Chris Mast

Daily Dose of Dub: WHL regular season schedule released

WHL regular season schedule released

Earlier today the WHL dropped the schedule for the 2017-18 season. What is different about this year is that the 72-game schedule was cut down to 68. The season gets underway on Friday, September 21st. The defending WHL  champion Swift Current Broncos will raise their banners while they host the Saskatoon Blades.

Swift Current begins their title defense on 9/21/18 (Robert Murray/WHL)

The WHL stated in their release that they cut 30 games down on Wednesdays this coming season and increased the number of games played on weekends.

Also starting play on the 21st are Prince Albert – hosting Regina, Brandon – hosting Moose Jaw, Edmonton – hosting Red Deer, Lethbridge – hosting Medicine Hat, Kamloops – hosting Kelowna, Vancouver – hosting Everett and Victoria – hosting Prince George.

The NHL preseason schedule begins on Sunday, September 16th and regular season will be announced on Thursday. It seems very likely that quite a few signed 1999-born players could miss the opening weekend.

The road trips are always something to keep an eye out for. This year the U.S. Division visits the East Division, the Central Division goes to the U.S. Division, the East Division checks in on the B.C. Division and the B.C. Division treks out to the Central Division.

Here are when the road trips take place:

Brandon- October 27th-November 3rd.

Moose Jaw- January 15th-22nd.

Prince Albert- January 16th-24th.

Regina- November 16th-23rd.

Saskatoon- November 24th-December 1st.

Swift Current- October 16th-23rd.

Calgary- November 17th-24th.

Edmonton- October 6th-13th.

Kootenay- November 30th-December 2nd and February 8th to Tri-City (Spokane is closer so is actually traveled to three times).

Lethbridge- December 7th-8th and January 25th-27th.

Medicine Hat- October 5th-8th and February 8th-10th.

Red Deer- February 12th-19th.

Kamloops- December 8th-15th.

Kelowna- November 16th-17th and December 11th-15th.

Prince George- October 12th-14th and January 25th-27th.

Vancouver- December 28th-January 6th.

Victoria- December 28th-January 5th.

Everett- October 19th-27th.

Portland- January 4th-12th.

Seattle- January 4th-12th.

Spokane- October 12th-20th.

Tri-City- November 9th-17th.

Hlinka camp roster announced

Days after USA Hockey released their roster of 180, 2001-born players vying for 22 roster spots on their country’s U18 team for the Hlinka Gretzkly Cup, Hockey Canada revealed their roster of 44.

Of the 44 players invited, 14 come from the WHL.

They are:

Gauthier (Marissa Baecker – Shoot the Breeze)

-Goalie Taylor Gauthier – Prince George.

-Goalie Nolan Maier – Saskatoon.

-Defenseman Jacson Alexander – Swift Current.

-Defenseman Bowen Byram – Vancouver.

-Defenseman Kaedan Korczak – Kelowna.

-Defenseman Jake Lee – Seattle.

-Defenseman Matthew Robertson – Edmonton.

-Defenseman Braden Schneider – Brandon.

-Forward Dylan Cozens – Lethridge.

-Forward Kirby Dach – Saskatoon.

-Forward Peyton Krebs – Kootenay.

-Forward Sasha Mutala – Tri-City.

-Forward Josh Williams – Medicine Hat.

-Forward Connor Zary – Kamloops.

Other players who had a good argument to make the roster but were left off: Logan Barlage (Lethbridge), Cael Zimmerman (Calgary), Henry Rybinski (Medicine Hat) and Ben McCartney (Brandon).

Bobby Russell traded to Spokane

The Spokane Chiefs added an 18-year-old blue liner to their roster yesterday, when they traded a conditional fifth round draft pick to the Kootenay ICE for 2000-born d-man Bobby Russell.

Bobby Russell

Russell was taken in the sixth round of the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft by Kootenay and after a successful stint in the BCMML with the Valley West Hawks and playing in five games with the ICE in 2016-17, he seemed geared to make an impact in 2017-18.

That was not the case as the six-foot, 164 pound blue liner had one goal and six assists for seven points in 45 games.

The Chiefs add an eighth d-man that can play the whole year in Russell with each of them being 17 or older. Spokane may have felt like they needed another smooth skating defensemen and Russell definitely gives them that. Russell joins recent first round NHL draft pick Ty Smith and the overage Nolan Reid along with recently drafted Filip Kral, Matt Leduc, Luke Gallagher and Tyson Feist. Dalton Hamaliuk is also eligible to return as an overager.

USA Hockey Select 17 camp underway

Camp started today for USA Hockey’s Select 17 Development Camp. Games begin tomorrow with Dustin Wolf (Everett) and Team Red taking on Team Royal at noon PST. Aidan Lawson (Edmonton) and Team Black take on Team Orange 30 minutes later. Nick Perna (Portland) and Team Kelly play against Team Grey at 2pm PST, Hunter Campbell (Calgary) and Team White also battle Team Forest and WHL U.S. Division rivals play each other in the last game of the day at 4pm PST as Team Columbia and Luke Toporowski (Spokane) play Team Gold and Clay Hanus (Portland).

More NHL Development Camp invites out

Here is who each NHL team has invited and how they got them. I have 76 so far attending with Vancouver, San Jose, New Jersey, Chicago and Calgary yet to announce their list of invited.:

Anaheim (3): Josh Mahura (D) – 1998 – Regina Pats – Drafted 3rd round 2016 – signed, Kyle Olson (C) – 1999 – Tri-City Americans – Drafted 4th round 2017 – injured, Sam steel (C) – 1998 – Regina Pats – Drafted 1st round 2016 – signed.

Arizona (3): Max Gerlach (RW) – 1998 – Saskatoon Blades – Invite, Tyler Steenbergen (LW) – 1998 – Swift Current Broncos – Free Agent – signed, David Tendeck (G) – Vancouver Giants – Drafted 6th round 2018.

Sam Steel  (photo-Marissa Baecker)

Boston (1): Daniel Bukac (D) – 1998 – Brandon Wheat Kings – Drafted 7th round 2017.

Buffalo (1): Max Patterson (RW) – 1999 – Swift Current – Invite.

Carolina (3): Stelio Mattheos (C) – 1999 – Brandon – Drafted 3rd round – 2017, Jake Bean (D) – 1998 – Tri-City Americans – Drafted 1st round 2016 – signed, Morgan Geekie (C) – 1998 – Tri-City- Drafted 3rd round 2017- signed.

Colorado (6): Nick Henry (RW) – 1999 – Regina – Drafted 4th round 2017, Ty Lewis (LW) – Brandon Wheat Kings – 1998 – Free Agent -signed, Josh Anderson (D) – Swift Current Broncos – Drafted 3rd round 2016 – signed, Cole Reinhardt (C) – 2000 – invite, Robbie Holmes (LW) – 1999 – Regina – invite, Sean Strange (D) – 2000 – Kamloops Blazers – invite.

Columbus (1): Trey Fix-Wolansky (RW) – 1999 – Edmonton Oil Kings – Drafted 7th round 2018.

Dallas (4): Ondrej Vala (D) – 1998 – Everett Silvertips – Free Agent – signed, Jermaine Loewen (RW) – 1998 – Kamloops Blazers – Drafted 7th round 2018, Brett Davis (RW) – 1999 – Kootenay ICE – Drafted 6th round 2017, Dawson Barteaux (D) – 2000 – Red Deer Rebels – Drafted 6th round 2018.

Detroit (3): Dennis Cholowski (D) – 1998 – Portland Winterhawks – Drafted 1st round – 2016- signed, Michael Rasmussen (C) – 1999 – Tri-City – Drafted 1st round 2017 – signed, Lane Zablocki (RW) – 1998 – Victoria – Drafted 3rd round 2017.

Edmonton (3): Kailer Yamamoto (RW) – 1998 – Spokane Chiefs – Drafted 1st round 2017 – signed, Stuart Skinner (G) – 1998 – Swift Current – Drafted 3rd round 2017 – signed, Tyler Benson (RW) – 1998 – Vancouver – Drafted 1st round 2016 – signed.

Florida (2): Linus Nassen (D) – 1998 – Medicine Hat Tigers – invite, Dylan MacPherson (D) – 1998 – Medicine Hat – invite.

Los Angeles (1): Kale Clague (D) – 1998 – Moose Jaw – Drafted 2nd round 2016, signed. Jaret Anderson-Dolan (C) – 1999 – Spokane Chiefs – Drafted 2nd round 2017 – signed

Cole Fonstad (photo-Dayna Fjord)

Minnesota (2): Connor Dewar (LW) – 1999 – Everett – Drafted 3rd round 2018, Mason Shaw (C) – 1998 – Medicine Hat – Drafted 4th round 2017 – signed.

Montreal (7): Cole Fonstad (C) – 2000 – Prince Albert – Drafted 5th round 2018, Brandon Hagel (LW) – 1998 – Red Deer – invite, Ryan Hughes (LW) – 1999 – Portland – invite, Josh Brook (D) – 1999 – Moose Jaw – Drafted 2nd round 2017, Cale Fleury (D) – 1998 – Regina – Drafted 3rd round 2017, Jarret Tyszka (D) 1999 – Seattle – Drafted 5th round 2017, Scott Walford (D) – 1999 – Victoria – Drafted 3rd round 2017 – injured.

Nashville (1): Vladislav Yeryomenko (D) – 1999 – Calgary Hitmen – Drafted 5th round 2018.

New York Islanders (1): Kieffer Bellows (LW) – 1998 – Portland – Drafted 1st round 2016 – signed.

New York Rangers (3): Brett Howden (C) – 1998 – Moose Jaw Warriors – Trade with Tampa Bay – signed, Libor Hajek (D) – 1998 – Regina Pats – Trade with Tampa Bay – signed, Ty Ronning (RW) – 1998 – Vancouver – Drafted 7th round 2017 – signed.

Ottawa (3): Jordan Hollett (G) – 1999 – Medicine Hat – Drafted 6th round 2017, Luka Burzan (C) – 2000 – Brandon – invite, Parker Kelly (C) – 1999 – Prince Albert Raiders – Free agent – signed.

Philadelphia (2): Carter Hart (G) – 1998 – Everett – Drafted 2nd round 2016 – signed, Wyatte Wylie (D) – 2000 – Drafted 5th round 2018.

Pittsburgh (3): Calen Addison (D) – 2000 – Lethbridge Hurricanes – Drafted 2nd round 2018, Justin Almeida (C) – 1999 – Moose Jaw – Drafted 5th round 2018, Brodi Stuart (LW) – 2000 – Kamloops – invite.

-Jordy Bellerive not attending rookie camp.

St Louis (2): Joel Hofer (G) – 2000 – Swift Current – Drafted 4th round 2018, Tanner Kaspick (C) – 1998 – Victoria – Drafted 4th round 2016 – signed.

Tampa Bay (4): Cal Foote (D) – 1998 – Kelowna Rockets – Drafted 1st round 2017 – signed, Oleg Sosunov (D) – 1998 – Moose Jaw –  Drafted 6th round 2016 – signed, Jackson Leppard (LW) – 2000 – Prince George Cougars – invite, Chase Wouters (C) – 2000 – Saskatoon – invite.

Toronto (3): Riley Stotts (C) – 2000 – Calgary – Drafted 3rd round 2018, Filip Kral (D) – 1999 – Spokane – Drafted 5th round 2018, Eli Zummack (C) – 2000 – Spokane – invite.

-Ian Scott not attending rookie camp.

Vegas (6): Dylan Ferguson (G) – 1998 – Kamloops – Trade with Dallas – signed, Cody Glass (C) – 1999 – Portland – Drafted 1st round 2017, signed, Dylan Coghlan (D) – 1998 – Tri-City – Free Agent – signed, Ryan Chyzowski (LW) – 2000 – Medicine Hat – invite, Reece Harsch (D) – 1999 – Seattle Thunderbirds – invite, Martin Bodak (D) – 1998 – Kootenay – invite.

Washington (6): Garrett Pilon (RW) – 1998 – Everett – Drafted 3rd round 2016 – signed, Riley Sutter (C) – 1999 – Everett – Drafted 3rd round 2018, Alexander Alexeyev (D) – 1999 – Red Deer – Drafted 1st round 2018, Eric Florchuk (C) – 2000 – Saskatoon – Drafted 7th round 2018, Beck Malenstyn (LW) – 1998 – Swift Current – Drafted 5th round 2016 – signed, Alex Kannok-Leipert (D) – 2000 – Vancouver – Drafted 6th round 2018.

Winnipeg (2): Skyler McKenzie (RW) – 1998 – Portland – Drafted 7th round 2017, Kristian Reichel (RW) – 1998 – Red Deer – invite.

-I only included those eligible to return to their WHL teams. It should be noted that every 1998-born and signed players is more than likely going to play professionally in 2018-19.