Podollan Gets An Invite Chiefs Forward To Take A Shot At Canadian National Team

Jason Podollan of the Spokane Chiefs was one of 36 players invited Monday to try out for the Canadian National Junior Team.

The goal-scoring 19-year-old forward from Vernon, British Columbia, is the only Chiefs player with a chance to land on the team that is favored to win another gold medal in the World Junior Tournament in Worcester, Mass., Dec. 26-Jan. 4.

Last year’s Canadian team, led by then Chiefs captain Bryan McCabe, went unbeaten on its way to the championship of the tournament for the world’s top players under 20 years of age.

The Chiefs were hoping to place their captain, Sean Gillam, on the national team.

Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz said Gillam is a candidate for Most Valuable Player in the WHL West Division.

“Sean has done everything that anyone could have asked,” Speltz said. “For him not to be recognized is disappointing.”

The invitees leave for training camp Wednesday. Canadian National Team coach is Marcel Comeau of the WHL Kelowna Rockets.

Chiefs trainer T.D. Forss was named earlier as the Canadian team’s physiotherapist.

Another Chief, center Martin Cerven, is a candidate for the Slovakian team.

“They said they’re interested and will let us know by Friday,” Speltz said.

National team players could miss up to 10 games with their junior teams.

“It’s tough to lose a Podollan, but what usually happens is that you get a better player back,” Speltz said. “Jason still has a lot to do (at training camp) to make the team, but it’s an honor and a great opportunity just to be invited.”

Kelowna Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton said, “It’s an elite roup of guys. This is what Canadian kids live and die for.”

Comeau has one tough coaching assignment. He not only has to cut to 23 players, but nothing short of gold is acceptable. And with the Russians expected to bring in a strong team, Hamilton says another gold medal won’t be that easy.

“I’m disappointed the NHL didn’t free up more (Canadian) players,” Hamilton said. “Not having Shane Doan (of the Winnipeg Jets), Kilger (Chad, of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks) and one or two others changes the planning.”

Chiefs No. 10

Spokane (19-9-1), riding a four-game winning streak, vaulted from 12th to 10th in this week’s Canadian Hockey League Tip Top Tailors national rankings.

See poll in accompanying Stat Sheet.

Remembering Scotty

Hughie Scott, who died last week at 70, was a goal-scoring right winger for the Spokane team that won the 1948-49 U.S. amateur championship.

Teammates and friends say he was an uncomplaining man of style and humor.

“He golfed every Sunday at Wandermere and you could count on his cart breaking down somewhere on the back nine,” said Vince Collins. “He’d get it checked out and it’d be fine, but by the 12th hole or thereabouts he’d be coming back carrying his bag.”

Scott had planned to attend Wednesday night’s Spokane-Calgary game in the Arena. He died Tuesday night at home.

Collins said the old-timers will remember Scott when their Sunday morning golf games resume come spring.

“We usually each throw in a quarter that goes to the best handicapped score,” Collins said. “We’re going to throw in another one for the youth hockey scholarship fund in Scotty’s name. By the end of the year we ought to have $50 to $100.”

Contributions go to the Spokane Americans Youth Hockey Association, P.O. Box 9486, Spokane, WA 99209.

Scott’s daughter, Laurie Berg, said her father left without an enemy.

Spokane’s leading scorer in its national championship season, Scott is remembered by a teammate, Lorne Nadeau, as a “very good skater who had an offer to go to camp with the New York Rangers.

“He was tops in our league in the mid-to-late ‘40s.”

With the passing of a friend, Collins said he thought about the names and pictures of Spokane’s former hockey stars that hung in the old-timers room in the old Coliseum.

“The names and pictures of the guys on that board who are gone are starting to outnumber the ones who are here,” Collins said. “It makes you think.

“It’s sad.”

Notes

The Seattle Thunderbirds are here Wednesday night without Jan Hrdina, the skilled Czech center, who missed his 10th game Sunday night - a 4-3 overtime loss to Kamloops - with a knee injury. … Seattle is also without right wing Dan Tompkins, who broke his ankle in September. The two could be ready by week’s end. … Calgary defenseman Ray Schultz suffered a possible strained or torn tendon in the rib cage area in the Hitmen’s 4-0 loss in Spokane last week. … Two of the WHL’s Czech stars - Vaclav Varada of Kelowna and Portland’s Richard Zednik - are headed for their national junior team. … The U.S. national team took Tri-City Americans goaltender Brian Boucher over Doug Bonner of Seattle, who played in the World Junior Tournament the last two years.

Kamloops center Steve Gainey is the 16-year-old son of Dallas Stars coach Bob Gainey. … Blair Rota, Kamloops left winger, is the son of ex-NHLer Randy Rota . … The success Spokane’s John Cirjak has winning faceoffs was well put Friday night in Kamloops by Chiefs broadcaster Craig West. “Cirjak wins the draw,” West intoned. “When doesn’t he?” … Add Kamloops coach Ed Dempsey to the growing list of hockey people who come away impressed with the Spokane Arena. “We sit in that building when it’s empty and marvel at it. It’s great for Spokane, and great for our league.”

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