Author: greggdrinnan

Scouts Foundation strikes Ace Award in honour of Bailey; Sather to make inaugural presentation

February 6, 2024

The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation will be honouring someone close to the scouting fraternity with the Ace Award.

The foundation announced today that the Ace Award, in honour of the late Garnet (Ace) Bailey, will be presented annually to a member of the scouting fraternity or someone involved with the scouting community for contributions above and beyond what may have been expected.

ACE BAILEY

The first recipient will be honoured at the Foundation’s inaugural Wall of Honour banquet that is scheduled for Okotoks, Alta., on July 29.

Glen Sather, who had a long association with Bailey while both were in the 

Edmonton Oilers’ organization, will make the presentation. Sather, now a senior advisor and alternate governor with the New York Rangers, also will speak to the induction of former Edmonton scouts Lorne Davis, Barry Fraser and Kevin Prendergast into the Foundation’s Wall of Honour.

Sather was the head coach of the WHA’s Oilers in 1978-79; Bailey played 38 games for the Oilers that season. Bailey later was a pro scout for the NHL Oilers for 13 seasons (1981-94), while Sather was president, GM and head coach.

Bailey, a native of Lloydminster, Sask., was a former NHL player who had a 20-year scouting career, split between the Oilers and Los Angeles Kings. He was the Kings’ director of pro scouting when he died aboard the plane that crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. He was 53.

“There are a lot of people inside and outside the scouting community who go above and beyond to not only do the job but assist in ways that make the job a lot easier,” said Foundation president Erin Ginnell. “We want to honour those people and who better to name such an award after than Ace Bailey?

“Ace went above and beyond not only at the rink but also away from the game. He gave the ultimate sacrifice to the job on 9/11 and we’d like to honour him for that and who he was, not only as a scout but as the person he was.”

Bailey’s playing career included 568 regular-season NHL games over 10 seasons split between the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals. He also played one season with the WHA’s Oilers when his roommate on the road was a freshman centre named Wayne Gretzky.

“He reminded me so much of my dad,” Gretzky told The Athletic’s Dan Robson on the 20th anniversary of Bailey’s death. “He was like my best friend. Like a brother. My second dad.”

Bailey won two Stanley Cups as a player (Bruins, 1970, 1972) and five while scouting with the Oilers (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990). He also won a Memorial Cup (1966) with the Edmonton Oil Kings.

He joined Edmonton’s scouting staff in 1981, then moved to the Kings in 1994. He had been their director of pro scouting for seven years.

Since its formation more than a year ago, the Foundation has been working to make the Ace Award a big part of its platform.

“Ace enjoyed spending time with his hockey scout family,” his widow, Kathy, said. “I’m sure he would be honoured to know that the award will be presented in his name.”

The Bailey family has kept his name alive through Ace’s Place, a playroom at Tufts Children Hospital in Boston.

“Kathy Bailey wanted her husband to be remembered for the heart he had for others — especially children,” Robson wrote. “He was the one with the hilarious Daffy Duck impressions, which always amused his nieces and nephews. He was Santa Claus at Christmas and the Easter Bunny each spring. He visited sick children often during his days as a beloved member of the Bruins.”

There also is an Ace’s Place in the paediatric emergency room at Tufts.

Bailey also was immensely popular throughout the scouting fraternity.

“Ace was undoubtedly one of the most popular individuals within our fraternity during his years of scouting at the NHL level,” said Garth Malarchuk, the chairman of the Foundation’s board of directors. “He was very respected for his accomplishments and successes within the hockey world. There was always lots of humour and laughter when Ace was around; he was such a fun person to be around.

“No question that it tore a piece out of everyone who knew Ace on the day we lost him during the terrorist attacks. That was a sad, sad day and a tragic loss.”

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The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation in a non-profit organization comprising NHL scouts from Western Canada and a group of committed individuals from the hockey community. It feels a strong obligation to honour scouts, past and present, and a commitment to give back to charities, communities and individuals who could benefit from the support and financial assistance.

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Erin Ginnell, WCPHSF president

eginnell@vegasgoldenknights.com

Garth Malarchuk, WCPHSF chairman of the board

gmalarchuk@torontomapleleafs.com

Gregg Drinnan, WCPHSF editor and historian

greggdrinnan@gmail.com

Scouts’ Wall of Honour to open with 45 inductees

The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation will induct 45 members of the scouting fraternity into its Wall of Honour this summer.

The banquet is scheduled to be held in Okotoks, Alta., on Monday, July 29.

Comprising three Matrix screens, the WCPHSF Wall of Honour video presentation will be on permanent display at the Centennial Arena in Okotoks.

The first inductees feature five pioneers of the scouting fraternity, including Danny Summers, who returned from the Second World War to play for the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers before getting into scouting, and Murray (Torchy) Schell, who spent summers as an assistant equipment manager with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders while he was scouting.

Also being inducted will be 17 scouts from the Early Era (1968-80), including Elmer Benning, who put more than 1 million miles on one car while on the scouting trail; Pat (Paddy) Ginnell, who was a legendary junior coach before turning to scouting; and Del Wilson, a long-time scout who also was a founding father of the major junior WHL.

There also will be 20 scouts from the Modern Era (1981-present) inducted, including Vaughn Karpan, who has been a key figure with the Vegas Golden Knights; Al Murray, one of the architects of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s success; and Barry Trapp, who retired in August 2023 after more than 60 years in the game.

Rounding out the inaugural class will be Lorne Frey and the late Graham Tuer, both of whom had lengthy scouting careers in junior hockey.

Garnet (Ace) Bailey also will be honoured. Bailey scouted for the Edmonton Oilers and then the Los Angeles Kings. He was en route to the Kings’ training camp aboard United Airlines flight 175 when it crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001.

“Our selection committee did an excellent job of recognizing these candidates for the Wall of Honour,” Foundation president Erin Ginnell said. “These scouts are not only builders of the game that put thousands of players into the NHL and pro ranks, but also represented their teams and the game with class, professionalism and determination to succeed.  “A lot of these honorees were real mentors to people like myself when I first started; they were always there with help travelling, directions, and generally just made you feel a part of the fraternity.”

The complete list of inductees (* – denotes deceased):

SPECIAL RECOGNITION: *-Garnet (Ace) Bailey.

PIONEERS: *-George Agar, *-Frank Currie, *-Murray (Torchy) Schell, *-Danny Summers, *-Cecil (Tiny) Thompson.

EARLY ERA (1968-1980): *-Elmer Benning, *-Bart Bradley, *-Lorne Davis, *-Gerry Ehman, *-Barry Fraser, *-Pat Ginnell, Ted Hampson, *-Charlie Hodge, Earl Ingarfield Sr, *-Lou Jankowski, Marshall Johnston, Bill Lesuk, *-Ian McKenzie, *-Gerry Melnyk, Bob Owen, *-Clare Rothermel, *-Del Wilson.

MODERN ERA (1981-present): Scott Bradley, Craig Button, John Chapman, George Fargher, Tony Feltrin, Bruce Franklin, Bruce Haralson, Archie Henderson, Les Jackson, Vaughn Karpan, Ross Mahoney, Bert Marshall, Wayne Meier, Al Murray, Gerry O’Flaherty, Kevin Prendergast, Blair Reid, Glen Sanders, Peter Sullivan, Barry Trapp.

JUNIOR: Lorne Frey, *-Graham Tuer.

As well, five scouts from Western Canada were honoured at the Sept. 30 startup banquet in Okotoks with the WCPHSF’s Recognition and Dedication Service Award. Those five are Ron Delorme, Glen Dirk, Garth Malarchuk, Don Paarup and Mike Penny.

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“Our committee’s selections were primarily based on years of combined service as a scout and/or an association to the scouting process,” Garth Malarchuk, the Chairman of the Foundation’s board of directors, said. “I think everyone who has been associated with the scouting fraternity will agree that this is a pretty impressive group of individuals that we will be honouring. “Trust me, our committee could easily have added another 15-20 deserving individuals to this list, but we had to cut it off somewhere.” Moving forward, we certainly don’t want to miss anyone and the plan is to keep adding individuals to our Foundation’s Wall of Honour on an annual basis.”

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The startup banquet on Sept. 30 was a rip-roaring success, highlighted by a roast of Hockey Night in Canada host Ron MacLean, along with silent and live sweater auctions. If you weren’t fortunate enough to attend, you are able to find a highly entertaining video of Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman roasting MacLean at hockeyscoutsfoundation.com.

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Planning is well underway for the inaugural induction banquet on July 29 in Okotoks. Banquet details, including information on tickets, will be announced in the near future.

The Book Shelf: Part 3

Here we go with the third and final part of this year’s Book Shelf. I hope you have enjoyed it and perhaps found an idea for a Christmas gift or two for yourself. Go ahead . . . treat yourself!

One Good Deed — Having never read anything by author David Baldacci, I chose to begin with this one. Upon finishing it, I immediately went back for more. This is the first of three books (so far) chronicling in true Mickey Spillane fashion the experiences of Aloysius Archer, who is fresh out of a federal penitentiary when he finds himself in the middle of a handful of bodies and a number of suspects. I have always felt that for this type of book to be successful it needs a likeable lead character; Baldacci has created one with Archer. . . . The second book in the Archer series is A Gambling Man, and I enjoyed it every bit as much as I did One Good Deed. Fun stuff! . . . And the third one is Dream Town, with Archer doing some work in Los Angeles. Mickey Spillane would be proud.

Paper Trails: From the Backwoods to the Front Page, a Life in Stories — Roy MacGregor, one of Canada’s best-ever columnists/essayists, was a magazine/newspaper writer when the owners had money and didn’t mind spending it. So he got to see the country and, indeed, the world, and he has stories — oh, does he! — about politicians and hockey players and just plain Canadians. But he also writes about his life, his family and a whole lot more. It’s a book full of, as he calls it, MacGregor luck. This was one of 2023’s most-enjoyable reads.

Path Lit By Lightning: The Life of Jim Thorpe — This is the thoroughly engrossing story of Jim Thorpe, a member of the Sac and Fox Nation in Oklahoma who came out of the Carlisle, Penn., Indian School to earn recognition as the world’s best all-around athlete, especially after winning gold in the pentathlon and decathlon at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm. His medals later were taken away after it came to light that he had played minor professional baseball for two summers. His life became something of a roller-coaster after that, even though he would go on to play big league baseball and pro football. Author David Maraniss has given us a meticulously researched look at Thorpe’s life . . . warts and all. You really don’t want to miss this one.

The Powers That Be — This is the late David Halberstam’s amazingly well-researched look at four American media giants — Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, CBS-TV and Time magazine — as they navigated through the arrival of television, the Vietnam War and Watergate. Give it a read and gain a real understanding of the power of the press. Be prepared, though, because this is a long read.

Razorblade Tears — If you love crackling writing, and don’t mind violence and blue language, author S.A. Crosby has another winner for your perusal. This one follows two fathers who are seeking vengeance following the murders of their sons, who also happened to be husband and wife. Oh my, there are a lot of life lessons among the great writing here. Crosby also wrote Blacktop Wasteland, another winner.

Rez Rules: My Indictment of Canada’s and America’s Systemic Racism Against Indigenous Peoples — Chief Clarence Louis was first elected by the Osoyoos Indian Band in 1984. Under his leadership, that Rez has become known as The Miracle in the Desert. This is his story and it really should be mandatory reading for all Canadians. It really is an amazing and startling read.

Sports Guy: In Search of Corkball, Warroad Hockey, Hooters Golf, Tiger Woods, and the Big, Big Game — These days, Charles P. Pierce waxes cynically, sarcastically and wonderfully on politics for Esquire. But it wasn’t that long ago when the focus of his writing was almost entirely on the sporting world. And he was masterful, as evidenced by the 30 essays that appear on this book’s pages. Published in 2001, it more than holds its own more than 20 years later. Excellent! 

Summer of ’49 — Oh boy, do I ever love this book! Written by the prolific and award-winning David Halberstam, it’s the story of the 1949 American League pennant race between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Originally published in May 1989, the tension of the run to the World Series comes through on every page. There are all kinds of anecdotes involving the likes of Joe DiMaggio, Tommy Henrich, Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr et al.

The Switch — Joseph Finder, who also wrote The Fixer that was mentioned earlier in this series, strikes again, this time with a neat story involving switched briefcases. One belongs to a U.S. senator who foolishly downloaded a top secret file on to it. The other is the property of Michael Tanner, a coffee wholesaler who is fighting to keep his business afloat. Lots of neat twists and turns in this one. And, yes, the secret file being where it shouldn’t be is rather appropriate in these times.

The Tales of an Athletic Supporter — In cleaning out some bookshelves I came upon this gem from Trent Frayne. Published in 1990, this is a book written by one of the greats of Canadian sports journalism who was there for a whole lot of sporting history. For 300 pages, Frayne reminisces about his career, one that began at the Brandon Sun, took him to the Winnipeg Tribune and then to various Toronto-based outlets. And, oh, the places he went and the people he met and watched perform! And, yes, the man knew his way around a keyboard. If you can find a copy of this one you won’t be disappointed. 

True North: A Life Inside the Music Business — As a manager, promoter, producer and a lot of other things, Bernie Finkelstein had a front row seat as the Canadian music business grew into what it is today. This is his story, and the story of that business, and it’s an entertaining read.

Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments — Joe Posnanski, the author of the glorious The Baseball 100, is back with another wonderful baseballcentric book. This one features a series of anecdote-filled essays on 50 of the sports’ significant occurrences. There also are a number of other highlights scattered throughout.

Winter Is Coming: Why Vladimir Putin and the Enemies of the Free World Must Be Stopped — Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, a Russian, now lives with his family in self-imposed exile in the U.S. This book was published in 2015 after Russia, under Vladimir Putin, invaded Ukraine in 2014. It is frightening how much of this book remains devastatingly pertinent as Putin is again waging war on Ukraine.

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My top 10 reads from 2023:

  1. Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast, by John Vaillant.

2. Paper Trails: From the Backwoods to the Front Page, a Life in Stories, by Roy MacGregor.

3. The Tales of an Athletic Supporter, by Trent Frayne.

4. Hometown Heroes: On the Road with Canada’s National Hockey Team, by Paul Quarrington.

5. Brave Face: Wild Tales of Hockey Goaltenders in the Era Before Masks, by Rob Vanstone

6. Path Lit By Lightning: The Life of Jim Thorpe, by David Maraniss.

7. Winter Is Coming: Why Vladimir Putin and the Enemies of the Free World Must Be Stopped, by Garry Kasparov.

8. Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments, by Joe Posnanski.

9. Lucky Man: A Memoir, by Michael J. Fox.

10. City of Dreams, by Don Winslow.

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(THIRD OF THREE PARTS)

The Book Shelf: Part 2

The second part of this year’s Book Shelf is headed up by the best book I read in 2023. It is everything a thriller should be, except that it isn’t fiction.

Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast — This is at the top of the list of best books I read in 2023; it easily was the most-terrifying. Author John Vaillant takes an in-depth look at the fire that took out most of Fort McMurray, Alta., in May 2016. Reading about what the citizens of Fort McMurray went through was eye-opening; reading about what the first-responders dealt with was beyond that. But Vaillant also writes about the past and the future, about the warnings from the scientific community regarding CO2 emissions that began so long ago and how Big Oil’s choosing to ignore it all has helped lead us to where we are today with climate change. As I started this book, we were cloaked in smoke; as I finished it, fires had Hawaii by the throat. Knowing what I had just read, I wasn’t surprised. (Note that you also are able to find this book under the title Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World.)

The Fixer — Rick Hoffman, who once was an investigative reporter, is about to restore the aging home in which he grew up when he discovers a huge pile of cash hidden away. His lawyer father is unable to communicate, a stroke having robbed him of much of his quality of life a few years ago. So what’s with all the money? How did it get there? Author Joseph Finder provides a fast-paced thriller that is perfect for spending a cold winter weekend with while under a warm blanket.

Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin’s Wrath — Bill Browder first chronicled his issues with Vladimir Putin’s Russia in Red Notice, and now he’s back with Freezing Order, which is even more explosive. Browder, a hedge fund CEO, was a big investor in Russia, but not these days. His lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, uncovered money laundering and a whole lot more, something that Browder writes resulted in his murder in prison. Browder details all of that and a whole lot more in Freezing Order.

The Guards — This is the first of the books on which the TV series Jack Taylor is based. If you have seen any of the TV shows, you know how Taylor oozes grit. This book is no different as author Ken Bruen introduces us to Taylor, a man with a drinking problem and a few other issues. There were 16 books in the series through 2020, with one more scheduled to be published in 2024.

Hometown Heroes: On the Road with Canada’s National Hockey Team — As Team Canada prepared for the 1988 Olympic Winter Games, which were to be held in Calgary, author Paul Quarrington went along for the ride. He provides a true outsider’s look at the ins and outs of a team that surprised the hockey world by winning the 1987 Izvestia Cup in Moscow and proving that a team of non-NHLers could compete at that level. An entertaining and lively read.

The Jack Widow Boxset — Gone Forever, Winter Territory and A Reason to Kill are the first three books in Scott Blade’s series about Jack Widow. He goes by Widow and he breaks a lot of noses, mostly with headbutts, as he makes his way here and there. These are quick reads, perfect for the cottage and three rainy afternoons.

Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley, and Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley — After watching the movie Elvis, I went back and re-read both of these books, by Peter Guralnick. Oh my, does he ever pull back the curtains and let in the light on the life led by Elvis Presley. It’s all here, the ups and downs, the raging and the temper tantrums, the girls and women, and Col. Tom Parker . . . all of it. Superbly researched and reported in painstaking detail. Well done! 

Lucky Man: A Memoir — Author Michael J. Fox — yes, that Michael J. Fox, the pride of Burnaby, B.C. — writes mostly about the relationship he and Parkinson’s disease have with each other. It’s amazing to read about how he continued to work in movies and TV while hiding the symptoms of P.D., as he calls it. Amazingly, he lived that way for about seven years before making the decision to let the world in on his secret. It all started with a trembling left little finger and it led to this fascinating and emotional book.

Moscow Rules — In this book, author Daniel Silva’s eighth in what now is a 23-book series, Gabriel Allon, the Israeli government’s spymaster assassin, is working to bring down Ivan Kharkov, a Russian oligarch and arms dealer. If you are a fan, this one won’t disappoint. If you’re looking for a character on which to get hooked, you can’t go wrong with Allon.

Next in Line — This is No. 5 in author Jeffrey Archer’s series of books chronicling the career of William Warwick, now a Detective Chief Inspector with Scotland Yard. This one, which takes place in 1988, deals with the Royalty Protection Command and features Princess Di. And, yes, career criminal Miles Faulkner is front and centre, as is his ex-wife. If you like Archer’s stuff, this is good escapism.

No Plan B — This is the latest in the Jack Reacher books, and it’s good Reacher. Written by Lee Child and his brother, Andrew, there is an intriguing plot and Reacher beats the crap out of a whole lot of bad guys. What more could you ask for if you’re looking to escape reality for a few hours?

A Passing Game: A History of the CFL — In a book published in 1995, former CFL quarterback Frank Cosentino examines the league and all of its happenings from 1969 to 1995. Cosentino had access to all kinds of official league papers, from minutes of meetings to a whole lot of finance-related numbers. And when you are done reading, you will wonder how the CFL has been able to survive. Sometimes it’s fantastic foibles; other times it’s Keystone Kops. And it always is amazing. Be aware, though, that this book is a dry read, drier than July in Kamloops, and a lot of writing rules regarding punctuation are nowhere to be found. And you would think that a book about the CFL would include the correct spelling of the surname of one of its greatest kickers — it’s Ridgway, not Ridgeway.

October 1964 — The 1964 MLB season was memorable for a couple of reasons. For starters, the Philadelphia Phillies of manager Gene Mauch blew a 6-1/2-game lead atop the National League in late September and finished second behind the St. Louis Cardinals, who went on to play the New York Yankees in the World Series. The prolific David Halberstam tells the story of that season, culminating with the World Series. Also notable? This signalled the end of the Yankees’ dynasty. You are able to read all about it in this book that was published in 1995.

(SECOND OF THREE PARTS)

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The Book Shelf: Part 1 of 3

Having stepped away from writing on this site a few weeks ago, I hadn’t decided whether to post the annual Book Shelf feature here. As I finished reading books, I have been writing thumbnails, out of habit more than anything, I suppose. But I wasn’t sure what I would do with them.

However, the Book Shelf is back by popular demand. Well, I received one email asking for it and I know of at least one other person who has been hoping for its appearance.

So here it is . . .

As usual, it will appear in three parts over three days, and the last part will include my top 10 reads of 2023.

Note that I have been cleaning out bookshelves over the past months, so there are some books on this list that have been around for a while and then some.

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All the Sinners Bleed: A Novel — Oh my, S.A. Crosby can write! This time he has conjured a story centred on Titus Crown, a former FBI agent with a skeleton in his closet, who now is the first Black sheriff in the history of a small Virginia city. And now he finds himself chasing a serial killer. This one is bloody, but, oh my, Crosby can write. A taste: “The myth of Main Street in the South has always been a chaste puritanical fantasy. The reality is found on back roads and dirt lanes under a sky gone black. In the back seat of a rust-mottled Buick and the beds of ramshackle trucks.”

The Amateurs: The Story of Four Young Men and Their Quest for an Olympic Gold Medal — Rowing is an interesting sport if only because there isn’t a career lined with gold at the end of the day. But you can’t question the dedication of the athletes involved. In this book published in 1985, author David Halberstam writes about that and a whole lot more as he follows four Americans chasing 1984 Olympic gold. They are friends and they are competitors, which leads to some complicated relationships and an interesting read.

The Appeal — This book by the prolific John Grisham was published in 2008; I have no idea how I hadn’t already read it. Anyway, it was his 21st published book. It begins with a lawsuit involving a company being sued for having contaminated a small community’s drinking water. The jury rules in favour of the plaintiff and Grisham proceeds to put the American judicial and electoral systems on spits and roasts them.

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead — John Coglin is with the NYPD and he’s one of the good guys. And then, through no fault of his own, it all goes wrong. Author Michael Ledwidge has given us a gritty read with all kinds of great characters, lots of twists and turns, and a crescendo that leads to a great ending. Highly recommend if you’re into this kind of fiction.

Black & White & Never Right: A Hockey Referee — I stumbled on this book while cleaning up some book shelves early in the year, so it was a re-read. Author Vern Buffey was one of the NHL’s top referees back in the day, before leaving to set up the WHA’s officiating department. This isn’t a long book but it’s full of anecdotes  involving lots of NHL names from the six-team era. He also writes about how the NHL office applied heat and discipline to its on-ice officials, at least it did back then.

Brave Face: Wild Tales of Hockey Goaltenders in the Era Before Masks — This is an entertaining read loaded with terrific anecdotes, great quotes and a whole lot of names from hockey’s past. Yes, it’s mostly about goaltenders — from the well-known like Jacques Plante, Terry Sawchuk and Glenn Hall to lesser-knowns like Gaye Cooley, Russ Gillow and Bob Perreault — and their love-hate relationship with masks. Truth be told, it’s the stories involving the lesser-knowns that are the highlights here. There’s also some neat stuff on retired NHL defenceman Craig Ludwig, a shot blocker extraordinaire, his famous shin pads and his aversion to new equipment. Oh, and don’t let the fierce looking cover scare you away. (Disclaimer: Author Rob Vanstone was part of the sports department during my stint as sports editor of the Regina Leader-Post back in the day.)

City of Dreams — This is the second book in author Don Winslow’s trilogy that chronicles the life and times of Danny Ryan, a Rhode Island gangster who is trying to become an ex-gangster — if that is even possible — somewhere in California or Las Vegas. This is a great writer spinning a terrific yarn with all kinds of characters and plot twists. The first book in the trilogy is City on Fire; the third will be City in Ruins.

Desert Star — Author Michael Connelly brings back Harry Bosch and Renée Ballard for another go-round, this time working a couple of cold murder cases. Ballard has returned to the LAPD and now is in charge of the cold-case unit; Bosch, retired from the LAPD, is working for her on a voluntary basis. . . . If you like the Bosch books, this one won’t disappoint. And there’s a twist at the end that may jar you.

Different Seasons — Is there a writer among us today with an imagination and the writing ability of Stephen King? For starters, his imagination is out of bounds. Seriously. In this book, the prolific King gives us four novellas, tales, as he puts it, “that were too long to be short and too short to be really long.” What they also are is really good and, yes, bordering on the macabre. And they will get inside you and twist your guts. Yes, they will.

Draft Day: How Hockey Teams Pick Winners or Get Left Behind — Doug MacLean, who has worn a lot of NHL hats, from president to general manager and coach and beyond, writes openly about the NHL draft and he does it from all angles, providing readers with all kinds of information and anecdotes. He does it with the help of former Toronto Sun hockey writer Scott Morrison; the two worked together at Sportsnet not that long ago.

Evolve or Die: Hard Won Lessons from A Hockey Life — Author John Shannon has had a whole lot to do with the way we view hockey on television today. As a long-time producer with Hockey Night in Canada, he shaped a whole lot about the telecasts — remember the Hot Stove? — and was one of the main planners when HNIC switched from one Saturday night game to the doubleheader format in play today. His employment history also includes Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and the NHL, not to mention various American-based networks. This is his story, including the hirings and firings he endured along the way. There is a whole lot of interesting stuff between the covers, but it really could have used a few more anecdotes involving his relationships with NHL players, coaches, general managers and executives.

Finest Hour. Winston S. Churchill 1939-1941 — Author Martin Gilbert examines in microscopic detail the world of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill during the first years of the Second World War. It seems that anyone who had anything to do with government kept a diary back then, and Gilbert’s meticulous research allows for a tremendous book. Churchill also was the Minister of Defence at the time, and Gilbert really details how much effort he put into obtaining military help from the U.S. Remember that the Americans didn’t enter the Second World War until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, which occurs in the final pages of this book.

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(FIRST OF THREE PARTS)

Statements abound as Hurricanes welcome Peters as head coach; social media firestorm follows announcement . . . Patrick says he’s not done with coaching

On a day when some of its 22 teams had players report to training camps, the WHL found itself in the middle of a firestorm on Wednesday after the Lethbridge Hurricanes announced the hiring of Bill Peters as head coach.

Peters takes over from Brent Kisio, who left the organization after eight seasons on Aug. 10 and now is an assistant coach with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights.

The firestorm actually began on Tuesday night, a week after I had posted here that Peters was the leading candidate to be named the Hurricanes’ head coach.

First, Frank Seravalli of @HockeyFaceoff posted to X, formerly known as Twitter: “Following up on Gregg’s report that Bill Peters is potentially next head coach in WHL Lethbridge. Checked in with Akim Aliu, who said Peters has still not apologized — 13 years after the incident, and nearly 4 years after it became public and cost him his NHL head coaching job.” He has 289.7K followers.

Shortly after, Greg Wyshynski of ESPN posted to his 229.2K followers that Peters could be named head coach “as early as” Wednesday. He also wrote that “it’s my understanding that Peters only sought an audience with Aliu last week through a third party, apparently in anticipation of this job opportunity.”

And with that the dam broke as comments poured in, the vast majority of them negative.

Sunaya Sapurji, a longtime junior hockey observer and writer now with The Athletic, posted: “Just had a source reach out to confirm @gdrinnan’s report. This is gross on so many levels. I have a hard time believing there isn’t a good young coach (or an old one) deserving of an opportunity to coach ‘junior’ without the baggage. Honestly, why would you do this?”

(For more, if you’re on X just search for Bill Peters.)

Peters, 58, hasn’t coached in North America since resigning as head coach of the NHL’s Calgary Flames on Nov. 29, 2019. That followed accusations by former player Akim Aliu that Peters had directed racist comments at him while both were with the Rockford IceHogs, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, in 2009-10.

Writing on Twitter, Aliu said Peters, Rockford’s head coach, had “dropped the N bomb several times towards me in the dressing room in my rookie year because he didn’t like my choice of music.”

After leaving Calgary, Peters joined Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg of the KHL as head coach on April 15, 2020. He was fired on Nov. 30, 2022.

In the almost four years since leaving the Flames, Peters hadn’t apologized to Aliu. On Wednesday, Aliu released a statement on X stating that he recently had heard from an unidentified NHL coach who was attempting “to broker an apology” from Peters. In the statement, Aliu wrote that “I don’t feel that I have anything to say to Bill at this point.”

On Wednesday, a teary-eyed Peters addressed the news conference in Lethbridge, starting with:

“To Akim, I apologize. I did not recognize the impact of my words. I was uneducated in my use of inappropriate language. I take ownership of my actions, I regret my choice of words. I failed to create a safe space for the team, and I’m deeply sorry.”

Peters also did a stint as head coach of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes (2014-18). Michal Jordán, who played with Carolina then, later alleged that Peters had kicked him and also had punched another player in the head during a game.

Rod Brind’Amour, an assistant coach with Carolina then, has confirmed those allegations. He now is the Hurricanes’ head coach.

Meanwhile, there were statements aplenty at Wednesday’s Lethbridge news conference. And as you might expect everyone was singing from the same hymnal.

According to the Hurricanes, “Peters has completed the Anti-Racism Training and Coaching Certification program with guidance through Shades of Humanity Consulting — a national diversity, equity and inclusion agency, helping companies build diverse and inclusive organizations as well as providing leadership coaching, culture development strategies, anti-racism education and equity informed policy design.”

The team said that he “will continue to partake in anti-racism coaching, equity training, and further educational initiatives prescribed by Shades of Humanity Consulting.”

Peters, in his statement, said he worked with Shades of Humanity “to understand and correct my regrettable actions. I have learned a lot through this educational journey and feel ready to return to coaching. I am in a unique position to guide our next generation of community leaders and to establish a more inclusive culture in hockey.”

Ron Robison, the outgoing WHL commissioner, attended the news conference. In a statement, he offered: “After a thorough review, speaking with representatives from Shades of Humanity, and receiving a commitment from Bill to continue on his path of anti-racism, self-growth and redemption, the WHL is satisfied Bill is ready to return to coaching in the WHL. The journey towards individual and systemic equity learning should be viewed as an ongoing process. Bill has demonstrated that through this process and the WHL remains committed to systemic change through continued education.”

Later in the day, Aliu told John Chidley-Hill of The Canadian Press that no one from the WHL or the Hurricanes had spoken with him. (That story is right here.)

“I think the WHL and the Hurricanes should have contacted myself and Michal Jordan, the victims of Bill Peters, and had a conversation,” said Aliu. “I’m just mind boggled how you can take the word of a racist and abusive person and the fact that he’s telling you he has changed when you haven’t spoken with the folks that have been affected by it.

“That’s just a huge lack of leadership on the behalf of WHL president Ron Robison and the Lethbridge Hurricanes as a whole.”

Peters has had two other WHL coaching stints, both with the Spokane Chiefs. He was an assistant coach for three seasons (1999-02) and their head coach for three seasons (2005-08). He also spent three seasons (2002-05) as the head coach of the U of Lethbridge men’s hockey team.

The Hurricanes signed Peters to a multi-year contract, the length of which wasn’t divulged.

“Bill brings a high level of experience, having coached professionally in the AHL and NHL,” Peter Anholt, Lethbridge’s general manager, said in a news release. “His previous time in the WHL, which included a Memorial Cup championship in 2008, along with his experience coaching in Lethbridge with the Pronghorns, put him at the top of our candidate list. His addition will have a major impact on our team and our players’ and coaches development.”

Anholt, 62, who is about to start his 10th season as GM, also is heavily involved with Hockey Canada. He spent the past two seasons overseeing the country’s under-18 program. On March 22, Hockey Canada promoted him to the U-20 program. That means that he is in charge of the team that will be gunning for a third straight gold medal when the World Junior Championship opens in Goteborg, Sweden, on Dec. 26.

Sara Civ (@SaraCivian) — This is so important for understanding what the significance and reach of “boys club” really means when we talk about the NHL. It isn’t just that certain people get certain opportunities — it’s that those people then influence others in positions to give out other opportunities. (80.6K followers).

Jesse Marshall (@jmarshfof) — The fact that Bill Peters is going to be put in charge of a group of kids and young adults again after all of this is just absolutely insane to me. You’re telling me there isn’t one qualified person ahead of him that doesn’t have a chronic history of alleged abuse? (25.1K followers).

The other day, Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun caught up with James Patrick, a WHL head coach for the past six seasons. Patrick spent the past four seasons as the head coach of the Winnipeg Ice and the two seasons before that with the Kootenay Ice. The Winnipeg franchise was sold and moved to Wenatchee, Wash., over the summer. Patrick, 60, has since joined the Victoria Royals as director of player development. . . . Patrick told Friesen that the sale of the Ice came as a surprise: “I wasn’t in the loop. . . . There were rumours all year long, and some of them were found to be just that, rumours. I was under the impression the team would be back for sure for another year.” . . . As for his coaching career, Patrick told Friesen that “it’s not over.” . . . Friesen’s column — and it’s a good read — is right here.

TVshow

The Tri-City Americans have acquired F Jake Gudelj from the Spokane Chiefs in exchange for two WHL draft picks — a fifth-rounder in 2025 and a second in 2026. . . . From Vancouver, Gudelj, who won’t turn 18 until Dec. 5, had eight goals and assists in 68 games with the Chiefs as a sophomore last season. As a freshman, he put up three goals and three assists in 51 games. . . . He was Spokane’s scholastic player of the year each of the past two seasons. . . . The Chiefs selected him in the fourth round of the WHL’s 2020 draft.

——

The Tri-City Americans and Jacobs Radio have agreed on a “multi-year partnership” that will have all regular-season and playoff games carried on 95.3 UROCK Radio. . . . The Americans made the announcement on Tuesday, also revealing that Craig West will return as the play-by-play voice, at least on an interim basis. West announced in April that he was moving into semi-retirement after call WHL games since 1990, with the Spokane Chiefs (1990-98) and the Americans (1998-2023). However, the Americans have yet to hire a new radio voice, so West will fill that role on an interim basis. As West posted on Facebook, along with a laughing emoji: “Just when you think you’re out, you’re back in.”

Stupidity

The Calgary Hitmen have named Gary Michalick as their director of scouting. A native of Winnipeg, Michalick was a long-time scout with the Brandon Wheat Kings before joining the Hitmen. He now is heading into his seventh season with Calgary. . . . Garry Davidson had been the director of scouting until being named director of hockey operations following the departure of general manager Jeff Chynoweth on July 15.

Robbie Sandland, a former director of player personnel and assistant general manager with the Kamloops Blazers, has joined the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins as an amateur scout. The Penguins made the announcement on Tuesday. . . . From Nanaimo, Sandland will spend most of his time scouting Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. He had been with the Blazers since 2018 when he signed on as a scout. He was named director of player personnel a year later and added the AGM title prior to last season.

Aaron Keller was named director of player personnel by the Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday. Keller played four seasons (1992-96) with the Blazers, helping them win the Memorial Cup in 1994 and again in 1995. . . . Keller has worked with the Blazers as a development coach since 2017 when returned to Kamloops from Japan where he played for 17 seasons and coached for three. For the past four years he also has been the Kamloops Minor Hockey Association’s technical director. . . . The Blazers also promoted Scott Blakeney, a B.C. scout, to senior head scout (B.C.) and added Brad Davis to their scouting staff as head scout (Manitoba). Blakeney is going into his fifth season with Kamloops. Davis spent the past 16 seasons with the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Jason Pashelka will be back for a fifth season as head scout (Alberta).

Beagle

The AJHL’s Olds Grizzlys are in the market for a general manager and head coach after announcing on Monday that Scott Atkinson had “tendered his resignation effective immediately.” . . . According to the team, Atkinson left for “personal reasons.” . . . The team is expected to name an interim GM and interim head coach while searching for someone to fill both roles. . . . Atkinson had been with the team for three and a half years. . . . The Grizzlys are in the middle of training camp, having already played one exhibition game and with their first home game set for Friday.

The SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers announced on Saturday that they have signed Emery Olauson as their general manager and head coach. He had been the GM/head coach of the KIJHL’s Columbia Valley Rockies, who play out of Invermere. . . . Olauson, 42, replaces Mat Hehr, who left early in August to join the Northern Alberta XTreme program. . . . The Terriers also announced that assistant coaches Scott Musqua and Zach Rakochy will be returning.

Scott Gomez, a former WHL star with the Tri-City Americans, has joined the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles as an assistant coach. Gomez, 43, is from Anchorage. He played one season (1996-97) with Surrey, before spending two with the Americans. . . . Gomez then went on to an NHL career that included 1,079 regular-season games and two Stanley Cup titles.

Trojan

PROGRAMMING NOTE:

I am stepping away from these writings and musings for the next while. In fact, at this time, I don’t know when, or even if, I will return. . . . I am wanting to get away from social media in the worst way and am looking forward to not feeling the need to turn on a computer. . . . Thanks for being here for all these years.

Bacon

If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:

Living Kidney Donor Program

St. Paul’s Hospital

6A Providence Building

1081 Burrard Street

Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6

Tel: 604-806-9027

Toll free: 1-877-922-9822

Fax: 604-806-9873

Email: donornurse@providencehealth.bc.ca

——

Vancouver General Hospital Living Donor Program – Kidney 

Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

——

Or, for more information, visit right here.

Shoe

Insurance brouhaha hits at major junior leagues, Hockey Canada . . . Giants fill out coaching staff . . . Royals complete scouting dept.

“Insurance companies are threatening to withhold coverage from Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League and its three major junior leagues and teams,” writes Rick Westhead of TSN, “as they battle a high-stakes hazing, bullying, and abuse lawsuit, court documents say.

“Hockey Canada filed a lawsuit in Ontario Superior Court in Milton, Ont., on June 9 alleging AIG Insurance Company of Canada and TIG Insurance Company have indicated they may not honour their policy obligations in connection with the lawsuit.

Hockey Canada, which argues that its insurance companies should help pay to defend the lawsuit as well as any costs related to judgments and settlements, filed a similar claim in a Toronto court on Aug. 11 against Lloyd’s of London, which runs an insurance market of syndicate members that includes AIG and Allianz Global Risk US Insurance Company.

“If the insurance companies successfully argue that they should not have to cover costs and potential damages related to the lawsuit, it’s unclear how the CHL and its teams would come up with the funds.”

Westhead’s complete story is right here.

This is one of four lawsuits in which the WHL is involved.

It has yet to settle one filed by the City of Cranbrook against the league and the Kootenay Ice for allegedly breaking its lease when the franchise moved to Winnipeg.

A proposed class-action lawsuit against the CHL, Hockey Canada and the WHL filed in 2019 involves players who, according to a story by Westhead from May 2021, “allege in affidavits . . . that they were typically not given proper medical attention after suffering concussions in games and that they still suffer from the long-term effects of repeated brain trauma.” Lawyers are to provide arguments pertaining to this as a class-action suit on Oct. 25-27 in Vancouver.

Another lawsuit, a class action suggesting that players are student athletes or employees and should be paid minimum wage, involved the CHL and teams in the WHL, OHL and QMJHL. After six years, it was settled in May 2020, with the agreement calling for the CHL to pay out $30 million by Oct. 20, 2020. However, judges in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec chose not to approve the settlement. The parties were to renegotiate or reapply for approval of the settlement. Since then . . . silence.

The Vancouver Giants introduced Manny Viveiros as the ninth head coach in franchise history on Thursday. With the opening of training camp a week away, Steve Ewen of Postmedia wondered why it took the Giants so long to name a successor to Michael Dyck, who left for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies on July 13. . . . It turns out that it all had to do with Viveiros having fought off colon and prostate cancer over the past two years, all the while working as the head coach of the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights. Viveiros actually was contemplating taking a year away from coaching. But then the phone rang . . . and rang . . . and rang. And he decided that his mental and physical health were A-OK. . . . Ewen’s story — and it’s terrific — is right here.

——

The Vancouver Giants completed their coaching staff for the approaching season with the hiring of Kayden Jarvis as video and skill development coach. From Winnipeg, Jarvis, 27, has been working at the RINK Hockey Academy in Winnipeg for the past seven seasons. He also was a skills coach with the MJHL’s Niverville Nighthawks last season. . . . With the Giants, he will work alongside head coach Manny Viveiros and associate coach Adam Maglio.

Submarines

The Victoria Royals have added two more former members of the Winnipeg Ice organization to their front office. Earlier, Jake Heisinger signed on with the VictoriaRoyalsRoyals as associate general manager. Then they hired former Ice head coach James Patrick as director of player development. . . . On Friday, Heisinger announced that Tanner McCall and Tyler MacDonald, both of whom worked with the Ice before the franchise was sold and relocated to Wenatchee, Wash., have joined Victoria’s scouting department. McCall now is the Royals’ head scout after two years as a scout with the Ice. MacDonald, who was with the Kootenay Ice for three seasons before it moved to Winnipeg, will work as the senior regional scout for Manitoba. . . . Returning scouts are Scott Fukami of Calgary, who is back for a seventh season; Glen Naka of Kelowna, returning for his 11th season; Peter Kasowski of Edmonton, who is prepping for his eighth season; and Claude Aucoin of Victoria, back for a fifth season. . . . Matt Hanak of Calgary is a newcomer to the staff. . . . No longer on the Royals’ staff are long-time WHLers Stu MacGregor and Garry Pochipinski.

Stupid

Sam Williams, a defensive end with the Dallas Cowboys, was arrested this week in Frisco, Texas, and charged with possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of a weapon. This wasn’t his first run-in with the law. . . . So what was Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones’ reaction? “Everything I know about it, won’t impact his time on the field. This sounds a little hollow but he does and is maturing. And he is. What was he going, 66? Was he going 66 miles an hour? This year? So he’s 34 mph less than he was . . . so that’s improvement.” . . . Williams, a second-round NFL draft pick in 2021, was nailed for speeding in December after a two-car accident. It was determined that he had been doing 98 mph prior to the crash. . . . You’re right. Jones’ math is about as solid as the work he has done signing bad news footballers.

Ticket

Rhyah Stewart became the fifth female in CHL history to get into an exhibition or regular-season game on Friday when she stopped all 24 shots she faced in 30 qmjhlnewminutes for the Cape Breton Eagles against the visiting Moncton Wildcats. . . . She was named the game’s first star after Moncton’s 5-3 victory. . . . Stewart, 16, is from Antigonish, N.S. Earlier this month, Stewart won her only start with Canada’s U18 team in a series against the U.S., at Lake Placid, N.Y. . . . Last season, she became he first female to play in the Nova Scotia U18 Major Hockey League, going 3.67, .899 in 21 appearances with the Cape Breton West Islanders. . . . Manon Rheaume (Trois-Rivieres Draveurs, 1991), Charline Labonte (Acadie-Bathurst Titan) and Eve Gascon (Gatineau Olympiques) preceded Stewart in the QMJHL. . . . Shannon Szabados (Tri-City Americans, 2002) is the only female to have played in the WHL.

Shark

If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:

Living Kidney Donor Program

St. Paul’s Hospital

6A Providence Building

1081 Burrard Street

Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6

Tel: 604-806-9027

Toll free: 1-877-922-9822

Fax: 604-806-9873

Email: donornurse@providencehealth.bc.ca

——

Vancouver General Hospital Living Donor Program – Kidney 

Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

——

Or, for more information, visit right here.

Washington

Giants have their man, do Hurricanes have their’s, too? . . . Ex-Ice coach joins Royals’ front office . . . Raiders get goaltender from Rebels

The Vancouver Giants are expected to introduce Manny Viveiros as their new Vancouverhead coach during their annual golf tournament today (Thursday). . . . Viveiros, a former WHL player and coach, has spent the past three seasons as the head coach of the Henderson Silver Knights, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights. . . . In Vancouver, Viveiros, 57, will take over from Michael Dyck, who left the Giants after five seasons for a position as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. . . . Viveiros also worked in the WHL as the director of player personnel and head coach of the Swift Current Broncos for two seasons, winning the WHL title in 2018. He was the head coach of the Spokane Chiefs for one season (2019-20). . . .

That will leave the Lethbridge Hurricanes as the only one of the WHL’s 22 Lethbridgeteams without a head coach. The leading candidate to replace Brent Kisio in Lethbridge is believed to be Bill Peters. The 58-year-old Peters has had two WHL coaching stints, both with the Spokane Chiefs.  He was an assistant coach for three seasons (1999-02) and their head coach for three seasons (2005-08). . . . He also spent three seasons (2002-05) as the head coach of the U of Lethbridge men’s hockey team. . . . Peters was the head coach of the NHL’s Calgary Flames when he resigned on Nov. 29, 2019. The resignation came after former NHL F Akim Aliu alleged that Peters had directed racist comments at him a few years earlier in the dressing room of the Rockford Ice Hogs, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks. Peters was Rockford’s head coach at the time. . . . He signed on as head coach of Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg of the KHL on April 15, 2020, and was fired on Nov. 30, 2022. . . . Kisio left the Hurricanes on Aug. 10 for an assistant coaching position with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights. Kisio spent eight seasons as the Hurricanes’ head coach.

Socrates

The Victoria Royals have added James Patrick to their organization. The former Kootenay/Winnipeg Ice head coach has signed on as director of player VictoriaRoyalsdevelopment. . . . Patrick, 60, spent the past six seasons as the Ice’s head coach. . . . Patrick is the third key off-season hiring for the Royals, joining Joey Poljanowski, the vice-president of hockey operations, and Jake Heisinger, the associate general manager. Poljanowski joins the Royals from the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, while Heisinger had been in Winnipeg with the Ice. . . . Interestingly, Patrick has spent the past 17 seasons in the coaching game, the first 11 as an NHL assistant coach with the Buffalo Sabres and then the Dallas Stars. That followed a playing career that included 1,280 regular-season NHL games over 21 seasons. . . .

While the Royals haven’t updated their website in quite a while, Taking Note has been told that two men whose pictures are on the ‘Hockey Staff’ page no longer are with the organization. J.F. Best, who is shown as the assistant general manager and director of player personnel and player development, is gone, as is longtime WHL executive and scout Stu MacGregor, who is listed as a senior regional scout out of Kamloops. . . . Best had been with the Royals since signing as an assistant coach on June 27, 2017. . . . MacGregor joined the Royals four years ago. He was the Kamloops Blazers’ assistant GM and director of player personnel for three Memorial Cup titles (1992, 1993 and 1995), part of 13 seasons over two stints with the organization. He also was with the Edmonton Oilers for 13 seasons, the last eight as director of amateur scouting. MacGregor was the Blazers’ GM when he was swept out the door when majority owner Tom Gaglardi made some changes after the 2017-18 season.

Parol

Keeping Score was told on Wednesday that Robbie Sandland no longer is Kamloopswith the Kamloops Blazers. He had been one of their two assistant general managers and also was the director of player personnel. . . . Sandland 40, is from Nanaimo. He joined the Blazers as their head B.C. scout in 2018 and was promoted to director of player personnel a year later. He added the AGM tag a year ago. . . . Shaun Clouston is the Blazers’ GM and head coach. Tim O’Donovan is the other assistant GM. . . . The Blazers’ website still shows Sandland as the team’s assistant GM and director of player personnel. But, then, it still shows Ken Fox as one of three head scouts and he told Taking Note on Aug. 8 that he had retired, a move the team acknowledged two days later on X, formerly know as Twitter.

Fence

The Prince Albert Raiders have acquired G Chase Coward, 20, from the Red Deer Rebels for a conditional fifth-round selection in the WHL’s 2024 draft. . . . From PrinceAlbertSwift Current, Coward played in 45 games over four seasons with the Rebels, going 25-23-4, 2.66, .904. . . . Due to hip issues — he underwent double hip surgery — he got into only four games last season (1-2-1, 2.98, .902). He was 0-2-0, 4.76, .830 in two playoff games. . . . Tikhon Chaika, the Raiders’ starter last season who is from Belarus, won’t be returning after signing with the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk. Chaika, 20, is from Minsk. He made 101 regular-season and playoff appearances with the Raiders over the past two seasons. . . . It could be that the Raiders start the season with Coward and Max Hildebrand, 19, as their goaltenders. Hildebrand was 11-14-3, 3.71, .871 as a sophomore last season. . . . The trade would appear to leave Kyle Kelsey, 19, as the Rebels’ starting goaltender. Last season, in 37 games, he was 21-11-5, 2.64, .907. He followed that up by going 7-2-1, 2.36, .912 in 11 playoff appearances.

Injuries

The Lethbridge Hurricanes have hired Brodan Salmond as their goaltending consultant following the resignation of Kevin Swanson, who had been the organization’s goaltending coach for five seasons. . . . Salmond, 24, played four seasons in the WHL, splitting time with the Kelowna Rockets and Moose Jaw Warriors. He spent the past four seasons playing with the U of Calgary Dinos. . . . The Hurricanes also announced that D Nolan Bentham, 20, has chosen not to play in 2023-24. That decision leaves Lethbridge with three 20-year-olds on its roster — D Joe Arntsen, D Chase Pauls and F Blake Swetlikoff.

The Regina Pats have signed Dale McMullin, their director of scouting, to a Reginacontract extension. The length of the extension wasn’t released. . . . McMullin is going into his 12 season as the club’s director of scouting. . . . McMullin, 68, played five seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings back in the day. A prolific scorer, he put up 418 points, including 168 goals, in 309 regular-season games. The Wheat Kings weren’t very good back in those days, and he only got into 10 playoff games. That only makes his regular-season scoring feats even more impressive.

Condolences to Tim Lenardon and family on the death of his father, Norm, on Tuesday. Norm was 89. He was a player on the 1961 Trail Smoke Eaters, who went 6-0-1 to win the 1961 World championship in Geneva, Switzerland. . . . Tim was a longtime scout with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. Like his father before him, Tim played for his hometown Smoke Eaters (1979-83), who then were in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. Tim put together seasons of 56, 109, 139 and 172 points with the Smokies before going on to play three seasons at Brandon University. His pro career included 15 NHL games — one goal in seven games with the New Jersey Devils (1986-87) and one goal in eight games with the Vancouver Canucks (1989-90). . . . His father was a key contributor to the Smoke Eaters and scored perhaps the biggest goal of the 1961 World championship. . . .  If you haven’t seen the documentary about that Trail team, find it and spend an hour with it. It’s titled Trophy Town. It won’t disappoint you. . . . Greg Nesteroff of mykootenaynow.com has more on Norm Lenardon right here.

If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:

Living Kidney Donor Program

St. Paul’s Hospital

6A Providence Building

1081 Burrard Street

Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6

Tel: 604-806-9027

Toll free: 1-877-922-9822

Fax: 604-806-9873

Email: donornurse@providencehealth.bc.ca

——

Vancouver General Hospital Living Donor Program – Kidney 

Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

——

Or, for more information, visit right here.

Amazon

Giants have their next head coach . . . Strumm, Vanstone into Regina Hall of Fame . . . Portland beefs up scouting staff

It would appear that Manny Viveiros is back in the WHL. Steve Ewen of Postmedia, citing “multiple sources,” reported on Monday that the Vancouver Giants are expected to introduce Viveiros as their new head coach during a news conference at their annual golf tournament at Tsawwassen Springs on Thursday. . . . Viveiros 57, spent the past three seasons as head coach of the Henderson Silver Knights, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights. . . . Michael Dyck, who had been the Giants head coach through five seasons, now is an assistant coach with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. . . . Ewen wrote: “According to sources, Viveiros was one of the first people Giants general manager Barclay Parneta reached out to when Dyck signed on with the Marlies. Viveiros was a Giants’ rival in the WHL the season before the Henderson stint, guiding the Spokane Chiefs in the COVID-19-shortened 2019-20 campaign. His top assistant coach there was Adam Maglio, 37, who is currently getting ready for his second season with Vancouver.” . . . Viveiros was the GM and head coach of the 2017-18 Swift Current Broncos, who won the WHL championship. Following that season, his second with the Broncos, he joined the Edmonton Oilers as an assistant coach. After one season there, he signed with Spokane. . . . With Viveiros in Vancouver it leaves the Lethbridge Hurricanes as the only one of the WHL’s 22 teams without a head coach.

HideSeek

Bob Strumm, whose involvement with the WHL goes back to 1976, is among the Regina Sports Hall of Fame’s newest inductees who were announced on Tuesday. . . . Strumm, who is from Saskatoon, was an assistant to Ed Chynoweth, then the WHL’s president, when it opened its Calgary office in 1976. . . . Now a Las Vegas resident, Strumm was with the Regina Pats for seven seasons (1979-86), at various times serving as co-owner, GM and head coach. . . . Kevin Gallant, the Pats’ play-by-play voice back in the day, points out that Regina won one WHL title and three Eastern Conference championships under Strumm and also had the six highest-scoring seasons in franchise history. . . . Strumm also worked in the WHL with the Billings Bighorns (general manager, 1977-79) and Spokane Chiefs (GM, 1987-90). . . . Also among the 2023 inductees — it’s the 20th anniversary class — is Rob Vanstone, who covered the WHL and the Pats during his lengthy stay at the Regina Leader-Post. He now is the senior writer/historian with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders. . . . Strumm will be inducted as a builder, with Vanstone going in as a patron.

The Portland Winterhawks, who lost two senior members of their scouting staff Portlandearlier this summer, have added five scouts to their organization — Rjay Berra, who will be a B.C. regional scout out of Prince George; Josh Bonar, who will do the same out of the Okanagan; Ed Fowler, who also will scout in B.C., but out of Surrey; Alex Overhardt in Colorado; and William Wrenn in Alaska. . . . Overhardt spent four seasons (2014-18) playing for the Winterhawks; Wrenn, who is from Anchorage, joined them from the U of Denver during the 2010-11 season and was team captain in 2011-12 before going pro. . . . Bonar also is a former WHL player, having been with the Kamloops Blazers, Vancouver Giants and Regina Pats (2000-03). . . . Berra played with the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings and the AJHL’s Grande Prairie Storm. . . . Fowler spent nine years with the Victoria Royals, including three (2019-22) as their director of player personnel. . . . On Aug. 4, the Winterhawks announced that Brad Davis, who had scouted out of Manitoba for 16 years, and Ray Payne, who had been with them for six years, both had left the organization.

Spencer Trapp, the 37-year-old grandson of Barry Trapp, has joined the junior B Fort Knox franchise of the Prairie Junior Hockey League as an assistant coach. . . . Spencer’s father, Doug, played with the WHL’s Regina Pats and is a former Fort Knox head coach. . . . As a player, Spencer spent three seasons with the SJHL’s Notre Dame Hounds before going on to player NCAA hockey at Holy Cross.

Kindle

Jack Todd, writing in the Montreal Gazette: “After 115 games, 24-year-old Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is hitting .265 with 18 home runs and 72 RBIs. At that age, his father had 193 hits for the season, including 42 home runs and 37 doubles, drove in 131 runs and hit .316 while swinging at everything in his area code. There is no comparison.” . . .

——

Todd, again: “Why are we not surprised to see Angela price wearing a T-shirt touting ‘Kennedy for President’? Meaning anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr.”

Brains

Morten Kjolby has signed on as the general manager and head coach of the Summerland Steam, who play in the Kootenay International Junior A Hockey League. . . . Kjolby, 33, is from Denmark, and has coached there and in Spain at the U18 and U20 levels. Last season, he was on staff with the Cold Lake, Alta., Aeros of the Canadian-American Junior Hockey League. . . . John DePourcq, who spent seven seasons (2012-19) as the Steam’s head coach, is returning after three years away to serve as an assistant coach and advisor. . . . There isn’t any mention in the Steam’s news release of James McEwan, who was named general manager and head coach on July 23. It would appear that the Steam-McEwan arrangement was rather short-lived.

Brad Flynn, who has WHL coaching experience, has joined the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers as an assistant coach. Flynn, 38, is a rarity in that he has coached in all three major junior leagues. . . . That includes a three-season stint (2018-21) with the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels. . . . In 2021-22, he was an associate coach with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. Last season, he was an assistant coach with the Brock University Badgers of USports.

Buffalo

If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:

Living Kidney Donor Program

St. Paul’s Hospital

6A Providence Building

1081 Burrard Street

Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6

Tel: 604-806-9027

Toll free: 1-877-922-9822

Fax: 604-806-9873

Email: donornurse@providencehealth.bc.ca

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Vancouver General Hospital Living Donor Program – Kidney 

Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

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Or, for more information, visit right here.

Knights