Rockets release 2014-2015 schedule

• The 2014-2015 Western Hockey League regular season schedule for the Kelowna Rockets was released this morning. The team will raise two banners to the rafters when they open the season September 20th against the visiting Kamloops Blazers. The Rockets are BC Division champions and WHL regular season champs.
• The Rockets make an earlier visit to Prince George with back to back games September 26th and 27th. I guess I am bringing my golf clubs. Al Bristowe, make the tee-time please!
• 15 of the teams first 24 games will be played on the road.
• The Rockets play one 'road' double header this season. The Rockets visit the Portland Winterhawks on October 30th and November 1st.
• The Rockets host the Winterhawks in a double header at Prospera Place on November 21st and 22nd.
• The Rockets enjoy two - five game home stands.
• The most significant news out of the Rockets schedule is the team does not play three games in three nights. Nope..not even once.
• The bad news? If you are a Rockets season ticket holder you won't see the defending WHL champion Edmonton Oil Kings at all at Prospera Place. The Rockets face the Oil Kings on their own turf on December 16th.
• This is a little concerning. The Rockets play three games in four nights 12 times.

Now what?

Lambert played with passion. Brings same trait as coach

• How crazy was Monday for ya? Yikes! Coach Ryan Huska moves to the pro ranks and assistant Dan Lambert takes his place. I love the move. Why? Over the last five seasons I have talked with and watched Lambert closely and the personality traits that I see in Lambert are many of Ryan Huska's strengths. Neither is an intimidating figure. Both are extremely sociable and likable..player coaches if you will. The most important trait in Lambert, like Huska, is the want to win. Huska was often completely honest in post game interviews when evaluating his players or the way his team played. He knew when they sucked as a group and wasn't afraid to speak his mind about it. He told it how it was which made for great radio. Lambert is very much from the same ilk. I can only imagine the two of them are clear in their messaging to there players. You don't have to read between the lines. Both coaches want their players to be accountable and that is where much of the success lies. 
• Where Lambert and Huska differ is the fiery sides of their personalities. Huska used the softer, gentler approach in communicating specifically with officials after a bad call. My belief is Lambert will use a slightly different tactic if he has a problem with how the game is being called. But that said, when roles change behind the bench, sometimes the demeanour also changes. A head coaches composure, or lackthereof often sends a clear message to the players that the train is either going off the track when adversity strikes or the ocean is indeed calm after a turbulent situation. What I do know is Lambert is a sore loser. What good coach isn't? I will take a sore loser over a coach who accepts it. When a coach accepts losing, so do players. The two are closely connected.
• Outside of coaching, Lambert brings to the table the ability to recruit. Lambert was a player himself that was recruited by the Swift Current Broncos in the mid 80's. Lambert knows the concerns parents have about their son choosing major junior and closing the door on an NCAA scholarship. Lambert has already been instrumental in that area. I can only see that intensifying now that he is driving the ship.
• I really liked the emotion expressed by both GM Bruce Hamilton and Coach Huska at yesterday's media conference. That isn't a sign of weakness. That is a sign of being real. That is an outward sign that both Hamilton and Huska really care. They care about the team. They care about each other. I thought it was honest. I thought it was appropriate and the emotional sendoff couldn't have been more fitting for a coach that gave so much. Huska was thrilled that Hamilton gave him the chance in 2007 rather than overlooking him for what would have been considered a better candidate at the time.
• Hiring from within. I have never had a problem with that concept, especially when the individual is right under your noise. In Bruce Hamilton's case, Dan Lambert was right under his nose and he knew it. I am sure Hamilton could have opened up the search for a new head coach and many big names would have given him a call inquiring about the vacant position. But Lambert, like Huska in 2007 is an up and comer. Can Lambert be the next best thing coming out of major junior? The answer is a definite yes!
• Losing Ryan Huska to the AHL does have its perks. Huska will be a walking billboard for the Rockets organization. Huska will talk glowingly about the organization to those he comes into contact with and will be a valuable resource for the current coaching staff that he leaves behind in Kelowna.
• Who is Lambert's assistant coaches going to be? Will only one be added or will two assistants be required? General Manager Bruce Hamilton has suggested they want to hire an assistant with significant experience and to groom that individual - like they did Lambert - to eventually be the head coach when Lambert eventually sets sail. Who that individual(s) is remains uncertain. Now that the Regina Pats have cleaned house with their entire coaching staff, would Malcolm Cameron be a good fit?
• You would think several Rockets' alumni would have to be considered. Cam Paddock joined the team in late December/early January in a support role when the team played a double header in Portland. Would Paddock be interested? Some may suggest he is to young. Is 31 to young? I don't think so...not as an assistant. One area Paddock falls short on is actual coaching experience, a criteria that must be met according to Hamilton. Paddock is an interesting candidate though. I could throw out more names, but what's the point? Sooner rather than later we will find out who the successful candidate is. Just by looking at the organizations track record, that person will come with the same qualities you find in Jeff Truitt, Ryan Huska and Dan Lambert.

Huska says goodbye and Lambert is promoted to top job

Saying goodbye to Ryan Huska. (Left to right, Lambert/Huska/Bartel

• It was an emotional press conference this afternoon as the Kelowna Rockets officially said goodbye to seven year head coach Ryan Huska and then introduced Dan Lambert as his successor. Why was it so emotional? For a junior coach to spend seven seasons with one team, 12 if you include his time as an assistant to both Marc Habscheid and Jeff Truitt for five seasons, you become a part of the fabric of the organization. 
• Even General Manager Bruce Hamilton showed emotion when thanking Huska for the time he had spent with the organization. "I thought a year ago he was ready but he didn't think he was ready. I knew as soon as the opportunities started coming this year, and the number of teams that contacted me to talk to him where lots, he probably was in a position to pick where he wanted to go. If you would have asked me a month ago I thought the Flames would be the last team he would go to. I think they (Flames) have a great plan and he is a big part of it."
• Huska too was full of emotion when he stood at the podium to say his thank yous. "It is tough and it just isn't the hockey side of things and that is why it was tougher..you are in a way leaving family. When you throw family into the picture at any time emotions get involved. We have grown up with this organization. I have learned to coach here. Bruce has been really supportive of us along the way and has done so much for our family that I can't really express right now. Standing up at that podium was a challenge, that's for sure".
• Dan Lambert has no previous head coaching experience, outside of his position as head coach of Team West at the Under 17's last December. But true to form, Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton hired or promoted from within. He did it with Jeff Truitt. He did it with Ryan Huska and now he did it again with Dan Lambert. "Five years ago I thought I knew a lot. When you see the detail that Ryan Huska puts into a daily schedule and then the detail of coaching, it is pretty amazing. I certainly learned from a great guy and a guy I want to emulate in the future. It feels pretty special. It is with mixed emotions to see Ryan leave and to know that same camaraderie won't be there. It won't mean it can't start from new, but certainly I am excited, thrilled and honoured".   
• The most composed of the three who spoke at the press conference was Lambert. But even he too admitted it was bitter sweet to see Huska move on. "It is a day of celebration for me but you do have those mixed emotions because over the last five years I have probably spent more time with Ryan Huska then I have my wife, and that's the truth. You do create a bond and a relationship that is pretty special. There isn't to much Ryan Huska doesn't know about Dan Lambert and Dan Lambert about Ryan Huska. The trust that we have built over the years is pretty special", Lambert added.
• Lambert's next order of business will be to hire an assistant coach. Let's just say the phone will be ringing off the hook at the Rockets office over the next couple of days.

Huska moving on to AHL

I knew this day would come. It was a matter of when, not if. Ryan Huska is no longer the head coach of the Kelowna Rockets.
Huska is moving to the American Hockey League as the new head coach of the Calgary Flames minor league affiliate in Adirondack New York.
It is no surprise Huska is moving on. Like the new I-Phone 6, which will eventually hit the store shelves, Huska is the next best thing.
The personable coach succeeded Jeff Truitt as the new head coach of the Kelowna Rockets in July of 2007 and seven years later he leaves as the winningest coach in franchise history, a WHL championship banner in 2009, two BC Division banner and a Western Hockey League regular season banner in his back pocket.
He was one of the most highly coveted major junior hockey coaches in the country. When you win 109 games over the last two seasons, pro teams tend to notice. That is why he is moving on. Huska is just that darn good.
To be honest, this is a sad day for me. A sad day selfishly because of the relationship I built with him over the years. Huska, who is ten days shy of his 39th birthday, was such a joy to be around on a day to day basis.
I will always remember meeting him at Manhattan Restaurant after the game six win over the Calgary Hitmen in the 2009 WHL final. As I walked towards Huska, who was waiting patiently for us to come down from the broadcast booth for our post game interview, we gave each other a hug in a celebration of what had just happened. It was a special moment that could only be celebrated with an embrace. A solid handshake at that point seemed impersonal.
But friendships are not built on only the good things that happen in life, but are truly strengthened and tested when hardships follow. In January of this year, Huska's father Peter passed away from cancer. In a reception line at the funeral an embrace was only appropriate as I shared the pain with Huska of losing a loved one. My mother Lil too passed away from brain cancer in 2008.
Now on June 23rd 2014, I again will embrace Huska, but this time in celebration as he advances his coaching career to a new level. His father Peter would be so proud of his son and too is this radio broadcaster to see him move on to another chapter in undoubtedly a magnificent coaching career.
Congratulation Ryan on the new gig in Adirondack. I will miss you but am so happy for you.
Who is Huska's successor behind the Rockets bench? The answer is obvious. That individual will be revealed at one o'clock this afternoon.

Who backs up Jackson Whistle?

Jackson Whistle will be front and centre this season

• The Kelowna Rockets hold the first of its kinds prospects camp this weekend at the Capital News Centre. In the past only goaltenders have been involved, but this time 14 prospects (8 forwards and 6 goaltenders) will be put through the paces by the coaching staff. The three day get-to-together is designed for these new faces to meet the coaches while getting to know a few of the veterans. Among the prospects will be 15 year-old defenceman Jonathan Smart who was taken in the first round by the Rockets in May's WHL bantam draft.
• It will be worth watching the six goalies in camp closely. Why? The question has to be asked. Who is the next Jordon Cooke? With the CHL Goaltender of the Year graduating from major junior, hopefully no less than two emerge as a possible back up to 19 year-old Jackson Whistle. Is Whistle ready for prime time? He better be. After two years as a back up to Cooke, now is the West Kelowna residents time to shine in his third full season in the WHL. The Rockets are counting on Whistle to carry the mail this season. If he can't...look out!
• The Rockets will release their regular season schedule next week. If I was a betting man, the chances of starting the season with a home and home series against the new look Kamloops Blazers under head coach Don Hay is pretty good. If that indeed happens, it will be nice to raise the BC Division and WHL regular season championship banners in front of them. That never gets old against an arch rival. I remember when the Blazers lifted the BC Division banner in front of the Rockets at the Interior Savings Centre in 2013. It wasn't nice to watch as a member of the dreaded opposition.
• Dan Lambert showed he can preform under pressure. The Rockets assistant coach was asked to pinch hit when GM Bruce Hamilton was unable to make a press conference Tuesday when the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame named its four inductees for 2014. The Rockets 2004 Memorial Cup championship team will be inducted during a ceremony in November. Despite not being apart of the team in 04' and playing in Europe at the time, Lambert came through with flying colours with some nice thoughts of how that championship team paved the way for future success within the organization.
• Just to keep things straight here, the Rockets will be inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame in Penticton in July and will again be inducted into the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame in Kelowna at a breakfast in November.
• I met an enthusiastic female Rockets fan at the Hall of Fame press conference. She came up to me and said, "So you are Regan Bartel! I expected you to be much larger". We both laughed. I told her to give me another 10 years, with the way we eat on the road, I will look exactly how she envisioned. 
• Next month I will share my memories of the 2004 Memorial Cup winning team, but for now a memory from 2002 when the team was attempting to beat out other bids to host the 10 day tournament. I remember boarding the Rockets bus headed for Vancouver the night before the presentations were to be heard. The Rockets bid committee was comprised of GM Bruce Hamilton, VP of Business Gavin Hamilton, then Prospera Place GM Dave Dakers, Memorial Cup Chairman Paul Mitchell and Councilor Andre Blanleil. Myself and Doyle Potenteau of the Daily Courier were the only two media members asked to come along to report on the event. Rockets Head Coach Marc Habscheid and Kelowna Mayor Walter Gray were also apart of the committee's presentation, but they were not on the bus the day we headed out to Vancouver. I remember the day of the announcement after the presentations were heard by league governors at a downtown hotel. At a gathering in a conference room at the Pacific Coliseum that evening, WHL Commissioner Ron Robison stepped up to the microphone to announce the host team for the 2004 Memorial Cup. With Lethbridge bowing out, it was between Kelowna and Vancouver for the chance to host the prestigious event. As we know now, Kelowna won the bid. When Commissioner Robison uttered those words, the yell from the committee in jubilation is something I will never forget. Less than two years later the team would win the darn thing.
• I was extremely pleased to learn Prince George Cougars assistant coach Jason Becker is heading to the Okanagan this fall. Becker, who spent five seasons as an assistant in PG, has taken a coaching position with the Okanagan Hockey Academy. Becker and I go back to my days as the Swift Current Broncos radio broadcaster while he was a player on the team. The year was 1994-95. The move for his family alone will be a major upgrade. The winters are so much better here in the Okanagan than up North. That said, the people of Prince George are a friendly bunch and my hope is the people here embrace them too.
• The Okanagan is always the site of weddings in the summer. Kelowna specifically provides for an outstanding backdrop. This summer two former Kelowna Rockets players will be tying the knot in our fair city. Ryan Cuthbert, who captained the team for two seasons including the 2003 WHL championship squad, will say 'I do'. Defenceman Tyler Myers, who was a member of the Rockets 2009 WHL championship team, will also walk down the aisle. 
• It looks like Zach Franko will head to Acadia University this fall. The 21 year-old played 252 regular season games with the Kelowna Rockets before being traded to Kootenay in January to make room for overage forward Marek Tvrdon. Franko told me he will choose to go to Acadia if a pro opportunity doesn't come his way.
• It will be interesting to see what happens with Myles Bell and his contract negotiations with the New Jersey Devils. With Bell being unsigned and having no other option but to play pro or go to school, the Devils need to offer him a contract to his liking for him to play in the AHL this season. Bell was drafted in the 6th round by the Devils last summer.
• Speaking of players looking for a contract, will the Edmonton Oilers re-sign Kelowna resident Curtis Hamilton before July 1st? If the Oilers don't, Hamilton, a 2nd round pick of the Oilers in 2010, will become a free agent. Several players in Oklahoma City have had a chance to show their stuff with the Oilers over the years but Hamilton unfortunately hasn't been afforded that luxury. It makes you wonder if the now 22 year-old would get a better shot with another team?
• Will Rockets alumnus Travis Moen be with the Montreal Canadiens next season? While he still has two years left on a four year contract that pays him 1.8 million, it never looks good when you are a health scratch in the Eastern Conference finals. 

Hamilton up for the challenge on two high profile fronts

Bruce Hamilton

• Bruce Hamilton loves a challenge. The Kelowna Rockets general manager will again be an integral part of the management team for Hockey Canada at the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championships in Montreal and Toronto. Hamilton was apart of the management team that lost in the bronze medal game in Sweden at the 2013 tournament. Hamilton has one World Junior Championship medal in his home after his son Curtis was a part of Team Canada’s entry at the 2011 tournament. Hamilton told me winning a gold medal at the World Juniors would be ‘his Stanley Cup’.
• It has been a busy week for Hamilton, who was re-elected as Chairman of the Board at the WHL annual meetings Wednesday in Vancouver. Hamilton is now in his seventh term as chairman, which is the longest tenure of anyone to hold the post in league history. I may be reading between the lines, but it doesn’t appear anyone else wants the job. No one is stepping up and saying, ‘pick me, pick me’. Instead they are taking the easy way out by re-electing Hamilton. The main reason why, I assume, is it takes a lot of work and being the chairman often puts you in a tough spot  when you have to make decision for the betterment of the league that may not sit well with some people.    
• League governors have voted for a new playoff format that mirrors the one used in the NHL. The new format should set up divisional playoff match ups in round one; something the Rockets didn’t see at all in three playoff rounds in 2013. The Rockets faced American based Tri City in round one, Seattle in round two and Portland in round three.  Portland followed a similar path facing BC Division Vancouver in round one, Victoria in round two and Kelowna in round three.    
• Bruce Hamilton would like to get a pro tryout for 21 year-old goaltender Jordon Cooke. He says the CHL Goaltender of the Year deserves a closer look.
• Word is Cooke has 14 Canadian Universities wanting to obtain his services. Do you think?
• The NHL Draft at the end of the month should see no less than two Kelowna Rockets players taken and maybe even a third. Justin Kirkland will hear his name called and Rourke Chartier also has a shot of being picked by one of the 30 teams. It will be interesting to see if Tyson Baillie has a team that chooses him when the draft is held in Philadelphia.
• Nice to see former Kelowna Rockets forward Dylen McKinlay is going to university this fall. Now 22, McKinlay will suit up with the University of Regina Cougars. McKinlay had career high 24 goals and 68 points with the Rockets in 2012-2013.
• Congratulations to AJ Jakubec for being named the radio play-by-play voice of the CFL expansion Ottawa Redblacks.  AJ was my colour guy on Kelowna Rockets broadcast during the 2000-2001 season. It has been a great six months for the Edmonton resident, who called his first NHL game with the Ottawa Senators in March. I’m thinking AJ better buy a lottery ticket. The dude is on a roll.   
• I loved LA Kings goaltender Jonathon Quick's comments to reporters after a pre-game skate this morning in advance of game five of the Stanley Cup final.  Quick sounded like Kings head coach Darryl Sutter. Quick's answers were 'quick' and had little to no substance. The more reporters attempted to pry something out of him, the more tight lipped he became. 
• Darryl Sutter was asked how important the start would be in game five. Check out his answer. "How important is a good start? That's why they put time on the clock always. It starts. That's when it starts. Then you get 30 or 40 seconds of it and then somebody else gets to go. It is not just the start. What does start mean? Does it mean shift?  Does that mean period? Does that mean until the first time out? Does that mean save? Does that mean, o-zone, d-zone or neutral zone? What does it mean? After listening to that, I'm as confused as Sutter is.       

Things that make me go hmm...

Vin Scully knows when to 'shut up'.

• Kim Dillabaugh has one Stanley Cup ring. Would he like another? The Kelowna Rockets goaltending coach is also a goaltending consultant with the LA Kings, meaning he will be at Staples Center tonight for game one of the Stanley Cup final between the Kings and the New York Rangers. Dillabaugh was with the Kings when they won hockey's holy grail back in 2012. Dillabaugh primarily works with the Kings goaltending prospects but worked extensively with Jonathan Quick when he was cutting his teeth at the American Hockey League level.
• How would you like to live in a hotel for a month? If you are wondering what its like,  just ask Ryan Olsen. The Kelowna Rockets forward has been hanging out in a hotel in St. John's Newfoundland while practicing with the American Hockey League's IceCaps during their long playoff run towards the Calder Cup. Olsen hasn't played a game, but is a group of Winnipeg Jets prospects that are along for the ride and could see duty if a regular is injured. "We have had to eat out every single day since I have been here. I haven't had a home cooked meal since I left Kelowna", Olsen told me this morning on an off day.    The IceCaps face the Texas Stars in the Calder Cup final which begins Sunday.
• Several WHL teams have updated their jersey colour scheme over the last couple of years. This week the Swift Current Broncos went back to the uniforms they wore when they broke into the league in 1986. I wonder if the Kelowna Rockets change things up considering this season marks their 20th in the Okanagan in 2014-2015.
• If Brian Gionta doesn't resign with the Montreal Canadiens, wouldn't Josh Gorges be a nice choice for captain of the Habitants?
• NHL prospect Sam Bennett raised eyebrows this week when he was unable to do one pull up at the Combine in Toronto. I am a little surprised he couldn't do one, but have you ever attempted to do a pull up? Try it. I dare ya! I am a little bit of a gym rat so I know the strength and technique needed to execute one properly. Trust me, Bennett is not a bad player because he can't execute a pull up. If he can't shoot a puck or skate, then he is in massive trouble.
• The NHL draft will see Kelowna Rockets Justin Kirkland taken somewhere in the late second or third round. When he is chosen, just remember he didn't play major junior until he was 17. The lanky forward spent his 16 year-old year playing midget hockey in Wilcox Saskatchewan (Notre Dame). Did that extra year in midget hurt? Not one bit.
• I read an interesting article on legendary broadcaster Vin Scully. The one quote that stood out was when Scully said, 'I've learned to shut up'. That is so true. Some times its best to keep your yap shut.
• The Kelowna Rockets will have one prospect attending the WHL's Combine this weekend at the Capital News Centre. Jonathon Smart, the teams first round pick in April's bantam draft, will be there.
  Prospects will be put through the paces at the Combine, which is designed to assist players with their skill development, with on ice testing, tips and seminars. Rockets Head Coach Ryan Huska will make a presentation to players attending on the benefits of playing in the WHL.
• An interesting hire indeed for the Saskatoon Blades this week. Bob Woods leaves his assistant coaching position with the NHL's Anaheim Ducks and will guide the Blades for the next five seasons. I only find it interesting that an NHL assistant coach comes back to major junior in the hopes of getting some additional head coaching experience with the goal of eventually moving back to the 'bigs' as a full time bench boss. And to think Woods traded in the sunshine of California for the cold winter nights on the Saskatchewan prairies. He likely won't say it publicly, but on several occasions he will mutter to himself, 'What did I do'?
• Now that the Montreal Canadiens are out of the playoffs, lots of talk about how good Brendan Gallagher was leading up to the Eastern Conference final. Gallagher is a smallish player with a MASSIVE heart. He just doesn't quit. But honestly, how many small players are out there that play with that type of effort and can do it at an elite level? Gallagher is a special player and I am not sure many can match what he brings in a small package. 
• The Blue Jays are sparking my interest. I know it is only June, but I am watching the out of town scoreboard closely hoping the team stays atop the division and has what it takes in October. Will the bubble burst? I am enjoying the fact they have won 14 of their last 17 games and are in first place. I thought they would suck this year. That said, I thought they would be good last season and they really struggled. 
• The Saskatchewan Roughriders are holding training camp in Saskatoon this year. I remember as a teenager driving up from Swift Current with a buddy of mine and spending the weekend watching the Riders workout. Even back then, in the mid 80's when the team was horrible, we were still diehards.
• The BC Lions hold training camp at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. Remember the days when the Lions held camp in Kelowna? I understand the set up for the Lions in the 'Loops' is outstanding and they are looking at staying there long term.

Things that make me go hmm....

Moen walking with 'Lord Stanley' in 2007

• I sure am feeling for Travis Moen these days. The former Kelowna Rockets forward has been a healthy scratch for all of the Montreal Canadiens games in the Eastern Conference final vs. the New York Rangers. The 32 year-old has been sitting in the press box for all five games after seeing spot duty in a second round series with the Boston Bruins. This is the time of year that any player with a heartbeat wants to make a contribution to the team. Moen has to be a good teammate and keep a positive face in the dressing room with the knowledge that unless someone gets hurt, he won't see the ice anytime soon. This obviously isn't Moen's best moment in the NHL. That moment would have to be in 2007 when he played a significant role in the Anaheim Ducks run towards a Stanley Cup title.
• It is amazing how Josh Gorges has turned into one of the best shot blockers in the NHL. The captain of the Kelowna Rockets Memorial Cup winning team throws caution to the wind when he has a chance to get in the way of a puck coming off the stick of an opposing forward or defenceman. Unfortunately, Gorges likes to shot block so much that no less than three have gone off him and into the back of his own net in this years playoffs.
• The Dustin Tokarski story is a good one. Not since Patrick Roy in 1986 has a rookie goalie for the Canadiens taken his team within two wins of a birth in the Stanley Cup final. The former Spokane Chiefs netminder is handling the playoff pressure like a true pro. The composure that he shows for a 24 year-old is absolutely amazing.
• If a game seven is necessary in the Eastern Conference final it will take place in Montreal this weekend. That means the postponement of a concert by 80's Canadian singing sensation Corey Hart. Did I say singing sensation? I have to admit I still have one of his cassettes down in my basement. Or is it on my IPhone?
• Overage forward Myles Bell is spending the summer rooming with Carter Rigby and former Kelowna Rockets goaltender Adam Brown. What could go wrong?
• Speaking of Rockets spending the summer in Kelowna, goaltender Jordon Cooke is rooming with forward Colten Heffley. I wonder who does the cooking? Isn't Cooke your first guess?
• The construction is almost complete in downtown Kelowna. I don't know about you, but I think it looks great. The sidewalks are wider, the lightning is nicer and the parking is better. It is a fresh new look. If I hear one person complaining about the finished product I will poke them in the eye. The wider sidewalks have allowed Starbucks downtown to significantly add tables and chairs in front of the store. The buzz on the streets is so much better. A high five to the local businesses that had to suck it up through all the construction. Sales likely took a beating but I hope the new look attracts more people downtown. I think it will happen.
• If councillor Colin Basran would be as good a mayor as he is a street hockey player, we may have something here. Basran was the only member of Kelowna council who participated at the HNIC Play-On Celebrity street hockey game and proved he can play.
• If the Saskatoon Blades have a short list of candidates to fill the GM/HC position with the team, I sure hope they knocked on Marc Habscheid's door and asked him if he was indeed interested in getting back in the game.
• The spring radio rating's came out this morning and I am pleased to announce that Kelowna Rockets Hockey did extremely well. As our program director called it, the ratings for Rockets hockey were 'huge'. Thanks to you the listeners out there that spend time at the other end of the radio on winter nights. Gord McGarva and I love what we do and we try to put on an entertaining show for you. 
• What goes a junior hockey coach do during the summer? Spending time with family and working on the golf game are two sure things. Rockets HC Ryan Huska is taking part in a coaches conference in Vancouver July 18th and 19th. Huska is one of the guest speakers. Huska's discussion centers on the penalty killing unit.  Makes sense considering the Rockets had the best PK in the WHL this past season.
• NHL'ers that spend the summer in the Okanagan are slowly arriving in these parts. Edmonton Oilers d-man Justin Schultz - who calls West Kelowna home - is participating next month in a Chevy Source for Sports' minor hockey contest we ran on AM 1150/Sun FM this winter. The winner picked up a pair of new skates from Chevy's, hoodies for his entire team and a practice with an NHL player. Schultz is that player. I have the privilege to being apart of that contest. Time to slap on the pads and take a couple of hard-high ones from Schultz perhaps?
• The Okanagan Rockets are using the BCHL's Penticton Vees as a landing spot for many of its graduating players. No less than three have decided to play with the South Okanagan team with two of them essentially snubbing WHL teams. Tyson Jost, a first round pick of the Everett Silvertips, has decided to play in Penticton rather than join Tips head coach Kevin Constantine as a rookie. What does that tell you? Reading between the lines, I don't think Jost believes he will be granted the ice time he needs to improve his game under the defensive minded coach. Constantine traditionally likes to ride his older players. I don't think Jost would get the type of minutes that Nick Merkley was granted under Ryan Huska in Kelowna this past season. I could be wrong, but I think I'm right.
• Brendan Barry - the Okanagan Rockets starting goaltender this season - has also  committed to the Vees. Barry had a shot of being Jackson Whistle's backup this season with the Kelowna Rockets with the graduation of Jordon Cooke. Maybe Barry was looking for a guarantee from the Rockets that he would be granted the backup duties? Without that guarantee, the listed goaltender believes his option is better to play in the BCHL in an effort to play U.S college hockey down the road. Again, I am only guessing here.

Cooke returns from London and Clark drops the ball

• Jordon Cooke returned to Kelowna on Monday after spending the weekend in London, Ontario where he was named the Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the Year. The 20 year-old captured the honour Saturday by beating out representatives from the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. "I believe it is a pretty prestigious award. I hope that this opens a couple of doors. If it doesn't, I can look back on it and be very proud and what happened and go from there". It is hard to imagine that Cooke came within a hair of being cut by the Kelowna Rockets just a few years back. The Leduc, Alberta product admits he didn't exactly impress when he made the team in the fall of 2010."I was pretty lucky that I had pretty good camps prior to that and they (Rockets scouts) knew what type of skill set I had. Now it is completely night and day. I owe it all to (goaltending coach) Kim Dillabaugh. He is one of the best in the business and I can vouch for that."Cooke still isn't sure where he will be playing next season. He may get drafted in June. Maybe a pro team will offer him a contract or he could play CIS university hockey.
• What an awesome showing by the Edmonton Oil Kings in winning the 2014 Memorial Cup. This was a gutsy effort which mirrored their showing in a game seven WHL championship series with the Portland Winterhawks. Sure, the Oil Kings lost the first game in London against the Ontario Hockey League champion Guelph Storm, but they won the game that really mattered when it came to a rematch between the two teams. What was so impressive about Sunday's win was the ability to find the will, the want and the desire after playing two previous games that went into overtime, including a triple overtime thriller in the semi finals. The team that won the 2014 Memorial Cup showed massive character and are truly worthy of being declared champions.
• Congrats to Oil Kings scout Bob McGill. McGill, who lives in Edmonton, was at one time a scout with the Kelowna Rockets before jumping to the Oil Kings organization. McGill is the father of Kootenay Ice head coach Ryan McGill.
• It looks like the Vancouver Canucks are seriously looking at bringing Willie Desjardins on board as the teams new head coach. Desjardins is a former coach of the Medicine Hat Tigers and really turned that franchise around after a stint in the late 90's where they couldn't make the playoffs. They missed five straight years between 1997 and 2001 before Desjardins came on board and found the winning formula that has paved the way to future success. If Desjardins is named the Canucks coach, he won't be a hit with the media. Willie is a good guy, but very quiet and reserved in his approach when it comes to media query's.
• The HNIC Play-On 4 on 4 celebrity hockey game took place Saturday afternoon in front of Prospera Place. Gord McGarva and I had the pleasure of MCing the contest, which featured the likes of former Rockets Brandon McMillan, Cody Almond and Evan Bloodoff along with current Rockets Myles Bell, Jackson Whistle, Tyson Baillie, Mitch Wheaton and Carter Rigby. Oh ya, politicians like local MLA's Norm Letnick, Steve Thomson and Mike de Jong were also on hand for the game while Premier Christy Clark participated in the opening face-off.      
• Thomson had to leave the game in the first half after stumbling during the play and crashing to the concrete. And he thought question period in the legislature was tough. 
• Ronnie Coleman is coming to Kelowna. The 8 time Mr. Olympian is making a quick stop at Fuel Supplements on K.L.O Road Tuesday from 4 until 7. You need to buy 100 bucks of his supplements in order to meet and get your picture taken with Coleman, who is now 50 years old. In his prime, Coleman was freakishly massive  

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  Premier Christy Clark drops ball at celebrity 4 on 4 game 

Ten years ago today, Kelowna Rockets win 2004 Memorial Cup

It was 10 years ago today that the Kelowna Rockets won the 2004 Memorial Cup.

Randall Gelech scored one of the Rockets two goals in the third period to beat Gatineau 2-1 in the tournament final.

"I think I have broken down in tears about three times", Gelech said after the final buzzer sounded. "I never dreamed in a million years that this would ever feel this good. Now that we've done it, it feels like I need to wake up. It feels like a dream," Gelech added.

It was an emotional ending to the season for 19 year-old forward Tyler Mosienko. "I was crying man. When I was skating before the game I had tears coming down. I couldn't even talk. I was choked up and I haven't cried in a little while."  

The Rockets went 3 and 0 during the round robin tournament before winning a one goal game in the championship final. Overage goaltender Kelly Guard was named the tournament MVP for allowing three goals in four games.

"I just wanted to have a strong tournament and give the guys a chance to win. I believe together as a team we have done that", a soft spoken Guard said after the game. 

The 2004 Memorial Cup championship team will be inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame during a ceremony in late June.

Things that make me go hmm....

Cougars GM Dallas Thompson joining us in 2010

• Exciting times in the WHL. The Regina Pats held a press conference earlier this week to introduce their new ownership group and the Prince George Cougars have a press conference 'party' planned for next Tuesday. It is a chance to meet the new owners and get a glimpse of WHL commissioner Ron Robison, who makes a rare visit for positive reasons. Sounds like exciting times in PG as new ownership attempts to repair hurt feelings with its fans and more importantly the business community. A free barbecue and the shaking of hands won't exactly heal broken hearts in 'Cougar Country', but it sure is a step in the right direction. It will be interesting to see how many fans come out to meet and greet the new ownership that includes NHL'ers Eric Brewer and Dan Hamhuis. 
• I hope the best for the new ownership in Prince George. Would I rather have the team located in nearby Abbotsford or Nanaimo? For travel reasons yes, but if the fans come back and the CN Centre becomes a fun place to visit, I can't see why the pain won't lessen when opposing teams make the long journey to the Western Conference's most northern outpost. 
• If Dallas Thompson is no longer the GM of the Cougars, it makes me wonder where he will end up? Thompson has been in hockey all of his life. It is what he knows best. I can't see him staying in Prince George. Maybe a scouting gig is his next step? Thompson has been with the Cougars for 11 seasons, including time as an assistant coach. If you go to the Cougars website, his name has been wiped clean. Even his house in Prince George is up for sale. 
• Shane McColgan is undergoing surgery this week. The former Kelowna Rockets/Portland Winterhawks/Penticton Vees forward was going under the knife to repair a thumb he hurt in training last summer. I will be interested to see where McColgan ends up playing next season. Europe possibly? 
• Home cook'n never tasted so good in the WHL championship series. The home team has won all four games in the best of seven between the Edmonton Oil Kings and the Portland Winterhawks. Amazing to think both of these teams are flawless on home ice in the playoffs. The Oil Kings are 10 and 0 while the Winterhawks are 9 and 0 in front of the home town crowd. Two of the next three games are at the Moda Center in Portland.
• Dan Lambert is leaving the Kelowna Rockets. Let me rephrase that. Lambert will be leaving the team in late October as he coaches one of three Canadian teams at the revamped Under 17 World Hockey Challenge. The nine day tournament still features the best Canadian born players in the 16 year-old age group, but Canada will have three teams competing instead of each player representing their region which has been the case since 1986. You won't see Team West, Team Pacific nor Team Ontario anymore. Three Canadian teams (red, black and white) will compete against other countries like Finland, the USA and Russia. Lambert is no stranger to Hockey Canada after coaching Team West at last year's tournament in Nova Scotia. 
• Rockets' rookies Joe Gatenby and Nick Merkley were members of Team Pacific which won a silver medal at the Under 17's. That tourney took place December 29th to January 4th in Cape Breton. The event has moved to late October so it doesn't get lost with all the hype surrounding the World Junior Hockey Championships during the Christmas break. The change makes sense and allows the Under 17's to play on a bigger media stage.
• Nice to see Travis Moen getting some TV time during the NHL playoffs. Along with teammate Dale Weisse, these two hard working prairie boys are making a big contribution to the Canadiens success.
• I have to admit that watching the Montreal Canadiens penalty killing unit is awfully impressive when you see two of the five skaters on the ice having connections with the Kelowna Rockets. Travis Moen won't score you many goals, nor will defensive defenceman Josh Gorges, but those guys are valuable at this time of the year.
• How good is Lars Eller? I don't have a chance to see the Canadiens much on TV during the regular season but his compete is outstanding. The Canadiens are getting a deal paying him 1.5  million dollars. The 25 year-old, surprisingly, scored just 12 goals this season. 
• I love the organ music at the Bell Centre in Montreal. That old school sound brings back memories when I used to watch games on TV from the Montreal Forum.
• Nice work Okanagan Sun. The junior football team in Kelowna has revamped its logo for the 2014 season. I like the new look with the 'O' being prominent on the teams' helmets. The old logo, which has been with the team since its inception in 1981 will remains, but the new look should be a hit with the players and its fans. Heck, its a hit with me. Get me some gear!
• Hard to believe that the Okanagan Midget Rockets have a summer camp coming up later this month. Didn't they just wrap up their season a few weeks ago after competing at the Telus Cup? No rest for the defending BC Major Midget Hockey League champions, who will have major holes to fill. BC Major Midget Hockey League Champions!!  Doesn't that sound nice?    
• I wonder how many offers/phone calls Jordon Cooke is getting these days from Canadian universities for his services? It is a hard time for the 20 year-old, who is probably contemplating playing pro but doesn't necessarily want to shut the door on four years of tuition and books. Decisions. Decision!
• Ryan Olsen is still up practicing with the St. Johns IceCaps. The Kelowna Rockets forward isn't getting any playing time but is watching the team he will undoubtedly play for next season in the second round of the AHL playoffs. Alumnus Mitch Callahan is also competing in the AHL playoffs for the Grand Rapids Griffins.   

Steve Papp for MC assignment?/Don't forget about Habscheid.

Kelowna's own Steve Papp

• An impressive start for the Portland Winterhawks in the first two games of the Western Hockey League final against the Edmonton Oil Kings. The defending league champs earned a 5-2 win in game one and did it without forward Brendan Leipsic. The 19 year-old was tagged with a one game suspension for his spear on Kelowna Rockets forward Tyrell Goulbourne in game five of the Western Conference final. With the Nashville Predators draft pick back in the line up for game two, the Winterhawks earned a 3-1 win. Portland has now won an impressive 25 straight games on home ice and have lost only twice in the playoffs to the Rockets and Victoria Royals.
• I would be surprised if the Winterhawks win both games in Edmonton as the series switches to Rexall Place for games three and four this week. The Oil Kings are also flawless on home ice in post season.  Will the Winterhawks win the series and represent the WHL for the second consecutive season? Portland is getting the goaltending they need to get the job done and need no help in generating offense at the other end of the ice. 
• Nice to see Kelowna resident Steve Papp being rewarded for his efforts as one of a handful of referee's used in the WHL final. Here is hoping that Papp calls a strong game or two and is given the honour of representing the league at the Memorial Cup in London Ontario later this month. 
• Two members of the Kelowna Rockets are undergoing surgery this summer. Mitch Wheaton will go under the knife for shoulder surgery while teammate Tyrell Goulbourne will have bone chips removed from his elbow. Wheaton underwent shoulder surgery after last years playoff run but this time the right side will get the attention instead of his left shoulder.
• Leading scorer Myles Bell will be spending the summer in Kelowna while rooming with teammate Carter Rigby. I ran into the two of them at the Parkinson Rec Centre on Sunday as they were watching a billet families son playing flag football. Rigby and Bell will be doing construction work this summer to pay the bills. 
• Last week I suggested the likely candidate to back up veteran Jackson Whistle in goal next season may be rookie Jake Morrisey. Morrisey may also find himself battling for the spot with Okanagan Rockets goaltender Brendan Barry. The 1997 born player was instrumental in helping his team reach the Telus Cup where the midget's earned a bronze medal. Barry was listed by the Rockets.
• I will admit I am not a big Montreal Canadiens fan, but how can you not cheer for them considering they are Canada's only hope in the NHL playoffs? And if that isn't enough to convince you, how about the fact Rockets alumni Josh Gorges and Travis Moen are apart of the team? And don't forget about former Vancouver Giants agitator Brendan Gallagher. OK, Gallagher was a hated member of the G-Men in his days in the WHL, but you can't but admire the courage he plays with against the much larger Boston Bruins.
• With Don Hay taking over the head coaching duties with the Kamloops Blazers, we now have three WHL teams' needing to fill head coaching vacancies. The Giants have an opening along with the Calgary Hitmen and Saskatoon Blades. Several names have been thrown about as possible candidates. Let me throw Marc Habscheid's name into the ring. Would he not be a good fit specifically in Saskatoon? Habscheid is a former alumnus. Now 51, Habscheid has coached in Kamloops, Kelowna and Victoria and has had success .What is unclear is if he wants to get back into the coaching racket or keep a low profile at his home in Southwest Saskatchewan.   
• Sixteen year-old Nick Merkley tells me he will be spending time training over the next couple of weeks with Rockets Athletic Therapist Scott Hoyer. Merkley is completing his grade 10 here in the Okanagan before spending the majority of the summer back in Calgary where he will be working out  at Crash Conditioning. The WHL rookie of the year wants to take time off after his first season of major junior hockey, but the sky is the limit if the soft spoken forward comes back to training camp this September in unbelievable shape. 
• You know line-mate Rourke Chartier will be in tip top shape. The 18 year-old is often the most impressive physical specimen at training camp. Let's hope this summer his name is heard at the NHL draft so his tireless work ethic is rewarded in a significant way.

'Smart' pick by Rockets

Jonathan Smart

The Kelowna Rockets did something they have never done before by drafting a local player in the opening round of the WHL Bantam Draft.

Director of Player Personnel Lorne Frey picked 15 year-old defenceman Jonathan Smart 22nd overall.

Smart played this season at Okanagan Hockey Academy under the watchful eye of head coach Mike Needham.

"I have spoke to a lot of different teams over the last couple of weeks about Jonathan and I was surprised he slipped to where Kelowna got him to be honest with you. It is a very, very good pick for Kelowna".

Smart is regarded as a gifted skater with an offensive upside.

"He is a kid that jumps up into the rush. He is the prototypical NHL guy that can move the puck and come late and enter the offensive zone late and give you some offence from the back end", Needham added. 

Smart's father is Jason Smart, who was drafted by the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins and was a forward in the WHL with the Saskatoon Blades and Prince Albert Raiders in the late 80's. 

The 44 year-old was elated that his son was taken by the home town team.

"We are so over the top happy. It is just great. We are happy for our son and happy that it is Kelowna. It really couldn't have gone any better".

Jason Smart is now an RCMP officer in Kelowna. His wife and family moved to the Okanagan from Williams Lake in 2004.     

"The defence thing came naturally at a young age. He always wanted to score but wanted to defend", Smart added. "He never was big on being scored on so he found out in Adam and Pee-Wee that he could still play back there and still score goals".

Smart had 42 points in 48 games with OHA this past season.