F Andrei Grishakov (Calgary, Victoria, 2016-18) signed a one-year, two-way contract with Lada Togliatti (Russia, Vysshaya Liga). The two-way deal is between Lada and its junior club, Ladia. Last season, he had 11 goals and 15 assists in 37 games with the Calgary Hitmen (WHL), and eight goals and five assists in 32 games with the Victoria Royals (WHL).
The Prince George Cougars have released G Tavin Grant, 20, after he cleared WHL 
waivers. Grant, from Burnaby, B.C., got into 37 games with the Cougars last season, going 13-17-5, 3.74, .892, with one shutout. . . . He played 18 games with the Cougars in 2014-15 and one in 2015-16. All told, he was 16-23-5, 4.02, .880. . . . Taylor Gauthier, a 17-year-old preparing for his second season, is No. 1 on the Cougar’s depth chart. Last season, the Calgarian got into 32 games, going 8-18-3, 3.96, .885. Gauthier, a first-round selection in the 2016 WHL bantam draft, will play for Canada in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. . . . Gauthier will be pushed by Isaiah DiLaura, 18, from Lakeville, Minn. He was a fifth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. Last season, He was 3-3-2, 3.94, .888 in 14 appearances.
The Seattle Thunderbirds have released F Blake Bargar, 20. From Torrance, Calif., he had 
11 goals and 13 assists in 58 games with Seattle last season. Prior to that, he played two seasons with the Moose Jaw Warriors and one with the Victoria Royals. In 238 career regular-season games, he has 19 goals and 23 assists. . . . The move leaves Seattle with four 20-year-olds on its roster — F Zack Andrusiak, F Mike MacLean, F Noah Philp and F Nolan Volcan.
Jordan Hale, a former WHL player, is facing two charges — possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 — after the RCMP drug unit recently exercised search warrants in Red Deer. . . . He was among six people arrested and charged. . . . According to rdnewsNOW, the drug unit “conducted a series of search warrants and drug arrests over the past month, which resulted in the seizure of methamphetamine, cocaine, GHB and fentanyl.” . . . Hale, 28, is from Lacombe, Alta. He played three seasons (2007-10) with the Brandon Wheat Kings, who selected him in the second round of the WHL’s 2005 bantam draft. . . . Hale is scheduled to be in court in Red Deer on Aug. 23. . . . The complete rdnewsNOW story is right here.
Troy Hickman is the new director of scouting with the MJHL’s Waywayseecappo Wolverines, who play out of Russell, Man. Hickman also scouts for the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders and will continue in that role as he also works with the Wolverines. . . . Hickman, 37, played with the Wolverines as a 20-year-old. He is from Russell.
Dorothy, my wife of 46 years, underwent a kidney transplant on Sept. 23, 2013. She will celebrate the fifth anniversary on Sept. 23 by taking part in the Kamloops Kidney Walk. This will be the fifth time she has done the Kidney Walk; she has been the leading fund-raiser in Kamloops in each of the previous four years. . . . If you would like to support her this year, you may do so right here.
Daren Machesney is the new goaltending coach with the OHL’s London Knights. He has spent the past four seasons as a goaltending scout with the Knights. . . . He takes over from Dave Rook, who is the goalie development coach with the NHL’s Nashville Predators.
The QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs have added Stefan Legein to their front office as an assistant coach. . . . He will work alongside head coach Josh Dixon. . . . Last season, Legein worked with the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads an an assistant/video coach.
TAKING NOTE 