Curmudgeonly one gives thumbs down to ghost runner . . . Royals make two trades . . . MacGillivray, Konowalchuk back on the bench

Fawn080223
We had a visitor on Wednesday morning as this little beauty stopped by for a bite to eat. As recently as two weeks ago, there were two fawns travelling with their mother. That wasn’t the case this time, though, and here’s hoping nothing unfortunate has befallen the other one.

A note about this MLB season from old friend Jack Finarelli, aka The Sports Curmudgeon, that is 100 per cent correct:

“More people are watching games on TV and more people are going out to the stadium to see live games. It would certainly appear that the folks who kept pointing out that there wasn’t enough action in a baseball game that took three-and-a-half hours to hold fan attention had a point.

“Games are shorter on average; scoring is up; on-base percentage is up; the stolen base has returned to the game — and fans seem to like that a lot.

“Now, if MLB would only get rid of the ‘ghost runner on second base’ in extra-inning games.”

Julie K. Brown, a prominent investigative journalist with the Miami Herald, has more than 232 thousand followers and she agrees with the curmudgeonly one.

Headline at The Beaverton: Climate wondering how much it has to change before humans notice.

Purse

JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

The Victoria Royals split up the Spizawka twins on Tuesday by trading Jason, a 19-year-old defenceman, to the Calgary Hitmen for a fourth-round selection in the WHL’s 2024 draft. That draft pick originated with the Prince George Cougars. . . . Jason had one goal and five assists in 65 games with the Royals last season. . . . He was a first-round selection in the 2019 draft. In 141 games, he put up two goals and 16 assists. . . . Jason and his brother, Ryan, are from Victoria. Ryan, also a defenceman, was a seventh-round pick in the 2019 draft. In 110 games with the Royals, he has two goals and 12 assists. . . .

On Wednesday, the Royals acquired F Hayden Chaloner, 18, from the Brandon Wheat Kings for a conditional ninth-round selection in the WHL’s 2026 draft. . . . From Winnipeg, he played with three different teams last season, posting three goals and eight assists in 23 games with the MJHL’s Portage Terriers and five goals and 13 assists in 26 games with the MJHL’s Winnipeg Freeze. He was pointless in two games with the Wheat Kings, who selected him in the seventh round of the 2020 WHL draft. . . . Chaloner’s father, Kane, played for the Victoria Cougars in 1991-92, scoring seven goals and adding 13 assists in 20 games. He went on to play three seasons with the MJHL’s St. Boniface Saints. . . .

The Everett Silvertips have agreed to a lease extension that will keep them playing in the Angel Of The Winds Arena through the 2027-28 WHL season. The Silvertips have played in the arena, which has a capacity of 8,249, since their first season (2003-04). . . . There is a complete news release right here. . . .

D Jaxon Herchak, who will turn 16 on Aug. 15, has made a commitment to play for the Tigers at Colorado College beginning with the 2025-26 season. From Waldheim, Sask., Herchak was selected by the Prince Albert Raiders in the fourth round of the WHL’s 2022 draft. . . . Last season, he had nine goals and 13 assists in 38 games with the U18 AAA Warman Wildcats. He is ticketed for the SJHL’s Kindersley Klippers this season. . . . In the NCAA scheme of things, Aug. 1 is the first day that players entering their junior years in high school are able to make commitments. . . .

The Pacific Junior Hockey League has added a franchise that will begin play with the 2024-25 season. The league, now considered Junior A Tier 2 by BC Hockey, will have its 15th team operate on the Sunshine Coast out of the Gibsons and Area Community Centre. . . . The PJHL played four games in the facility last season and all four were sold out with about 500 fans in attendance at each. . . . From a PJHL news release: “A group headed up by Rick Hopper and Stu Frizzell representing local business owner Julie Reeves and investor John Hulstein approached the PJHL in late 2021 with a proposal to bring junior hockey to the Sunshine Coast. After many discussions, projections, planning, and test games the PJHL board of governors felt assured the new franchise will be a benefit to the league.”

Nose

THE COACHING GAME:

Don MacGillivray, a former head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings, has signed on as an assistant coach with the Calgary Hitmen. He will work alongside head coach Steve Hamilton, assistant Trent Cassan and goaltending coach Theodore Zubot in Calgary. . . . MacGillivray, 58, was an assistant coach with the Wheat Kings for four seasons (2016-20), before taking over as head coach. He was fired early in the 2022-23 season. . . .

Steve Konowalchuk, who spent the past two seasons as the head coach of the Red Deer Rebels, has joined the AHL’s Colorado Eagles as associate head coach. Konowalchuk, 50, joins head coach Aaron Schneekloth and assistant coach Tim Branham with the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. . . . Konowalchuk actually began his coaching career as an assistant with the Avalanche in 2009-10. . . . He later was the head coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds for six seasons (2011-17), guiding them to the WHL championship in his final season. . . .

Brennan Menard is the new head coach of the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders. He takes over from Evan McFeeters, whose departure was announced by the team on Monday. The Crusaders said McFeeters had left for an opportunity in the WHL, one that hasn’t yet been announced. . . . Menard, 35, is from Thunder Bay. He spent the past two seasons on the coaching staff of the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers. Prior to that, he was with the Lakehead U Thunderwolves for two seasons and the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints for one. . . . During his playing career, he spent 2007-08 with the Crusaders.

THINKING OUT LOUD: I continue to be amazed at the number of people who purchase vehicles without turn-signals. Hey, if the vehicles had them those drivers are smart enough to use them. Right? . . . It wasn’t that long ago when play-by-play voice Skip Caray was the world’s biggest Atlanta Braves fan. These days, he’s calling the play on St. Louis Cardinals’ TV games. On Tuesday, in a 5-1 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Angels, he referred to the Cardinals as “we” so often that I thought he might come in as a pinch-hitter. . . . If you’re into the CFL, things should be interesting tonight as the B.C. Lions (6-1) visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (5-2). The Lions put up a 30-6 victory in Winnipeg on June 22 and the Bombers still can feel the sting.

Wrappers

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.

PaperTowels

Ferris: ‘Kidneys are the best’ and fun, fun, fun in TO . . . Elks shuffle some deck chairs . . . AJHL head coach off to WHL

FerrisJays
Tavia (left), Ferris and Ksenia Backmeyer watch the host Toronto Blue Jays drop a 3-2 10-inning decision to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. (Photo: Lindsey Backmeyer/Facebook).

The Backmeyers didn’t have a Thunderbird, but they spent what they hope will be their final weekend in Toronto having fun, fun, fun . . . from attending a Toronto Blue Jays game to taking a dip at a clothing-optional beach.

It has been a long, long time since the family — Lindsey and Pat, and daughters Tavia, 11, Ksenia, 9, and Ferris, 6 — has been able to spend time just doin’ stuff.

FerrisLogoAs Lindsey wrote on Sunday night: “One month post-transplant . . . hard to believe! Still smilin! . . . I can only imagine where we will be six months from now.”

If you have been following Ferris’s story, you will know that the terms of her young life have been dictated by kidney disease, and her family has had to adjust accordingly.

However, Ferris underwent a kidney transplant overnight on June 29 at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and the recovery process has been going well.

If all continues to go well, the Backmeyers, who are from Kamloops, will be moving back to Vancouver and BC Children’s Hospital on Thursday.

So . . . the family let it all hang out on the weekend.

“Jays, High Park, Toronto islands, medieval times, beaches, playgrounds, swimming pools and water parks! It was a super-sweet weekend,” Lindsey wrote, adding that “I’m sure Ksenia will have lots to say about the beach (Sunday)!”

Ah yes, the beach . . .

“Everyone was hot and sick of walking, sooooo when the first beach we got to was the ‘clothing optional’ beach, it was a (bleep) it moment. Who gives a crap anyway and in we went!” Lindsey wrote. “To avoid crowds we walk or Uber places . . . but mostly walk. And apparently we also frequent the nudey beach.”

But, as Lindsey pointed out with a laughing emoticon, that beach “was considerably less busy.”

Lindsey and Pat, both of whom work in healthcare, are well aware of the risks they are taking and that they are opening themselves to criticism. But after so many years of living as if with chains on, nothing is going to deny them and their girls these days of freedom.

“Ferris is a champ. She is so understanding with things she can and cannot do,” Lindsey explained. “We already are pretty liberal on what risks we are willing to take for quality of life and LIVING, so much so that I question sharing her adventures as one would easily be able to say she should be cooped up and isolated. They also probably aren’t wrong. She also would be miserable. Like truly miserable. We all would be.

“This hasn’t been a season . . . it’s her whole life and, well, this is just how we’ve come to navigate things!! Calculated risks . . . some feel bigger than others. We are stuck in a busy city and avoid crowds most of the time by walking places or catching Ubers. Water taxis over the incredibly crowded ferry. No indoor play spaces. No public transit. The Jays game probably should have been a ‘no’ . . . but man she had fun.

“We minimize risks in risky places and hope we don’t live to regret our decisions. We cover her line well and let her play in the splash park. Wade to her knees in their chlorinated wading pools while her sisters get to swim at the big pool She can’t go in the lake at all but happily plays in the sand.

“We only went to the rides at the end for a couple hoping the crowd would have died down and it had. She wasn’t allowed on the rollercoaster or log ride and she was cool with it. Those are her faves. She’s just been so incredibly understanding of the ‘rules.’ ”

What it all amounts to is that, Lindsey said, her youngest daughter “has just been having some of the best days!”

And you can bet that Ferris knows it, too. As she told her mother the other day, “Kidneys are the best.”

With the weekend behind them, the Backmeyers are hoping for, as Lindsey put it, “sweet labs (Monday) and a seamless transition back ‘home’ later this week.

“I’m real done with downtown Toronto!”

BigsSunset
Ksenia (left) and Tavia could have only three more sunsets before the Backmeyers are able to put Toronto behind them. (Photo: Lindsey Backmeyer/Facebook)

Blinker

The fall of the CFL’s Edmonton Elks has been amazingly incredible to watch. If EdmontonElksyou’re a follower of the CFL, I am sure you will admit that you never thought you would see the day when Edmonton fans would show up for a game with paper bags over their heads. . . . But that’s where we are today. . . . The Elks lost 27-0 to the visiting B.C. Lions on Saturday to fall to 0-8 this season. This was Edmonton’s 21st consecutive home-field loss, the longest such skid in North American sporting history. The Elks had shared the record with baseball’s St. Louis Browns, who lost 20 in a row at home in 1953. By the time the 1954 season arrived, they were in Baltimore. . . . The Lions had blanked the visiting Elks, 22-0, in Week 2. . . . This is the first time in CFL history that one team has shut out another opponent twice in the same season, and it’s the first time a CFL team has put up two shutouts in one season since 1970. . . . How bad are the Elks? In the two games against the Lions, Edmonton didn’t scrimmage inside B.C.’s 20-yard line. Not even once! . . . Jed Roberts, who played 13 seasons at defensive end and linebacker with Edmonton, tweeted about the Elks not having any red-zone plays: “Do you even know how phenomenally difficult that is to manage? I mean, this is so historically bad (that) people aren’t getting how exceedingly rare that is. You’ll never see this happen again in your lifetime.” . . . On Monday, the Elks turned offensive co-ordinator Stephen McAdoo into an advisor, giving his play-calling duties to quarterbacks coach Jarious Jackson. As well, Taylor Cornelius is out as the starting QB, with Jarret Doege or Canadian Tre Ford to start when the Elks next play, which will be on Aug. 10 against the visiting Blue Bombers.

Jaylen Brown, who isn’t even the best player on the Boston Celtics, signed a new contract last week. It calls for him to be paid at least US$60 million annually. . . . Jayson Tatum, who is Boston’s best player, will be due a new contract after the 2023-24 season. Will the Celtics be able to afford to have two $60-million players on their roster at the same time? . . . According to Sportico, the NBA has 76 players who will make at least $20 million for 2023-24. . . . The NHL salary cap for 2023-24 is US$83.5 million. . . .

Here’s Steve Simmons of Postmedia: “The Lou Lamoriello words. Every contract signed is for too much money and too many years. Jaylen Brown signs with the Boston Celtics for $60 million a season over six years. Too much and too long, from our friend Lou. . . . In other news, Brown will be paid more than the Canadian Football League next season.” . . . The CFL salary cap this season is $5,450,000 per team. There are nine teams. You do the math.

Tired

Headline at The Beaverton — Canada’s grocery companies pretending not to hear about falling inflation rate.

——

Headline at The Onion — Family has strict no smartphone rule while eating dinner in front of TV.

THE COACHING GAME:

The AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders are looking for a head coach after announcing on Monday that Evan McFeeters is leaving “for a new opportunity in the Western Hockey League.” . . . McFeeters spent one season as the Crusaders’ head coach, guiding them to a 33-20-7 record, good for fourth spot in the Northern Division. They lost out in the second round of playoffs. . . . As of Monday night, there hadn’t yet been an announcement from a WHL team concerning the hiring of McFeeters.

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.

Headlines

Trapper calls it a career after 60-plus years . . . Ex-WHLer now Russian citizen . . . Warriors, Giants swap some assets

The man known throughout the hockey world as Trapper has announced his retirement.

Barry Trapp said on Friday that “after more than 60 years involved with fronthockey, I have decided to step away from the game I love so much. It has been a great ride for this guy from the small town of Balcarres, Sask.”

Trapp, who will turn 82 on Aug. 14, was a defenceman in his playing days and saw time in the WHL, AHL and CPHL.

But it was in the world of coaching and scouting that he really made his mark.

He got into the coaching business with the U-18 Regina Pats Capitals and the Regina Pats Canadians.

By 1981-82, he was working as the head coach of the SJHL’s Regina Pat Blues. At the same time, he was with the Regina Pats as assistant general manager and assistant coach.

He moved to the Moose Jaw Warriors as general manager and head coach for 1985-86, before spending six seasons with Hockey Canada as its director of scouting.

His scouting career also included 10 years with NHL Central Scouting, the last five as their chief scout; four years with Toronto Maple Leafs as director of amateur scouting; and one year scouting for the Phoenix Coyotes.

The last years of his career were spent scouting for the Pats.

“It is,” he wrote, “only fitting to end up where I started.”

Trapp continued:

“I have met so many great people during this time travelling Canada, the U.S., and Europe — managers, coaches, players, media, agents and, of course, fans.

“I have many great memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life, plus many lifelong friendships. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the people who were important parts of my journey.”

He went on to salute Bob Strumm, John Paddock and Dale McMullin, Regina Pats; the late Jim Gregory and Frank Bonello, NHL Central Scouting; Bob Nicholson and Denis Hainault, Hockey Canada; the late Pat Quinn and Mike Penny, Toronto Maple Leafs; and, from the media, the late Bob Hughes, Mal Isaac and Warren Woods, along with Bob McKenzie, Jim Swanson, Gregg Drinnan, Tim Wharnsby, Chris Clarke, Rob Vanstone, Glen Reid, Marc Lachapelle and Peter Loubardias.

“There are so many others,” he added, “but these are the ones who supported me the most.

Thanks to you all and may God bless.

Yours in hockey,

Trapper”

Bathroom

The Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat reports that D Brennan Menell, a former WHLer, has received Russian citizenship. According to the newspaper, Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, “granted Menell citizenship with a decree he signed” on Thursday. . . . The Moscow Times and Sport-Express also reported on the story. . . . Menell, 26, is an American from Woodbury, Minn., who signed a three-year contract with the KHL’s Dynamo Moscow in April. Menell apparently has expressed a desire to play for the Russian national team, thus the request for citizenship. . . . After signing with Dynamo, Alexei Sopin, the team’s athletic director, told RIA Novosti that Menell “really likes Russia and Moscow, so he’s ready to stay for a long time.” Sopin also said that Menell getting Russian citizenship “will be good PR for Russian sports.” . . . According to Sport-Express, Menell applied for citizenship “immediately” upon arriving in Russia early in July. The newspaper also reported that Menell is “actively” learning to speak Russian. . . . Menell played three seasons (2014-17) in the WHL, the first two with the Vancouver Giants and the third with the Lethbridge Hurricanes.  . . . Last season, he had two goals and 22 assists in 44 games with Dynamo. He split the 2021-22 season between the AHL’s Toronto Marlies and Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

The Moose Jaw Warriors and Vancouver Giants got together on Friday and cut a deal that included six assets. . . . The Warriors acquired F Ethan Semeniuk and three WHL draft picks — a first in 2024, a fifth in 2024 and a second in 2025. . . . The Giants got back D Marek Howell and a fourth-round pick in 2024. . . . Semeniuk, 18, is from Fort St. John, B.C. Last season, his second in Vancouver, he had 12 goals and 10 assists in 54 games. In 2021-22, he finished with eight goals and five assists in 56 games. . . . The Giants selected him in the third round of the 2020 WHL draft. . . . Howell, a 17-year-old from Calgary, was a freshman last season and finished with one goal and three assists in 44 games. Moose Jaw selected him 16th overall in the 2021 WHL draft. . . . Howell was one of four Warriors who sat out the final 17 games of the 2022-23 regular season for what the WHL said was violations of team rules and the league’s standard of conduct.

Contraceptive

JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

The Wenatchee Wild has acquired F Gabe Ludwig, 19, from the Prince Albert Raiders for an eighth-round selection in the WHL’s 2027 draft. The Raiders had acquired Ludwig from the Seattle Thunderbirds last season. He had two goals and seven assists in 37 games with Prince Albert. . . . The Wild also added F Luka Shcherbyna, 17, getting him from the Spokane Chiefs for a third-round pick in the 2007 WHL draft. From Vancouver, Shcherbyna played one game in each of the past two seasons with the Chiefs. He has yet to record his first WHL point. . . . Spokane selected him in the second round of the WHL’s 2021 draft. . . .

Nolan Kowal, who had been the play-by-play voice of the SJHL’s Estevan Bruins, will be calling games for the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders in the upcoming season. Pattison Media made the announcement on Friday. Kowal, from Winnipeg, was the Bruins’ radio voice for two seasons. . . . In Prince Albert, he takes over from Rob Mahon, who now is with the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . .

F Zach Benson of the Wenatchee Wild has signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Buffalo Sabres, who selected him 13th overall in the NHL’s 2023 draft. . . . Benson, 18, had 36 goals and 62 assists in 60 games with the Winnipeg Ice in 2022-23. His 98 points left him third in the WHL’s scoring race. . . . Because he’s 18, Benson will have to be returned to the Wild unless he cracks the Sabres’ roster. . . .

The NHL has signed referee Graedy Hamilton for the 2023-24 season. He will work primarily in the AHL, but also is expected to get some NHL games early in 2024.  Hamilton, 23, has worked AHL games for the past two seasons and has been in the WHL for four seasons. He also worked in the BCHL for six seasons. . . . Hamilton, from the Cowichan Valley Minor Hockey Association, was BC Hockey’s official of the year for 2022-23.

Forget

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.

Grandma

Backmeyers close to wrapping up best chapter yet . . . BC Hockey keeps door open for BCHL teams . . . Rebels, Silvertips acquire 2003-born skaters

FerrisMom
Lindsey Backmeyer and her daughter, six-year-old Ferris, are enjoying the newest chapter in their lives. (Photo: Lindsey Backmeyer/Facebook)

You have to have at least some understanding of what the Backmeyer family has been through over most of the past six years to understand what they are going through right now.

Oh, things continue to go swimmingly as Ferris, 6, continues to make progress from a kidney transplant at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto four weeks ago.

FerrisLogoHowever, Lindsey, Ferris’s mother, just can’t shake that feeling that things have been going too well. With all that she, husband Pat and the three girls have dealt with they now find themselves in a whole different world.

The emotion was raw as Lindsey explained what she is going through. She admitted to being confused because things have been going so smoothly. She just isn’t used to this. Will she be able to get used to it?

“So many feelings,” Lindsey wrote on Facebook. “All the excitement over the reality that we are here. The fear of it all falling apart. It’s just been such a drastic change so fast, so unreal and truly unbelievable. With this gift comes tremendous responsibility.

“I’m anxious (and am) genuinely shocked with every set of labs. Waiting for the (other) shoe to drop. But so far nope! No complications??? I’m confused. It’s just so incredibly foreign to us for things to be smooth for this long. It’s an odd struggle to have to manage.

“Anyone who knows transplant knows that rejection meds given on time is super important. Our med schedule and life schedule (still some really late nights) are so messed up that we set alarms to give 8 a.m. meds. I don’t sleep well at all. Waking hourly most nights because I’m worried I’m gonna sleep through the alarm! Anyone who knows me knows that’s a real possibility!!”

FerrisSmile
Ferris Backmeyer has been enjoying Toronto’s playgrounds as she keeps making progress from a kidney transplant. (Photo: Lindsey Backmeyer/Facebook)

But, as she added, “Those are small potatoes for worries though these days.”

There are, as she notes, “so many reasons to be smiling these days.”

As mentioned, things are going great with Ferris, and her big sisters — Tavia, 11, and Ksenia, 9 — have returned from the trip they made to California with Lindsey’s mother. So the family is back together and preparing for the next chapter.

Now it’s a matter of having all of Ferris’s tests in order and getting the OK to head west.

“Today,” Lindsey wrote on Thursday, “we had labs and ultrasound! We knew that if results were good, we’d get the green flag to transfer back to (BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver) next week! Labs were awesome! Ultrasound looked better!

“Unless something major develops between now and then, we are leaving Toronto next Thursday! Whoop whoop! Only disappointing thing is that we’ve been told that (Ronald McDonald House) in Vancouver is full until Aug. 15 . . . ughhhh. I’m not gonna dwell on it. Hoping we can get in sooner than that.

“I advocated hard for a suitable accommodation for us. But as of yet am unsure where we will be staying. Just throwing it out there that this sorts itself out. That we belong at (Ronald McDonald House) BC, that going home is not really home if we are moving to Vancouver and staying somewhere else. That all the good luck we’ve had recently continues and it doesn’t end up being as bad as it feels.”

In the meantime, the Backmeyers will try to make the best of what they hope will be their last weekend in Toronto.

“We had originally planned to try to escape the city for the weekend,” Lindsey wrote, “but have instead decided to stick around and cram in the last of the ‘Toronto’ things we wanted to do. One more week and hopefully we are wrapping up this chapter . . . the best one yet!”

Dejamoo

No one follows goings-on in the BCHL any closer than does Brian Wiebe who operates the BCHL Network (bchlnetwork.ca) and tweets at @Brian_Wiebe.

The piece he wrote on Tuesday after BC Hockey replaced junior B hockey with Junior A Tier 1 and Junior A Tier 2 is the best that I have seen on the subject.

You are able to read it right here, and you should if you are following all that is happening with this file.

It is evident that, from a BC Hockey perspective, all of this is a work in progress.

BCHockeyAs Cam Hope, BC Hockey’s CEO put it in Wiebe’s story: “It’s in progress right now, but I can give you the broad parameters of some of the things. Around officiating, I think all the leagues are committed to going to a four-person system. We have to watch the landscape a little bit this year, some officials have left and gone non-sanctioned with the BCHL.

“The things you might expect — standards (like) coaching certifications, some standards around player experience having to do with committed dressing rooms, facilities and most importantly around practices — practice quality, practice volume, (and) travel. (It’s) the usual check checklist for any league, but the details of it are something that we’re all working on together.

“We want to be mindful of the fact that this is pretty quick for some of these franchises, and some are far ahead of others. It’s a work in progress, but yeah, it’s a pretty long list, but it’s little by little we’re going to get there.”

The one thing that I found most interesting in Wiebe’s piece is that Hope has left the door open for any of the BCHL’s 17 teams to return to BC Hockey.

“There are some communities around B.C. that felt Junior A was maybe just a little bit out of reach,” Hope said. “There are some communities in northern B.C. with good arenas and great fan support that did not have a league to play in at a Junior A or Junior B level. And there are some clubs now that are playing non-sanctioned junior hockey this year in the BCHL and elsewhere that may want to have a place to return to sanctioned hockey.

“Getting the ecosystem set the way that we’re setting it this year I think solved all of those problems if and when they start to arrive. When I say problems, they’re good problems and that’s communities that want to come in and join what we’re trying to do here.”

There is a whole lot more to Wiebe’s piece, so give it a read and you’ll have a good understanding of just what is happening.

JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

The Red Deer Rebels have acquired F Carson Latimer, 20, from the Wenatchee Wild for a couple of WHL draft picks, a fifth in 2024 and a conditional third in 2025. . . . According to Wild, the third-rounder is conditional upon Latimer’s reporting to Red Deer. He was a fourth-round pick by the Ottawa Senators in the NHL’s 2021 draft. . . . Latimer, from White Rock, B.C., was a third-round selection by the Edmonton Oil Kings in the 2018 draft. He has put up 97 points, including 38 goals, in 143 regular-season games split among the Oil Kings, Prince Albert Raiders and Winnipeg Ice. . . . Last season, with the Ice, had had 14 goals and 26 assists in 53 games. . . . After the trade, Alan Caldwell (@smallatlarge) tweeted: “According to my spreadsheet, the 2024 5th and 2025 3rd that Wenatchee got from Red Deer for Latimer are now Wenatchee’s highest picks in both those drafts.” . . .

The Everett Silvertips have acquired 2003-born F Teague Patton from the Victoria Royals for a fourth-round selection in the WHL’s 2026 draft. . . . Patton, from Kelowna, had 16 goals and 33 assists in 68 games with the Royals last season. . . . He played in 78 games over three seasons (2019-22) with the Medicine Hat Tigers, putting up 25 points, including 12 goals. . . . After moving Patton, the Royals, according to play-by-play man Marlon Martens, still have six 20-year-olds on their roster — F Matthew Hodson, G Braden Holt, F Grady Lane, D Gannon Laroque, F Justin Lies and D Luke Rybinski. The Royals acquired Lane from the Spokane Chiefs on June 27, and got Lies from the Saskatoon Blades on June 2. . . .

F Sam Honzek of the Vancouver Giants has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Calgary Flames, who selected him with the 16th pick of the NHL’s 2023 draft. . . . Honzek, from Slovakia, had 23 goals and 33 assists in 43 games as a freshman with the Giants last season. He also played for Slovakia in the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. . . . Honzek, who will turn 19 on Nov. 12, will be back with the Giants for the 2023-24 season, unless, of course, he cracks the Flames’ roster. . . . Interestingly, he went by Samuel last season, but judging by the Flames’ announcement on Tuesday, he now is going by Sam. . . .

The Lethbridge Hurricanes and 106.7 ROCK have agreed to a four-year contract extension that will have the radio station as the home to game broadcasts through the 2026-27 season. . . . They have been broadcast partners for the past nine seasons, starting with 2014-15. . . .

The Seattle Thunderbirds will retire F Patrick Marleau’s No. 12 on Nov. 3 prior to a game against the Spokane Chiefs. Marleau, from Aneroid, Sask., played two seasons (1995-97) with the Thunderbirds, totalling 199 points, including 83 goals, in 143 regular-season games. He is the NHL’s all-time leader in regular-season games played (1,779) after skating with the San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins. . . . Marleau will be the second Seattle player to have his number retired. The Thunderbirds honoured F Glen Goodall (No. 10) in 1990. . . .

The junior B Keystone Junior Hockey League has added a seventh franchise by granting one to the Waywayseecappo First Nation, which is located near Russell, Man. . . . The team will begin play in 2023-24 and will play as the Waywayseecappo Wild.

Guns

THE COACHING GAME:

The WHL’s Wenatchee Wild has rounded out its coaching staff with the hiring of Andrew Sarauer as an assistant coach. Sarauer, a 38-year-old from Saskatoon, has retired as a player after spending 15 seasons in the ECHL, AHL and Europe. . . . He played with the BCHL’s Victoria Salsa and Langley Hornets before spending four seasons at Northern Michigan U. . . . In Wenatchee, he will be working with head coach Kevin Constantine and associate head coach Chris Clark. . . . Sarauer played nine seasons with Fehérvár AV19 in Hungary. Constantine was the head coach there for the last two of those seasons.

TooSoon

——

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.

Ignorance

Hey, WestJet, flying shouldn’t be this much of a nasty experience, should it?

My sister and her husband flew from Brandon to Kamloops, via Calgary, with WestJet on July 15. All went well. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the return trip that turned into a real mess. Feeling like the top was soon to blow off her head, she chose to write about the experience in an attempt to get it all out of her system. . . . The result is right here. . . .

While I normally don’t write reviews of any kind, I really felt the need to unburden myself after our unfortunate experience with WestJet on July 22 and 23.

After a wonderful week in Kamloops with my family it was time to head home to Brandon. On Saturday, July 22, my brother and sister-in-law dropped us off at the airport in Kamloops at 9:30 a.m. (PT) to catch our flight No. 3314 that was scheduled to leave at 11.

Shortly after our arrival at the airport we noticed on the departure screen our WestJetplane was going to be late. Our new departure time was going to be 11:55. This really concerned us because we had to catch our connecting flight to Brandon in Calgary at 2:30 p.m. (MT). So my husband headed to the WestJet desk to inquire about the late departure and whether we would be able to catch our connecting flight. The WestJet agent told him “there should be no problems in Calgary.”

Once we were on the plane the pilot came on the radio to let us know that our flight was delayed an hour because the aircraft needed some maintenance in Calgary due to the landing gear not working properly.

Flight No. 3314 left Kamloops at noon (PT) and landed in Calgary at 2:15 (MT). Now remember that our flight to Brandon was to leave Calgary at 2:30.

But there was some kind of hold up getting the door open and the stairs attached to the plane so we didn’t disembark until 2:30. Now we were really worried about missing our flight. Oh, and what about our luggage? As we were leaving the plane I asked the flight attendant about our bags and she said, “You’ll have to go to the baggage area and pick up your bags there.”

We had arrived in Section C of the airport. At this point I was totally confused and stressed out.

We looked at the departure screen and saw that our flight No. 3382 to Brandon had left without us. I felt sick to my stomach. We only needed the plane to wait 15 minutes for us to get there. Nobody tried to get us off the plane quicker in Calgary so we would make our flight; nobody was at the arrival gate to help us get to our next flight; nobody asked the plane to wait for us to arrive. Where was the customer service?

By this point, it really was beginning to sink in and we didn’t know what to do or what our options were.

Well, we decided that we had better go and get our luggage. We couldn’t find the baggage claim area without leaving the security area. So we headed back to the gate where we had arrived to ask someone

where to go. The agent said: “You need to go to the very end of the airport and go down the escalator to the baggage area.” So that is what we did.

We now were at the carousel waiting for our bags and . . . nothing . . . no bags. We went to the WestJet desk beside the carousel and asked about our luggage. The woman there took our tickets to search on the computer to see where they were.

Guess what? Our bags were in storage to be put on the next flight to Brandon. When would that be? Sunday, July 23). We asked who we needed to talk to and were told that would be the WestJet agent at the check-in area. So we headed over there.

This agent was very nice and helped us and printed us new tickets for the flight on Sunday, which was to leave Calgary at 9:25 a.m. Remember this is Saturday at around 3 p.m. We asked the agent what options we had. She said: “No problem, just go to the security check-in and they will scan your boarding pass.”

We headed to security in Section D now realizing that we had a very long wait ahead of us. There were two women working the gate. One of them scanned my boarding pass and said, “You’re too early to go through security, come back at 6 p.m.” She must have thought our plane was to leave at 9:25 p.m. So we explained to her that we had missed our connecting flight to Brandon, through no fault of ours, and now we were having to wait for the next flight, which would be on Sunday at 9:25 a.m.

She giggled and then said:“You can’t come through security until 6 a.m. on Sunday,” which was three hours before our flight.

Now what? I tried to explain our situation to both of them — that we just wanted to go through security and get something to eat. I told them that a WestJet agent had told us that because we had boarding passes security would let us through. So then the other woman started laughing and said: “Nobody at WestJet would say that.”

By this point she could see that I was getting upset so she called her manager over. I tried to explain the situation to him but I was starting to get emotional so my husband took over. Even the manager said “nobody at WestJet would say that.”

I started to feel as if we were being treated like criminals. Nobody believed what we were saying. I walked away because I started to cry uncontrollably. I WAS SO TIRED AND STRESSED. No one had offered us a hotel room or a meal voucher. We were on our own.

We walked through the entire front airport section looking for a good spot to rest and recharge my husband’s phone. Lucky for us we were able to find a spot but couldn’t guarantee to get it back if we left to eat. Our stomachs made that decision for us. We went looking for food. We finally found the food court but half of the places were closed. Good old Tim Hortons was open but we found out it would close at 9 p.m. We ordered subs for supper and two muffins and juice for a later snack.

We then returned to our favourite spot. But my husband couldn’t sit still. So he wandered off while I was reading a book. He came back and said he had just been talking to a WestJet employee and was told that security in Sections B and C was letting passengers through.

My immediate thought was: “Oh my God, that’s fantastic!! So do we drink our juices first or do we ask the guys at the security gate if we can get through?”

The time now is 11 p.m. We asked and were told that we aren’t allowed to proceed any further because WE ARE WAY TO EARLY FOR OUR FLIGHT. We are told to come back at 4 a.m. My husband tried to explain our circumstances but nobody was listening.

All we could do was hope that our little corner of the airport was still available. Thankfully, it was. We hunkered down and tried to get some sleep.

Have you ever tried to sleep in an airport? This was when they clean all the floors, so no sleep. I finished my book and my husband wandered. We ate our muffins and drank our juices at 2 a.m., and then just sat and waited like we had been for the previous 11 hours.

As soon as the clock read 4 a.m., we were at the security gate . . . and we got through. We were so happy . . . but we still had 5 1/2 hours to go.

We looked for the gate number on our tickets; it was C59, so we headed to that section and sat. We constantly checked the departure screen to make sure we were at the right gate.

Sometime around 6 a.m., the gate changed to B40.

Let me just say that the Calgary airport is a nightmare to navigate and their signs are useless. We now were in search of Gate B40. Shortly after we arrived at B40 the gate changed to C51 . . . are you kidding me? WTF!! So we headed back to section C.

By now we were hungry so I stood in line at Tim Hortons for muffins. It only took about 25 minutes because the lineup was so long.

I was up and down constantly checking the screen to make sure our gate didn’t change again.

At 9:05 a.m., WestJet finally announced our plane was boarding. I was too tired to be happy. I just wanted to go home. At 9:25 a.m., the plane was in the air and headed to Brandon. I tried to get some sleep but I couldn’t get comfortable because for the previous 18 hours I had been so tense that now my whole body ached, and there also was a four-year-old girl who wouldn’t listen to her Mom. Sometimes she laughed but most of the time she cried and screamed, and my nerves were shot.

We landed in Brandon at 12:15 p.m. My back, legs and feet hurt so bad I could hardly get off the plane. We finally got our luggage and were in the truck headed for home. Believe it or not, even after all this turmoil, my husband and I are still married.

Thanks, WestJet, for pooping on the last 24 hours of our vacation.

BC Hockey responds to BCHL move by designating 45 junior B teams as junior A; splits it all into two tiers. . . . Royals add associate GM

The BCHL has been operating as an independent entity outside of Hockey Canada since June 1.

On Tuesday, BC Hockey announced a restructuring of junior hockey in the BCHockeyprovince and Yukon, all of this obviously in response to the BCHL’s departure having left the jurisdiction without a junior A league.

BC Hockey’s board of directors voted unanimously to do away with junior B. The 45 teams that had been playing in the province’s three junior B leagues all will be classified Junior A Tier 2 for the 2023-24 season.

The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League features 20 teams, with 14 in the Pacific Junior Hockey League and 11 in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League.

In time, some of those teams will be promoted to Junior A Tier 1.

One of the teams that hopes to make the jump is the Kamloops Storm.

“I think we more than meet pretty much any requirement they’re going to put KamStormnewin front of us, whether it be with our health and safety, our education, our facilities or our level of coaching,” Storm general manager Matt Kolle told Kamloops This Week.“In the last two seasons, we’ve carried 97 per cent B.C. players. In my mind, we’re meeting the criteria by a landslide.

“It’s a void that needed to be filled and I’m excited we get the opportunity to fill it. We want to embrace it. We want to run with it and make hockey a better place in Kamloops, whether it be for the players or the fans. We’re now junior A. When we see what these new enhanced standards required for Tier 1 are, we then need to start working toward those.”

According to BC Hockey, there will be “a rigorous process and analysis, conducted over the next three seasons, allowing individual teams and communities to find the level of Junior hockey most suited to them.”

Also according to BC Hockey, the newly classified teams “will take their place in Hockey Canada’s Canadian Development Model, which strengthens the game at elite levels, in partnership with the Western Hockey League (WHL) and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL).”

In a news release, Jeff Dubois, the KIJHL commissioner, offered: “During this kijhlprocess, we looked at the number of players who have left B.C. over the past number of years to play junior A hockey elsewhere in Canada and the United States. Our goal is to provide the type of athlete experience that incentivizes those athletes to grow and develop their game without having to look outside their home province.”

Once the Tier 1 and Tier 2 situation has sorted itself out, the Tier 1 teams will “seek membership with the CJHL. Such membership would open the door to competition for the Centennial Cup . . . and eligibility for players and bench staff” for events such as the World Junior A Challenge.

“BC Hockey is committed to this new Junior A landscape,” Cameron Hope, BC Hockey’s CEO, said in a news release. “These already strong teams and leagues have earned their opportunity to fill this layer of the pathway. It is important that junior-aged players in B.C. and Yukon have opportunities to compete at a high level, and eventually at the national level as part of the CJHL.”

For now, the KIJHL, PJHL and VIJHL will carry on as usual, all the while being evaluated for a potential move up in the ranks.

The KIJHL’s Revelstoke Grizzlies are another team interesting in getting to the Junior A Tier 1 level.

““I think it’s an ideal level for Revelstoke,” Ryan Parent, the Grizzlies’ general manager and head coach, told Josh Piercey of the Revelstoke Review. “The support that we’ve garnered locally in the past 10 years here, I think hockey is really on the map in Revelstoke.”

The BC Hockey news release is right here.

——

Some thoughts on BC Hockey’s announcement: Keep in mind that the BCHL has said that it doesn’t want to be referred to as junior A or by any other kind of designation. It just wants to be the BCHL. . . . BC Hockey certainly has delivered a strong message to the BCHL this week. On Monday, CEO Cam Hope told folks in no uncertain terms that on-ice officials who work BCHL games after Sept. 30 won’t be allowed to handle Hockey Canada- or BC Hockey-sanctioned events during the 2023-24 season. And then came Tuesday’s announcement. . . . It would seem that the BCHL now is a non-entity as far as BC Hockey is concerned. . . . It will be interesting to see how many B.C.-born players opt for one of the three Junior A Tier 2 leagues for 2023-24, keeping in mind that players dropped by BCHL teams after Sept. 30 won’t be eligible. . . . There is chatter that the City of Revelstoke might build a new arena that would be home to the Grizzlies. You have to wonder if any other communities might take a look at doing that with a possible move to Junior A Tier 1 on the horizon for its team. . . . It strikes me that the operating costs for BCHL teams will rise, if only because of recruiting costs and the league now having its own officiating staff. And operating costs will go up for any of the Junior A Tier 2 teams that are serious about moving up. So from where will all this money come?

Push

JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

Jake Heisinger is joining the WHL’s Victoria Royals as associate general manager. He had been with the Kootenay/Winnipeg Ice since 2017, joining the organization as hockey operations co-ordinator while it was located in Cranbrook. Most recently, he was Winnipeg’s vice-president of hockey operations and assistant GM. . . . The Winnipeg franchise has been sold and now operates out of Wenatchee, Wash., as the Wild. . . . In Victoria, Heisinger will work alongside Joey Poljanowski, the Royals’ new vice-president of hockey operations.

Thinking

THINKING OUT LOUD: If you’re a hockey fan, you will be familiar with Cap Friendly (@CapFriendly). On Tuesday, Cap Friendly tweeted: “Patrice Bergeron, who announced his retirement today, has an estimated $96,324,048 in career earnings over his illustrious 20-year career. As part of his new five-year extension, Justin Herbert will earn $100,000,000 next season alone.” One more example of why NHL owners are so in love with their commissioner. . . . Saw a photo today of Ryan Craig, who was an assistant coach with the Vegas Golden Knights, eating pierogies out of the bowl of the Stanley Cup. That got me to wondering: Does anyone sterilize the bowl considering everything that goes into it — from a baby’s butt to beer and champagne — while it’s on tour? . . . The temperature on our gizmo showed in the low- to mid-30s for most of last week. On Tuesday at 6 a.m., it showed 10 C. After being so warm for a week, 10 C felt like it might snow.

——

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.

Hair

Mondays With Murray: A Peek at 1984

FormerLATimesBuilding
The former Los Angeles Times building in the city’s downtown area.

“What a sad day for sports journalism (and journalism in general). The New York Times announced it has scrapped its sports section entirely. The Los Angeles Times (with which I cut my teeth in journalism) will no long carry baseball box scores and standings. The Southern California News Group just bought the San Diego Union-Tribune, which will diminish the quality of that paper. I hate to say it, though I’ve thought it for awhile, newspapers are dead. They just don’t yet know it.”

— John Strege, veteran journalist

——

Today, for your reading enjoyment, we have Jim Murray’s 1978 column that was headlined ‘A Peek at 1984’ — ”noting that “a computer programmed to crank out sports stories is just a couple of transistors away.”

ENJOY!

——

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1978, SPORTS

Copyright 1978/THE TIMES MIRROR COMPANY

JIM MURRAY

A Peek at 1984

  They changed the phone system and numbers at The Los Angeles Times for the first time since the days of the crank telephone the other day. It’s all in the name of automation, but you’ll pardon all of us ink-stained wretches if it mondaysmurraymakes us a little nervous. I mean, today the phones, tomorrow the staff. 1984 is a little nearer. Big Brother is coming. If they automate the phones, when will they automate the stories? What will become of Hildy Johnson? Will Grantland Rice be made out of tin in the future? Damon Runyon a data bank? Richard Harding Davis just a lot of circuitry with a passport?

  A computer programmed to crank out sports stories is just a couple of transistors away. Of course, it will have to be programmed. First, if they listen to us, it will have to learn a few basics. Such as the questions:

  “What kind of a pitch did he hit?” Which must be asked of a pitcher who has just lost a World Series in the bottom of the 12th, 1-0. The computer must be programmed to duck as it asks. Otherwise, the paper is stuck with the biggest hunk of scrap metal this side of the stretch at Indy.

  The computer will have to learn to enter the dressing room of a fighter who has just been carried in with (1) a broken nose, (2) broken ribs, (3) black eyes, (4) a dented Adam’s apple which will make him sound like a ransom call the rest of his life, (5) hemorrhages on both arms, (6) blood trickling out of an ear, (7) teeth trickling out of his mouth. It will have to ask: “Did he hurt you at any time, Bat?” If the fellow is still conscious, or at least alive, teach your computer to lean down and ask, “Would you like to fight him again?”

  Your computer will have to learn to be resourceful. Look for the pithy quote even when you don’t get it from the athlete. If a golfer shoots 80 and says, “I kept hitting it into sand traps,” you quote him for the headline, ‘Needed Camel, Not a Caddy’ Says One-Putt Of His 80. The quote will make all the anthologies, and within a week, One-Putt will think he actually said it.

  When you go into the locker room with a guy who just went 0-for-5 and struck out in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded and he says, “Get outta here, you four-eyed hunk of tin before I take a can opener and make you look like a totalled Toyota!” you make a few subtle changes. “Your headline: ‘Feeling So Strong it Frightens Me,’ Says Slugger, Despite 0 for 5.”

  Your story quotes the guy, “‘Tomorrow we turn these guys into pumpkins. Hope he throws me that knuckler one more time. He’ll be eating it for a week.’”

  Stories without quotes will be even easier. Just keep a stock of standing headlines. “Rams Blow Super Bowl to Minnesota Again” is good any December. Even the story accompanying it will just need blanks to be filled in: “The Los Angeles Rams blew their chances for the Super Bowl again this year when the Minnesota Vikings defeated them because of (choose one) a blocked field goal, intercepted pass, rainstorm, sunshine, heavy overcast, superior coaching, or all six.”

  And with baseball, remember that the fans like figures, and give them to them: “The Los Angeles Dodgers drew their 4 millionth fan, sold their 16 millionth hot dog, tapped their 5 millionth barrel of beer, sold their 3 millionth bobblehead doll and had their 2,709th straight overflowing parking lot yesterday. The message board saluted the 2 millionth septuagenarian couple from Nepal, welcomed the 150,000th Rotary Club, and announced that next Saturday will be ‘Mafia Night,’ with everyone carrying a violin case or horse’s head to be admitted free.”

  Basketball will be no problem. Keep this standing story: “The (leave blank name of franchise) today signed All-American center Tom (Treetop) Tarheeler, the all-time Atlantic Coast Conference scorer with 1,000 points a game, to a multiyear, no-cut contract believed to call for Rhode Island, downtown Dallas, parts of Wilshire Boulevard and the mineral rights to the Gulf of Mexico.

  “The deal also includes his parole officer, the judge who validated the three previous contracts he put his ‘X’ on and the playground director who taught him not to bite people on court.”

  Auto racing? Easy. Just remember death is a mar in auto racing. As in, “Leadfoot Lonergan won the 57th running of the Fireball 500 today in a race marred by the death of . . .” You just have to fill in the number of drivers and/or spectators.

  In bullfighting, remember death is not a mar, it’s a must. If the bull doesn’t die, well, he gets bad notices.

  Don’t worry about statistics. Just feed your machine a daily diet of bubble-gum cards and it will know more sports trivia than a Boston cop.

  After a year or so on the beat, though, your machine will begin to act strange. It will keep its hat on in the office. It will begin to drink. It will begin to speak of the home team as “we.” It will get sick of people asking, “What’s wrong with the Rams?” It will start to complain about box lunches, the Rams offence, and the amount of space it gets for its story. Its mate may start to hope the home team doesn’t make the playoffs so it can stay home for Christmas for a change.

  And then will come the day when it will start to write about a mark being set for right-handed, half-Portuguese, half-Italian third basemen, about the “Z-outs” run by the tight ends, and it will start storing up non-winning fractions in dual meets — and you’ll know it’s the beginning of the end.

——

Jim Murray Memorial Foundation | 25 Main St, Cooperstown, NY 13326

Ferris’s mom: ‘. . . so many miracles . . . it’s been incredible to watch’ . . . Cougars add veteran coach to staff . . . OHL team hires Finn as head coach

FerrisBeach
Life at the beach is just great for a smiling Ferris Backmeyer these days. (Photo: Lindsey Backmeyer/Facebook)

Ferris Backmeyer continues to smile through her days as she enjoys the latest chapter in what has been a short life full of ups and downs . . . mostly the latter.

Ferris, 6, is from Kamloops and, if you’re new to her story, she underwent her second kidney transplant overnight on June 29 at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

She has battled kidney disease for most of her life and actually underwent a kidney transplant on March 6, 2021, at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver. However, there were complications and the new kidney had to be removed shortly after having been put in place.

Having travelled a whole lot of rough road, the Backmeyer family found itself in Toronto last month and it is nothing short of amazing to read what they are going through these days.

“Well,” mother Lindsey wrote on Sunday night, “I’d a never dreamed that just a few weeks post-op we’d have witnessed so many miracles . . . but here we are!”

It really does a heart good to read Lindsey’s writings and musings these days because of the positive vibe emanating from them. This is a family — including father Pat and daughters Tavia, 11, and Ksenia, 9 — that has been conditioned to expect the worst when it comes to the youngest member of their group.

FerrisFlower
Ferris Backmeyer is finding ways to have all kinds of fun now that she has a new kidney. (Photo: Lindsey Backmeyer/Facebook)

These days, though, it’s an entirely different story.

“It’s been incredible to watch,” Lindsey added. “She’s the same sweet girl but just feels so much better. She’s had zero complaints of pain. She’s happy. She’s hungry. She’s got really good energy levels. She wakes up before us now and wakes me with face tickles. It’s just been such a treat to witness. I can’t wait until her sisters and grandma get back so they can see it, too!”

Tavia and Ksenia along with Lindsey’s mother have been in California for a few days, visiting with an aunt and uncle.

Meanwhile, back in Toronto, the waiting game continues. Keep in mind that the Backmeyers left their Kamloops home early in March as they moved to Vancouver because Ferris had to be transitioned from peritoneal dialysis to hemodialysis, the former having become mostly ineffective.

At that time, they had planned to head for Toronto with a transplant scheduled for April 25. However, a phone call on April 19 put the kibosh on that. But a new date was quickly settled on and the family headed to Toronto for the transplant. Now, with all of that behind them, it’s a matter of taking one day at a time . . .

“Our only appointment last week after getting discharged went fairly well,” Lindsey related. “Her fluid collection that was seen on the kidney has grown a bit in size. They will continue to watch it and she has another ultrasound this week. They are keeping us here until they are more confident no further surgical interventions will be required.

“I’m hopeful that we will be back in B.C. by mid-August at the latest!! Until then, hoping for a lot more boring hospital days and cramming in some more summer fun!”

Being back in B.C. will mean a return to Vancouver and the familiar surroundings of Ronald McDonald House and BC Children’s Hospital. If all goes well there — and, really, given the last couple of weeks, why shouldn’t it? — the Backmeyers could be back in their Kamloops home shortly after that.

Here’s hoping that they get there soon.

The BCHL, which left the Hockey Canada umbrella earlier this summer, thinks that its on-ice officials should be allowed to work in games sanctioned by Hockey Canada and BC Hockey. . . . BC Hockey says that isn’t going to happen. Cam Hope, BC Hockey’s CEO, put it this way: “The non-sanctioned policy has been in place for a long time. Leagues that have operated outside the system (have) always known that they were doing things like putting officials in a difficult spot by leaving sanctioned hockey.” . . . Steve Ewen of Postmedia has the latest on this peeing contest right here.

JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

D E.J. Emery, a third-round selection by the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL’s 2021 draft, has committed to the U of North Dakota beginning with the 2024-25 season. He is seen as a potential first-round selection in the NHL’s 2024 draft. . . . Emery played last season for the U.S. U-17 team. Born in Surrey, B.C., he played at the Yale Academy in Abbotsford before moving into the U.S. National Team Development Program. . . . Emery’s father, Eric, is an American who played linebacker in the CFL for the B.C. Lions, Calgary Stampeders and Ottawa Rough Riders (1985-87). . . .

The Kamloops Blazers have added Rebecca Kuresh to their staff as athletic therapist. Kuresh spent the past two seasons with the AJHL’s Canmore Eagles. Before that, she was with the AJHL’s Drumheller Dragons for three seasons. A native of Calgary, she will work alongside Colin Robinson, the Blazers’ longtime athletic trainer and equipment manager. . . . Kuresh takes over from Morris Boyer, who was with the Blazers for one season.

Science

THE COACHING GAME:

The Prince George Cougars have signed Jim Playfair as their associate coach, replacing Josh Dixon who left to take over as head coach of the U of Guelph Gryphons men’s hockey team. . . . Playfair is from Fort St. James, B.C., and was a part-time coach with the Cougars for part of last season. . . . He has extensive coaching experience, including 15 seasons as a head coach or associate coach in the NHL. He also has coached in the AHL, IHL and ECHL. . . . His playing experience included time with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks and Calgary Wranglers. He won a WHL championship (1982) and a Memorial Cup (1983) with Portland. . . . The Cougars’ news release is right here. . . .

The OHL’s Kitchener Rangers have hired Jussi Ahokas, a native of Finland, as their head coach. Ahokas, 42, has been coaching in Europe for 20 years. He made stops in Germany (Deutsche Eishockey Liga — DEL), Finland (Finnish Elite League — Liiga), Sweden (Swedish Hockey League — SHL), and Switzerland  (National League — NL). . . . Under his guidance as head coach, Finland won the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal in Vancouver and the 2016 IIHF U-18 World Championship in Grand Forks, N.D. . . . For the past four seasons, he has been coaching Finland’s Liiga, first with Turku TPS and most recently with Kouvola KooKoo. . . . The Rangers fired head coach Chris Dennis on Feb. 10 with general manager Mike McKenzie and assistant coaches Dennis Wideman, Brandon Merli and Brennan Menard taking over to finish the season. . . .

Jerrod Smith is the new head coach of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires. He has been on the Spitfires’ coaching staff since joining as video coach in 2011. He was an assistant coach from 2013-18 and associate coach for two seasons after that. For the past two seasons, he also has been director of player personnel. . . . He takes over as head coach from Marc Savard, who left to join the NHL’s Calgary Flames as an assistant coach. . . .

Jim Midgley has returned to the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads as head coach. . . . He replaces Sylvain Favreau, who left the organization last month. . . . Midgley spent six seasons (2011-17) as an assistant coach in Halifax and one season (2017-18) as head coach. He was an assistant coach when the Mooseheads won the 2013 Memorial Cup. . . . Midgley spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the NHL’s New York Rangers. . . . Brad MacKenzie and Liam Heelis are returning as the Mooseheads’ assistant coaches. . . .

The OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads and general manager/head coach James Richmond have agreed on a contract extension that, according to a news release, is to “carry through to the 2029-30 season.” . . . The Steelheads are 194-164-42 during Richmond’s time with them. . . .

The AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons have promoted Sara Diamond to full-time assistant coach. She also will continue as the team’s skating and skills coach, a role she started in last season. . . . With the Oil Barons, the native of Bonavista, Nfld., will work alongside general manager/head coach Adam Manah.

Train

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.

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Fire season reaches Kamloops . . . Former WHL enforcer gets into coaching game . . . Everett, Red Deer add assistants

We had visitors in our home for the past week and had occasion to make two trips over the Coquihalla. The lack of respect some drivers show towards construction workers is impossible to understand. Is there any reason for someone to drive 100 km-h in a construction zone that is clearly posted as 70?

On our way back from Hell’s Gate on Wednesday, we took Highway 5A from Merritt to Kamloops. On Thursday, a lightning storm moved through the area and now the city is experiencing its first really nasty skies (smoke, ash, embers, etc.) of the summer. Yes, we had been lucky to get this far into summer with mostly smoke-less skies. But we knew it couldn’t last, especially when the temperature reached 35 C for an extended period.

And now there is a fire — the Ross Moore Lake fire — that is 11 or 13 km (depending on what you’re reading) from Kamloops’ southern border. It is between 5A and the Coquihalla (No. 5) and burning aggressively, and people have been evacuated. There is a lot of grassland between the fire and the city, so only time will tell how it will react with less forest to devour.

In the meantime, cooler temperatures are in the forecast — 29 C for Monday and 23 C with showers (ahh, please!) for Tuesday.

As for our visitors, well, they quite enjoyed their stay. Until Saturday when WestJet dumped on their vacation. The flight to Calgary was to have left at 11 a.m., and was listed as ‘on time’ at 8:30 a.m. But it ended up being an hour late leaving Kamloops and the airline chose not to hold the connecting flight to Brandon. (A  hold of about 15 minutes is all that was needed.) So, after spending a night in the Calgary airport, our guests arrived home Sunday morning.

By coincidence, a WestJet ad showed up on my Facebook page Saturday night. I noted that it had more than 1,000 responses. A quick check showed that about 99 per cent of them were critical of the airline. Should I have been surprised?

FakeDinos

James McEwan, a former WHL enforcer who was one of the original signees of a proposed class-action lawsuit against the CHL, including the WHL, is getting into the coaching racket. McEwan has taken over as general manager and head coach of the junior B Summerland Steam of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.

McEwan, 36, replaces Mark MacMillan, who spent two seasons with the Steam and now is preparing for his first season as an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees.

A Kelowna native, McEwan played four seasons (2004-08) in the WHL, spending two seasons with the Seattle Thunderbirds and two with his hometown Rockets. A forward, he put up seven goals and 10 assists in 208 regular-season games. He also totalled 540 penalty minutes.

He went on to play five seasons in the ECHL, retiring after spending 2014-15 with the Gwinnett Gladiators. In 150 regular-season games, he had seven goals, six assists and 557 penalty minutes.

McEwan doesn’t have any coaching experience, although he is the president of Infinite Ice, which, according to his LinkedIn page, focuses on “providing players with an inspiring, healthy environment (in which) to develop the skills and qualities to thrive long term in the game of hockey and life. Our mission is to elevate the consciousness of players and unite them with their inner power to be connected, balanced, strong, healthy leaders on and off the ice.”

He also lists himself as a meditation and yoga teacher.

In 2019, McEwan and a number of other former players launched a proposed class-action lawsuit against the CHL, including the WHL, and Hockey Canada, alleging that they were negligent by “perpetuating an environment that permitted, condoned and encourage fighting and violence in the game among the underage players they they are obliged to protect.”

Rick Westhead of TSN reported in May that a judge “has set a date for lawyers to argue whether the case should proceed as a class action: Oct. 25-27 in Vancouver.”

McEwan, according to an affidavit filed as part of the proposed lawsuit, had more than 70 fights during his four WHL seasons. He has said that he believes he now is showing symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive brain disease associated with brain injuries, including concussions.

Headline at The Beaverton (@TheBeaverton) — BC Parks to improve campsite reservation system by partnering with Ticketmaster.

Blinker2

JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

The BCHL, which you will be aware now is operating outside of Hockey Canada’s jurisdiction, has revealed its on-ice officiating staff for 2023-24. In total, the officiating department features four development coaches and mentors, five managers, 26 referees and 24 linespeople. . . . Because the BCHL now operates independently, if any of these officials work in the BCHL after Sept. 30, they won’t be allowed to work in any events that are sanctioned by BC Hockey or Hockey Canada for 2023-24. . . . The BCHL news release, including the names off all on-ice officials, is right here. . . .

Taylor Curry has joined the WHL’s Tri-City Americans as their athletic therapist. From Tacoma, she has been a volunteer assistant athletic therapist with the Seattle Thunderbirds, working with veteran Phil Varney. Curry has a bachelor’s degree in athletic training from Washington State and a master’s in sports medicine and injury studies from Cal State Long Beach. . . . With the Americans, Curry takes over from Midge Pearson, who worked with them for one season. . . .

The Vancouver Giants have hired Cord Ivanco as their new equipment manager. Ivanco, 28, spent the past five seasons with the U of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team. . . . In Vancouver, he takes over from Brodie St. Jacques, who joined the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks in June. . . .

F Blake Eastman has joined the Summerside Western Capitals of the junior A Maritime Hockey League after spending four seasons (2019-23) in the WHL. Eastman, from Androssan, Alta., cleared 20-year-old waivers in the WHL after playing with the Prince George Cougars. In 180 regular-season games, he put up 19 goals and 25 assists.

Nonprofit

THE COACHING GAME:

The Everett Silvertips have added Mike Field to their staff as an assistant coach. Field, 39, had been associate head coach with the Arizona State U Sun Devils for eight seasons. He is from Marquette, Mich., and will work alongside head coach Dennis Williams and assistant Dean DeSilva in Everett. . . .

Clayton Beddoes, who is from Bentley, Alta., has joined the Red Deer Rebels as an assistant coach. Beddoes actually is returning to the Rebels, whom he served as skills coach in 2014-15. . . . He played with the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs and the AJHL’s Rustlers before going on to school at Lake Superior State. He played two seasons (1995-97) with the Boston Bruins, then went on to play in the IHL and Europe before retiring in 2002. . . . Beddoes has coaching experience in Germany and Italy, and most recently was with the KHL’s Kunlun Red Star (2021-22) and the Chinese national team program. . . . In Red Deer, he will be working with first-year head coach Derrick Walser and assistant Mike Egener. . . .

Andy Moog won’t be back for an eighth season as the Portland Winterhawks’ goaltending coach. Moog, 63, has chosen to retire. He joined the Winterhawks in time for the 2016-17 season. . . . Brendan Burke, a former Portland goaltender, has been promoted to replace Moog. Burke joined the Winterhawks as assistant goaltending coach prior to the 2022-23 season. Burke, 28, played three-plus seasons (2011-15) with Portland, then finished his WHL career with the Calgary Hitmen. He also got into 19 games with the OHL’s London Knights in 2015-16. After junior, Burke played four seasons with the U of Alberta Golden Bears. . . .

Joël Perrault is the new head coach of the QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic. Earlier, Perrault, 40, had signed on as an assistant coach with the Victoriaville Tigres. But that was before the opportunity arose with Rimouski. . . . Perreault ended a 13-season pro career after playing in France in 2015-16. His career included 96 games in the NHL, split among the Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks. . . . He spent the past three seasons as head coach of the U18 AAA Saint-Eustache Vikings. . . . In Rimouski, he takes over from Serge Beausoleil, who had been with the organization for 12 years. . . .

Ryan Marsh is the new head coach of the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints. Marsh, 48, has been coaching since 2003-04 when he was an assistant with the AJHL’s Fort Saskatchewan Traders. He was an assistant with the Saints for four seasons (2006-10). He also has coaching experience with NAIT and the U of Alberta Golden Bears. For four seasons, he was an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oil Kings, and also spent four seasons as associate coach with the Saskatoon Blades. Last season, he worked with the DEL’s Schwenninger Wild Wings. . . . Marsh takes over from Bram Stephens with the Saints. They had announced on July 5 that Stephens wouldn’t be returning after six seasons as head coach. . . .

The AJHL’s Brooks Bandits are looking for an assistant coach after Nick Prkusic revealed that he is leaving the organization in order to return to playing. Prkusic played three seasons with the Bandits, winning two AJHL titles, then won another in 2022-23 in his only season as an assistant coach. . . . In between, he played four seasons at Robert Morris U in Carnot-Moon, Penn. . . . The Bandits’ news release didn’t indicate where Prkusic would be playing in 2023-24.

Mike Hammond, who won the BCHL’s 2010-11 scoring title, was killed in a single-vehicle car accident near Shawnigan Lake, B.C., on Wednesday. RCMP were on scene at 5:30 a.m., and said the driver of the Porsche Boxter apparently lost control of the vehicle, left the road and hit a tree. . . . Hammond was 33. . . . He played one game with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets in 2006-07. . . . He led the BCHL with 93 points in 2010-11, splitting the season between the Cowichan Valley Capitals and Salmon Arm Silverbacks. . . . After four seasons in the BCHL, Hammond spent four seasons at Lakehead U and one in the ECHL before going to Europe. He played last season with the EIHL’s Nottingham Panthers. . . . Born in Brighton, he also represented Great Britain in a number of international competitions, including the 2023 IIHF Division 1A championship, where he had two goals and three assists in five games.

THINKING OUT LOUD: How come I don’t see the ubiquitous Burger King butter chicken or Hyundai ‘We Make Wah’ commercials when I’m watching American TV channels? . . . It’s time for Subway to ditch the hungry momma, too. Give her the No. 12 and send her on her way. Please. . . . And don’t get me started on that family in the Save-On-Foods commercials. Stop paying them and maybe the price of groceries would drop a bit. Or maybe not. . . . Meanwhile, there was another thrilling finish in the CFL as the Ottawa Rough, er, Redblacks went into Calgary and beat the Stampeders, 43-41, in overtime. Yes, that was a fun one. . . . There were at least 1,070 new COVID-19 cases in Canada for the period July 2-8. However, only Ontario (450) and Quebec (620) are bothering to report these days. There were at least nine deaths, with Quebec reporting six and Ontario three. Gee, why would Canadian politicians want to keep their heads in the sand and not pass the numbers along to their constituents?

Wolf

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.

Grounds

Hospital to Ferris: You’re outta here! . . . She’s ‘a free bird’ . . . Bedard signs his first NHL contract

In the words of her mother, Lindsey, Ferris Backmeyer “is a free bird” today.

Ferris2
Ferris Backmeyer, post-transplant, enjoys time at a Toronto park. (Photo: Lindsey Backmeyer/Facebook)

Ferris, a six-year-old from Kamloops, is in Toronto with her family, recovering from a kidney transplant that was done at the Hospital for Sick Children.

The joy this family — it includes Pat, Lindsey’s husband, and older sisters Tavia, 11, and Ksenia, 9 — now is feeling just bursts off the computer screen as one reads Lindsey’s latest Facebook post.

“Nineteen hospital sleeps was 100% worth it to be right where we are. On the other side,” Lindsey writes. “It’s pretty (bleeping) dreamy!! It was the most surreal hospital experience we’ve ever had. A really quick recovery from a post-op/pain perspective and then a kid who is the least sick that she’s ever been in hospital!”

Remember that Ferris hasn’t known much but kidney problems and dialysis — either peritoneal or hemo — for most all of her short life. What she is experiencing now is unbelievably awesome.

Ferris1
Ferris Backmeyer is a swinging young lady in the early days of her post-transplant life. (Photo: Lindsey Backmeyer/Facebook)

After undergoing the transplant, Ferris’s recovery was interrupted a tad by a bladder leak that required the installation of a catheter. But Lindsey reports that the leak “appears to have healed up well” and the catheter has been removed

Lindsey adds:

“The last week she has felt pretty good. No pain meds at all. Just waiting for the catheter and drain to come out. We managed to go out on passes in the afternoon/evening knowing that if the ultrasound looked solid (Sunday) we would get to leave (Monday)! It took allll day but we left at dinner time.

“We’ve been to this park daily and so far it’s filling her cup! That, and the Krispy Crèmes!!”

Now . . . if you’ve been following Ferris’s story for any length of time and are aware of what this family has been through, well, try reading this without things getting a bit misty.

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Ferris Backmeyer is loving another Krispy Kreme donut. (Photo: Lindsey Backmeyer/Facebook)

“We’ve had so many sweet moments over the past couple of weeks,” Lindsey writes. “The big one is the eating. She’s no longer getting any tube feeds at all. Eating way too much food and meeting her fluid goals for the day. Watching her try new foods and demolish whole meals puts the biggest smile on my face. It’s unbelievable but also something I just knew was in her future.”

The really good news is that Ferris’s new kidney “continues to be soooo happy. There’s still some fine-tuning to be done with getting her weight down safely. She breathes really fast and her X-ray showed fluid on her lungs. I see it in her (impossible not to with a respiratory rate in the 60s) and it’s really hard to watch but her sats and heart rate are happy. It’s been that way for a couple weeks now and she’s pretty fine otherwise. But something I’d love to improve!”

For now, the Backmeyers will hang around Ronald McDonald House and wait for a transfer to BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver. If all goes well that move could take place in two weeks. After that, well, it would home to Kamloops for the first time in months.

And they really are going to enjoy the next couple of days because their medical team doesn’t want to see Ferris until Thursday.

“We haven’t had two whole days away from a hospital since the end of February!!” Lindsey notes. “That’s a huge win if you ask me!! It’s been 2.5 weeks since she’s had a dialysis treatment! There are wins falling from the sky lately!”

Lindsey also has maintained a sense of humour through all of this, and you can feel it as she writes: “Hell, I even finally got my first EI cheque . . . I’ve only been off work for four months already but yay for finally getting that sorted out!”

So . . . Lindsey, please tell us how you really feel . . . how you really, really feel.

“Life feels incredibly easy right now,” she writes. “Waiting for the shoe to drop but the longer we go with steadiness that fear settles a bit. This is not how we typically do things! Smoooooth! We literally just do meds and go for bloodwork and ultrasounds.”

FerrisLogoYou may not be aware that there isn’t a cure for kidney disease. Once you have it there isn’t any shaking it. Transplant recipients, while freed from having to do dialysis, are on a rather serious drug regimen.

Here’s Lindsey describing Ferris’s situation as of now:

“The meds are pretty intensive with several being cytotoxic and she’s on a schedule that has us giving meds five times throughout the day and a once daily injection. But it’s not a record amount of drugs for us by any means.

“It was definitely a record amount of money spent though!! Today’s bill was $2,000 for a three-week supply . . . which is trying to be sorted out for us. I’m fairly certain we will pay and then get reimbursed for a big chunk. It’ll be a non-issue once we get back to B.C.

“She’s on immunosuppressants, antibiotics, antiviral, antifungal, blood-thinner injections and a handful of others. I’m just not used to getting such a big bill for meds she’s already been on before and were covered.”

Yes, there are some considerable differences in what is/isn’t covered between Ontario and B.C.

Of course, to see Ferris and where she’s at now, well, everything this family has been through has been worth it.

“I’m like you realize we’ve done all these things for years. Right?” Lindsey concludes. “(It’s) all worth it to be where we are at right now. I can dream dreams that feel so within our reach I can taste it!! Some normalcy. Meds. That’s it!! Okay . . . so far I think we got this!!”

F Connor Bedard, the first overall selection in the NHL’s 2023 draft, signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, which just happened to be his 18th birthday. . . . Bedard dominated talk in the first four months of 2023, thanks to his performance with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship and the last three months of what likely have been the last season of his WHL career with the Regina Pats. . . . Bedard, at 17, led the WHL in goals (71) and points (143), and was tied for the lead in assists (72), all in 57 games. . . . At the WJC, he put up 23 points, nine of them goals, in seven games. He led the tournament in points as he set a Canadian single-tournament record. He was fourth in tournament scoring for the 2023 event. . . . Bedard was named the CHL’s player of the year, the IIHF’s male player of the year and won the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence that is presented by NHL Central Scouting to the “draft prospect who best exemplifies commitment to excellence through strength of character, competitiveness and athleticism.” . . . Because he’s 18, Bedard will have to be returned to the Pats for the 2023-24 season, unless he makes the Blackhawks’ roster. . . . On which option are you betting? LOL!! . . . Bedard and the Blackhawks open the regular season on Oct. 10 in Pittsburgh against F Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.

Headline at The Beaverton (@TheBeaverton) — Bettman vows to build a whole new city in Arizona if he has to.

Produce

JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

Geoff Walker is the new hockey operations general manager and head coach of the AJHL’s Drayton Valley Thunder. . . . In each of the past two seasons, he guided a Superior International Junior Hockey League team to the Centennial Cup tournament, getting there with the Red Lake Miners in 2022 and Kam River Fighting Walleye last season. . . . In Drayton Valley, Walker replaces Corey Bricknell, who stepped up from associate coach to take over from Sean Brown on Jan. 10. The team had announced on June 5 that Bricknell would be returning for a second season, but that apparently isn’t going to happen. . . . Bricknell still shows up on the Thunder website, now as an Edmonton scout. . . .

Cole McCaig is returning to the SJHL’s Flin Flon Bombers as their assistant general manager and assistant coach. He has agreed to a one-year contract extension. McCaig has been with the Bombers since signing on as assistant coach for the 2018-19 season.

Lew Morrison, who played with the Flin Flon Bombers, died on Saturday. He was 75. . . . A native of Gainsborough, Sask., he grew up in Hartney, Man. . . . He was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers with the eighth overall pick of the NHL’s 1968 draft. He played his first three NHL seasons with the Flyers, then went on to the Atlanta Flames, who claimed him in an expansion draft, Washington Capitals, who also grabbed him in an expansion draft, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He finished with career totals of 39 goals and 52 assists. . . . Morrison retired after scoring six times and adding 14 assists in 65 games with the AHL’s Binghamton Dusters in 1977-78. . . . In 1966-67, he helped the Bombers to the MJHL championship with 25 goals and 40 assists in 44 games. The next season, Morrison had 26 goals and 23 assist with the Bombers in what was then the Western Canadian Junior Hockey League. . . . He was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017.

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.

Thongs