'Cookie' calls it a career

• Being a head coach isn't an easy occupation. Every level has its degree of difficulty. Kris Mallette has had to make some hard decisions in the early stages of the young season. The best example came Saturday night when the Kelowna Rockets veteran d-men were struggling. Mallette had to make an in-game adjustment, electing to sit a few veterans who were making bad decisions and fighting the puck. Bold decision, but it worked out. Mallette puts 16 year-old rookie d-man Caden Price on the ice in overtime. The second round WHL bantam pick assists on the game winning goal from Jake Poole in a 5-4 OTW against Victoria.
  
• Are the Portland Winterhawks the WHL guinea pig? The Winterhawks are the first WHL team to attempt to cross the border between Canada and the US tomorrow. How smooth will it go? Will the Winterhawks have to be tested before entering Canada? What will it cost for everyone to take a test despite the entire team being double vaccinated? Every WHL ownerships group will be watching with keen interest. My understanding is despite being double vaxed, every player and coach on the bus must have taken a molecular test in the United States within 72 hours of entering Canada.  The Winterhawks play the Kamloops Blazers Wednesday night before meeting the Rockets at Prospera Place on Friday. The last American based team to cross into Canada are the Seattle Thunderbirds, who play December 10th in Kamloops. 

  

  Jordon Cooke

• He was one of my favourite Kelowna Rockets goalies. Jordon Cooke was arguably the best the franchise have ever selected in the WHL bantam draft. Chosen in the fourth round in 2008, the Leduc product was part of a powerhouse teams from 2012-2014. Sadly, the Portland Winterhawks were just that much better. Cooke has decided to retire at age 28. Cooke most recently played in Erste Liga, in Romania and Hungry last season. How good was Cooke? He is the only Rockets goalie to be named the CHL Goalie of the Year and twice the U-Sports Goalie of the Year with the U of Saskatchewan Huskies in 2015-2016 and 2016-2017. 
• Pavel Novak has 5 goals against the Victoria Royals this season. He had two goals opening night and three against them Saturday in the 5-4 overtime win. Two seasons ago, Novak had 6 against the Prince George Cougars, who provide the opposition on Saturday. 
• It looks like Travis Crickard is back in major junior hockey. Word out East is 'Cricks' has joined the coaching staff of the Saint John SeaDogs. Crickard was a member of Dan Lambert's coaching staff when the team won the 2015 WHL title. He was eventually relieved of his duties by then head coach Adam Foote 16 days before Christmas in 2018. 
• I ran into NHL scout Marty Stein twice over the past two weeks. Once in Vancouver and once in Kelowna. It wasn't until I noticed a change in logo on Stein's binder that I had to ask the question. Have you changed teams? Stein, who calls Coldstream home, has been scouting for the Detroit Red Wings for 25 years. He helped them win four Stanley Cups and a couple of Calder Cup titles. With his contract not renewed at the end of last season, Stein is now scouting for the Buffalo Sabres. 
• Bob Tory has hit the jackpot. The GM of the Tri City Americans received good news when 20 year-old Sasha Mutala was sent back to his team after starting the season in pro. While Mutala is a big boost for Tory's team offensively, you would have to think other GM's across the league will give Bob a call and ask if he is interested in making a trade. 
• Dan Price is forever the optimist. The Victoria Royals GM and HC isn't making excuses for his teams 1-10-1-0 start, but it would be easy to push the panic button with the injuries they've sustained. Often playing a few players short, once healthy, he will have a better idea of how good or bad his team really is. The fans in Victoria are antsy though. Check out the Royals Facebook page where fans are calling this team as bad as the 1989 Victoria Cougars who won 5 of 72 games or want Price fired.  Fact is, was no one paying attention to what happened in the abbreviated season when the Royals won just 3 of 22 games?  
• I heard the Seattle Kraken are playing 15 back-to-back games this season. In the WHL it's a completely different world. The Kelowna Rockets play back-to-backs 29 times. 
• Duncan Keith played his 1200 game in the NHL. The former Kelowna Rockets defender has played the most of any alumni. Scott Hannan comes close with 1,055 games. Shea Weber had 1,033 career games under his belt before he was hurt. Luke Schenn is exactly 200 games shy of 1,000.
• And then their was 1. Just one team in the WHL remains undefeated. The Everett Silvertips hold that honour. The Winnipeg Ice had an 11 game winning streak to start the season snapped in a loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings. No egg on the face of the Ice for losing to a very good Oil King team. They weren't going to go 68-0-0-0. It best to lose to one of the best in the WHL than lay an egg and fall victim to a bottom feeder.