Busto A Hab

The Montreal Canadiens have acquired centre Scott Gomez, winger Tom Pyatt and defenceman Mike Busto from the New York Rangers in exchange for winger Chris Higgins and defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Valentenko from the Montreal Canadiens.

ICE Select Czech Rep D

The Kootenay ICE have selected 18-year-old Czech Rep defenseman Petr Senkerik with the 38th overall pick in the Import Draft.
He is 6'0 180 lbs.
08-09 Czech Rep Jr Zlin 46 GP 3-19-22 42pm Playoffs 6 GP 1-2-3 0pm
07-08 Czech Rep Jr 30 GP 4-3-7 22pm
06-07 Czech Rep U-18 41 GP 6-19-25 38pm

Dominik Pacovksy will return for his 2nd season with the ICE so the club will not be using their 2nd round pick.

Import Draft

The CHL 2009 Import Draft takes place tomorrow.
The ICE will make their selection at 1:40pm. They have the 38th overall pick.

ICE 09-10 Slogan

McNabb A Sabre

Brayden McNabb was selected in the 3rd round by Buffalo.

TENATIVE ICE 09-10 Schedule TENATIVE

September (1 Road – 3 Home)
Fri 18 Lethbridge
Sat 19 @ Red Deer
Wed 23 Edmonton
Sat 26 Medicine Hat

October (7 Road – 6 Home)
Fri 2 Calgary
Sat 3 @ Medicine Hat
Tue 6 @ Prince Albert
Wed 7 @ Saskatoon
Fri 9 @ Brandon
Sun 11 @ Moose Jaw
Mon 12 @ Swift Current
Fri 16 Spokane
Sat 17 @ Spokane
Fri 23 Portland
Sat 24 Moose Jaw
Wed 28 Everett
Fri 30 Brandon

November (5 Road – 6 Home)
Tue 3 Seattle
Fri 6 @ Red Deer
Sat 7 Red Deer
Wed 11 @ Calgary
Sat 14 Tri City
Sun 15 @ Lethbridge
Tue 17 Prince Albert
Fri 20 Regina
Sat 21 Swift Current
Fri 27 @ Kamloops
Sat 28 @ Kelowna

December (5 Road – 7 Home)
Tue 1 @ Chilliwack
Wed 2 @ Vancouver
Fri 4 @ Prince George
Wed 9 Edmonton
Fri 11 Calgary
Sun 13 @ Calgary
Tue 15 Medicine Hat
Fri 18 @ Lethbridge
Sat 19 Lethbridge
Sun 27 Calgary
Tue 29 Red Deer
Thu 31 Regina

January (8 Road – 5 Home)
Sat 2 @ Calgary
Wed 6 Saskatoon
Sat 9 Red Deer
Wed 13 @ Edmonton
Sat 16 Spokane
Sun 17 @ Calgary
Wed 20 @ Swift Current
Fri 22 @ Saskatoon
Sat 23 @ Prince Albert
Sun 24 @ Regina
Tue 26 Brandon
Fri 29 Prince Albert
Sat 30 @ Spokane

February (8 Road – 5 Home)
Wed 3 @ Moose Jaw
Fri 5 @ Brandon
Sat 6 @ Regina
Tue 9 Moose Jaw
Fri 12 @ Edmonton
Sun 14 Saskatoon
Tue 16 Swift Current
Fri 19 Spokane
Sat 20 @ Lethbridge
Sun 21 @ Medicine Hat
Tue 23 @ Red Deer
Fri 26 @ Medicine Hat
Sat 27 Lethbridge

March (2 Road – 4 Home)
Wed 3 @ Edmonton
Fri 5 Medicine Hat
Sat 6 Calgary
Wed 10 Red Deer
Fri 12 @ Red Deer
Sat 13 Edmonton

2009-10 WHL CLUB OPENING HOME GAMES

Home Day Date Visitors Time
Kootenay Friday Sept. 18/09 vs. Lethbridge 7:00
Brandon Friday Sept. 25/09 vs. Swift Current 7:30
Calgary Sunday Sept. 27/09 vs. Red Deer 2:00
Chilliwack Friday Sept. 18/09 vs. Kamloops 7:00
Edmonton Saturday Sept. 19/09 vs. Calgary 7:00
Everett Saturday Sept. 26/09 vs. Vancouver 7:05
Kamloops Saturday Sept. 19/09 vs. Chilliwack 7:00
Kelowna Thursday Sept. 17/09 vs. Vancouver 7:00
Lethbridge Friday Oct. 9/09 vs. Edmonton 7:00
Medicine Hat Saturday Sept. 19/09 vs. Lethbridge 7:30
Moose Jaw Saturday Sept. 19/09 vs. Prince Albert 7:00
Portland Saturday Sept. 26/09 vs. Seattle 7:00
Prince Albert Friday Sept. 18/09 vs. Brandon 7:00
Prince George Friday Sept. 18/09 vs. Spokane 7:00
Red Deer Friday Sept. 18/09 vs. Calgary 7:30
Regina Saturday Sept. 19/09 vs. Brandon 7:00
Saskatoon Friday Sept. 18/09 vs. Regina 7:05
Seattle Friday Sept. 18/09 vs. Everett 7:35
Spokane Saturday Sept. 26/09 vs. Tri-City 7:00
Swift Current Friday Sept. 18/09 vs. Moose Jaw 7:30
Tri-City Saturday Sept. 19/09 vs. Kelowna 7:05
Vancouver Saturday Sept. 19/09 vs. Everett 7:00

WHL Exhibtion Schedule

Thu Aug 27
Saskatoon @ Prince Albert 7:00

Fri Aug 28
Moose Jaw vs Medicine Hat 3:00 in Edmonton
Regina vs Edmonton 7:00 in Edmonton
Kelowna @ Chilliwack 7:00
Kamloops @ Vancouver 7:30 in Ladner

Sat Aug 29
Regina vs Medicine Hat 11:00 in Edmonton
Red Deer vs Moose Jaw 3:00 in Edmonton
Swift Current vs Edmonton 7:00 in Edmonton
Vancouver @ Kamloops 7:00
Chilliwack @ Kelowna 7:00
Seattle @ Portland 7:00
Prince Albert vs Saskatoon 7:05 in Aberdeen

Sun Aug 30
Regina vs Swift Current 3:00 in Edmonton
Medicine Hat vs Edmonton 7:00 in Edmonton

Wed Sept 2
Red Deer @ Calgary 7:00
Kamloops @ Chilliwack 7:00 in Hope
Kelowna @ Vancouver 7:00 in Ladner

Fri Sept 4
Calgary vs Kootenay 7:00 in Crowsnest Pass
Prince George vs Seattle 11:30 in Everett
Portland vs Spokane 3:00 in Everett
Tri City vs Everett 7:00 in Everett
Regina @ Brandon 7:30
Chilliwack @ Kamloops 7:0
Medicine Hat @ Prince Albert 7:00
Edmonton @ Red Deer 7:30 in Stettler
Moose Jaw @ Swift Current 7:30

Sat Sept 5
Prince George vs Portland 11:30 in Everett
Tri City vs Spokane 3:00 in Everett
Seattle vs Everett 7:00 in Everett
Red Deer @ Edmonton 7:00 in Leduc
Kamloops @ Kelowna 7:00
Calgary vs Lethbridge 7:00 in Crowsnest Pass
Swift Current @ Moose Jaw 7:00
Medicine Hat vs Saskatoon 7:05 in Aberdeen

Sun Sept 6
Kootenay vs Lethbridge 4:00 in Crowsnest Pass
Tri City vs Prince George 11:30 in Everett
Seattle vs Spokane 3:00 in Everett
Portland vs Everett 7:00 in Everett

Wed Sept 9
Lethbridge @ Kootenay 7:00
Brandon @ Regina 7:00

Thu Sept 10
Everett vs Spokane 7:05 in Tri City

Fri Sept 11
Kootenay vs Red Deer 7:30 in Innisfail
Everett vs Lethbridge 2:00 in Tri City
Portland vs Tri City 7:05 in Tri City
Moose Jaw @ Brandon 7:30
Calgary vs Edmonton 7:00 in Barrhead
Prince George @ Kamloops 7:00
Vancouver @ Kelowna 7:00
Prince Albert @ Saskatoon 7:05
Medicine Hat @ Swift Current 7:30

Sat Sept 12
Lethbridge vs Portland 2:00 in Tri City
Spokane vs Tri City 7:05 in Tri City
Vancouver @ Chilliwack in 7:00
Brandon @ Moose Jaw 7:00
Kamloops @ Prince George 7:00
Calgary vs Red Deer 7:30 in Lacombe
Saskatoon @ Regina 7:00
Everett @ Seattle 7:05
Swift Current @ Medicine Hat 7:30

Sun Sept 13
Lethbridge vs Tri City 1:00 in Tri City
Regina @ Prince Albert 7:00
Chilliwack @ Vancouver 5:00

10 Things I Think I Think

1. I think the biggest concern for the ICE this summer is what 20-year-old Ty Stephens will do this season. As has been mention here for the last few months there is a strong chance he will forgo his last year of eligibility to go to school. The feeling I get is there is about a 5% chance he will play in the WHL.
2. I think my prediction Brent Sutter is returning to the WHL will be shot down as it appears he will coach the Calgary Flames. Look for Ryan McGill to be an assistant and maybe even Dave Lowry on the coaching staff.
3. I think the best marketing tool for the WHL as they battle to get players to play in the league is their amazing collection of coaches. Kids in
the WHL are getting NHL type guidance.
4. I think the biggest surprise from last weeks WHL AGM’s was the announcement that within 3 years all WHL teams will have jumbo-tron type score clocks. As a result all fans will eventually have replays. That creates new jobs as it takes a staff to run the cameras and the studios.
5. I think at the NHL Draft this weekend the Islanders will select John Tavares 1st overall. Giants’ Evander Kane will be the 1st WHL player selected at 4th overall to Atlanta. Wheat Kings’ Brayden Schenn will go 5th to Los Angeles. Chiefs’ Jared Cowen 8th overall to Dallas.
6. I think the ICE could have anywhere from 1-4 players selected. For the sake of making shot in the dark predictions I’ll say Brayden McNabbwill go in the 2nd round to Philadelphia, Nathan Lieuwen 4th round to New Jersey, Hayden Rintoul 6th round to Chicago and Kevin King 7th round to Toronto.
7. I think the ICE will select a defenseman in next weeks Import Draft. Another shot in the dark with no inside information.
8. I think I’m not surprised the WHL will keep the Conference playoff system instead of switching back to the divisional format. Plus they have extended the format another 5 years. It’s the best way to make sure the teams with the best records make the playoffs.
9. I think I’d like a rule change in which all games start at 7 and all Sunday games start at 2.
10. I think these are my non-hockey thoughts.
a) I think there is no chance of me going to twitter. A blog is enough. Would be great to have all 22 play-by-play guys to have a blog. I believe we are halfway there.
b) I think it’s time to stockpile some books to read on those long road trips. Any recommendations? I don’t like fiction.
c) I think I need someone to show me how to podacst on a PSP. The instructions on the internet aren’t helping.

Dean Chynoweth To Islanders

The Swift Current Broncos have called a news conference for Friday morning where it's expected that Coach/GM Dean Chynoweth will be leaving the team to be an Assistant Coach with the NY Islanders.
He was with the Broncos for 5 years.
NHL Career w/Islanders & Boston 241 GP 4-18-22 667pm Playoffs 6 GP 0-0-0 26pm
Dean is the brother of ICE GM Jeff Chynoweth.

RED LINE REPORT'S TOP EIGHT GOALIES FOR THE 2009 DRAFT

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columnist/woodlief/2009-06-16-red-line-goalies_N.htm
1. Jean-Francois Berube 6-1/166 L 13 JUL 91 Montreal
2. Igor Bobkov 6-4/192 L 02 JAN 91 Magnitogorsk
3. Olivier Roy 5-11/163 L 12 JUL 91 Cape Breton
4. Robin Lehner 6-3/220 L 24 JUL 91 Frolunda
5. Nathan Lieuwen 6-5/181 L 08 AUG 91 Kootenay
6. Edward Pasquale 6-2/216 L 20 NOV 90 Saginaw
7. Jaroslav Janus 6-0/183 L 21 SEP 89 Erie
8. Scott Stajcer 6-3/197 L 14 JUN 91 Owen Sound

Lieuwen has had an up-and-down roller coaster ride in his two seasons with Kootenay. He's got the prototypical size that NHL clubs are looking for with a lean, athletic 6-foot-5, 181-pound frame. But a rollover car accident during the 2007-08 season left him with a serious concussion. He started out this season well, showing a strong glove hand and agility around the crease, but once again was dinged by the recurrence of concussion woes and his uncertain medical status will likely push him well down many draft boards.

WHL Annual Meeting Concludes

Calgary, AB -- The Western Hockey League concluded its Annual Meeting yesterday in Vancouver by announcing a decision has been made to maintain the current conference playoff format that has been in place for the past two seasons. The WHL Board of Governors agreed that the conference playoff format will remain in place for the next five years, through the 2013-14 season. Prior to adopting the conference format in 2007-08, the WHL first round of playoffs were based on divisional match-ups as opposed to conference seeding.

The WHL Board of Governors also agreed to adopt video replay during the regular season and playoffs commencing with the 2009-10 season. The WHL introduced video replay for the first time during the 2009 WHL Playoffs.

The WHL also announced it will be expanding its officiating development program to include video training centres for referees and additional linesmen training camps throughout Western Canada.

The WHL also adopted a new player recruitment strategy which will include the hiring of a Director of Player Recruitment who will focus on promoting the WHL Scholarship program and the overall benefits of playing in the WHL to top prospects in Western Canada and the United States.

The WHL has also adopted a new facility standard in which all WHL franchises will work toward installing in venue video display boards by the 2011-12 hockey season to further enhance the fan experience.

The WHL also announced that through the support of the WHL Alumni Association and its corporate sponsors the League will be introducing a series of new online post secondary education initiatives commencing with the 2009-10 season. These new initiatives will improve the access players will have to University courses while playing in the WHL.

“This year’s WHL Annual Meeting was very productive in that we have a clear consensus on the direction we are heading in many key areas within the League,” commented WHL Commissioner Ron Robison, “The new initiatives we have adopted will allow us to enhance awareness of our education program and expand our commitment to development for the players and officials.”

10 Things I Think I Think

1. I think it’s great to hear the WHL scheduling meetings are next week. It’s always a challenge for the WHL to make their schedules fit around the NHL schedules in Calgary & Edmonton. This year the ICE will visit the B.C. Division teams and will have the U.S. teams visit the Rec-Plex. The only exception is the ICE playing Spokane 5 times (3 times in Cranbrook and twice in Spokane).
2. I think it was great to see Dean Arsene win his 2nd AHL championship with Hershey but of course tough to see Jason Jaffray and Manitoba lose in the final. Why weren’t these games on T.V. for everyone to see?
3. I think it’s hard to believe it was 10 years ago that we were getting ready for the final ICE season in the Memorial Arena. It was also 10 years ago the ICE were getting ready for the 99-00 season in which they won the WHL Championship.
4. I think you really notice that time is flying when a guy like Shaun Sutter is named the Regina Pats Assistant Coach. He is 29 years old but it seems like yesterday he was playing in the WHL.
5. I think it’s interesting to see the playoff system is being discussed today at the WHL BOG meetings. I’m sure the fact the ICE played Brandon in the 1st round (14 hours of travel) has worried a few teams about the current system. But the 2 teams involved weren’t concerned so I’m don’t think the current system will be changed. There isn’t a perfect system but the current method makes the most sense. The best teams make the playoffs and the 1st round rewards having a strong regular season. In the old divisional system there were too many instances where we the #2 and #5 rated teams in the conference meet in the 1st round because they were #2 and #3 in their division.
6. I think I have always enjoyed watching the NHL Draft, even before it got the coverage it deserved. Now with the NHL Network they cover rounds 2-7 live on Saturday plus the internet has updates pick by pick.
7. I think it’s exciting to know that the NHL Draft is the week after the NHL Draft.
8. I think the biggest rumour out of Lethbridge is Perry Pearn being their new GM and Michael Dyck returning as coach.
9. I think Brent Sutter will coach Red Deer this season. I have no inside information, just making a guess.
10. I think these are my non-hockey thoughts.
a) I think Dan Patrick has the best sports talk show. Plus his weekly articles in SI are always a gem. Bob McCown is always great, let's make him #1A.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/danpatrick/

b) I think Rick Reilly has almost been an after thought after moving to ESPN. I would always read his column 1st every week in SI.
c) I think it would be great to have the MLB Network available in Canada. Who makes these decisions to not allow certain channels to be available in Canada? Get a clue.
d) I think Artie Lange was very funny on Joe Buck Live. It’s a show on HBO, which is sort of available in Canada. There is HBO Canada but doesn’t have all the same shows as the HBO USA.
e) I think I always look forward to watching the PGA grand slam events. The U.S. Open is this weekend and it’s at Bethpage Black in New York. Have to love their sign “The Black Course is an extremely difficult course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers.” It’s public course in which people line up overnight to get a tee time.

New Rec-Plex Sign

The new Rec-Plex sign is being put up today.
The 30 foot LED Readerboard will also be installed.
The cost of the sign is just over 98 thousand dollars, with another 20 to 25 thousand being needed to accomodate power at the site.

10 Things I Think I Think

1. I think the WHL should call their summer the silly season. In NASCAR they have silly season where the final few months of the season sees drivers and sponsors start preparing for next season by signing new deals. In the last few months there have been a bunch of coaching and GM changes and there is still more to come. Plus add in some new assistant coach’s and there are a lot of new names and new/old names in the WHL.
2. I think it’ll be nice to talk again with Jeff Truitt who is the new GM of Moose Jaw. I was in Lethbridge when he was an assistant coach and had many interviews with him during his time in Kelowna. Truitt is passionate about hockey but very honest and fair in answering all questions. That being said I will miss the visits with former GM Chad Lang.
3. I think it’ll be interesting to see how Marc Habscheid does with the Chilliwack Bruins as both the coach & GM. He was one guy who many thought would never to return to the WHL as it appeared he was on his way to a long NHL career. He still is a strong candidate to be in the NHL again. Habscheid is always an interesting interview who appeared amazingly calm before a game. That being said I hope to see Jim Hiller in the WHL again soon.
4. I think I can’t believe the things that are happening in Lethbridge. No Coach or GM and it doesn’t appear any one person is controlling the situation. Some are unhappy that Rich Sutter has publicly made it known he wants the GM job. But what is he supposed to do when the radio & newspaper people interview him. Is he grandstanding or is he just answering questions. Because he is a Sutter the fact he is applying for the job is a headline story that the media wants to report on and there is nothing wrong with it being a story.
5. I think the rumour of Craig Hartsburg being a candidate to be the next coach of Everett doesn’t surprise me to much. Remember it was GM Doug Soetart that got former NHL coach Kevin Constantine to be the coach of the Silvertips when they were an expansion franchise. Soetart has the big connections and Everett has a reputation for being a great hockey city.
6. I think it’s great to have Dean Clark back in the WHL. The new Prince George coach is 18 wins away from 400 regular season wins in his career. 10 years ago, while coaching the Hitmen, he seemed destined to be on the road to the pros but never seemed to find the right fit. He did more great things with Brandon. In Kamloops he bounced back and forth from being Coach and GM. With the Cougars he has signed a 5-year deal to just worry about being a coach.
7. I think it’s surprising to see Curtis Hunt back as coach of the Regina Pats. It was only 1 year ago he left to be an assistant in the NHL. Even with all the changes with the Senators I thought he would be in the AHL at the very least. He is always great for an off the wall comment or two during our pre-game interviews.
8. I think it’s great to see Jon Klemm joining Spokane as an assistant coach. There were rumours he was thinking of being interested in joining the ICE 2 years ago when the club lost Cory Clouston and Brad Lauer. He still wanted to play hockey and now 2 years later he is more comfortable with his decision.
9. I think it’s only a matter of time until Ryan McGill is named to the Flames’ coaching staff. Will he be working on the bench with Darryl Sutter or Brent Sutter?
10. I think these are my non-hockey thoughts.
a) I think it was great to see Roger Federer win his 14th major at the French Open on Sunday. Tiger Woods has 14 golf majors. You have to think it’s harder to win a major in tennis because if you have 1 bad day you’re done. In golf you still have 3 days to recover from a bad round.
b) Every year at this time I try to get excited about the CFL but am disappointed there are no magazines to read to get more information on the teams and the players. It starts in a few weeks. There are dozens of NFL and NCAA magazines yet not 1 on the CFL. I lean on Rod Pedersen (link to the right) for info on the Riders.

McNabb @ Combine

Kootenay ICE play-by-play announcer Jeff Hollick talks with defenseman Brayden McNabb after returning from the NHL Combine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNQ_zdfW7tc