THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Ty Morris (Swift Current, Vancouver, Red Deer, 2003-05) signed a one-year contract with the Landshut Cannibals (Germany 2. Bundesliga). He had one goal in two games with the Ravensburg Towerstars (Germany, 2. Bundesliga) and three goals and five assists in 40 games with Munich (Germany, DEL) this season. . . .


D Juraj Valach (Tri-City, Vancouver, Regina, Red Deer, 2006-08) signed a one-year plus option contract with Slavia Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had two goals and five assists in 46 games with Kometa Brno (Czech Republic, Extraliga) this season. . . .




F Mikhail Yakubov (Red Deer, 2001-02) signed a one-year contract with Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia, KHL). He had one goal and seven assists in 52 games with Metallurg Magnitogorsk (Russia, KHL) this season. . . .




D Ales Cerny (Swift Current, 2000-02) signed a one-year contract with Nice (France, Division 1). He had two goals and four assists in 20 games with Mulhouse (France, Ligue Magnus) this season. . . .

F Radim Valchar (Portland, Lethbridge, 2007-10) signed a one-year contract with Gap (France, Ligue Magnus). He had 13 goals and 25 assists in 43 games with Bardejov (Slovakia, 1. Liga) this season.
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A little of this and some of that . . .
1. With one game left in the round-robin at the Memorial Cup, the Saskatoon Blades still can win this thing. And would you have said that after they had been swept from the first round of the WHL playoffs? . . . Of the four teams in the tournament, the Blades have put in the most consistent effort to this point.
2. On Saturday night, this was shaping up as a Memorial Cup to remember. Now . . . who knows? We’ve had a one-goal game, two games decided by three goals and one with a seven-goal differential.
3. We do know that the Halifax Mooseheads, who hammered the London Knights 9-2 last night, are through to the semifinal, at least. . . . We also know that there will be a tiebreaker on Thursday.
4. Dave Hunchak, the head coach of the Kamloops Blazers, tackled the subject of goaltending on 92.9 The Bull’s pre-game show at the Memorial Cup on Tuesday. If you haven’t noticed, there is a dearth of quality goaltending in Canada these days. . . . “A guy you can take to world juniors and he’s got your back . . . do we have those guys in our system right now?” Hunchak asked. . . . Hunchak then pointed out that Saskatoon G Andrey Makarov is from Russia, while Portland Winterhawks starter Mac Carruth is from Minnesota. . . . “Half (the starters) aren’t even from Canada,” he said of the Memorial Cup goaltenders. “It’s a concern not just in Western Canada but right across the board.”
5. Listening to Hunchak providing so much insight and raising so many valid points on The Bull’s pre- and post-game shows has me wondering why he isn’t a regular on Sportsnet’s intermission shows.
6. Here’s hoping Hunchak doesn’t lose his voice when he returns to Kamloops and gets down to work as the Blazers’ head coach.
7. If you’re a regular at Memorial Cups, who can plan on being in Vancouver in May 2016. That’s because Ron Toigo, the majority owner of the Vancouver Giants, wants the 2016 Memorial Cup for his city. Jeff Paterson has that story right here.
8. Morris Dalla Costa of the London Free Press writes right here that organizers in Saskatoon, including Blades governor Jack Brodsky, aren’t disappointed with attendance figures. Nor should they be. . . . Attendance was announced as 9,237 for last night’s game between Halifax and London. . . . Keep in mind that Credit Union Centre can seat 15,195 fans, which means there is never a demand for tickets. This is something the Blades battle all the time — there always are tickets available, so there is never a rush to purchase. . . . It will be interesting to see how many fans show up for tonight’s game between the Blades and Portland. If you’re wondering, prices at Ticketmaster in the wee hours of today ranged from $37.50 to $113.75 per ticket. I would suggest that’s too much for junior hockey, even at the bottom end, and especially when the game is being televised live.
9. Should we believe London head coach Dale Hunter when he says he wasn’t the least bit upset that his Halifax counterpart, Dominique Ducharme, had his big guns out on the PP with an 8-2 lead and two minutes left in the third period? . . . From a journalist’s perspective, I wish more WHL coaches would do that in regular-season games. It would guarantee that there would be lots about which to write.
10. A Saskatoon victory tonight sends the Blades right to the final, leaving London and Portland to play in Thursday’s tiebreaker, with the winner moving on to play Halifax in the semifinal on Friday. . . . A Portland victory tonight, means Halifax is in the final, with London and Saskatoon to meet in the tiebreaker, with the winner going against Portland in the semifinal.
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The Oklahoma City Barons, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, practised Monday in Moore, Okla., just three hours before a tornado laid waste to much of the community. Terry Jones of the Edmonton Journal writes about that right here.
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The Kamloops Blazers have signed Matt Recchi, the director of player personnel, and head scout Ken Fox to what a news release says are “multi-year” contract extensions. . . . Recchi and Fox have been in their positions since July 2008. . . . Recchi works out of Kamloops, while Fox lives in Hodfast, Sask.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Jason Brooks won’t be returning as an assistant coach with the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs. Brooks, who had been with the IceDogs through two seasons, said he is leaving because of back problems. He had surgery in March. According to an IceDogs news release, Brooks will return to Listowel, Ont., “where he will join the family business.” . . .


The BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers announced Tuesday that Michael Olson won’t be back as an assistant coach. Olson, the captain of the Clippers when they won the BCHL title in 2003-04, cited personal reasons in leaving the club. He spent the last three seasons on the team’s coaching staff.
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From Thomas Miller (@Thomas_Miller): “Just saw a city bus with ‘go blades go’ on it. This is offensive to other teams and fans... I am taking this to human rights.”
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From Darryl Wolski (@darrylwolski): “The official Chilli of the OHL and WHL....im all about sponsor dollars but.... an official Chilli??? #bizarre”
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From Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood): “Prince George, BC was so great tonight! Thank you for making our next-to-last show so amazing! You rock!”
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From Kamloops Blazers F/D Josh Connolly (@jconnolly02): “Hey @mikefisher1212... Would you mind it if we traded lives for a day? Good god you're a lucky man. #carrie”

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Alberta hockey hall opens to Clovechok, Flyers

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Another hall of fame is soon to open its doors and welcome Andy Clovechok.
In the last few years, Clovechok, who is Mr. Hockey in these parts, has been part of induction ceremonies held by the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in Red Deer and the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame in Vancouver. He also is a member of the Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame and is a Blazer Legend.
Next month, the 1947-48 Edmonton Flyers, including Clovechok, will be inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame in Red Deer.
“Oh yes, I do (appreciate it),” said Clovechok on Tuesday night, as he took a break from watching an NHL playoff game. “The first one we got into was here, and I appreciated that.
“And then into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame . . . we appreciated that.”
Clovechok, 90, and his wife, Molly, who is 88, aren’t planning on attending the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame ceremony in Red Deer on June 15. They were in Red Deer for the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame ceremony in 2005.
“There were about eight or nine of us at that one,” Clovechok said. “There will be a couple there for this one.”
The Flyers won the Allan Cup in 1948. At the time, the Allan Cup, emblematic of senior hockey supremacy, was one of Canada’s most coveted hockey trophies.
Along the playoff trail, the Flyers took care of the Trail Smoke Eaters, Winnipeg Reo Flyers and the Ottawa Senators. Edmonton beat the Senators 4-1 in the best-of-seven Allan Cup final, winning the last three games 7-0, 5-3 and 5-3. Ottawa held a 3-0 lead at one point in Game 5.
It has been estimated that 60,000 people, half of Edmonton’s population at that time, showed up for a parade that was held to salute the Flyers.
Clovechok tied for the team lead in goals (35), with Maurice Rimstad, and his 63 points — Bill Mahar also had 63 — were second only to Rimstad’s 80.
The Clovechoks, who will celebrate their 66th anniversary this summer, went to Vancouver in September for the induction of the 1945-46 Vancouver Canucks into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame. The Canucks won the Pacific Coast Hockey League championship.
Clovechok quite enjoyed the hoopla, but admits now that it was awfully tiring.
“Everybody was after me for interviews and stuff like that,” Clovechok said, before laughing and adding: “If they had of been interviewing my wife that would have been different because she can talk.”

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A little of this and some of that . . .
1. Mike Johnston, the suspended GM/head coach of  the Portland Winterhawks, was said to be in Credit Union Centre on Monday, the first time he had watched his club play in person since an 8-2 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash., on Nov. 24. I haven’t been able to find out if he was using the Bobby Valentine disguise, though. (Can’t remember? Go ahead and Google ‘Bobby Valentine disguise.’)

2. Are the Winterhawks back? They beat the London Knights 6-3 last night, after a 7-4 loss to the Halifax Mooseheads on Saturday. . . . They got two goals from Ty Rattie, superior goaltending from Mac Carruth, and another terrific night in the faceoff circle from Taylor Peters. . . . Oh, and D Seth Jones was plus-4, so perhaps he’s at least back on a par with Halifax F Nathan MacKinnon.

3. You have to wonder how many coaches look at Rattie and his long stick and are tempted to get him to shorten it. A stick that length for a highly skilled talent goes against the traditional grain of hockey, but Rattie is a magician with it. So perhaps he should stick with it!

4. Les Lazaruk, the veteran radio voice of the Saskatoon Blades, is calling every Memorial Cup game on 92.9 The Bull. But you’ve got to wonder if there is a Plan B should his voice disappear. Hello, Roger . . . Roger Millions! . . . No. What about Kevin Waugh?

5. The attendance for Portland-London on Monday night was 7,575. And there was more social media abuse piled on the City of Saskatoon and the Blades. . . . Look for more of the same tonight as the London Knights and Halifax Mooseheads clash.

6. A note from a Portland fan: “Huge ‘props and kudos’ for the Saskatoon radio station that is covering the tourney — 90 minute pre-game show featuring Dave Hunchak and Peter Loubardias . . . every game broadcast . . . extended post-game show . . . The Bull has done a great job covering this tourney.”

7. I’m sorry, but looking at all the permutations and trying to figure out what might happen over the rest of the week gives me a headache. Let’s just allow things to play out. It’s more fun that way.

8. With the Everett Silvertips, Lethbridge Hurricanes and Prince Albert Raiders each in need of a head coach, I’m not hearing too many rumours. . . . But I have heard that Brian Pellerin may be the Raiders’ next head coach. A native of Hinton, Alta., he played four seasons (1987-91) with the Raiders and has WHL coaching experience (2004-08) as an assistant in Portland. These days, he is the head coach of the prep team at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton.

9. When Patrick Roy steps behind the Colorado Avalanche bench for the first time as head coach, will he still have his Stanley Cup rings in his ears?

10. In my business, you grow inured to a lot of the things that happen in our world. I spend a lot of evenings at my desk, periodically checking photos that are sent our way from around the world. Whenever tragedy strikes, the photos are right there; a lot of them aren’t pretty. Having been doing this as long as I have, the vast majority don’t have an impact on me. But that wasn’t the case on Monday when the pictures began to come in from the Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Okla., a suburb of Oklahoma City. The school had found itself in the way of a tornado that hit during the afternoon. . . . As you make your way around your world today, please keep the folks and families from that area of our world in your thoughts.
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Jim Donlevy, who is leaving his role as the head of the WHL’s education program in June, has been named the 2013 recipient of the WHL Governors Award. . . . He was given the award during a reception in Saskatoon on Sunday. . . . According to a news release, the award “is presented annually to an individual, who through their outstanding achievements and service to the league, has contributed to the growth and development of the WHL.” . . . Donlevy has headed up the education program since 1992. . . . He is leaving his position as the director of education services at the end of June.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Adrian Dater of the Denver Post reports that “Patrick Roy will be the next coach of the Avalanche, according to Roy’s brother, Stephane.” . . . That story is right here.
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From Portland freelancer Scott Sepich (@SSepich), who is covering the Memorial Cup for The Oregonian: “Dominic Turgeon made it through a shift without Dale Hunter jumping off the bench to blast him into the boards.”


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Matt Strueby (Regina, 2006-10) signed a contract for this season with the Perth Thunder (Australia, AIHL). He had five goals and seven assists in 16 games with the University of Regina Cougars (CIS) and two goals and four assists in 23 games with the Colorado Eagles (ECHL) this season. The Australia regular season started May 4 and ends Sept. 1.
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A little of this and some of that:
1. The Halifax Mooseheads’ white sweaters are much better for the TV viewer than the ones they wore Saturday.
2. The person whose decision it was to hand out those noisemakers for Sunday’s Memorial Cup game should have his/her pass revoked. Watching on TV, it often sounded as though the building was in the throes of a mosquito infestation.
3. The Sportsnet telecast on Sunday began with an ode to Halifax F Nathan MacKinnon and his three-goal opener. What the talking heads forgot to mention is that MacKinnon was the beneficiary of some leaky goaltending by Mac Carruth of the Portland Winterhawks. Of Halifax’s seven goals in the opener, Carruth likely would want five of them back and three of those were scored by MacKinnon.
4. If Carruth had turned in many efforts like that in the WHL regular season or playoffs, the Winterhawks would have been on the beach long before now. BTW, anyone expecting Portland head coach Travis Green to change goaltending horses in midstream hasn’t been paying attention. . . . And how did Carruth handle things when he met the media on Sunday? He said his club didn’t get the goaltending. Check out this piece right here by Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports.
5. Let’s thank the Saskatoon Blades for turning this into a tournament. Gee, you mean there’s more to this thing than Drouin, MacKinnon and Jones? . . . The Blades’ 5-2 victory over Halifax on Sunday means that if Portland beats the London Knights tonight, everyone is 1-1 and the fun really begins.
6. Saskatoon G Andrey Makarov won the goaltending battle last night, and the Blades won the game. That’s what can happen when your goaltender plays extremely well. . . . Of course, it helps when you're a bigger and more physical team that scores five times.
7. The Sunday game had its nasty moments. There were at least three really ugly knee-on-knee hits and that’s three too many.
8. The Blades went into Sunday having lost 13 straight postseason games. . . . Saskatoon F Josh Nicholls may be sore today, especially one knee, while F Lukas Sutter is likely going to need treatment on a shoulder.
9. The attendance on Sunday was 8,934, and there are people wondering why the Credit Union Centre, with a capacity of 15,195, isn’t full. Maybe it’s the ticket prices, the game being televised, summer-like weather. Or maybe it is what it is and this is what the major junior tournament is going to draw in Saskatoon. . . . You’ve gotta wonder what it would draw in Spokane or, say, Portland?
10. Alexis Normand is scheduled to sing O Canada prior to Tuesday’s Memorial Cup game. Yes, Normand is the singer who botched the The Star Spangled Banner on Saturday. Kevin Mitchell of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has a story right here that details how she has dealt with that moment and all that has followed.
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If you are wondering what is happening with the film rights to that book over there on the right — Sudden Death: The Incredible Saga of the 1989 Swift Current Broncos — you’ve come to the right place. . . . Shayne Putzlocher and Holly Baird are in attendance at the Cannes International Film Festival as they work to spread the good word and canvas potential investors. . . . If you’re in Saskatoon at the Memorial Cup, there are copies of the book available at any of the three Coles stores (Midtown Plaza, Sask. Market Mall, Lawson Heights) or the Indigo store in The Centre.
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The AJHL-champion Brooks Bandits beat the host Summerside Western Capitals 3-1 on Sunday to win the RBC Cup, the national junior A championship. . . . This was the first time the Bandits have won the title. . . . F Cam Maclise, a ninth-round selection by the Edmonton Oil Kings in the 2007 WHL bantam draft, had an empty-net goal and an assist for Brooks. He was named the CJHL’s player of the year on Friday. . . . The final game drew a tournament record crowd of 4,211. . . . Brooks was the CJHL’s top-ranked team for the final 22 weeks of the regular season. . . . The Bandits are the first AJHL team to win the title since 2001 when the Camrose Kodiaks did it. . . . The 2014 RBC Cup is scheduled to be held in Vernon, B.C.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Adrian Dater of the Denver Post is reporting that Patrick Roy, the co-owner, general manager and head coach of the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts, is a “strong candidate” to be the next head coach of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. Dater’s report is right here.
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From Neate Sager (@neatebuzzthenet) of Yahoo! Sports): “Watching from the media room again b/c the wireless doesn't work on press row. Great Memorial Cup, Saskatoon.”
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One more from Sager: “This is what the #memorialcup is becoming, host team sits out for weeks, wears down a legitimate skilled team. All about the money, though”
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One more from Sager: “Alright, no more tweets about the Credit Union Centre wifi, kvetching gets old. Saskatoon's made it a tournament. #positives.”
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From Saskatoon Express editor Cam Hutchinson (@camhutchinson): “@neatebuzzthenet Enjoy your stay in our city and may you find a hotspot or a dial up connection ... #didsomebodyshitinyourcornflakes”
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From Matthew Gourlie (@MattGourlie) of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald: “Per twitter former MJ Warrior Jordan Henry is engaged to season 14 Bachelor contestant Jessie Sulidis. Henry is playing in Finland.”


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A little of this and some of that:
1. For the sake of the television viewers, those Halifax Mooseheads sweaters that have green numbers on red have got to go.
2. That was an all-world meltdown by Portland Winterhawks G Mac Carruth on Saturday in Saskatoon. His history shows that it won’t bother him, though, so he’ll be ready for the London Knights come Monday evening. At least the Winterhawks hope so.
3. In this day and age, when the jackals of the Internet are poised to tear you to shreds for any little misstep, you don’t want to forget the words to a national anthem when you’re on national TV.
4. I had a coach tell me recently that Portland’s Taylor Peters is the best faceoff man in the Canadian Hockey League. Watch for him to make a difference before the week is out.
5. It was just one game, so don’t let anyone tell you that Halifax F Nathan MacKinnon beat Portland D Seth Jones. It’s a team game and Halifax won, thus MacKinnon won.
6. Just wondering, but are there any WHL people pulling for Portland? Other than those folks with the Winterhawks, of course?
7. The NHL has fined the San Jose Sharks $100,000 after general manager Doug Wilson publicly disagreed with the decision to suspend F Raffi Torres. When told of that fine, Portland GM Mike Johnston said: “A hundred grand? Pffft! That’s chump change.”
8. If you are still watching the NHL playoffs, do you have any idea what is – and what isn’t – a penalty?
9. The Mooseheads have played 86 games this season. They have won 75 of them. Yes, they’re that good.
10. When December arrives and we look for the best story in hockey in 2013, we won’t have to look past the Swiss national men’s team. That’s some story that it is writing at the world championship, even if it loses to Sweden in today’s final.
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Morris Dalla Costa of the London Free Press reports that the London Knights, the host team for the 2014 Memorial Cup, appear likely to partner with Rogers Sportsnet on a TV series similar to On The Edge, the all-access show that followed the Saskatoon Blades on the road to the 2013 Memorial Cup. That story is right here. . . . Something tells me that the next such series, no matter which team it involves, will be a whole lot tamer than the one that has featured Lorne Molleken and his Blades. . . . BTW, when Kamloops Blazers head coach Dave Hunchak was asked on Saskatoon radio station The Bull’s pregame show on Friday if he would OK such a show were his club the host team, he issued a resounding: “NO!” Simply put, he said, and I’m paraphrasing, something like that is too much of a distraction and the players are too young to be under such scrutiny.
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Toby Gorman of the Nanaimo News Bulletin has more right here on the situation involving the Vancouver Island city and a potential new multiplex. But here’s what Mayor John Ruttan told Gorman: “In the absence of having strong support for it, when Coun. Bill Bestwick, who is still in hockey today, is on record and pooh-poohs the idea of a multiplex, I would think we’ll be hard pressed to find somebody else on council to lobby aggressively for it. I’d need to see more of a business case to support it, though I’m interested.”
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The Brooks, Alta., Bandits and the host Summerside Western Capitals are to clash today in the final of the 2013 RBC Cup, which goes to the national junior A champion. . . . On Saturday, the Bandits, the AJHL champions, beat the Minnesota Wilderness 5-4 in OT in one semifinal, while the Western Capitals of the Maritime Hockey League took out the BCHL-champion Surrey Eagles 3-2 in OT. . . . Brooks F Mark Reners, who has played in the WHL with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Vancouver Giants and Edmonton Oil Kings, scored at 8:30 of extra time. The Bandits actually trailed 4-2 after two periods and 4-3 with less than a minute to play. F Dakota Mason forced OT when he scored from behind the Wilderness net. . . . The AJHL hasn’t won the RBC Cup since 2001 when the Camrose Kodiaks turned the trick.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The OHL’s Saginaw Spirit added on year to head coach Greg Gilbert’s contract earlier this week, meaning he is signed through 2015-16. Gilbert has been with the Spirit since December 2011. He was the OHL’s coach of the year for 2011-12 after going 20-10-6. The Spirit has lost out in the playoffs to the London Knights in each of the last two seasons, first in the second round and then in the first round.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Portland freelancer Scott Sepich (@SSepich), who is covering the Memorial Cup for The Oregonian: “When Mike Johnston does arrive, he can’t interact with the team.”
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From Steve Ewen (@Steve Ewen) of the Vancouver Province: “Is there a Mike Johnston cop, making sure he behaves?”

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This is what the Memorial Cup is all about . . . a fan travels from Oshawa to Saskatoon because he wants to be there for Thursday's ceremony in which the trophy arrived at the city’s Vimy Memorial.
Kevin Menz of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has that story right here. . . . And, please, while the tournament is being played, let's not forget why it's called the Memorial Cup.
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I’m not going to post a lot about the Memorial Cup, simply because I’m not there, and those who are will provide you with lots of great information.
But if I see something or hear something, I’ll put it up here.
Like this . . .
The Saskatoon radio station that handles the Saskatoon Blades’ games (92.9 The Bull) is carrying every game in the Memorial Cup, with Les Lazaruk calling the play and Cody Nickolet providing the analysis.
With apologies to those two, who were solid in Game 1 on Friday, the highlight of The Bull’s coverage was the 90-minute pregame show and the postgame show.
And the star of both those shows, at least on Friday, was Dave Hunchak, the newly named head coach of the Kamloops Blazers. The pregame show also features Peter Loubardias, Dave Thomas of CJWW and Lazaruk. Hunchak wasn’t afraid to disagree with points being made by any of the others, such as when it was suggested that Friday’s game might be the biggest game in the history of the Blades.
Hunchak also provided terrific insight from a coach’s perspective. For example, in touching on each of the four teams, he talked about the gap played by the Portland Winterhawks’ defenceman, and how they are able to play a “soft gap” because that team’s forwards do such a good job of coming back as a group.
He also talked about how teams are able to go with four defencemen because of the TV timeouts.
In the postgame show, Hunchak was quick to point out that the Blades, who dropped a 3-2 decision to the OHL-champion London Knights, had to build on the positives but that, because of the format of this tournament, they couldn’t afford to be patient.
The pregame show will be on the air today at 3:30 p.m. CT to set up the much-anticipated game between the Halifax Mooseheads and the Winterhawks.
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Outfielder Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals thundered face-first into the wall at Dodger Stadium on Monday. Did he come out of it with a concussion? . . . Stefan Fatsis at slate.com takes a look right here.
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The Everett Silvertips have released F Stathis Soumelidis, 19, a move that will allow them to use the 10th overall selection in the CHL’s import draft, likely on a potential high-end forward. That draft is scheduled for July 3. . . . Soumelidis, from Brno, Czech Republic, was a second-round pick in the 2012 import draft. He had 11 points and 119 penalty minutes in 67 regular-season games. His penalty total included 17 fighting majors. . . . Everett’s roster now includes one import — D Mirco Mueller of Switzerland, 1n 18-year-old who is expected to be selected in the first two rounds of the NHL’s draft on June 30.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Mark French won’t be back as head coach of the AHL’s Hershey Bears. The Bears and the parent Washington Capitals made the announcement on Friday. French had been the head coach since July 13, 2009. . . . In speculating on a potential replacement, Tim Leone at pennlive.com had this: “Mike Stothers, 51, head coach of the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors, is a former Bears assistant and the club's all-time leader in penalty minutes (1,519). He was head coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2007-08 and has served NHL assistant coaching stints with the Philadelphia Flyers and Atlanta Thrashers, along with an AHL stint with the Philadelphia Phantoms.”

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The way things used to be

A neighbour, knowing that I am a newspaper junkie, presented me with a real blast from the past the other day.
During his move west, the former resident of Winnipeg had discovered a copy of The Weekly Telegraph that is dated Wednesday, January 6, 1909. Yes, it is yellowed and cracked and worn. But, really, it's in terrific shape for a 104-year-old. (The Telegram began publishing in 1894.)
For the past couple of weeks, this newspaper has been sitting on a table in our kitchen as I have perused it. To say it is an interesting read is something of an understatement.
For starters, the subscription rate was $1 per year in Canada or Great Britain; $2 in the United States. If you wanted to contact the newspaper, you wrote to: The Editor, The Telegram, Winnipeg.
The lead story on the front page is headlined: CORRESPONDENT RETURNS FROM MESSINA BRINGING STORY OF HORROR. It is a first-person account of a devastating earthquake in Italy and area. In fact, the earthquake all but wiped out Catania, Sicily. A grainy photo shows Catania with what appears to be a smoking Mount Etna in the background.
On the Manitoba front, a Jan. 4 fire in Brandon had destroyed "the large Codville company's warehouse on Pacific Avenue." There is some nifty writing here, too: "The building was . . . in the grip of the fire fiend and do whatever they would the firemen were unable for the next two hours to make any impression whatever on the object of their attack."
On Page 3, which carries the slug "News and Gossip of Sport," there is news from Montreal where "the Edmonton seven sprang one of the biggest surprises of years when they defeated the Wanderers in the second game of the Stanley Cup series tonight by seven goals to six."
The story, which was dated Dec. 30, later noted: "With a little more time to play together the westerners showed that they would have stood a good chance to carry west with them the trophy emblematic of the hockey championship of the world. Unfortunately for western hopes the four goal lead scored by Wanderers on the opening night's play proved too great to overcome and the cup remains in Montreal."
Imagine that! The Stanley Cup decided late in December, as opposed to sometime in June.
In a story dated Jan. 3 and datelined Ottawa, the Edmonton "hockey team clashed with the Senators, the new 'pro' hockey team in the capital here Saturday night in an exhibition match, and the western team won out by a score of four to two." The game was played in front of "about 4,000 people."
The Senators' lineup included Harry Smith, who had helped the Wanderers beat Edmonton and win the Stanley Cup a few days earlier. According to this story, the Senators "expect to win the Federal league series and challenge for the Stanley Cup." (The Federal League was new on the scene and, in fact, a few of the Edmonton players would stay in the east to play in it.)
In Brandon, meanwhile, the host Shamrocks beat Portage 10-7 in a Manitoba and North-western Hockey Association game. "Currie, playing centre for Brandon," reads a story that is devoid of first names, "was the fastest man on the ice, his individual rushes being all that could be desired." Currie had a fine night, finishing with five goals.
In boxing, H.M. Walker filed this lead from Los Angeles: "James J. Jeffries, the retired and undefeated heayweight champion of the world, is the only hope of the white race now.
"The well meant offers of Jim Corbett, Tom Sharkey and Bob Fitzsimmons to give battle to Jack Johnson, the negro champion, are appreciated to the full extent of their true worth, but it is to the mighty Jeffries who has never known the sting of defeat, that the American sporting public is now looking to for succor from an embarrassing position."
An advertisement on the sports page blared: To earn the big salary learn railroading. The ad suggested that you could advance to Engineer or Conductor in two to three years "and earn from $90 to $185 per month."
"There is no line of work today that pays the princely salaries as does that of Railroading," the Dominion Railway School ad boasts.
Meanwhile, another ad brags that Black Knight stove polish is "the shine that won't come off."
The Universal Remedy Co., based in Winnipeg, was offering "a family doctor for $1." Actually, it was a "handy and useful medicine cabinet containing remedies for Diarrhoea, Dysentery, Colic, etc." The kit was guaranteed to contain no poisoin.
On Page 5, the Manor Hotel on Main Street in Winnipeg was offering rooms for $1 per day. Those rooms, according to the ad, were "thoroughly repaired, newly furnished, equal in every respect to any $2 hotel in the country."
The classified ads also were on Page 5, where William Tough of Bassano, Alta., was looking for a "Widow with boy eight or nine years old; woman for general housework and boy to look after cows. Reasonable wages."
For $600 cash, you could purchase near Swan River, Man. "160 acres good black loam, clay subsoil, 25 acres under cultivation, log house and stable, 30 acres tamarac swamp, 100 acres scrub land, good homestead adjoining, on which 300 tons of hay can be cut each year."
In big bold letters at the top of Page 9 is "A MESSAGE FOR PILE SUFFERERS, from one who has been cured of an unusually severe case by Dr. Chase's Ointment." That ointment would set you back 60 cents a box.
At the bottom of that page is an ad for a Columbia Graphophone. For $39.50, you got the graphophone and 12 selections. That would be a record player and 12 recordings. The Winnipeg Piano Co. would sell you the package for "$9.50 cash and $5 monthly -- no interest."
Buried on Page 9 is a story dated Dec. 31 and datelined Gull Lake, Sask.: "The Pacific Express, due here at 17.45 last night, was wrecked four miles west, a broken rail the cause. The diner and tourist cars were thrown down a twenty-five foot embankment on a new division completed a month ago. One passenger was killed and three injured." Charles Tanby, 40, of Omaha, Neb., "travelling home by way of the coast, was thrown through window" and killed.
On Page 10, Dr. T. Claye Shaw debates the issue: "Is woman the inferior of man?" Of course, I'm not going to get into that here, but Dr. Shaw ends his piece with: "Woman has a much superior religious instinct than man. But she may be expected to do so. Church-going is a regular occupation with middle-aged women of the upper-middle class, and hence they find an outlet for their emotionalism. The same may be said of other fads."
An ad on Page 12 really caught my eye. The Central Okanagan Land and Orchard Co. Ltd. was offering "Kelowna fruit lands ready to plant, in 10 and 20 acre lots" for $200 per acre. The terms were "cash deposit $250, $250 in 60 days, balance in one, two and three years."
Over on Page 13, The Arnott Institute of Berlin, Ont., was promoting "The Arnott Method . . . the only logical method for the cure of Stammering."
On Page 14, which is the one-section broadsheet newspaper's back page, there are ads for charcoal that can purify any breath and something that is guaranteed to cure dandruff and "stop falling hair." That stuff would have set you back 50 cents for a large bottle.
And if you were wondering, there were political scandals.
A story on the front page told of Abraham Ruef, a "former political leader" in San Francisco, having been sentenced to 14 years at San Quentin. His crime? He had offered a bribe of $4,000 "to supervisors in the overhead trolley franchise matter."
Closer to home, the Ontario communities of Brantford and Guelph were embroiled in scandals related to their city councils. There apparently were hints of bribery in Brantford, where a proposed by-law of some sort had been killed. In Guelph, there were reports "of graft in council."
It's worth pointing out, too, that The Weekly Telegram was far, far ahead of the curve. When USA TODAY launched, it contained one page that included a dollop of news from each state in the union. Well, The Weekly Telegram, on its last page, featured 51 news items from all across the Dominion.
That included news that William D. Jones, who had broken out of a Toronto jail, had been captured in West Virginia. Why was Jones in that Toronto jail? He had been captured in Toronto after escaping from a jail in Newcastle, Penn., of course.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Brock Nixon (Kamloops, Calgary, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract with Kallinge/Ronneby (Sweden, Division 1). He had nine goals and 16 assists in 28 games as captain of University of Calgary (CIS) this season before joining the Colorado Eagles (ECHL), where he had two goals in five games. Nixon reports to Kallinge/Ronneby on Aug. 1. . . .
F Danis Zaripov (Swift Current, 1998-99) signed a two-year contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk (Russia, KHL). He had 19 goals and 17 assists in 46 games with Ak Bars Kazan (Russia, KHL) this season. . . .
F Marcel Hossa (Portland, 1998-2001) signed a one-year contract with Dinamo Riga (Latvia, KHL). He had eight goals and 11 assists in 50 games with Lev Prague (Czech Republic, KHL) this season. . . .
D Rory Rawlyk (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Prince Albert, Red Deer, 2000-03) was one of nine players who were not offered contracts for next season by Corona Brasov (Romania, MOL Liga). He had 11 goals and 31 assists in 37 games in MOL Liga play this season and four goals and 19 assists in seven games in the Romania National League; Corona participated in both competitions. Rawlyk was second in penalty minutes in MOL Liga with 211.
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Don’t hold your breath waiting for the City of Nanaimo to build a new arena that would be home to a WHL franchise.
“Some Nanaimo officials feel lukewarm about looking further into a multiplex facility in the city despite recent interest from the Western Hockey League, which hopes to relocate a franchise to the harbour city,” writes Spencer Anderson of the Nanaimo Daily News.
“A report from Nanaimo city staff members says a feasibility study would be the best way to determine the economic impact such a facility might have on the city.
“The cost of the study would be in the neighbourhood of $150,000, city staff estimate. Such a study could also include where the facility could be located, market potential and design and operation.”
Anderson’s complete story is right here, and it would seem, as Coun. Bill Bestwick said:
“There's not an appetite to pursue a sports and entertainment centre multiplex in the near future.”
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The Prince Albert Raiders will have a new look when a new season arrives. The Raiders unveiled what they are calling the ‘Green Movement’ on Thursday.
According to a news release, this is the third uniform change in the team’s 43-year history.
For a look at the new look, go right here.
Dave Leaderhouse of the Prince Albert Daily Herald has a story that explains the entire process. The newspaper’s website was down late last night, but when it’s up that story should be available right here.
There also are a number of photos from the unveiling right here.
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The Red Deer Rebels will have Brent Sutter back behind their bench in 2013-14. Sutter, the franchise’s president and general manager, took over as head coach on Nov. 12, replacing Jesse Wallin. Sutter said Thursday that he’ll be back as head coach. . . . At the same time, the Rebels announced that associate coach Jeff Truitt, who joined the team on Nov. 12, has signed a multi-year contract. . . . Steve O’Rourke (Tri-City, Moose Jaw, 1991-94) has been signed as an assistant coach. He was an assistant coach with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat (2009-11). . . . Veteran equipment manager Dave (Radar) Horning, who has been with Red Deer since 1995 and in the WHL since 1991, also signed a multi-year deal. . . . The Rebels have added Jordan Aube to their staff as athletic therapist. He has worked with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets. . . . Also returning are Al Parada (strength and conditioning), Brent BeleckI (goaltending consultant), Craig Kinney (video co-ordinator), Derek Robinson (mental performance consultant), Davis Claffey (assistant to the general manager) and Mikel McIver (dressing room attendant).
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F Cody Fowlie, who played out his junior eligibility this season with the Kelowna Rockets, will attend the U of Regina and play for the Cougars. Fowlie, from Airdrie, Alta., played three WHL seasons, splitting time between the Everett Silvertips and the Rockets. He had 40 points in 59 games this season.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Bryce Thoma is the new head coach of the SJHL’s Weyburn Red Wings. Thoma had been an assistant coach with the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels since 2008, but left the club following the end of its season. Thoma, a 31-year-old native of Saskatoon, played with the Rebels (1999-2003) and was on the team that won the 2001 Memorial Cup. . . . The Red Wings have been without a full-time head coach since December when long-time coach Dwight McMillan left the organization.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Steve McCarthy (Edmonton/Kootenay, 1996-2000) signed a one-year contract extension with ZSC Zurich (Switzerland, NL A). He started the season with Abbotsford Heat (AHL), getting two goals and eight assists in 30 games. McCarthy then signed with ZSC in late January and had one assist in eight games.
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Lester Munson, who is a legal analyst at espn.com, has taken a look at the wrongful death lawsuit filed against the NHL by the family of the late Derek Boogaard. He provides some insight into what all is going on. That piece is right here.
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The WHL got some pub at SI.com this week. Of course, the story is about the Portland Winterhawks having won the WHL championship and, yes, it mentions the little matter of those sanctions. That piece is right here. (BTW, the same story got some play from the Washington Post.)
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The Tri-City Americans have signed F Nolan Yaremko, who was a second-round pick (29th overall) in the 2013 WHL bantam draft. The 5-foot-11, 178-pound Yaremko, who is from Spirit River, Alta., played for the Edmonton-based Southside Athletic Club Southgate Lions, putting up 69 points, including 28 goals, in 33 regular-season games. He added 25 points, 11 of them goals, in 11 playoff games. . . . The Americans signed F Parker AuCoin earlier in the week, meaning they have signed their first two selections from the 2013 bantam draft.
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Travis Green, the acting GM and head coach of the Portland Winterhawks, is the flavour of the day in the coaching game. He has done a terrific job since the WHL suspended Mike Johnston, the club’s GM and head coach, for the remainder of the season on Nov. 28. But what’s next for Green? Paul Buker of The Oregonian tackles that question right here.
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Glen Gulutzan, who was fired this week as the head coach of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, now is on staff with the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades. Gulutzan will work with the Blades through the end of the Memorial Cup. . . . Gulutzan was with the Blades on Wednesday. . . . "We’re happy to have another set of eyes to help us out," Lorne Molleken, the Blades’ general manager and head coach, told Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. "He’ll be the eye in the sky. As we go through the different games his input will be real, real important." . . . What’s the connection between Gulutzan and the Blades. As Nugent-Bowman explains: "Gulutzan played for the Blades in 1992, captaining the team to Game 7 of the WHL final before losing to the Kamloops Blazers. Molleken was the coach that season and current associate coach David Struch was the alternate captain."
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Now here's an interesting story.
Jon Kuiperij of the Metroland Media Group has a story right here about a junior A league in Ontario that is about to begin charging players to play. In fact, one general manager said his club may charge between $3,000 and $4,000. . . . Players already pay to play, but the ceiling is being removed. . . . That story is right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Dave Hunchak is the new head coach of the Kamloops Blazers. Hunchak, the team’s associate coach for the past two seasons, replaces Guy Charron, who now is the advisor to hockey operations. . . . The Blazers now will hire a full-time assistant coach. . . . Before joining the Blazers, Hunchak spent four seasons as head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors and three as an assistant coach with the Swift Current Broncos. . . . According to a Blazers news release: "Charron’s new role with the hockey club will include attending practices and home games while assisting the general manager, coaching and scouting staff on all hockey related matters. Charron will also aid in on-ice skill development and represent the Blazers at local community events." . . . Charron went 144-97-20 in 3½ seasons as the Blazers head coach. He is tied with Don Hay, behind only Ken Hitchcock (291) in terms of coaching victories with the Blazers. . . . The Blazers also have re-signed Colin (Toledo) Robinson, their athletic trainer/equipment manager. Robinson, who is preparing for his 18th WHL season, joined the Blazers from the Vancouver Giants over the summer of 2005. . . . Hunchak and Robinson signed multi-year contracts. No other details were provided by the Blazers. . . . Hunchak will attend the Memorial Cup in Saskatoon, where he also is to be involved in a daily radio show during the tournament.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From ESPN's Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons), who is a huge NBA fan and follower: "Between tonight's playoff games, David Stern is going to ram a knife into the back of a giant Seattle SuperSonics piñata."

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