloops Blazers and Prince George Cougars have adjusted their schedules. The Cougars now will visit Kamloops on Friday, and the teams won’t be playing in Prince George on Wednesday. That game had been switched from Kamloops to Prince George last week when the Blazers were looking at having a maximum of 50 people in their building, while the Cougars were being allowed to play in front of 50 per cent capacity in the CN Centre. . . . All fans will have to show proof of vaccination before being admitted to arenas in B.C. . . .
What this all means is that if you are thinking about attending a WHL exhibition game, you need to check your favourite team’s schedule to make sure the game is on . . . and then check to see what you need to provide in order to get into the arena.
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JUST NOTES: Byron Bonora, a scout with the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs for the past seven seasons, has left the team to accept a position with Hockey Canada. He now is the head scout of Hockey Canada’s Under-17 program. . . . The OHL has yet to say why it postponed an exhibition game between the visiting Guelph Storm and the Mississauga Steelheads that was to have bee played on Sunday afternoon. A date for the rescheduled game hasn’t been announced either. . . . Yes, we will hope that the remainder of this season’s Monday Night Football games are as entertaining as last night’s contest between the Baltimore Ravens and host Las Vegas Raiders. Right? I mean, were you entertained, or what?
Thursday that “starting Sept. 13, you must have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine” in order to attend games. “By Oct. 24, you must be fully vaccinated.” This is, of course, by order of B.C.’s provincial health officer. . . . As the VIJHL pointed out, “These orders apply to everyone in this league: players, team staff, volunteers, executives, etc., and will apply to all spectators at VIJHL games as well.” . . . At the same time, the league has had to postponed the expansion Lake Cowichan Kraken’s first three games. Kevin Rothbauer of the Lake Cowichan Gazette reported that according to the league the decisions were made out of “an abundance of caution” following a decision by its COVID committee. . . . The Kraken was to have played three games by now — at the Westshore Wolves on Wednesday, versus the Comox Valley Glacier Kings on Friday, and at the Kerry Park Islanders on Saturday. All three games were postponed.
schedule, and announced on Thursday that fan’s won’t be allowed in Rogers Place for either contest. . . . The Oilers Entertainment Group will use the games, along with the Edmonton Oilers’ rookie game on Sept. 18, “to deliver staff and building operations training related to the updated venue protocols.” . . . The Oil Kings entertained the Red Deer Rebels on Saturday night and will meet the visiting Calgary Hitmen on Sept. 24.
schedule is as fluid as the South Thompson River and it likely will continue that way for a while yet. . . . From a WHL news release that was issued on Wednesday: “Due to ongoing border restrictions preventing non-essential bus travel from Canada to the U.S., WHL clubs in the U.S. Division will compete exclusively against U.S. Division opponents, while WHL clubs in the B.C. Division will compete exclusively against B.C. Division opponents during the month of October.” . . . The original plan was to have teams in each conference playing only within their conferences in 2021-22. That plan remains in place for the 12 Eastern Conference teams. . . . As things now stand, the U.S. and B.C. division teams will play within their divisions until Nov. 3 when the Kamloops Blazers are scheduled to visit the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Unless COVID-19 decides otherwise, of course. . . . Fans of the 10 Western Conference teams are advised to consult online schedules for changes that have been made. . . . 
scheduling another one in Prince George against the Cougars. . . . Interior Health, which covers Kamloops, won’t allow more than 50 fans to attend indoor events. Northern Health, which governs Prince George, will allow teams to play in front of crowds that are 50 per cent of capacity. . . . Why the difference? How do they get the caramel in the Caramilk bar? . . . Anyway, Adrian Dix, B.C.’s health minister, told Radio NL in Kamloops that “this is why we’re bringing in the vaccine card. So that if we’re going to Blazer games — and there will be people going to Blazer games this year — will be able to do so safely. Knowing that everyone in the rink is vaccinated . . . vaccine cards don’t stop people from doing things, they enable people to do things.” . . . It all means that the Victoria Royals won’t play in Kamloops on Sept. 15, and the Cougars won’t visit on Sept. 17. . . . The Blazers, however, will play in Prince George on Sept. 15. Kamloops also will play in Prince George on Sept. 18 in a game that was on the original exhibition schedule.
Wenatchee, Wash., Wild play a complete season after sitting out what there was of a 2020-21 regular season. . . . The Wild is the BCHL’s only American franchise. . . . The league announced Wednesday that because the U.S.-Canada border is closed to non-essential travel going north, the Wild will play only road games “in the early part of the season.” That means its four scheduled October home games have been dropped, hopefully to be rescheduled later in the season. . . . The Wild will open the season on Oct. 9 in Penticton against the Vees. It then will play five more road games from Oct. 16 through Oct. 30 and two in Vernon against the Vipers on Nov. 5 and 6. The Wild now is scheduled to play its home-opener on Nov. 12 against the West Kelowna Warriors. . . . “The BCHL’s Return to Play Task Force continues to investigate solutions if the land border remains closed beyond October,” the league said in a news release.
Braves pulling out of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League for a second straight season. . . . If you’re a regular here, you will recall a piece I posted here on Aug. 29 that included snippets of a conversation between Bruce Hamilton, the owner of the Kelowna Rockets and chairman of the WHL’s board of governors, and Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Rockets. In that conversation, Hamilton said that having teams cross the U.S.-Canada border remains “in question.” He added: “To have our team travel (to the U.S.), we would have to take a rapid test going down and a PCR test coming home, so you are looking at $5,000 to $6,000 each time for every trip you make across the border.” . . . Taking Note was told that KIJHL teams weren’t about to pay that kind of money to go south, and that contributed in large part to the Braves’ decision. . . . You can bet that expense will impact WHL and BCHL teams, too, if the U.S. chooses not to open the border to Canadians for non-essential travel over the next two or three months.
to have a street in the Wheat City named after him. City Council has voted unanimously to honour Dietrich by naming a street in the Bellafield development after him. . . . Dietrich was from Deloraine, a community south of Brandon. He spent three seasons with the Wheat Kings (1978-81), playing on a WHL championship team in 1978-79 and captaining the club in 1980-81. . . . According to the Brandon Sun, Coun. Shawn Berry said: “This was a man who through his life battled cancer twice and Parkinson’s disease most of his life from 30 on, and never once felt pity or sorry for himself. He went back to his hometown, gave back to the community, started a breakfast program for kids to come out and learn hockey before school started on his own time. . . . He left us way too young, but even through he wasn’t a Brandon boy, Don’s legacy in Westman is well known and I know the short time he was in Brandon here he was very well respected.” . . . Brandon also is home to other streets named after former Wheat Kings, including forwards Ray Allison, Laurie Boschman, Ron Chipperfield, Bill Fairbairn and Ray Ferraro, and G Glen Hanlon. . . . Interestingly, there doesn’t appear to be a street named after the late Brad McCrimmon. Perhaps the City of Brandon is preparing to name its next new development after the McCrimmon brothers, Brad and Kelly.
Kamloops locations. . . . Ownership is closing both restaurants from Sept. 13 through Sept. 20 for “a mental health break.”
ages 12+, attending games, concerts and events at Climate Pledge Arena to provide proof of vaccination to keep fans, staff, players and artists safe.” . . . Ian Furness of Seattle radio station KJR followed that with a tweet: “My understanding is that every other major team/school will be making the same announcement for proof of vaccinations . . .” There were the usual comments — mostly in favour, but some others, too. Nothing beat this exchange in the comments after Furness’s tweet. . . . Someone with the handle Former Seattleite wrote: “F— em. That will be the end of 4 generations of season tickets at” U of Washington football. . . . UWDawgsPod followed with: “0-12 didn’t stop him, but getting a vaccine, that’s his line in the sand.”
age 12 and older will be required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination” in order to attend their games at accesso ShoWare Centre. . . . “In accordance with current Washington state and King County mask mandates,” the Thunderbirds said in a news release, “fans and staff will also be required to wear masks at all times except while actively eating or drinking.” . . . Those policies will be in place on Oct. 2 when the Seattle Kraken and Calgary Flames meet in an NHL exhibition game, and on Oct. 9 when the Thunderbirds entertain the Portland Winterhawks’ in Seattle’s home-opener. . . . 
required to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 upon entry. . . . Your final dose of the vaccine must have been administered more than 14 days before the attending event. Those who cannot provide proof of vaccination will be allowed to show documentation of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of puck drop. Ticket holders with religious or medical exemptions against the vaccine must still provide documentation of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of puck drop. Children under the age of 12 are exempt from both the vaccine requirement and alternative testing option.” . . . As well, the Winterhawks announced that “all attendees and staff ages five and over will be required to wear masks at all times inside Veterans Memorial Coliseum, except when actively eating and drinking. This policy is per the mask mandate issued on Aug. 13 in Multnomah County.”
suspension to D Logan Mailloux of the London Knights. Yes, that’s the same Logan Mailloux who was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the NHL’s 2021 draft. . . . Branch’s reasoning behind the suspension was that Mailloux “violated the league’s expectation of appropriate conduct for an OHL player.” . . . He will be eligible to apply for reinstatement on Jan. 1 “based in part on his conduct since his return to Canada and the appropriate treatment, counselling, mentoring and/or education he receives from the date of this decision.”. . . Ken Campbell has more at his site right here.
former WHL player and coach had been the NHL team’s associate coach. . . . “Due to a medical exemption that prevents me from taking the COVID-19 vaccine, under the new league protocols, I am not permitted to fulfill my duties on the Sharks coaching staff at this time,” Thompson said in a news release.”I will have no further comment on this matter.” . . . As a player, Thompson split three seasons (1994-97) between the Medicine Hat Tigers and Swift Current Broncos. He later was an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oil Kings for three seasons (2007-10). . . . 
who have been vaccinated once the approaching season gets started. . . . Emily Kaplan of ESPN reported: “On the road, unvaccinated players will not be able to go anywhere except for the team hotel, practice facility and arena, according to a 27-page document outlining the protocols, which was obtained by ESPN. At the team hotel, unvaccinated players can’t use the bar, restaurant, gym or pool and cannot have teammates or visitors in their rooms. . . . Unvaccinated players are prohibited from carpooling or using saunas. They are encouraged not to eat and drink on flights, attend bars or clubs or eat indoors — even at home — with people outside their households or personal bubbles.” . . . Kaplan has more, a whole lot more, 
breached COVID-19 protocols. This had to have been serious because CFL teams value offensive linemen the way politicians love votes. Dave Naylor of TSN later reported that Ruby “did repeatedly misrepresent to (the) team (that) he was vaccinated.” . . . Ruby had been in the CFL since 2015 when he was with the Montreal Alouettes. . . . The Elks, of course, have had 13 players test positive over the last while, and that led to the postponement of a game in Toronto against the Argonauts that was to have been played on Aug. 26. . . . As of Tuesday, the Elks had gone five days without a positive test; they are expected to return to team activities today. . . .
TAKING NOTE 