F Aaron Gagnon (Seattle, 2001-07) has signed a one-year contract extension with Langnau (Switzerland, NL). This season, he had 14 goals and 14 assists in 39 games.
It seems that a lot of folks who follow the WHL are wondering about the coaching situation with the Kamloops Blazers. Specifically, they want to know if Serge Lajoie will be back for a second season as the head coach.
You will be aware that the Blazers went 28-32-8 this season, then beat the Kelowna 
Rockets in a tiebreaker to get into the playoffs, where they were beaten in six games by the Victoria Royals in a spirited first-round series.
Letâs break down the Blazersâ season a little bit.
Darryl Sydor, one of the franchiseâs five owners, was named a full-time assistant coach on Feb. 12. A former Blazers defenceman who went on to play and coach in the NHL, Sydor is a two-time Stanley Cup winner and also won a Memorial Cup.
When the Blazers made that announcement, they were 20-27-5. With Sydor officially on board, they finished the regular-season 8-5-3, won that tiebreaker, then went 2-4 in the playoffs.
So, all told, they were 11-9-3 after the Sydor announcement.
Which brings us to an interview that Marty Hastings of Kamloops This Week did with Tom Gaglardi, the Blazersâ majority owner. Here are three questions and answers:
Hastings: Will Serge be the head coach to start next season?
Gaglardi: I suspect so. Heâs got a long-term contract and we havenât had any conversation about anything other than that. Weâre very happy with where we are. We had a great finish to the year and weâre excited about next season, but this week is just a week to lick our wounds. This is a series (vs. Victoria) we truly thought we could win.
Hastings: What do you think assistant coach Darryl Sydor brought to the team?
Gaglardi: Darryl really understands what it takes to win and what a successful bench feels like. Heâs been a long-time player and had success at the junior level, had success at the NHL level, won a couple of Stanley Cups. He knows what benches need. I think he was really instrumental in figuring out what his role could be to help. Sometimes youâve got a coach thatâs a hard coach and the kids need to be brought up and built back, and Darryl really understands the ying and yang, the methods, and figured out a role that he could help in. He really worked hard to make sure the kids believed they could actually get the job done. He perhaps brought something to the staff that was missing. Darryl is a tremendous guy and I was thrilled when he agreed to join full-time and come on board and he made a difference.
Hastings: Does Darryl have what it takes to be a head coach here or somewhere else?
Gaglardi: Iâve got to think so, if thatâs what he wants to do. Heâs come home and I think heâd like to be involved in some way. Weâve had lots of talks around this for a long time. What this blossoms into, Iâm not sure. Heâs a tremendous guy and weâd love to have him involved. Heâs got kids playing competitive hockey. Iâm not sure where heâs going to be, in terms of level of commitment next year, whether heâs ready to step in and take on some sort of full-time role again with the club. Iâm not sure. He did make a big difference to us down the stretch.
That complete interview is right here.
I donât have any idea what the future holds here. I do know that in the 12 seasons under the ownership of Gaglardi, Sydor, Shane Doan, Jarome Iginla and Mark Recchi, the Blazers have gotten out of the first round twice, been a first-round casualty six times, and have missed the playoffs on four occasions.
Lajoie is the 10th head coach or interim head coach, including Guy Charron on two occasions, this franchise has employed over those 12 seasons.
Itâs âGame Onâ in the Eastern Conference seminal between the Prince Albert Raiders and Saskatoon Blades.
The series resumes tonight in Saskatoon, with the Raiders holding a 2-0 lead. Game 3 will be televised by Sportsnet.
Other than the quotes in the above tweets, Ryan Flaherty of Global TV in Saskatoon also 
tweeted this quote from Blades head coach Mitch Love:
“There was four head-whipping incidents (Sunday) night, three of which led to penalties on our side, by their players. So is that embellishment? I don’t know. Is it? I hope they’re getting their necks fixed over there today.”
Youâll recall that prior to the series Marc Habscheid, the Raidersâ head coach, offered up 
these thoughts to Darren Zary of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix:
âThey embellish. Thatâs what they do. They led the league in drawing minors. Itâs known around (the league) that they do that. Hopefully, that stops because itâs not a good thing. You look at a guy like Kirby Dach. Heâs a good player. I met the young man at the Prospects game. A great kid, awesome kid and really great player. He doesnât need to embellish. Heâs better than that. Heâs a good enough player. He doesnât need to that.â
As Zary reports in a story posted on Monday evening, Love went so far as to suggest that the WHL office needs to be paying more attention to player safety.
âI really chose not to say too much about it up until this point,â Zary quotes Love as having said, âbut after watching two games in which I felt there were several incidents â especially (Sunday nightâs) hockey game where there was a lot of contact towards playersâ heads â I know our league stresses player safety, so I think the real story here is how people have turned a blind eye to that kind of thing, based on comments that were made previously, prior to the start of the series.â
Zaryâs story is right here.
And, in case you missed it, hereâs some video of Habscheid off the Sportsnet telecast early in Game 2 on Saturday night. . . .
The Winnipeg Ice revealed via Twitter on Monday that the organization and assistant coach Gord Burnett âhave agreed to part ways.â Burnett, a native of Regina, just completed his fourth season on the Iceâs coaching staff. . . . According to the Iceâs website, its coaching staff now comprises head coach James Patrick and associate coach Jon Klemm. . . . Patrick, from Winnipeg, and Klemm, who is from Cranbrook, have been with the Ice through two seasons.
F Kyle Olson of the Tri-City Americans has joined the San Diego Gulls, the AHL affiliate of the NHLâs Anaheim Ducks, on an ATO. From Calgary, Olson was selected by the Ducks in the fourth round of the NHLâs 2017 draft. He hasnât signed an NHL contract. . . . This season, Olson, who turned 20 on March 22, had 21 goals and 49 assists in 62 games with the Americans.
The Edmonton Oil Kings have signed D Matt Smith to a WHL contract. An Edmonton native, Smith was a third-round selection in the WHLâs 2018 bantam draft. . . . He played this season with the midget AAA Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., Rangers, recording two goals and 10 assists in 41 regular-season and playoff games.
Rick Westhead of TSN filed another story regarding the minimum-wage lawsuit on Monday, and this one really involves the WHL.
âA fight is unfolding in the Western Hockey League minimum-wage class-action lawsuit over the privacy of current and former players who pursue a claim against the league for minimum wage, back pay and overtime,â Westhead writes.
âA year and a half after an Alberta judge certified a minimum-wage lawsuit against the WHL, lawyers for the plaintiffs and the league are now battling over how to notify those players about their right to proceed with a case or, if they choose, withdraw from the litigation.
âThe two sides will appear at a hearing in Calgary on Monday to make arguments about the notice the players will be given regarding the lawsuit.â
The complete story is right here.
Westhead also mentioned that âthe CHL and its three leagues have been battling minimum-wage lawsuits for the past five years.â
It is hard to fathom that it already has been that long. Wouldnât you like to know how much money the WHL has spent on legal fees over that time?
F Joachim Blichfeld of the Portland Winterhawks will play for Denmarkâs national menâs team in a pair of exhibition games against visiting Finland this week. The games are scheduled for Thursday in Aalborg and Saturday in Vojens. . . . The Danish team, under head coach Heinz Ehlers, dropped eight players from its training camp after weekend workouts. . . . Blichfeld, who won the WHL scoring championship with 114 points in 68 games this season, is hoping to earn a spot on the national menâs A team that will play in the IIHF World Championship in the Slovakian cities of Bratislava and KoĹĄice, from May 10 through May 26.
Kevin Kaminski is the new general manager and head coach of the SJHLâs La Ronge Ice 
Wolves. Kaminski, who is from Churchbridge, Sask., signed a three-year contract. . . . Kaminski, 50, spent three seasons (1986-89) with the WHLâs Saskatoon Blades before going on to a pro career that included 139 games in the NHL. . . . For the past three seasons, he has been the head coach of the Western States Hockey Leagueâs Fresno Monsters. . . . The Ice Wolves also announced that Gaelan Patterson, another former Blades skater, will be turning, but as associate GM and associate coach. Patterson finished the season as the teamâs interim head coach after the firing of Evan Vossen. . . . The team also said that Travis Hegland will be returning as athletic therapist and trainer.
NOTES: D Jake Kustra of the Victoria Royals has been suspended for two games after taking a cross-checking major and game misconduct for a hit on F Jared Dmytriw of the 
Vancouver Giants at 2:54 of the second period on Saturday. That was in Game 2 of the series. The Giants won, 2-1 in OT, and hold a 2-0 leading going into Game 3 tonight in Victoria. . . .
Meanwhile, the Giants have been fined $750 for, according to the WHL website, âactions of player at end of gameâ on Saturday night. There was a bit of a brouhaha after Vancouver F Tristen Nielsen scored the game-winner at 3:29 of OT. G Griffen Outhouse of Victoria came out of it with a roughing minor, while Giants D Alex Kannok Leipert was hit with a roughing minor and a game misconduct. I would think itâs safe to assume that he is the âplayerâ in question. . . .
In these playoffs, the WHLâs Dept. of Discipline now has issued 13 suspensions totalling 30 games, and handed out six fines worth a total of $4,250. . . . In all of last seasonâs playoffs, there were six players suspended for a total of 12 games, and two fines meted out worth $1,250. . . .
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After a quiet Monday night, there are three second-round games on the schedule tonight. . . .
As mentioned, the Vancouver Giants hold a 2-0 lead as they play Game 3 against the Royals in Victoria. The Royals obviously will be without D Jake Kustra, while F Kody McDonald serves the fifth of a six-game suspension. . . . Victoria D Ralph Jarratt left late in Game 3 with an apparent injury to his left shoulder or arm and didnât return. . . . The Giants are expected to again be without F Aidan Barfoot, who was injured in the first round. . . .
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In Calgary, the Edmonton Oil Kings, with a 2-0 lead, will meet the Hitmen as the Battle of Alberta resumes. . . . Hereâs a note from Derek Van Diest of the Edmonton Sun involving the first two games:
âTwo games and two won face-offs have ended up the back of the Hitmen net so far in the series.
âThe Oil Kings won 3-2 in overtime Saturday after (Mark) Kastelic won a clean draw in his own zone and pulled it back through the legs of an unsuspecting (goaltender Jack) McNaughton and off the goal post. Jake Neighbours was then first to the rebound and knocked it into the net for the game-winner.
âOn Sunday, Carson Focht pulled one back from the same face-off circle past McNaughton and into the net to give the Oil Kings a 2-1 lead in the second period.â
As Calgary head coach Steve Hamilton told Van Diest: âItâs not everyday you win two faceoffs and shoot two pucks into your own net in two games. I donât know if Iâve ever seen that. That was a bid odd, but it was probably par for the course, too.â
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The Prince Albert Raiders, with a 2-0 lead, venture into Saskatoon to meet the Blades in a game that will be televised by Sportsnet, which also showed the first two games of the series. . . . With the two head coaches firmly involved in a war of the words, it will be interesting to see the attendance in the SaskTel Centre tonight.
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The other second-round series, between the Everett Silvertips and Spokane Chiefs, is to resume on Wednesday. The Chiefs went into Everett and won twice, so they take a 2-0 lead on to home ice. The next three games, if necessary, are scheduled for Spokane because the Cirque du Soleil is in the Angels of the Wind Arena in Everett through Sunday.
WHL, had handed out two indefinite suspensions and $2,000 in fines.
to the Thunderbirdsâ lineup after he had served a two-game suspension. He was suspended after taking a cross-checking major and game misconduct for a hit on F Justin Sourdif with six seconds left in the Giantsâ 7-1 victory in Game 1.
Spokane on Saturday night. After splitting the first two games in Spokane, the teams played Tuesday and Wednesday in Portland with the Chiefs winning twice in OT â 5-4 and 4-3. . . . Mike Johnston, the Winterhawksâ general manager and head coach, told Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune that âwe played really wellâ in Game 4. . . . Johnston added: âAll we have to do is play the same the next game. We’re going to be fine in the series. We win in Spokane, then we come back here (for Game 6) on Monday. (The Chiefs) don’t want to come back here. As the series has gone along, our team has gotten better every game.â . . . Johnston also told Eggers that âwe expect Cody (Glass) to be able to play on Saturday.â . . . Glass, who will turn 20 on Monday, was limited to 38 games this season, thanks to knee woes and a stint with Canadaâs national junior team. But he did big damage in those games, putting up 15 goals and 54 assists. . . . The Vegas Golden Knights selected him sixth overall in the NHL’s 2017 draft. Eggers reports the Golden Knightsâ medical staff has cleared Glass to play, as have Portlandâs medical people. . . . As Johnston said, âHeâs the best player in the league. Itâs huge to have him back. If we get that game and get momentum back on our side, thatâs all we need.â . . . Of course, this being the WHL playoffs you have to remember that you canât believe 90 per cent of what you hear or read about injuries, and you have to take the other 10 per cent with a huge grain of salt.
over the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . The series is tied, 2-2, with Game 5 set for Lethbridge on Saturday. . . . The Hitmen took a 1-0 lead at 3:28 of the first period on a goal by F Riley Stotts (1). . . . Lethbridge F Jake Elmer (1) tied it at 1:36 of the second period. . . . Calgary took a 2-1 lead when F James Malm (1) scored at 8:53, only to have F Logan Barlage (1) tie it, on a PP, at 12:42. . . . Calgary F Josh Prokop (2) broke the tie at 1:44 of the third period, and D Vladislav Yeryomenko (1) added insurance, on a PP, at 5:04. . . . F Luke Coleman (2) added an empty-netter at 17:45. . . . The Hitmen got three assists from F Ryder Korczak, with Stotts adding two to his goal. . . . Calgary was 1-4 on the PP; Lethbridge was 1-5. . . . G Jack McNaughton earned the victory with 37 saves, seven more than Lethbridgeâs Carl Tetachuk. . . . Calgary was without F Mark Kastelic, its captain, for a second straight game. He is in concussion protocol. . . . Calgary also is without F Jake Kryski, 20, who last played on Jan. 11.
City Americans in Kennewick, Wash. . . . The Silvertips lead the series, 3-1, and get their first opportunity to wrap it up at home on Saturday. . . . Last night, the Silvertips scored once in each period. . . . F Bryce Kindopp (2) opened the scoring, on a PP, at 12:34 of the first period. . . . F Max Patterson (2) made it 2-0 at 7:56 of the second. . . . F Zack Andrusiak (2) got the empty-netter at 19:19 of the third. . . . Everett was 1-5 on the PP; Tri-City was 0-2. . . . Wolf posted his first playoff shutout. He has 11 career regular-season shutouts, seven of them this season. . . . The Americans got 35 stops from G Beck Warm.