Sale Official/Minor Trade

[Scout]

Courtesy Alan Caldwell

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Sale official / minor trade

A minor trade this morning, Brandon sending 18 year old defenceman Alexander Grill-Donovan (who they sent home last week) to Chilliwack for a conditional 2010 6th round pick. No doubt the pick is conditional on Grill-Donovan sticking in the WHL past a certain date.

The real big news is that the sale of the Winter Hawks is official today, and the expected purge has taken place. Mike Johnston is the new head coach & General Manager, which means Rich Kromm and Ken Hodge are out. Kromm has been offered another, unspecified, position within the organization. Nothing about Hodge. Assistant coach Brian Pellerin and the previously-mentioned Innes Mackie as trainer are also gone. Travis Green has been hired as the new assistant coach and assistant G.M., and Rich Campbell is the new trainer.

This has to be a very stressful time for the players on that team, as Johnston will no doubt have his own ideas about what the roster should look like, so we could see some trades or releases coming up in the next few weeks.

Scout

[Scout]

with Gregg Drinnan

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

More from Portland

Here is the goods on Portland, via a press release from the Winter Hawks . . .

The Western Hockey League (WHL) today confirmed the sale of
the Portland Winter Hawks has concluded, and control of the franchise has
been transferred to its new owner, William M. (Bill) Gallacher of Avenir
Capital Corporation.

“I’m honored to have this opportunity to be a part of the continued
Portland Winter Hawks tradition,” said Gallacher. “I’m grateful to the
fans, sponsors, staff and players for their commitment to the Winter
Hawks, and I look forward to working together to create a hockey
experience here in Portland that is second to none.”

Mr. Gallacher today announced the appointment of several new staff members
including Mike Johnston as General Manager and Head Coach of the Portland
Winter Hawks. Johnston joins the Winter Hawks having spent the past nine
years in the National Hockey League as an Associate Coach with the
Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings. Johnston has had extensive
international coaching experience having coached in nine World Senior
Championships, two World Junior Championships and the Olympic Games for
Canada.

Mr. Gallacher and Mr. Johnston announced the appointment of Travis Green
to the position of Assistant General Manager and Assistant Coach with the
Winter Hawks. A graduate of the WHL, Travis Green played 14 seasons in
the National Hockey League retiring in 2007.

Rich Campbell has been appointed Athletic Trainer and Strength and
Conditioning Coach of the Winter Hawks. Campbell joins the Winter Hawks
after serving as the Head Athletic Trainer of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team
that competed in Beijing. Campbell has extensive experience in
professional hockey having been the Head Athletic Trainer of the NHL’s New
York Islanders from 1997 – 2006.

Mr. Gallacher and Mr. Johnston also announced that long-time Winter Hawks
General Manager, Ken Hodge, has been retained as a consultant to the
organization.

The Winter Hawks also announced that current assistant coach Kyle
Gustafson will remain with the Club in his same capacity.

Richard Kromm, who has been replaced as Head Coach of the Portland Winter
Hawks, has been offered reassignment within the organization. The
services of Assistant Coach Brian Pellerin and Trainer Innes Mackie have
not been retained by the Club.

The 2008-2009 season marks the 33rd year the Winter Hawks have operated in
Portland. One of Portland’s premiere sport franchises, the Winter Hawks
moved from Edmonton to Portland in 1976 and in doing so became the first
U.S. based franchise in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Today, the
Winter Hawks are one of the most decorated franchises in the history of
the Canadian Hockey League with four Memorial Cup appearances; two
Memorial Cup National Championships (1983, 1998); two Western Hockey
League titles (1982, 1998) and a combined 22 championship banners. A
total of 98 players have graduated from the Winter Hawks to the NHL
including current and former NHL Stars Braydon Coburn, Adam Deadmarsh,
Brandon Dubinsky, Paul Gaustad, Marian Hossa, Brenden Morrow, Cam Neely,
and Glen Wesley.


Scout