Daily Dose of the Dub: Cougars sign Dowhaniuk and Ziemmer, Dach signs with Blackhawks and more

Cougars sign Dowhaniuk and Ziemmer 

The Prince George Cougars have signed 2019 first-round Bantam Draft selections Keaton Dowhaniuk and Koehn Ziemmer to their respective WHL player agreements.

Dowhaniuk was selected by the Cougars with the third overall pick from OHA Edmonton’s Bantam Prep team. The Sherwood Park, Alberta native had eight goals and 27 assists last season with 34 penalty minutes and was named the CSSHL Top Defenseman of the Year.

The Cougars immediately followed that pick by selecting Ziemmer with the fourth overall pick in the draft. A teammate of Dowhaniuk’s at OHA Edmonton, the forward from Mayerthorpe, Alberta had 37 goals and 39 assists in 29 games to finish second in CSSHL Bantam Prep scoring behind 2005-born Connor Bedard who is projected to be a top pick in next year’s WHL Bantam Draft.

Dach signs with Blackhawks

Saskatoon Blades forward Kirby Dach (62 GP, 25 G, 48 A last season with Saskatoon) has signed his entry-level contract with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks. Dach was selected by the Blackhawks with the third overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. He joins Kelowna Rockets forward Nolan Foote as the second player drafted this year from the WHL to sign their entry-level contract. The next event on Dach’s schedule will be the 2019 World Junior Summer Showcase at the end of this month before heading to Chicago’s training camp in September.

Giants to announce “significant player signing” on Wednesday 

The Vancouver Giants will be holding a press conference on Wednesday morning to announce a “significant player signing.” There is speculation that player could be West Vancouver native Cole Shepard who is currently committed to Harvard University for the 2021-22 season. Last season, Shepard played 53 games with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL and had seven goals and seven assists. The Giants acquired Cole’s older brother Jackson Shepard in a trade with the Lethbridge Hurricanes earlier in the off-season.

Viveiros returning to WHL?

It sounds like Manny Vivieros (251 GP, 60 G, 261 A with the Prince Albert Raiders) could be returning to the WHL as head coach of the Spokane Chiefs to a report from TSN1260’s Jason Gregor in Edmonton. Vivieros had previously been a successful coach in the WHL with the Swift Current Broncos from 2016-18, winning a WHL championship in 2018, before joining the Edmonton Oilers as an assistant coach last season.

Hockey Canada confirms Krebs, Cozens to miss World Junior Summer Showcase

Hockey Canada has confirmed Winnipeg ICE forward Peyton Krebs and Lethbridge Hurricanes forward Dylan Cozens will miss the World Junior Summer Showcase set to take place later this month. Krebs suffered an Achilles injury earlier this summer in an off-season training incident while Cozens injured his thumb last month at Buffalo Sabres development camp.

CHL to launch a new mobile app this fall

The CHL will be launching a new mobile app available on both Apple and Android devices as soon as this fall. Fans of all 60 CHL teams will be available to follow their team through “traditional news and video content, an advanced stats and game centre platform, and an array of features to engage fans and continue to deliver new content.” according to the CHL.

MacPherson signs with Thunderbirds 

The Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL have signed defenseman Dylan MacPherson (181 GP, 6 G, 37 A with the Medicine Hat Tigers) to a one-year contract. MacPherson had joined the Thunderbirds last season for two regular season games, garnering one assist after Medicine Hat was eliminated from the WHL Playoffs.

Mason McCarty headed to college?

Victor Findlay, one of the top sources for U Sports information, is reporting that Mason McCarty (225 GP, 85 G, 72 A with the Red Deer Rebels and Saskatoon Blades) is going to be attending Acadia University next season after playing a season of pro hockey with the Rapid City Rush of the ECHL. In 15 games with the Rush last season, McCarty had six goals and four assists.

Dawson commits to SFU 

Defenseman Jordan Dawson (66 GP, 2 G, 4 A with the Edmonton Oil Kings) has committed to Simon Fraser University for the 2019-20 season.