Daily Dose

Daily Dose of the DUB: BC Division teams get government funding, Pats and Royals make a deal, alumni moves in the NHL, and more!

Written by Brian Wiebe on

WHL clubs to get a piece of $11-million pie

The BC Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport announced on Tuesday it has formed the Amateur Sport League Fund to provide $11 million in grants to aid in the recovery of financial losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In total, 72 organizations and leagues will benefit from the funding, including all five BC Division teams in the Western Hockey League.

More on the announcement is available here.

Pats and Royals connect on a one-for-one trade

Victoria and Regina made a one-for-one trade on Tuesday that sees 2003-born goaltender Keegan Maddocks go to the Pats in exchange for 2001-born forward Carter Massier.

Maddocks, who’s from Langley, BC, was 0-1 with a 3.31 goals-against-average and a .900 save percentage in a pair of games for Victoria last season.

Massier is a Peace River, AB product and a veteran of 95 career WHL games. He has 13 goals and 27 points with Regina over the last three seasons.

Broncos defenseman invited to Blues’ rookie camp

Swift Current Broncos defenseman Sam McGinley has been invited to the St. Louis Blues’ rookie camp. The 2002-born blueliner from Calgary, AB had a goal and six points in 22 games with the Broncos in 2020-21.

He had three goals and 12 points in 47 games split between Swift Current and Regina as a rookie in the 2019-20 WHL season.

Blackhawks pick up Johnson from Tampa Bay

The Chicago Blackhawks acquired forward Tyler Johnson (128 goals, 154 assists in 266 games with Spokane from 2007-11) and a draft pick from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for defenseman Brent Seabrook (39 goals, 137 assists in 264 games with Lethbridge from 2001-05) on Tuesday evening.

Johnson, 30, is a two-time Stanley Cup champion who has 361 points in 589 career NHL games with the Lightning.

The 36-year-old Seabrook announced his retirement in March due to various injuries over his 16-year career. He is a three-time Stanley Cup winner with 464 career NHL points.

Nässén signs with Jukurit for 2021-22

Defenseman Linus Nässén (eight goals, 64 assists in 106 games with Moose Jaw from 2017-19) has signed with Jukurit of Finland’s Liiga for the 2021-22 season.

The 23-year-old from Norrtälje, SWE spent most of 2020-21 with the Växjö Lakers of the Swedish Hockey League and put up three assists in 33 games.

He added three assists in six games on loan to HC Vita Hästen of HockeyAllsvenskan, the second tier of Swedish pro hockey.

Jets sign Comrie to a one-year contract for 2021-22

The Winnipeg Jets have signed goaltender Eric Comrie (85-64-15, 2.67 goals-against-average, .916 save percentage, 10 shutouts in 168 games with Tri-City from 2011-15) to a one-year contract for 2021-22.

Comrie, a 26-year-old from Edmonton, AB, was 3-0-2 with a 1.23 goals-against-average, a .947 save percentage and one shutout in four games with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose in 2020-21.

He was also 1-0 with the New Jersey Devils last year, making 30 saves in a 5-3 win over Buffalo.

Soshnin jumps from Russia to Belarus

Forward Nikita Soshnin (21 goals, 29 assists in 134 games with Saskatoon from 2014-16) has signed with HK Vitebsk of the Belarusian Extraleague B for 2021-22.

Soshnin, who is from Lipetsk, RUS, spent the last three full seasons with Bars Kazan of Vysshaya Hokkeinaya Liga. In 132 games, the 24-year-old has posted 15 goals and 28 points.

Hawryluk becomes an unrestricted free agent

The Vancouver Canucks didn’t extend a qualifying offer to forward Jayce Hawryluk (119 goals, 159 assists in 232 games with Brandon from 2012-16) by Monday’s deadline and he is now an unrestricted free agent.

The 25-year-old product of Yorkton, SK played 30 games for the Canucks in 2020-21 and finished with a pair of goals and five points.

Kehler and McKenzie not given qualifying offers by Winnipeg

Goaltender Cole Kehler (66-51-10, 3.31 goals-against-average, .899 save percentage, six shutouts in 141 games with Kamloops and Portland from 2014-18) and forward Skyler McKenzie (101 goals, 111 assists in 282 games with Portland from 2014-18) are also unrestricted free agents after they weren’t given qualifying offers by the Winnipeg Jets.

Kehler, a 23-year-old from Altona, MB, was 2-1-0 with a 2.52 goals-against-average, and an .861 save percentage in three games with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose in 2020-21.

McKenzie is from Sherwood Park, AB and the 23-year-old had five goals and eight points in 26 games with the Moose in 2020-21. He added four points in six games on loan to EHC Freiburg of DEL2.

Petan doesn’t get a qualifying offer from Toronto and becomes a free agent

Forward Nic Petan (110 goals, 248 assists in 252 games with Portland from 2011-15) didn’t receive a qualifying offer from the Toronto Maple Leafs by Monday’s deadline and is now an unrestricted free agent.

The 26-year-old from Delta, BC put up seven goals and 16 points in 14 games with Toronto’s AHL affiliate in 2020-21. He also added an assist in seven NHL games with the Leafs.

Lockhart signs an extension to stay with Kunlun Red Star

Forward Luke Lockhart (75 goals, 90 assists in 345 games with Seattle from 2008-13) has signed an extension with the Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League for 2021-22.

The 28-year-old from Burnaby, BC, has spent the last four seasons with Kunlun and posted 53 points in 210 career KHL games.

Howse steps down as coach of Cariboo Cougars U17 AAA

Ryan Howse (140 goals, 77 assists in 262 games with Chilliwack from 2007-11) has resigned as the head coach of the Cariboo Cougars U17 AAA team. In the tweet above, Howse announced he was stepping down to “enjoy a winter off.”

The 30-year-old coached the Cougars U16 team in 2020-21 after being an assistant coach the season before.