scamperdog
04-12-2007, 09:04 PM
Blazers’ board soon to decide beer issue
by Gregg Drinnan www.kamloopsnews.ca
Fans of the Kamloops Blazers may learn next week whether beer in the seats will be a permanent feature of WHL games at Interior Savings Centre.
The team and the City, which controls the arena, agreed Jan. 11 to allow fans to take cups of beer from concourse vendors to the seats on a trial basis. Both parties said they would meet following the season.
Dean Clark, the Blazers’ general manager and head coach, said Wednesday that he has spoken with arena manager Tony Carlucci.
“I’ve had some conversations with Tony,” Clark said. “They basically are waiting for us. . . . They would like to continue and probably expand it. But I haven’t had anything official with them yet.”
Clark said the subject of beer sales is on the agenda for the next Blazers’ board of directors meeting and that “we will have an announcement next week.”
Fans were allowed to take beer to their seats during the last 13 regular-season games and two playoff games.
Asked if there were any problems during the trial period, Clark replied: “None.”
• • •
Clark left this morning for Anaheim, the site of this weekend’s second annual WHL U.S. Prospects Camp.
Last season’s camp was held after the WHL’s bantam draft. Following the camp, WHL teams were allowed to draft U.S. prospects. This year, the 80 1992- and 1993-born players expected to attend will be available in the May 3 bantam draft.
Centre Luke Moffatt of the Phoenix Firebirds, runners-up at KIBIHT, will be at the camp. The Portland Winter Hawks, with the No. 1 pick in the bantam draft, have spoken with Moffatt.
A year ago, the Blazers selected defenceman Dennis Brown of the Los Angeles Jr. Kings in the draft of U.S. prospects.
“He is going to come to camp,” Clark said of Brown, who finished this season with 19 points, including eight goals. He played in 43 of the Kings’ 56 games.
Brown, who came down with mononucleosis after attending the Blazers’ 2006 camp, spent part of this season playing forward.
“We kept in touch with him and he wants to come and play here next season,” Clark said. “He may end up being the new Ray (Macias) . . . who knows? He can pass the puck and do all those offensive things.”
• • •
Macias, who led all WHL defencemen in scoring this season, has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche, which selected him 124th overall in the NHL’s 2005 draft.
Macias had his season end when he suffered a broken scaphoid in his right wrist in the regular season’s 70th game. He has since had surgery and is rehabbing the injury here.
Left-winger Alex Rodgers, who had shoulder surgery March 23, also is rehabbing here.
“He’s working on his flexibility and range of motion,” Clark said.
• • •
The contract between the Blazers and Radio NL, a three-year deal announced June 3, 2004, likely will be renewed in the near future.
Clark said he has spoken with Rick Arnish, the president of the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, which owns two other Kamloops radio stations.
“It seems at this point that they’re not interested,” Clark said. “I think we’re going back to NL, but we haven’t done anything official with them yet.”
by Gregg Drinnan www.kamloopsnews.ca
Fans of the Kamloops Blazers may learn next week whether beer in the seats will be a permanent feature of WHL games at Interior Savings Centre.
The team and the City, which controls the arena, agreed Jan. 11 to allow fans to take cups of beer from concourse vendors to the seats on a trial basis. Both parties said they would meet following the season.
Dean Clark, the Blazers’ general manager and head coach, said Wednesday that he has spoken with arena manager Tony Carlucci.
“I’ve had some conversations with Tony,” Clark said. “They basically are waiting for us. . . . They would like to continue and probably expand it. But I haven’t had anything official with them yet.”
Clark said the subject of beer sales is on the agenda for the next Blazers’ board of directors meeting and that “we will have an announcement next week.”
Fans were allowed to take beer to their seats during the last 13 regular-season games and two playoff games.
Asked if there were any problems during the trial period, Clark replied: “None.”
• • •
Clark left this morning for Anaheim, the site of this weekend’s second annual WHL U.S. Prospects Camp.
Last season’s camp was held after the WHL’s bantam draft. Following the camp, WHL teams were allowed to draft U.S. prospects. This year, the 80 1992- and 1993-born players expected to attend will be available in the May 3 bantam draft.
Centre Luke Moffatt of the Phoenix Firebirds, runners-up at KIBIHT, will be at the camp. The Portland Winter Hawks, with the No. 1 pick in the bantam draft, have spoken with Moffatt.
A year ago, the Blazers selected defenceman Dennis Brown of the Los Angeles Jr. Kings in the draft of U.S. prospects.
“He is going to come to camp,” Clark said of Brown, who finished this season with 19 points, including eight goals. He played in 43 of the Kings’ 56 games.
Brown, who came down with mononucleosis after attending the Blazers’ 2006 camp, spent part of this season playing forward.
“We kept in touch with him and he wants to come and play here next season,” Clark said. “He may end up being the new Ray (Macias) . . . who knows? He can pass the puck and do all those offensive things.”
• • •
Macias, who led all WHL defencemen in scoring this season, has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche, which selected him 124th overall in the NHL’s 2005 draft.
Macias had his season end when he suffered a broken scaphoid in his right wrist in the regular season’s 70th game. He has since had surgery and is rehabbing the injury here.
Left-winger Alex Rodgers, who had shoulder surgery March 23, also is rehabbing here.
“He’s working on his flexibility and range of motion,” Clark said.
• • •
The contract between the Blazers and Radio NL, a three-year deal announced June 3, 2004, likely will be renewed in the near future.
Clark said he has spoken with Rick Arnish, the president of the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, which owns two other Kamloops radio stations.
“It seems at this point that they’re not interested,” Clark said. “I think we’re going back to NL, but we haven’t done anything official with them yet.”