Tag: BCHL

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.

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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.

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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

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.

Unsubscribe

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

WHL adds team to U.S. Division . . . Winnipeg Ice on way to Wenatchee, Wash. . . . Wild becomes sixth American team after sale . . . Governors approved deal on Tuesday

Whites
Lisa and Dick White have purchased the WHL’s Winnipeg Ice and will move the franchise to Wenatchee where it will play as the Wild. (Photo: wenatcheewild.com)

The WHL’s vision of having a franchise in each of the four western Canadian province’s capital cities — Victoria, Edmonton, Regina and Winnipeg — lasted four seasons.

The dream was realized in 2019 when the Kootenay Ice, a franchise that had changed hands on April 27, 2017, moved from Cranbrook to Winnipeg.

But it all went up in smoke on Friday with a terse four-paragraph statement from the WHL office stating that the franchise has been sold again and that it will be relocated to Wenatchee, Wash., where it will play as the Wild.

Darren Dreger of TSN broke the news Friday morning.

The WHL is leaving a city of more than 800,000 people for a city of about Wenatchee35,000. Wenatchee is located in Chelan County, which according to the U.S. Census Bureau had a population of 79,646 in 2021. Neighbouring Douglas County’s population was 43,696.

The franchise has been purchased by David and Lisa White, who also own the BCHL’s Wenatchee Wild. The Wild is operated by the Shoot the Puck Foundation, a non-profit organization based in California.

The sale and relocation was approved by the WHL’s board of governors on Tuesday.

The WHL’s news release, which didn’t include any quotes from Ron Robison, the commissioner, or Bruce Hamilton, the Kelowna Rockets’ owner and general manager who is chairman of the board of governors, stated: “Unfortunately, multiple attempts by the ICE ownership to construct an arena facility of acceptable WHL standards in Winnipeg, based on the agreed upon timeframes, were unsuccessful, leading to the relocation to Wenatchee.”

It would seem that the mistake the WHL made was allowing 50 Below Sports + Entertainment Inc., headed up by owner and governor Greg Fettes and Matt Cockell, the president and general manager, to move the franchise to Winnipeg without having put a shovel in the ground for a new facility.

The WHL, Fettes and Cockell appear to have spent Friday under a cone of silence. The Winnipeg Sun reported that it wasn’t able to get messages returned from the WHL or Cockell.

The Canadian Press reported Friday that “interview requests left with the team and league were not immediately returned.”

The Winnipeg Free Press reported that it has been shut out for months in attempts to reach WHL and Ice officials.

“Despite repeated attempts by the Free Press to get answers in recent months, the club and league remained silent — until Friday,” the Free Press reported Friday.

The Free Press also reported:

“A source told the Free Press last weekend that the Ice informed game-day production staff, such as camera operators and sound/lighting technicians, to find work elsewhere next season.

“Yet, as recently as last Wednesday, the Ice continued to market season-ticket packages on its social media platforms.

“Repeated attempts to reach Fettes through communications staff from both the hockey club and his business were unsuccessful last week when it became apparent the team was about to be sold.

“A WHL spokesman didn’t return multiple messages seeking comment, either.”

The Free Press had reported a few months ago that the WHL and team governors had soured on the Ice ownership and had, according to sources, hit it with a $500,000 fine because of a failure to address the arena issue. The WHL and Ice issued denials — the WHL never did post its statement on its website — but that was the beginning of speculation that the Ice was in its final season in Winnipeg.

On Friday, the Free Press also reported:

“As recently as this past December, the WHL released a statement that read as follows: ‘The Winnipeg Ice have assembled a highly competitive team this season and the WHL continues to work with the Ice regarding a solution to the club’s long-term plans for a suitable facility in Winnipeg.’

“The league said more information would be released in 2023. No new information followed.”

Until Friday, that is.

——

On Jan. 29, 2019, Fettes told a Winnipeg news conference: “We’re building a 4,500-seat arena. We’re expecting it to be full.”

That facility was to have been ready for the start of the 2021-22 season; however, they didn’t even get one shovel into the ground. Thus, the Ice ended up playing four seasons in the 1,600-seat Wayne Fleming Arena on the U of Manitoba campus.

“Despite our success in building the organization,” Fettes said in a stateWinnipegIcement, “we were unable to confirm our ability to build a new facility in Winnipeg that met the WHL standards on a timeline that was acceptable to the WHL. Unfortunately, we were never able to get the project on solid footing due to the changing landscape (during and post-pandemic). Simply put, we ran out of time.”

The original plan apparently was to build an arena in the Rural Municipality of Macdonald, just off the southwest corner of Winnipeg.

Brad Erb, a reeve for the RM, told the Winnipeg Sun in February that he was excited four years ago when he heard about the Ice moving to Manitoba.

“I thought it was pretty exciting for the area and for the municipality . . . that they’d be putting up this entertainment facility within our jurisdiction,” Erb told The Sun. “From that day forward, it was radio silence and I haven’t heard a darn thing about it.”

In Wenatchee, the team will play out of the 4,300-seat Town Toyota Center. During the 2022-23 BCHL regular season, according to figures compiled by hockeydb.com, the Wild averaged 2,672 fans per regular-season game, second to the Penticton Vees (3,102). The Cranbrook Bucs were third, at 2,310.

——

——

Naturally, Wenatchee will play in the U.S. Division, which now has six teams. The relocation leaves the Western and Eastern Conference each with 11 teams.

Taking Note was told early Friday that the East Division schedule was finalized on Thursday with five teams involved and the Brandon Wheat Kings again serving as the league’s eastern border. The Swift Current Broncos moved from the East to the Central Division to accommodate Winnipeg, and apparently will remain there for one more season. After 2023-24, the Broncos will move back, giving the East Division six teams and the Central Division five.

“It’s been a contentious issue with the arena building in Winnipeg and trying to find a place to play,” Jared Jacobson, the Wheat Kings’ owner and governor, told Perry Bergson of the Brandon Sun. “It’s been going on for a few years. “It’s sad because we had quite the rivalry going since before the hub. They started getting stronger and stronger and they had their run at it this year and we were becoming pretty good rivals.

“They were our closest WHL partner. Having another team in Manitoba was  nice in that market but it obviously didn’t work for them.” 

——

The Wild has been in Wenatchee since 2008 when it operated in the North American Hockey League. The owners relocated the team to Hidalgo, Texas, after the 2012-13 season and the Whites moved the Fresno Monsters — they had purchased the NAHL team in 2009 — from California to Wenatchee. The Whites own a fruit distribution operation in Fresno.

The Wild moved into the BCHL in 2015. Wenatchee won the Fred Page Cup as BCHL champions and the Doyle Cup as the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s Pacific region champion in 2018.

Bliss Littler, a veteran junior hockey man who was head coach of the Wild for its first five seasons in the BCHL, is the organization’s general manager. He signed a 10-year contract extension on June 4, 2021.

Chris Clark, the Wild’s head coach and assistant GM, has been on staff since 2008. He was named head coach prior to the 2020-21 season, although the team didn’t operate that winter due to the pandemic.

Troy Mick, a former WHL player and coach, also is part of the Wild’s organization. He is the director of its development teams and is the head coach of the 16U Wilderness and 18U AAA Wolves. There also are 12U and 14U development teams.

Late Friday afternoon, the Wenatchee Wild Hockey Academy posted on social media that “it is business as usual for our academy and development teams for the 2023-24 season and beyond. We feel this is another step in developing our players for the next level!”

Around 4 p.m. PT, the Wild was on social media: “We’re on the hunt for a full-time equipment manager and a certified athletic trainer for the 2023-24 season – to apply, email General Manager Bliss Littler at blittler@wenatcheewildhockey.com.”

——

There wasn’t any mention in the Wild’s news release about the future of the BCHL franchise. However, the BCHL issued a statement early Friday afternoon stating that the Wild franchise “will not operate in the BCHL in 2023-24.”

Graham Fraser, the owner of the Penticton Vees and the chairman of the BCHL’s board of governors, said: “As a league, we are assessing our next steps, including reviewing the best options for players currently on the Wenatchee Wild’s roster and addressing schedule implications for the 2023-24 season.”

The BCHL, now a 17-team league with all franchises located in B.C., recently completed its 2023-24 schedule — it calls for each team to play 54 games — and was soon to release it. It now has been sent back to the drawing board.

As for the players on the Wild roster, Steve Cocker, the BCHL commissioner, told Castanet that there won’t be dispersal draft and that they now are free agents.

Cocker also admitted to Castanet that the BCHL was caught off guard by the news.

“What they have found moving to the WHL provides them with a long-term solution that will give them an instant rivalry with the U.S. Division so you can’t fault them for making that business decision,” Cocker told Castanet. “Is it tough not having an organization like the Wild in our league? Sure. They were one of our top organizations but we have a lot of positive momentum going right now with and we’re excited to move forward.”

——

The Ice has been the WHL’s top club each of the past two regular seasons, going 110-20-6. This season, it finished atop the standings, at 57-10-1. After losing to the Edmonton Oil Kings in the Eastern Conference final in 2021-22, the Ice fell to the Seattle Thunderbirds in the championship final in 2022-23.

Winnipeg paid a steep price for the team it iced in 2022-23, though. As Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun reported in February: “According to WHL blogger Alan Caldwell, who tracks these things, the Ice has traded away picks in the first, second and fourth rounds in this year’s draft, all its picks from Rounds 1 through 6 in 2024, its top four picks in ’25 and its first six picks in ’26.”

Still, Wenatchee should have starry forwards Zach Benson, Conor Geekie and Matt Savoie, and starting goaltender Daniel Hauser, back when it opens its first training camp south of the border in August.

But decisions about trading high-end talent to restock the cupboard with draft picks likely will have to be made at some point during the season.

——

This is the third time that the WHL has failed in the Manitoba capital. The Winnipeg Jets/Clubs/Monarchs ended a 10-season run when they moved to Calgary and became the Wranglers over the summer of 1977. The Winnipeg Warriors, an expansion team spent four seasons there before moving to Moose Jaw in 1984.

Will there be a fourth attempt?

——

Here’s Jeff Bromley, a Cranbrook resident who once covered the Kootenay Ice for the Kootenay Advertiser: “(The WHL) becomes more bush by the year. Relocating to a city similar in size to Cranbrook. (Wenatchee) fans don’t get too attached; as soon as there’s another arena at a bigger centre built & ur drawing (fewer than) 2,800, the moving trucks won’t be far behind.”

Here’s Matt Coxford, a former Cranbrook Townsman writer: “I hope the previous owner is sufficiently embarrassed. Did everything he could to get out of town, sold to some bad-faith operators, and now his father’s HHOF banner hangs in a rink twice removed from the franchise.”

——

How did players on Winnipeg’s roster find out that they now belonged to a team in another country? The same way you and I did. On social media.

Perry Bergson of the Brandon Sun reported that F Conor Geekie learned of the sale by checking his Instagram account after a workout. He said his teammates were in the same boat.

“The most frustrating thing is how we found out,” Geekie told The Sun. “There wasn’t much notice. We all found at the same time. I’m sure they were swamped but I think we just expected a little bit more in that category.”

——

JUST NOTES: Trevor Crawley of the Cranbrook Townsman tweeted Friday that “a lawsuit filed by the City of Cranbrook against the Western Hockey League and the Winnipeg Ice for breach of contract remains outstanding, as far as I know, based on court records.” That lawsuit was filed by the City of Cranbrook in December 2020. . . . Unaddressed is whether the BCHL’s move to operate outside of Hockey Canada had anything to with the decision by the Whites to leave that league and jump into the WHL. . . . 50 Below Sports + Entertainment Inc., still owns two MJHL franchises, theWinnipeg Blues and Winnipeg Freeze. . . . This is the 10th sale of a WHL franchise since 2007, which is when the Kamloops Blazers went from community to private ownership.

MJHL concerned about losing players to BCHL . . . Warriors’ assistant takes over Bisons . . . Thunderbirds get import from Oil Kings

Here’s Ken Campbell of Hockey Unfiltered, in a piece headlined ‘Vegas won the Cup the old-fashioned way: They earned it’:

“No, the NHL did not gift the Golden Knights a Stanley Cup. The rival GMs who tried to outsmart the expansion draft and subsequently got fleeced by George McPhee did. If you need any further proof of that, just look at the team the Golden Knights vanquished in the final. The Florida Panthers gave Vegas Reilly Smith so they would select Jonathan Marchessault instead of defenceman Alex Petrovic, who hasn’t played in the NHL in four seasons and finished up this season with the Texas Stars of the AHL. The Anaheim Ducks traded Shea Theodore to the Golden Knights in exchange for not selecting the unprotected Sami Vatanen or Josh Manson. The Minnesota Wild dealt Alex Tuch — whom the Golden Knights ultimately leveraged to get Jack Eichel — so they would take Erik Haula.”

——

Want more on the Stanley Cup-champion Golden Knights? Greg Wyshynski of ESPN has a terrific read right here. He writes about the Golden Knights and how they were built, warts and all, and a whole lot more. It’s lengthy but well worth the time.

Henri Richard, who won 11 Stanley Cups while playing with the Montreal Canadiens, is the latest former NHLer to have been found to be suffering with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) when he died on March 6, 2020. . . . Richard, who was 84 when he died, played with the Canadiens for 20 seasons (1955-75). He was the Pocket Rocket; his brother Maurice was the Rocket. . . . Henri’s son, Denis, has gone public with the findings of Stage 3 CTE (Stage 4 is the worst). “I hope my father’s brain donation and diagnosis will lead to more prevention efforts, research and eventually a CTE treatment,” Denis said in a statement. “I want people to understand this is a disease that impacts athletes far beyond football.” . . . Ken Dryden, the Hall of Fame goaltender who played with Richard, also released a statement in which he said: “I played with Henri. We won two Cups together. He fits none of the easy stereotypes, checks none of the easy boxes. Played in a different time, old-time hockey, all the fights? Not Henri. Big hitter? Not Henri. . . . Like Stan Mikita and Ralph Backstrom, he was a great skater, and physical, but he had a playmaker’s mind, and played that way. But all those hits to the head. We have to understand, whatever the sport, a hit to the head is not a good thing.” . . . Mikita and Backstrom both were found to have CTE when they died. . . . There is more on this story right here.

Sponges

From Mike Sawatzky of the Winnipeg Free Press:

“The tremors triggered by the B.C. Hockey League’s recent split with Hockey Canada are rumbling toward the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

“One star player — 19-year-old Portage Terriers right-winger Austin Peters — has already committed to playing for the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs and others may soon follow.”

As Sawatzky points out, BCHL teams no longer have to pay compensation of any sort when signing players who have been in leagues that operate inside Hockey Canada.

Barry Wolff, the general manager and head coach of the MJHL’s Swan Valley Stampeders, who has extensive experience in the BCHL, told Sawatzky: “I think you’ll see those kind of high-end skilled guys leaving. It’s unfortunate there’s no compensation and I guess in our world, we would hope that some way, some how they would honour something because basically they can phone any of your guys and take them. On the flip side, we can do the same to their players but the chances of that happening is a little tougher.”

Sawatzky’s complete story is right here.

Congrats to Bill O’Donovan on the news that RTNDA Canada is presenting him with its 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award. . . . When he isn’t the public address announcer at Kamloops Blazers’ games, O’Donovan is the lead news anchor — a position he has filled since 2001 — and producer at CFJC-TV in Kamloops. . . . Bill and I go back to the late-1980s when he was at CKCK-TV in Regina and I was at The Leader-Post. We may have gone head-to-head in the odd Strat-O-Matic baseball game, too. . . . RTNDA? Radio Television Digital News Association.

F Noah Philp, who spent four seasons in the WHL, has retired from hockey after spending one season in the pro game. Philp, 24, put up 37 points, 19 of them goals, in 70 games with the Bakersfield Condors, the AHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers. Edmonton had signed him to a one-year entry-level deal after he played three seasons with the U of Alberta Golden Bears and had expressed interest in re-signing him. . . . Before joining the Golden Bears, Philp played two seasons (2015-17) with the Kootenay Ice and two (2017-19) with the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, Philp said: “I’m at a time in my life where I want to focus on things outside the realm of hockey. I’m doing well and wish all the best to the players, coaches and staff in Bakersfield and in Edmonton.”

Watch

F Mike Vecchione scored twice and added an assist on Thursday as the host Hershey Bears beat the Coachella Valley Firebirds, 3-2, to tie the AHL’s championship final, 2-2. . . . They’ll play Game 5 in Hershey on Saturday and then head to Thousand Palms, Calif., to finish the series with games on Monday and, if needed, Wednesday. . . . Last night, Vecchione’s second goal of the game, and fourth of the playoffs, broke a 1-1 tie at 3:03 of the second period. . . . F Ethen Frank (2) upped the lead to 3-1 at 14:24. . . . F Jesper Froden (5) got the Firebirds to within a goal at 7:01 of the third period but they weren’t able to pull even down the stretch.

THE COACHING GAME:

Gordon Burnett, an assistant coach with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors, has been named the head coach of the U of Manitoba Bisons. He will take over from the retiring Mike Sirant, who spent more than 30 years with the Bisons as a player, assistant coach and head coach. . . . Burnett spent three seasons with the Warriors. He also was on the staff of the Kootenay Ice for four seasons. . . . Mike Sawatzky of the Winnipeg Free Press reported on May 30 that the Bisons were expected to turn to Burnett as their next head coach.

JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

The Seattle Thunderbirds have acquired 2004-born German F Luca Hauf from the Edmonton Oil Kings for an eighth-round selection in the WHL’s 2024 draft. . . . That draft pick originally belonged to the Vancouver Giants. . . . Hauf had five goals and 16 assists in 45 games last season. He has played for Germany at each of the past two World Junior Championships. He had one goal in five games in the 2023 tournament. . . . The Oil Kings’ roster still includes 2005-born Czechia D Vojtech Port, who had four goals and 13 assists in 48 games as a freshman last season. . . . Hauf joins 2003-born F Brad Lambert, who is from Finland, on Seattle’s roster. Lambert, however, is unlikely to return. He started last season with the Manitoba Moose, the AHL affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets, and is almost certain to be in the pro ranks next season. He also is heading into his 20-year-old season. . . . The 2023 CHL import draft is scheduled for July 5. . . .

D Chase Friedt-Mohr and D Nicco Camazzola, both preparing for their 20-year-old seasons, were placed on waivers by the Tri-City Americans and both have cleared. Thus, they both are free agents. . . . Friedt-Mohr, from Prince Albert, has split 125 regular-season games between the Americans, Spokane Chiefs and Edmonton Oil Kings. He has eight goals and 13 assists over those games. . . . From Burnaby, Camazzola put up three goals and six assists in 107 regular-season games — 16 with the Americans and 91 with the Vancouver Giants. . . .

F Blake Eastman, another player heading into his 20-year-old season, has cleared waivers after being released by the Prince George Cougars. From Ardrossan, Alta., Eastman had eight goals and 14 assists in 66 games last season. In 180 regular-season games over four seasons, he has 19 goals and 25 assists. . . .

F Steel Quiring, who played with four WHL teams, including three last season, also has cleared waivers and is a free agent. Quiring, 20, is from Vernon, B.C. He played last season with the Calgary Hitmen (two games), Everett Silvertips (30) and Regina Pats (23), totalling four goals and five assists. . . . He also played with the Kelowna Rockets. . . . In 142 regular-season games, he put up 18 goals and 38 assists. . . .

Simon Gagné was introduced as the general manager of the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts on Thursday. Gagné had been an assistant coach with the Remparts, working alongside Patrick Roy, the general manager and head coach, who stepped aside earlier this week. The Remparts haven’t yet named a new head coach. . . . Gagné played three seasons (1996-99) with the Remparts before going on to a lengthy NHL career during which he won one Stanley Cup (Los Angeles Kings, 2012).

Glasses

THINKING OUT LOUD:

Wouldn’t the NHL have been a lot more fun had one of the groups that included Ryan Reynolds or Snoop Dogg ended up owning the Ottawa Senators? . . . Can’t you just imagine Snoop hangin’ with some of the governors at those meetings in Florida? . . . What a great move by the QMJHL in posting its teams’ protected lists on its website, allowing fans to gain some insight into things. Yes, you are able to go to theqmjhl.ca and pore over the protected list of each of the 18 teams by going to the 2023 preseason pages. . . . Wouldn’t it be nice if the WHL chooses to follow suit once it gets the 2023 preseason pages up on its website?

——

——

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.

Sewer

QMJHL getting fighting out of its games; Memorial Cup champs had one scrap this season . . . Firebirds win AHL final opener . . . Blades’ coach, wife welcome first child

The QMJHL has firmed up its “new sanctions to prevent fighting” and released qmjhlnewthem to the public. . . . The regulations were set after committee meetings involving owners, general managers and members of the staff of Mario Cecchini, the league’s new commissioner. . . . The main points: Addition of a game misconduct penalty for any player involved in a fight; addition of an automatic one-game suspension for any player declared the instigator of a fight; addition of a minimum two-game automatic suspension for any player identified as the aggressor; and, in addition to the game misconduct, an automatic one-game suspension will be imposed once a player has reached his second fight, rather than his third. . . . If you click right here, you will a brief news release that includes a chart showing the automatic fighting-related penalties.

Tracking

The BCHL no longer wants to be referred to as a junior A league. In a post bchlinvolving frequently asked questions posted on its website on Thursday, the league notes: “The BCHL is simply the British Columbia Hockey League. We don’t need to classify ourselves otherwise.” . . . If you have any questions about what is happening with the league that left Hockey Canada as May turned into June, there is a lot of information right here. . . . For example, as things stand now, “Under BC Hockey and Hockey Canada regulations, any officials who work BCHL games after Sept. 30 will not be permitted to work in Hockey Canada-sanctioned leagues.” . . . As well, BC Hockey has said that any officials and/or staff working with BCHL teams won’t be able to coach minor hockey teams that are registered with Hockey Canada. That also means that those associated with BCHL teams won’t be able to work with minor hockey teams in any fashion. Nor will minor hockey players be able to take part in any BCHL pre-game or intermission happenings.

The first-year Coachella Valley Firebirds opened the AHL’s best-of-seven Firebirdsfinal on Thursday with a 5-0 victory over the Hershey Bears before a sellout crowd of 10,087 in Thousand Palms, Calif. . . . The Firebirds are affiliated with the NHL’s Seattle Krakken. . . . G Joey Daccord stopped 25 shots for the shutout. . . . F Kole Lind (Kelowna Rockets, 2014-18) had three assists. He leads the AHL scoring race with 26 points, 19 of them assists, in 20 games. . . . D Ryker Evans (Regina Pats, 2018-22) also had three assists. A first-year pro, Evans has three goals and 16 assists in 19 playoff games. . . . A note from the AHL: This was the 128th Calder Cup final game in Bears franchise history, and the 92nd game overall in Firebirds franchise history. . . . They’ll play Game 2 in Thousand Palms tonight, then head for Hershey and the next three games, on June 13, 15 and 17, if necessary. If more games are needed, they’ll finish up in Thousand Palms on June 19 and 21.

JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

Brennan Sonne, the head coach of the Saskatoon Blades, and his wife, Kaleigh, welcomed Lowen, their first child, earlier this week. Sonne, who just completed his second season with the Blades, is the WHL’s reigning coach of the year. He joined the Blades after four seasons as head coach of the Ducs d’Angers of France’s Ligue Magnes. . . .

The Battlefords North Stars, the SJHL’s reigning champions, announced on Thursday that they have signed Brayden Klimosko, their general manager and head coach, to a five-year contract extension. . . . Klimosko has been with the North Stars for five seasons, winning two SJHL titles and three coach-of-the-year awards. . . .

The BCHL’s board of governors has approved the sale of the Langley Rivermen. Dana Matheson and Jamie Schreder, a pair of Langley businessmen, have purchased the franchise from John Henderson. The new owners already have taken over the operation. Henderson and his family have run the Rivermen since 2011-12.

Headline at The Beaverton (@TheBeaverton) — Trump indicted for the thing you thought he was indicted for last time.

FayWray

THINKING OUT LOUD: Why doesn’t the WHL have a hall of fame? The other two major junior leagues — the OHL and the QMJHL — have them. BTW, the QMJHL added seven people to its Hall of Fame the other night — Stephane Richer, Clément Jodoin, Alain Vigneault, Dave Ezard, Simon Gamache, Stephane Robidas and Rick Vaive. . . . Could the Aquilinis, the owners of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, purchase the Winnipeg Ice and move the franchise to Abbotsford where it would share a facility with the AHL’s Canucks? . . . David Thompson, the owner of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets, is worth US$52 billion, according to information that Online Betting Guide gleaned from Forbes and Bloomberg. So why doesn’t he buy the Winnipeg Ice and build a new arena that the team could call home? . . . If the Ice is available, that is. . . .

The Brandon Wheat Kings fired head coach Don MacGillivray on Nov. 28 and general manager Marty Murray took over. Will Murray continue as GM/head coach in a new season? . . . Is Brent Sutter, the owner, president, general manager and head bottle washer of the Red Deer Rebels, close to hiring a head coach to replace the departed Steve Konowalchuk? And has Sutter interviewed himself yet? . . . It was 35.3 C on my temperature gizmo on Thursday as the first period of Game 3 of the NHL final reached the 10:00 mark. Isn’t it time for all hockey seasons to end in mid-May?

2022

——

——

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.

Mysteries

Dorothy says thanks so much for the support . . . Here we go again with Ice relocation rumours . . . Full speed ahead for BCHL

A huge thank you to all of those who stop by here and chose to donate to Dorothy’s fund-raising effort on behalf of the Kidney Foundation. You proved once again that hockey people really are the best. The 2023 Kamloops Kidney Walk was held on Sunday and Dorothy was there for a 10th straight year. At the time of the walk, she had raised $4,810, which was her highest total yet. So, once again, thank you all so much. She is nearing the 10th anniversary of her kidney transplant and she really looks at the Kidney Walk as a way to give something back. Those of you who donated are part of all that so please reach around give yourselves a pat on the back. . . . As of this writing, she is fifth in all of B.C. Kamloops, meanwhile, surpassed its goal of $20,000 and is second only to Vancouver. . . . Again, thank you all so much!

Here we go again . . . those rumours about the Winnipeg Ice relocating to WinnipegIceChilliwack before another season gets here are flying, again. . . . Here’s Rick Dhaliwal, a co-host of the Donnie & Dhali Show that is on Victoria’s CHEK-TV, on Monday: “Out of the blue (Sunday), a lot of people reached out to me, hearing rumours again about Winnipeg moving to Chilliwack. A lot of people feel the Aquilini family may be behind this — involved, anyway. Sources in the Western Hockey League and the BC Hockey League have heard the same.” . . . The Aquilinis, of course, own the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks and the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks. . . . In February, when the WHL was rumoured to be searching for a new home for the Ice, management with the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs, said that wasn’t’ going to happen. As Brian Maloney, the Chiefs’ general manager and head coach, said at the time: “We’ve tried that song and dance before . . . it rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.” . . . The WHL did have a WHL franchise at one time, but it allowed the Bruins to be sold and moved to Victoria where it now is the Royals. . . . The difference now is that there wasn’t any mention of the Aquilinis earlier in the year. Dhaliwal even suggested that the Chilliwack Coliseum “could also be part of the deal, as in selling it — buying it.” . . . Daniel Wagner of Vancouver Is Awesome sums it all up right here.

Best wishes in retirement to John Chapman, one of the colourful characters who used to inhabit the WHL. Chapman spent six seasons (1980-86) as the head coach of the Lethbridge Broncos and one (1986-87) as general manager of the Calgary Wranglers. He spent one season as director of scouting with the NHL’s Florida Panthers and two with the Florida Panthers as director of player personnel. He has been with the Philadelphia Flyers since 1995-96, 14 seasons as an amateur scout and past 14 as a pro scout. . . . Before joining the Broncos, he was the head coach of the AJHL’s Red Deer Rustlers. Through those organizations, he had a long history with the Sutter family.

Lard

The BCHL has been operating independent of Hockey Canada since June 1. On bchlMay 31, the league issued a news release covering its rules pertaining to the 18 teams’ rosters. . . . While each team will be allowed to have two players from outside North American on its roster, “Russian and Belarusian players are temporarily not allowed due to the political situation in Russia.” . . . Of interest, too, is that players from the CSSHL, BCEHL and B.C.’s junior B leagues no longer are allowed to associate with BCHL teams as affiliate players. . . . That news release is right here.

The Cowichan Capitals and West Kelowna Warrriors haven’t wasted time time in adding European players. The Capitals have received a commitment from Norwegian F Lars Petter Eckholm, 19, for 2022-23. He has been in the Rogle BK program in Sweden for the past four seasons. . . . The Warriors have commitments from Swedish F Viggo Nordström, who will turn 20 on Sept. 11, and Norwegian F Johannes Løkkeberg, 19. . . . There have been some other interesting moves, too. The Penticton Vees, for instance, have signed G Andrew Ness off the roster of the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons. . . . And then there’s the case of G Ethan Morrow, who apparently is the property of two teams — Cowichan and the AJHL’s Blackfalds Bulldogs. . . . No one watches the BCHL closer than does Brian Wiebe, and he rounds up the latest BCHL-related developments right here. This is interesting stuff and it’s worth checking his stuff on a near-daily basis because of all that is happening.

Herring

Here is a chronological look at some items of note that occurred while I was sitting on our deck for the past few days . . .

May 22: The junior B Nanaimo Buccaneers of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League announced that Tali Campbell will be their general manager and that they have signed Troy Newans as head coach. . . . Both spots were vacant after Lee Stone, who had signed on in April, left to join the junior A Red Lake, Ont., Miners of the Superior International Hockey League. . . . Newans started 2021-22 as the head coach of the VIJHL’s Kerry Park Islanders but stepped down in January. . . . Campbell is a co-owner of the Buccaneers and also is the chief operating officer and general manager of the BCHL’s Coquitlam Express. As soon as the Buccaneers made their announcement, I received a text from a hockey coach wondering: “So Tali Campbell is GM of Coquitlam Express of the now unsanctioned BCHL. How can he also be GM of the Nanaimo Buccaneers of the sanctioned VIJHL” . . . How indeed?

May 23: The QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques announced that they and Louis Robitaille, their general manager and head coach, “have mutually agreed to part ways.” Robitaille signed with them in April 2020 and helped the team to a 104-38-25 regular-season record. They were 12-12 in 24 playoff games under Robitaille, and reached the league’s final four this season. . . . Jean-François Fortin, the assistant GM for three years, stepped in as interim GM, but he chose to leave the organization on June 2, just a week before the QMJHL draft.

May 24: The SJHL’s Weyburn Red Wings signed Cody Mapes, their general manager and head coach, to a multi-year contract extension. Mapes is preparing for his third season as the team’s head coach. He spent two seasons as an assistant coach before taking over as head coach. The team’s news release didn’t specify the length of the multi-year extension.

May 24: The BCHL’s Merritt Centennials signed Brian Passmore to a three-year contract as head coach and assistant general manager. Passmore, 43, hired on as the GM/head coach of the BCHL’s Cowichan Capitals prior to the 2020-21 season. He was fired on Nov. 16, 2022. . . . In Merritt, he replaces Curtis Toneff as head coach. Toneff, who also was the GM, was fired following this season. He had been with the Centennials since Dec. 22, 2021. . . . I don’t believe that the Centennials have yet signed a new general manager.

May 25: Matt Dagenais, an assistant coach with the Ottawa 67’s, left the OHL team to take over as head coach of the QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. . . . Dagenais had been with the 67’s since August 2021. He also was the governor and director of hockey operations for the Ottawa Junior Senators of the CCHL. . . . With the Huskies, he replaces Brad Yetman, the head coach for the past two seasons.

Herman

May 26: The Spokane Chiefs acquired a fifth-round pick in the WHL’s 2026 draft from the Kelowna Rockets for 2004-born F Michael Cicek. . . . The Rockets announced it as a conditional fifth-round pick but didn’t outline the conditions. . . . This season, Cicek had four goals and eight assists in 41 games with the Chiefs. . . . From Winnipeg, he was the Chiefs’ sixth-round pick in the WHL’s 2019 draft. He is the younger brother of D Nick Cicek, who played with the Portland Winterhawks and now is on the roster of the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda.

May 26: The Summerside Capitals of the junior A Maritimes Hockey League signed head coach Billy McGuigan through the 2023-24 season. Under McGuigan’s guidance, the Capitals are 338-133-29 in the regular season, with a 51-32 playoff record, and two MHL championships. . . . McGuigan, 47, is a former WHL assistant coach (Regina Pats, 2013-14). Other than that one season, he has been a fixture with Summerside since 2011-12.

May 26: Devon Fordyce, a former WHL goaltender, has joined the MJHL’s Neepawa Titans as their goaltending coach. Last season, Fordyce was the goaltending coach with the Yellowhead Chiefs of the Manitoba AAA U18 League. . . . Fordyce played for Ken Pearson, the Titans’ general manager and head coach, with the 2014-15 Winkler Flyers. . . . Fordyce, 29, played 18 games with the Prince George Cougars (2011-13).

May 29: The Vancouver Giants announced that Jamison Derksen, their director of media relations and video coach, has left the organization in order “to pursue other opportunities.” . . . He had been with the Giants since 2017-18 when he was a volunteer intern as their game-day operations co-ordinator.

May 29: The Swift Current Broncos acquired F Tyson Laventure, 20, from the Lethbridge Hurricanes for a fourth-round selection in the WHL’s 2026 draft. Laventure, from Lloydminster, Alta., was taken 31st overall by the Prince Albert Raiders in the 2018 draft. The Hurricanes acquired him on Jan. 1, 2022. . . . He had 22 goals and 26 assists in 62 games in 2022-23. In 195 career regular-season games, he has 43 goals and 56 assists.

Hiring

May 30: The Moose Jaw Warriors announced that Rose Mary Hartney, their long-time education advisor, died. She was 73 when she died on May 25. She had been their education advisor since 1984 when the franchise moved to Moose Jaw from Winnipeg. She spent 38 years as a teacher at Vanier Collegiate in Moose Jaw, then stayed on with the Warriors following her retirement. She was inducted into the Warriors and Legends Hall of Fame in 2012.

May 30: The AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons signed Carter Duffin as an assistant coach. From a news release: “Duffin previously worked as assistant coach/assistant general manager of the Lloydminster Bobcats (AJHL) from 2021-2023. Prior to his time in Lloydminster, Duffin served as head coach/general manager of the Castlegar Rebels (KIJHL) from 2018-2021, and was the assistant coach/director of operations of the Estevan Bruins from 2017-2018 where he helped lead the club to the SJHL final.”

May 31: The Kelowna Rockets signed F Hiroki Gojsic, 17, after acquiring him from the Victoria Royals for two WHL draft picks — a second-rounder in 2025 and a fifth in 2027. Gojsic was a second-round selection by the Royals in the 2021 WHL draft. He spent 2022-23 with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees, putting up 10 goals and 11 assists in 36 games. From Langley, B.C., Hiroki is the brother of Kanjyu Gojsic, 15, a third-round pick by the Rockets in the 2023 draft who also has signed a WHL contract.

May 31: The Spokane Chiefs acquired F Conner Roulette, 20, from the Saskatoon Blades for two WHL draft picks — a second-rounder in 2024 and a third in 2027. . . . Roulette had 24 goals and 38 assists in 60 games with the Blades, who had acquired him and a third-round pick in the 2026 draft from the Seattle Thunderbirds for F Kyle Crnkovic on Aug. 30. . . . In 191 regular-season games, Roulette has 73 goals and 106 assists.

May 31: The Saskatoon Blades signed associate coach Dan DaSilva to a two-year extension. DaSilva, 38, is from Saskatoon. He has been with the Blades through two seasons.

May 31: The BCHL’s Penticton Vees added Mark McMillan to their staff as an assistant coach. He had been the general manager and head coach of the junior B Summerland Steam of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League since October 2021.

May 31: The Edmonton Oilers acquired F Jayden Grubbe, the 20-year-old captain of the Red Deer Rebels, from the New York Rangers and signed him to a three-year entry-level NHL contract. He has 39 goals and 95 assists in 194 regular-season WHL games with the Rebels. . . . The Oilers gave up a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NHL draft for Grubbe, whom the Rangers had selected in the third round of the 2021 draft.

Coyote

May 31: The Vancouver Giants hired Nathan Kanter as their director of media relations and broadcasting. He will be the radio voice of the Giants, replacing Eddie Gregory. . . . Kanter has been with the Regina Pats for the past two seasons, working as their manager of digital media, fan and community engagement. He had been the play-by-play voice of the BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks for two seasons (2019-21) and the SJHL’s Battlefords North Stars for two seasons prior to heading west.

June 1: The SJHL’s Estevan Bruins added Drew Kocur to their staff as an assistant coach. He had been the Prairie Junior Hockey League’s coach of the year for 2022-23, a season during which he guided the Pilot Butte Storm to to the provincial junior B title.

June 2: The Victoria Royals acquired F Justin Lies from the Saskatoon Blades for what they said in a news release is a “conditional third-round pick in 2026.” . . . The word “conditional” doesn’t appear in the Blades’ news release. . . . Lies will turn 20 on Nov. 24. . . . Lies, from Flin Flon, had nine goals and 14 assists in 56 games with the Blades in 2022-23. He added three goals and an assist in 15 playoff games. . . . In 176 career regular-season games — he also has played with the Vancouver Giants — Lies has 21 goals and 32 assists.

June 2: The AJHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs signed head coach Mario Pouliot to a two-year extension. Pouliot has been with the Pontiacs since September when he took over after the departure of Brad Flynn. Despite getting a late start, Pouliot guided the Pontiacs to the North Division final, the first time they have been there since 2015.

June 6: The SJHL’s Melville Millionaires signed Doug Johnson as their new general manager and head coach. He spent the past season as the head coach and assistant GM of the MJHL’s OCN Blizzard, getting it into the playoffs and being a finalist for coach of the year. . . . Earlier, Johnson spent 11-plus seasons (2010-22) with the SJHL’s Nipawin Hawks, three times being named coach of the year. . . . In Melville, Johnson will take over from Mike Rooney, who left in April after three seasons with the organization.

Dinner

The biggest holes to fill in the WHL next season may well be in the officiating crew because referees Chris Crich and Steve Papp worked their final games on June 4 when they did the Memorial Cup final in Kamloops.

JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

Mike Sawatzky of the Winnipeg Free Press has reported that Gord Burnett, who spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the Moose Jaw Warriors, is expected to be the new head coach of the U of Manitoba Bisons. Burnett, 42, takes over from Mike Sirant, who has retired after 27 seasons as the Bisons’ head coach. . . . Sawatzky also reported that Don MacGillivray, who was fired as head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings early in 2022-23, “was considered an obvious candidate for the U of M job but did not apply.” MacGillivray ran the Bisons for three seasons (2006-09) while Sirant coached the Danish national men’s team.

Former WHLer Marc Habscheid has signed on as head coach of the Vienna Capitals of the ICE Hockey League. He takes over from Dave Barr, who left the club after two seasons that included a 24-17-7 record this season. Habscheid, 60, spent this season as head coach of that league’s Berner Pioneers Vorarlberg, who play out of Feldkirch, Austria. They went 11-34-3 and Habscheid took his leave shortly after season’s end. . . . Thanks to Darren Steinke for bringing this one to my attention as it obviously had fallen through the cracks. . . .

Dan Lambert, a former WHL player and coach, lost his job as an assistant coach on May 30 when the NHL’s Nashville Predators fired him and head coach John Hynes. Both had one year left on their contracts. . . . Lambert spent four seasons with the Predators. . . . Lambert, 53, played four seasons (1986-90) with the Swift Current Broncos. He was on the Kelowna Rockets’ staff for six seasons — five as an assistant coach and the last one (2014-15) as head coach. He also spent two seasons (2017-19) as the head coach of the Spokane Chiefs before going to Nashville. . . .

F Owen Pederson, who played out his junior eligibility this season with the Winnipeg Ice, has signed a two-year contract with the AHL’s Providence Bruins. Pederson, 21, had 32 goals and 42 assists in 65 games with the Ice this season. In 237 games over five seasons, he put up 205 points, including 94 goals. . . .

F Connor McClennon, who played five seasons with the Kootenay/Winnipeg Ice, has signed a two-year deal with the Chicago Wolves, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. He was a sixth-round pick by the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL’s 2020 draft. . . . He had 46 goals and 46 assists in 64 games with the Ice in 2022-23. . . .

manure

Yanick Lemay, who had been on the scouting staff of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets for 12 seasons, is the new general manager of the QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltigeurs. He replaces Philippe Boucher, who left the organization in February. . . . On June 2, the Voltigeurs announced that Éric Bélanger, their interim head coach, won’t be returning. According to a team-issued news release, the decision was reached “by mutual agreement.” He took over as the interim head coach in November, winning 18 of 45 regular-season games and four of eight playoff assignments. . . .

Brett McLean, who played with the WHL’s Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets and Brandon Wheat Kings, is the new head coach of the Iowa Wild, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. McLean played five WHL seasons (1994-99), finishing up with the Wheat Kings. . . . He was an assistant coach in Iowa for three seasons (2017-20) and has been an assistant in Minnesota for the past three seasons. . . .

Jamie Lundmark, who played three seasons in the WHL (Moose Jaw Warriors, Seattle Thunderbirds, 1998-2001) has joined the Princeton women’s hockey program as the director of player development and assistant coach. Lundmark, who retired as a player in 2018, is the founder of Method Hockey. It is based in West Chester, Pa., and works with elite players.

Math

Please take five minutes out of your day and read the story in the tweet below. You’ll learn a whole lot about the Boulets, their son, Logan, and the role that Ric Suggitt played in their story. Wonderful stuff!

——

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.

Opinion

Thunderbirds win terrific Game 4; can wrap up series on Friday . . . Petes, Remparts in control of their series . . . Vees win second straight BCHL title

PLAYOFF NOTES:

The Seattle Thunderbirds will have a chance to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL champions when they entertain the Winnipeg Ice in Game 5 of the final series in Kent, Wash., on Friday night. The Thunderbirds scored a 4-2 victory over the Ice on Wednesday night to assume a 3-1 series lead. . . . The Thunderbirds are in the final for the second straight season, having lost in six games to the Edmonton Oil Kings a year ago. . . . Seattle won its only WHL championship in 2016-17. . . .

In the OHL, the host Peterborough Petes erased a 1-0 deficit with four straight goals en route to a 5-3 victory over the London Knights. . . . The Petes hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven championship series with Game 5 in London on Friday night. . . . If Games 6 and/or 7 are needed, they’ll be played in Peterborough on Sunday and London on Monday. . . . Last night, F Easton Cowan (8) gave London a 1-0 lead at 1:19 of the first period. . . . The Petes took control with the next four goals, three in the second period. F J.R. Avon (9) scored twice in the second, with F Owen Beck (8) getting the other. D Donovan McCoy (2) made it 4-1 at 7:44 of the third period. . . . London got to within a goal on a pair of PP goals, from D Sam Dickinson (4), at 13:59, and F Denver Barkley (10), at 16:51. . . . F Avery Hayes (11) iced it for the Petes with an empty-netter at 17:24. . . . G Michael Simpson earned the victory with 50 saves, 24 of them in the third period. . . .

In the QMJHL, the visiting Quebec Remparts broke a 1-1 tie in the third period as they beat the Halifax Mooseheads, 2-1, to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven championship final. . . . The Remparts get their first opportunity at wrapping it up when the play Game 5 in Quebec City on Friday night. . . . If needed, a sixth game would be played in Halifax on Sunday with a seventh game in Quebec City on Monday. . . . Last night, F Zachary Bolduc (10) scored the game-winner at 13:11 of the third period. Remparts F Theo Rochette likely should have been assessed a slashing penalty in the defensive zone as he forced a turnover, skated up ice, split the defence and fed Bolduc on the left side. He rifled the winner past G Mathis Rousseau on the short side. . . . Rochette (4) had the Remparts’ other goal, at 2:54 of the first period, with Bolduc drawing an assist. . . . F Evan Boucher (8) scored for Halifax at 11:53 of the second period. . . .

Check out Geoffrey Brandow on Twitter (@GeoffreyBrandow) for even more information after each CHL game. . . .

The Memorial Cup is scheduled to arrive in Kamloops on May 25 with the first game — the QMJHL champion against the host Blazers — set for May 26. Of note: Smoke from various forest fires moved into Kamloops in a big way on Wednesday. Hopefully, it moves out long before tournament time arrives.

WEDNESDAY IN THE WHL PLAYOFFS:

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

Winnipeg (1) at Seattle (2) — F Dylan Guenther broke a 2-2 tie at 7:47 of the Seattlethird period as the Seattle Thunderbirds beat the Winnipeg Ice, 4-2, in Kent, Wash. . . . The Thunderbirds, having won three straight games, lead the best-of-seven series, 3-1. . . . Game 5 is scheduled for Kent on Friday night. . . . If needed, Game 6 would be played in Winnipeg on Sunday with Game 7, if needed, there on Monday. . . . Guenther ended up with the game-winner in what was a terrific game. He one-timed a pass from F Reid Schaeber from the top of the right circle for his WHL-leading 16th goal. . . . F Nico Myatovic (3) iced it with an empty-netter at 19:52. . . . Ice F Carson Latimer (4) had opened the scoring at 16:25 of the first period, using his speed to get to a loose puck about 10 feet in front of G Thomas Milic from where he lifted it over him. Latimer has goals in three straight games. . . . D Kevin Korchinski (3) pulled Seattle even when he scored off a quick wrist shot from the top of the right circle with 16.3 seconds left in the first period. . . . Seattle F Gracyn Sawchyn (3) gave his side its first lead at 4:31 of the second period when he banged home a rebound off the end boards while on a PP. . . . F Evan Friesen (6) got the Ice into a 2-2 tie by tucking home a loose puck at 8:33. . . . The Ice felt it had a 3-2 lead at 10:54 when Latimer was able to beat Milic from in close by knocking in the puck out of midair. The call on the ice was a goal but it was disallowed after a lengthy video review, because, according to an entry on the online scoresheet, the puck was “directed in by a player’s glove.” . . . Both goaltenders, Milic and Winnipeg’s Daniel Hauser, were nothing short of superb. Milic finished with 31 saves, two fewer than Hauser. . . . Seattle was 1-for-5 on the PP; Winnipeg was 0-for-3.

Psychic

JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

The Penticton Vees won their second straight BCHL championship on bchlWednesday night, beating the host Alberni Valley Bulldogs, 4-1, to sweep the best-of-seven series. . . . The Vees went 16-1 in winning last season’s Fred Page Cup, and they replicated that this time around. . . . F Brett Moravec scored twice for the winners, giving him 10 goals. . . . The game was halted with 4:02 left in the first period following an injury to Penticton F Spencer Smith following a high hit. From St. Catharines, Ont., Smith is to turn 21 on Saturday. The first intermission was held at that point. . . . During that intermission, the BCHL tweeted: “Smith is alert and was helped off the ice. We hope for a speedy recovery.” . . . The Vees tweeted in the second intermission: “Spencer Smith is doing well at Port Alberni’s hospital. His spirits are high.”

The 2023 Kamloops Kidney Walk is scheduled for June 4, and Dorothy is taking part once again. She will celebrate 10 years as a kidney-transplant recipient in September, so the annual Kidney Walk is a big deal for her. In fact, she is participating for a 10th straight year. Yes, that means she is fund-raising, with all donations going to the Kidney Foundation. . . . If you are interested in helping, you are able to do so on her home page, which is right here.

——

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

Living Kidney Donor Program

St. Paul’s Hospital

6A Providence Building

1081 Burrard Street

Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6

Tel: 604-806-9027

Toll free: 1-877-922-9822

Fax: 604-806-9873

Email: donornurse@providencehealth.bc.ca

——

Vancouver General Hospital Living Donor Program – Kidney 

Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

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

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

——

Or, for more information, visit right here.

Spider

Early three-goal burst lifts T-Birds to Game 3 victory . . . Take 2-1 lead into Game 4 tonight . . . Vees close in on second straight BCHL title

PLAYOFF NOTES:

Phil Varney is the Seattle Thunderbirds’ athletic trainer. He posted the above tweet from Winnipeg long after Game 2 of the WHL’s championship final. . . .

The WHL’s best-of-seven championship series resumed with Game 3 in Kent, Wash., on Tuesday night. The Seattle Thunderbirds dumped the Winnipeg Ice, 6-3, to take a 2-1 series lead. . . . They’ll be back on the ice tonight in Kent for Game 4, with Game 5 there on Friday night. . . .

While the remainder of the WHL’s championship series will be shown on TSN, Fox 13+ in Seattle had announced it would televise Games 3 and 4. On Tuesday, it announced that it also will show Game 5, along with Games 6 and 7 from Winnipeg, if the latter two are necessary. . . .

In the QMJHL, the visiting Quebec Remparts scored a 5-4 OT victory over the Halifax Mooseheads on Tuesday night to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven championship final. . . . They’ll play Game 4 in Halifax tonight, with Game 5 set for Quebec City on Friday. . . . F James Malatesta scored the Game 3 winner at 4:25 of OT. Malatesta, who scored twice and added an assist, has 12 goals in these playoffs. . . .

The OHL’s championship final, featuring the London Knights and Peterborough Petes, is set to continue tonight. The host Petes won Games 2 and 3 so will take a 2-1 series lead into Game 4. . . . They’ll play Game 5 in London on Friday night.

TUESDAY IN THE WHL PLAYOFFS:

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

Winnipeg (1) at Seattle (2) — The Seattle Thunderbirds broke a 1-1 first-period Seattletie with three goals in 45 seconds en route to a 6-3 victory over the Winnipeg Ice in Kent, Wash. . . . The Thunderbirds lead the best-of-seven series, 2-1, with Game 4 in Kent tonight. Game is to be played there on Friday night. . . . Game 3 began with an exchange of goals in the first 87 seconds, with Seattle F Kyle Crnkovic (5) scoring at 0:25 and Winnipeg F Carson Latimer (3) equalizing at 1:27. . . . D Jeremy Hanzel (4) gave Seattle a 2-1 lead, on a PP, at 13:24 of the first period. . . . F Brad Lambert (6) upped it to 3-1 at 13:47, and F Jared Davidson (11) made it 4-1 at 14:09. . . . The WHL record for fast three goals  by one team in a playoff game is 26 seconds and belongs to the Winnipeg Jets from a 10-1 victory over the visiting Flin Flon Bombers on April 19, 1970. Henry Boucha (18:50, first period), Brian Howe (19:04) and Jim Hargreaves (19:16) had the goals. . . . The Ice was chasing from that point on and just wasn’t able to catch up. . . . F Dylan Guenther, with his WHL-leading 15th goal, scored on a PP at 8:09 of the second period for a 5-1 lead. . . . The Ice got a goal from F Zach Benson (7) at 13:42, only to have Hanzel (5) get it back at 18:25. . . . Winnipeg F Zack Ostapchuk (9) completed the scoring, on a PP, at 12:12 of the third period. . . . Lambert also had an assist as he recorded his eighth multi-point game of the playoffs. . . . Hanzel added an assist to his two goals. . . . Seattle was 2-for-3 on the PP; Winnipeg was 1-for-4. . . . The Thunderbirds got a big game from G Thomas Milic, who finished with 35 saves. . . . Winnipeg starter Daniel Hauser was beaten six times on 22 shots. Mason Beaupit played the third period and stopped all 11 shots he faced. . . . Announced attendance was 5,505. . . . Seattle F Jordan Gustafson and Winnipeg D Wyatt Wilson continued to be among the scratches.

JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

With the BCHL having chosen to leave Hockey Canada and operate on an independent basis, there are a whole lot of questions — and rumours — floating around out there. Brian Wiebe of the BCHL Network tries to answer a few of the player-related questions right here.

On the ice, the Penticton Vees struck for five goals in the second period en route to a 6-3 victory over the host Alberni Valley Bulldogs in Game 3 of the BCHL’s championship final. . . . The Vees hold a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and have their first chance to wrap up their second straight title tonight in Alberni Valley. . . . Last night, the Vees got two goals and two assists from F Aydar Suniev, who now has nine playoff goals. . . . F Josh Nadeau also scored twice for Penticton, giving him 15 goals.

Exits

The 2023 Kamloops Kidney Walk is scheduled for June 4, and Dorothy is taking part once again. She will celebrate 10 years as a kidney-transplant recipient in September, so the annual Kidney Walk is a big deal for her. In fact, she is participating for a 10th straight year. Yes, that means she is fund-raising, with all donations going to the Kidney Foundation. . . . If you are interested in helping, you are able to do so on her home page, which is right here.

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

Living Kidney Donor Program

St. Paul’s Hospital

6A Providence Building

1081 Burrard Street

Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6

Tel: 604-806-9027

Toll free: 1-877-922-9822

Fax: 604-806-9873

Email: donornurse@providencehealth.bc.ca

——

Vancouver General Hospital Living Donor Program – Kidney 

Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

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

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

——

Or, for more information, visit right here.

HoleFoods

Lambert, Guenther spark Seattle victory . . . Series heads for Washington state . . . QMJHL, OHL finals all even, too

Thinking of Joanne Boogaard and other mothers in her situation on days like this. Be safe!

WHL PLAYOFF NOTES:

Darren Steinke, the travellin’ blogger from Saskatoon, made the trek to Winnipeg for the first two games of the WHL’s championship final between the Seattle Thunderbirds and Winnipeg Ice. Here’s his Game 1 report. . . .

On Saturday night, the three visiting teams each won and now all three CHL championship finals are even at 1-1. . . . In Winnipeg, the Seattle Thunderbirds beat the Ice, 4-2. The series will resume in Kent, Wash., on Tuesday night. . . . In the QMJHL, the Halifax Mooseheads beat the host Quebec Remparts, 6-3 in front of a second straight sellout crowd. They will get back at it in Halifax on Tuesday night. . . . In the OHL, the Peterborough Petes beat the Knights, 5-3, in London. That series is all even as they head for Peterborough and a Monday night game. . . .

Remember that TSN has said it will televise Games 3-7 in each of the championship series, so check your TV listings.

SATURDAY IN THE WHL PLAYOFFS:

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

Seattle (2) at Winnipeg (1) — F Brad Lambert, who began this season with the SeattleAHL’s Manitoba Moose, scored twice to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 4-2 victory over the Winnipeg Ice in Game 2. . . . The series is tied, 1-1, with the teams heading to Kent, Wash., for games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. . . . The Ice won the opener, 3-2, on Friday night. . . . Lambert, a 19-year-old native of Lahti, Finland, was a first-round selection by the Winnipeg Jets in the NHL’s 2022 draft. He began this season with the Moose, then left to play for Finland at the 2023 World Junior Championship. After the tournament, the Jets assigned him to Seattle, which had acquired his rights from the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Lambert put up 17 goals and 21 assists in 26 regular-season games with Seattle. In the playoffs, he has 23 points, including 18 assists, in 14 games. . . . F Zach Benson, who turned 18 on Friday, gave the Ice a 1-0 lead at 4:11 of the first period. . . . D Jeremy Hanzel (3) got Seattle even at 1:24 of the second period. . . . The remainder of the scoring occurred in the third period. . . . Lambert (4) gave Seattle the lead at 5:02 and F Reid Schaefer (8) made it 3-1 just eight seconds later. Schaefer has goals in five straight games. . . . Benson (6) got his guys back to within a goal at 8:27, but Lambert (5) added insurance at 17:14. . . . Seattle got three assists from F Dylan Guenther, who now has 25 points, including 11 assists, in 16 playoff games. . . . Seattle was 0-for-3 on the PP; Winnipeg was 0-for-5. . . . Seattle held a 39-31 edge in shots, although Winnipeg led 14-8 in the third period when the Thunderbirds scored three times. . . . G Thomas Milic stopped 29 shots for Seattle, six fewer than Winnipeg’s Daniel Hauser. . . . Seattle remains without F Jordan Gustafson, while Winnipeg is without D Wyatt Wilson. . . . The announced attendance in the Canada Life Centre, home of the Jets, was 5,691. . . . Kelly Moore of Winnipeg radio station CJOB has a game story with some quotes right here.

JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

F Alexandre Doucet scored twice and added two assists to lead the visiting Halifax Mooseheads to a 6-3 victory over the Quebec Remparts before 18,259 fans on Saturday night. . . . The QMJHL’s championship final is tied, 1-1, with the next two games in Halifax on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Game 5 is to be played in Quebec City on Friday. . . . The Remparts led 2-0 late in the first period, but Doucet scored at 19:49 and Halifax added four straight second-period goals to take control. . . . Doucet’s second goal, his 12th, was into an empty net. . . .

In the OHL, the visiting Peterborough Petes beat the London Knights, 5-3, to even the championship series, 1-1. . . . The Knights took a 3-2 lead into the third period, but gave up the game’s last three goals. . . . F Tucker Robertson had two goals and two assists for the Petes, who got 51 stops from G Michael Simpson, who just happens to be from London. . . . The Knights had won their previous nine home playoff games. . . . Announced attendance was 9,046. . . . London had won, 3-0, on Friday night. . . . They’ll play the next two games in Peterborough, on Monday and Wednesday nights, before returning to London for Game 5 on Friday. . . .

In the BCHL, the host Penticton Vees erased a 2-1 second-period deficit en route to beating the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, 4-3, in Game 2 of the championship series. . . . The Vees hold a 2-0 lead in the series as it heads to Alberni Valley and games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. . . . F Josh Nadeau had a goal and two assists for Penticton. . . . The announced attendance was 3,148.

Woody

Prior to the release of the NFL’s regular-season schedule, Bob Molinaro of the Hampton Roads Virginian-Pilot hit the nail on the head with this:

“Up next: In its ongoing quest to eclipse all other sports news and conversation, the NFL will grab headlines again . . . with the release of its regular-season schedule. As always, media will treat it like the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.”

Thanks to an old friend and former NHL scout for pushing Dorothy past the $4,000 mark as she fund-raises for the Kidney Foundation. . . . The 2023 Kamloops Kidney Walk is scheduled for June 4, and Dorothy is taking part once again. She will celebrate 10 years as a kidney-transplant recipient in September, so the annual Kidney Walk is a big deal for her. In fact, she is participating for a 10th straight year and is closing in on a personal-best. . . . If you are interested in helping, you are able to do so on her home page, which is right here.

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

Living Kidney Donor Program

St. Paul’s Hospital

6A Providence Building

1081 Burrard Street

Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6

Tel: 604-806-9027

Toll free: 1-877-922-9822

Fax: 604-806-9873

Email: donornurse@providencehealth.bc.ca

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Vancouver General Hospital Living Donor Program – Kidney 

Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

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

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

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Or, for more information, visit right here.

Tanning