Daily Dose

Daily Dose of the DUB: Pre-season schedule changes, Blades, Pats announce signings, alumni signings. and more

Written by Paul Figler on

 

Cougars and Blazers make schedule change

On Monday the WHL in conjunction with the Kamloops Blazers and Prince George Cougars announced the following change to the pre-season schedule.

The following game has been added to the pre-season schedule:

  • Friday, September 17th– Prince George at Kamloops (7 pm PT)

The following game has been deleted from the pre-season schedule:

  • Wednesday, September 15th– Kamloops at Prince George (7 pm PT)

Rockets vs. Giants game canceled

Due to recent injuries as well as the Vancouver Giants having a number of players away at NHL training camps, the league announced it has canceled the September 15th game between the Giants and Kelowna Rockets.

Pats sign two

The Regina Pats announced they have signed WHL US Draft pick, forward Matteo Michels, and goaltender Kelton Pyne to WHL Standard Player Agreements.

Michels, who hails from Colleyville, TX, played 58 games for Bishop Kearney Selects 15U AAA team where he scored 22 goals and had 33 assists last season.

Pyne, who is from White City, SK, played five games for the Estevan Bears U18 AAA team, posting a 1-2-0 record, with a 3,69 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage.

Blades sign Parr

The Saskatoon Blades announced the signing of forward Tyler Parr to a WHL Standard Player Agreement.

Parr, who hails from La Salle, MB, played four games with the Pembina Valley Hawks U18 AAA team in 2020-21. He scored five goals and had three assists. The Blades selected him in the third round of the 2020 WHL Draft.

Giants trade for Gurski

18-year-old goaltender Will Gurski (1-1-0, 4.50 GAA, .839 sv% in 2 games with Winnipeg 2019-20) has been acquired by the Vancouver Giants from the Winnipeg ICE.

Last season Gurski, who is from Duncan, BC, played four games with the MJHL’s Winnipeg Freeze. He was 0-3-0, with a 4.16 goals-against average, and a .903 save percentage.

Gregor re-signs with San Jose

23-year-old forward Noah Gregor (129 goals, 164 assists in 257 games with Moose Jaw, Victoria, and Prince Albert 2014-19) has re-signed with the San Jose Sharks.

Gregor, who is from Beaumont, AB, split last season between the Sharks and their AHL affiliate the San Jose Barracuda. In 30 games with the Sharks, Gregor scored five goals and added one assist. In 10 games with the Barracuda, Gregor scored three goals and added six assists.

The Sharks selected Gregor in the fourth round of the 2016 NHL Draft. He won an Ed Chynoweth Cup with the Prince Albert Raiders in 2018-19.

McCarthy joins Blue Jackets as an assistant coach

Following five seasons behind the bench of the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters as an assistant coach, Steve McCarthy has been added to the bench of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The 40-year-old Trail, BC resident also played 154 WHL games from 1996-2000. The Chicago Blackhawks selected him in the first round of the 1999 NHL Draft. McCarthy went on to play 302 NHL games with the Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, and Atlanta Thrashers.

Heat sign Olsen

27-year-old forward Ryan Olsen (84 goals, 82 assists in 275 WHL games with Saskatoon and Kelowna 2009-14) has been signed by the AHL’s Stockton Heat to an AHL-ECHL deal.

Olsen, who hails from Delta, BC, played 44 games in the DEL2 league in Germany with EC Kassel Huskies. He scored 26 goals and added 22 assists.

In 2017-18 Olsen won the Kelly Cup as a member of the Colorado Eagles. Olsen was selected in the sixth round of the 2012 NHL Draft by the Winnipeg Jets.

Bonora heads to Hockey Canada

Hockey Canada has added longtime Spokane Chiefs scout Byron Bonora to their scouting team.

Bonora spent seven seasons with the Chiefs before being added to the Under-17 program for Hockey Canada.

Lalonde signs with River Kings

The Powell River Kings announced a pair of new forward recruits over the past couple of days.

First, it was 2004-born forward Parker LaLonde from Saskatoon Blazers U18 AAA of the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League.

In four games during the abbreviated 2020-21 season, the product of Aberdeen, SK had two goals and an assist. He notched 33 points in 39 games with the Blazers in 2019-20.

LaLonde was selected by the Red Deer Rebels in the sixth round of the 2019 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft before seeing his rights traded to Swift Current in Nov. 2019.

Littler signs in Wenatchee

Tri-City Americans prospect Cade Littler has signed with the Wenatchee Wild of the BCHL.

Littler, who is from East Wenatchee, WA, had two games of prior experience in the BCHL with the Wild in 2019-20.

Last season, Littler played 17 games for the Phoenix Junior Coyotes 16U AAA program, posting eight goals and eight assists.

Originally, the Edmonton Oil Kings selected Littler in the 10th round of the 2019 WHL Draft. They then traded him to the Americans on January 1, 2020, in a multi-player, multi-draft pick trade.

Former Bronco traded in Junior A

19-year-old defenceman Billy Sowa (2 goals, 7 assists in 68 games with Swift Current 2018-20) has been traded to the Estevan Bruins by the West Kelowna Rockets.

Sowa, who hails from Calgary, AB, split the 2020-21 season between the Fort McMurray Oil Barons (AJHL, 3GP, 0G, 1A) and the West Kelowna Warriors (BCHL, 19GP, 0G, 1A).