F Jaedon Descheneau (Kootenay, 2011-16) has been assigned on loan by Thurgau (Switzerland, NL B) to Davos (Switzerland, NL A) for the rest of this season. In 41 games, he had 18 goals and 32 assists for Thurgau, leading the team in assists and points. He was fifth in league scoring. . . . Thurgau lost Game 6 of the NL B quarterfinals 4-1 at home to Olten on Sunday. Descheneau led his team in scoring with nine points, including four goals. . . . Meanwhile, Davos leads a best-of-seven NL A quarterfinal series against Biel-Bienne, 1-0. Game 2 is today (Tuesday) in Davos.
A LITTLE OF THIS . . .
Stacey McAlpine, a former player agent who was charged of defrauding former NHL players Dany Heatley and Chris Phillips, died on March 5 in Winnipeg. As a result, the charge have been stayed. . . . A death notice in Saturday’s Winnipeg Free Press stated that McAlpine, 54, had “passed away peacefully in his sleep, at home.” . . . Kevin Rollason of the Free Press has more right here.
D Ondrej Vala of the Everett Silvertips has drawn a two-game suspension after taking a cross-checking major and game misconduct for a hit on F Zack Andrusiak of the host 
Seattle Thunderbirds on Saturday night. Vala sat out Everett’s 2-0 loss in Portland on Sunday, and he will miss tonight’s game in Kennewick, Wash., against the Sri-City Americans. . . .
F Tanner Nagel of the Swift Current Broncos will begin to serve a TBD suspension by missing Wednesday’s game against the visiting Saskatoon Blades. Nagel was suspended under supplementary discipline for something that occurred during Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the Warriors in Moose Jaw. . . .
As of Monday night, the WHL hadn’t set the length of the suspension to Moose Jaw F Barrett Sheen after he took a charging major and game misconduct for a hit on Swift Current F Tyler Steenbergen on Saturday. . . . Sheen missed Sunday’s 5-3 victory over the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings, and he isn’t likely to play tonight against the visiting Prince Albert Raiders. . . . This is Sheen’s third suspension this season. He sat out five games after taking a headshot major and game misconduct in Medicine Hat on Jan. 27, then drew a two-game sentence for, according to the WHL website, “actions at conclusion of game at Regina on Feb. 18.”
Eric Thurston is the new general manager and head coach of the AJHL’s Drayton Valley Thunder. . . . Thurston, 54, spent 1994-2011 on staff with the U of Alberta Golden Bears, the last four as head coach. He also has coached in the Hungarian National Ice Hockey Federation’s programs. This season, Thurston was coaching at OHA Edmonton. . . . As a player, Thurston played 206 games with the WHL’s Victoria Cougars (1981-84), then spent one season with the Golden Bears, before spending five seasons in Europe. . . . The Thunder didn’t make the playoffs this season, finishing 17-40-3. . . . Last week, general manager Joey Bouchard, head coach Ryan Rechner, Jason Nicholetts, the director of player development, and head scout Travis Gibson all resigned.
IF THE PLAYOFFS OPENED TODAY …
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Prince Albert at Moose Jaw
Brandon at Medicine Hat
Regina at Swift Current
Red Deer at Lethbridge
——
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Seattle at Everett
Tri-City at Kelowna
Spokane at Portland
Vancouver at Victoria
MONDAY:
No Games Scheduled.
TUESDAY (all times local):
Prince Albert at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Brandon 7 p.m.
Lethbridge at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Calgary at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
Everett vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
WEDNESDAY (all times local):
Prince Albert at Regina, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Lethbridge at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Vancouver at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Prince George at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Seattle at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
THURSDAY (all times local):
No Games Scheduled.
FRIDAY (all times local):
Brandon at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Portland, 7 p.m.
Prince George at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Tri-City at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Kelowna vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7:30 p.m.
Victoria at Everett, 7:35 p.m.
SATURDAY (all times local):
Regina at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Prince Albert at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Calgary at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Red Deer at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Lethbridge at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Kamloops at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Vancouver at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Portland vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 6:05 p.m.
Spokane vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Everett at Victoria 7:05 p.m.
SUNDAY (all times local):
Edmonton at Calgary, 2 p.m.
Spokane at Portland, 5 p.m.
Seattle vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 5:05 p.m
including 53 goals, in 177 career regular-season games. . . . This season, Vala, 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, has seven goals and 13 assists in 31 games. In 163 career games, he has recorded 21 goals and 45 assists. . . . The 5-foot-8, 160-pound Centazzo has six goals and five assists in 40 games this season. In 81 career games, he has 10 goals and 10 assists. . . . Onyebuchi, 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, is a right-hand shot who has three goals and seven assists in 38 games this season. . . . The 5-foot-9, 150-pound Ukrainetz is playing for the Tisdale Trojans of the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League. He has 11 goals and 10 assists in 29 games this season. . . . The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Hinds has seven goals and 15 assists in 28 games with the midget AAA Winnipeg Bruins this season.
captain with Kamloops, was selected by the Washington Capitals in the third round of the 2016 NHL draft and has signed with them. He was born in Mineola, N.Y., and played minor hockey in Saskatoon. . . . Vala, who is from Pardubice, Czech Republic, is in his third WHL season. He has just returned from representing his country at the World Junior Championship in Buffalo. He also played for Czech Republic in the 2017 WJC. Vala wasn’t selected in the NHL draft, but has signed as a free agent with the Dallas Stars. . . . Centazzo, from Marwayne, Alta., played bantam and midget hockey in Lloydminster, Alta. He was a fifth-round pick by Everett in the 2015 bantam draft. . . . Onyebuchi, from Dugald, Man., was selected by Everett in the third round of the WHL’s 2015 bantam draft. . . . From Wynyard, Sask., Ukrainetz was selected by Everett in the ninth round of the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. In 2016-17, he had 26 goals and 24 assists in 30 games with the bantam AA Humboldt, Sask., Broncos. . . . Hinds, from Winnipeg, was a third-round pick by Everett in that same draft. The 5-foot-10, 160-pounder has seven goals and 15 assists in 28 games with the midget AAA Winnipeg Bruins this season. Last season, Hinds put up 24 goals and 31 assists with the bantam AAA Winnipeg Warriors.
TAKING NOTE 