Daily Dose

Daily Dose of the Dub: Gustafson, Hay re-sign with Winterhawks and so much more

Written by Ben Dooley on

Gustafson, Hay re-sign with Winterhawks

The Portland Winterhawks have announced contract extensions for Associate Coach and Assistant General Manager Kyle Gustafson and Assistant Coach Don Hay.

Gustafson is entering his 17th year with the club. He had been linked to multiple head coaching positions throughout the WHL but is electing to stay with a Winterhawks club who have won over 600 WHL games and four WHL Western Conference Championships with him on the bench.

Hay is returning for his 27th year in the WHL and second with the Winterhawks organization. Hay is a three-time Memorial Cup Champion and the WHL leader in wins as a head coach with 750.

16 WHL Players invited to Hockey Canada’s Summer U-18 Camp

Fresh off Tuesday’s announcement of the U-17 Summer Camp Roster, Hockey Canada has named the 44 players invited to their U-18 Summer and it includes 16 WHL players:

  • Goaltender Dylan Garand (Kamloops Blazers)
  • Defenseman Tyrel Bauer (Seattle Thunderbirds)
  • Defenseman Kaiden Guhle (Prince Albert Raiders)
  • Defenseman Daemon Hunt (Moose Jaw Warriors)
  • Defenseman Luke Prokop (Calgary Hitmen)
  • Defenseman Ronan Seeley (Everett Silvertips)
  • Forward Jakob Brook (Prince Albert Raiders)
  • Forward Kyle Crnkovic (Saskatoon Blades)
  • Forward Jack Finley (Saskatoon Blades)
  • Forward Ridly Greig (Brandon Wheat Kings)
  • Forward Seth Jarvis (Portland Winterhawks)
  • Forward Ryder Korczak (Moose Jaw Warriors)
  • Forward Connor McClennon (Winnipeg ICE)
  • Forward Jake Neighbours (Edmonton Oil Kings)
  • Forward Justin Sourdif (Vancouver Giants)
  • Forward Ozzy Wiesblatt (Prince Albert Raiders)

WHL unveils schedule for 2019-20 season

The WHL has released the schedule for the 2019-20 Regular season.

  • Paul Figler has taken a look at the Red Deer Rebels schedule here. 
  • Josh Critzer takes a look at the Portland Winterhawks schedule here. 
  • Chris Clark has your Regina Pats schedule breakdown here. 
  • Darnell Duff has your Winnipeg ICE Schedule highlights here. 
  • The Swift Current Broncos highlights are here.
  • Spokane Chiefs fans, head here for your schedule highlights.

Stay tuned to DubNetwork over the coming days as we break down the remaining 16 WHL team schedules schedules.

Kalinichenko signs in KHL

Tri-City Americans import defenseman Roman Kalinichenko has signed a professional contract with CSKA Moscow in the KHL, meaning he won’t be returning to the WHL for his 19-year old season. Originally drafted in the first round of the 2017 CHL Import Draft, Kalinichenko played 111 games with the Americans and scored three goals with 16 assists. With the Americans other import, Krystof Hrabik heading into his overage season, the Americans will be allowed to use both of their import selections in the Import Draft.

Broncos release Pynnoen 

The Swift Current Broncos have released defenseman Roope Pynnonen which will allow them to make use of the first overall pick in the CHL Import Draft. Pynnonen was originally selected by the Broncos in the second round of the 2018 CHL Import Draft. In one season with the Broncos, he played 44 games and was held scoreless.

Kvasnica released by Winterhawks

The Portland Winterhawks are releasing Michal Kvasnica according to our Josh Critzer, which will allow them to make use of both of their import draft selections with Joachim Blichfield having played his overage season and having been signed by the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. 

Kvasnica played 66 games with the Winterhawks last season potting eight goals and 12 assists. He was originally selected by the Winterhawks in the second round of the 2018 CHL Import Draft.

Chiefs to pick twice in Import Draft

The Spokane Chiefs have released defenseman Egor Arbuzov which will allow them to make two selections in the CHL Import Draft with defenseman Filip Kral entering his overage season. Kral could return to the Chiefs next season as he hasn’t yet signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs after being selected by the Maple Leafs in the fifth round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

After being selected by the Chiefs in the first round of the 2018 CHL Import Draft, Arbuzov played 58 games with the team and had four goals and nine assists.

Buyalski released by Warriors

The Moose Jaw Warriors have released forward Yegor Buyalski after one season with the club. Originally selected by the Warriors in the second round of the 2018 CHL Import Draft. In 66 games last season he had six goals and eight assists.

The Warriors already have two imports on the roster for next season: forward Daniil Stepanov and defenseman Vladislav Yeryomenko (who was acquired in an off-season trade with Calgary). However, as Yeryomenko is an overage player, the Warriors will be allowed to make a selection in the Import Draft. Yeryomenko could be back in the Warriors lineup next season as he has yet to sign a contract with the Nashville Predators who selected him in the fifth round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

Zaytsev to KHL?

It’s not often the WHL gets a mention in Elliotte Friedman’s “31 Thoughts” but it happened on Wednesday as we gained interesting insight into why Red Deer Rebels forward Oleg Zaytsev wasn’t selected in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. According to Friedman, teams heard Zaytsev would be signing an entry-level contract in the KHL. Like in the NHL, KHL Entry-Level contracts are three years in length. Zaytsev heading to the KHL means he wouldn’t be returning to the Rebels next season which would be in-line with what Brent Sutter hinted at earlier this week.

If Zaytsev does sign in the KHL prior to the start of the CHL Import Draft, the Rebels would be allowed to make two picks in the draft with defenseman Alex Alexeyev entering his overage season in the WHL and having already signed a contract with the NHL’s Washington Capitals who drafted him in the first round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

Tigers overage forward Hamblin injured at Maple Leafs development camp

TSN reporter Kristen Shilton tweeted on Wednesday that Medicine Hat Tigers overage forward James Hamblin suffered an apparent left knee/leg injury. She later added that he had to be stretchered off the ice. Any serious injury would be devasting for the Edmonton, Alberta native who is entering his last season of junior eligibility. In his career-to-date, Hamblin has played 260 WHL games, all with the Tigers, and has 79 goals and 112 assists.

Colina shares mental illness struggles

Prince George Cougars forward Ilijah Colina has opened up about his struggles with mental illness which led to him leaving the team last season, just days before his 19th birthday. If you’re interested in reading his piece, it is right here.

On behalf of everyone here at DubNetwork, we hope to see Colina back on the ice next season.

Scherbak signs in KHL

Forward Nikita Scherbak (130 GP, 55 G, 105 A with the Saskatoon Blades and Everett Silvertips) has signed a three-year contract with Avangard Omsk of the KHL. Scherbak was a first-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft but struggled to find a permanent role in the NHL.

Braes signs in EIHL

Forward Cam Braes (350 GP, 116 G, 124 A with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Moose Jaw Warriors) has signed with the Guildford Flames of the EIHL.

Meidl signs in England

The Leeds Chiefs of the NIHL have signed forward Radek Meidl (98 GP, 24 G, 19 A with the Seattle Thunderbirds and Tri-City Americans).

Pair of WHL alumni traded for each other in Junior A

The Okotoks Oilers of the AJHL have acquired overage forward Trystyn DeRoose (109 GP, 5 G, 8 A with the Vancouver Giants and Moose Jaw Warriors) from the Estevan Bruins of the SJHL for overage defenseman Tylor Ludwar (73 GP, 1 G, 4 A with the Kamloops Blazers).

Hair off to Estevan 

Former WHL defenseman Kelvin Hair (30 GP with the Kelowna Rockets) has been traded from the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs to the SJHL’s Estevan Bruins for future considerations. Hair was originally a sixth-round pick of the Rockets in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft.

DubNetwork partners with Brian Wiebe to launch BCHLNetwork

DubNetwork is excited to announce that we are partnering with Brian Wiebe, who has become the go-to source for everything BCHL to launch bchlnetwork.ca. We are looking for writers to join the BCHLNetwork team or our team here at DubNetwork. If you’re interested in writing for BCHL Network, please email b.wiebe@bchlnetwork.ca. If you’re interested in writing for DubNetwork you can start the process here.