Sinclair Will Join Canucks In Exhibition With Sharks

With Ray Whitney and Pat Falloon returning, the San Jose Sharks were clearly the home team last year when they played the Vancouver Canucks in the first event in Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.

Loyalties will be divided next Sunday night when the Sharks and Canucks return to play their exhibition opener in Spokane.

Falloon, of course, is no longer a Shark, having moved on to Philadelphia, but another ex-Chief is expected to dress with the Canucks.

Center Darren Sinclair, 20, is expected to suit up for Vancouver while Whitney should again be in uniform with San Jose.

A 20-year-old center, Sinclair was Spokane’s most valuable player last season. Whitney, the Chiefs’ all-time scoring leader (348 points), last played here in 1991, the year Spokane won the Memorial Cup.

Vancouver won last year’s game, 3-1. Tickets remain for this year’s, which will have a 6 p.m. faceoff.

The Sharks, who open training camp in the Ice Centre of San Jose today, hoping to rebound from a 20-55-7 season, beefed up in the off-season with the addition of center Bernie Nicholls, wingers Todd Ewen, Tim Hunter and Tony Granato and defenseman Marty McSorley.

“I’ve always felt we weren’t physical enough on the back line,” Sharks general manager Dean Lombardi said. “Now, there’s a no-parking sign in front of our net.”

The Canucks open training camp today in Whistler, British Columbia

Chiefs check out their young

With most of their veterans - 10 in all - off at pro training camps, the opportunity for a rookie or a player on the bubble will never be better than it will be in the Spokane’s fourth exhibition game.

That takes place tonight at 6 at Eagles Ice-A-Rena, where the short-handed Chiefs face the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Heading into Saturday night’s practice game in Seattle, Chiefs coach Mike Babcock planned to rotate young goaltenders Dwayne Renaud and Shaun Fleming. Starters Aren Miller and Marc Magliarditi were scheduled to join their NHL organizations this week.

Babcock said he would give the young netminders equal time this week, then a full game next week when the Chiefs play their final tune-ups in Lethbridge Sept. 13 and 14 against Parry Shockey’s Lethbridge Hurricanes.

Shockey, the former scout, interim head coach and assistant coach in Spokane, is the new coach of the Hurricanes. He is the father of ex-Chiefs defenseman John Shockey, who has passed on his final year of junior hockey to go on a mission with his church.

With the veterans gone, tonight’s game “gives everybody a good opportunity to show what they have,” Babcock said. “The toughest thing about this time of year is, the ones who are walking the fine line (of staying or being sent down) know who they are. The pressure is tough because for them every day is a tryout.

“One positive aspect of this game is that we get to know each other better,” the coach added. “When players care about each other it’s a big step on the way to becoming a team.”

The T-Birds are led by 17-year-old center Patrick Marleau, already one of the most skilled forwards in the Western Hockey League.

Calgary GM/coach steps down

The head of the sex crimes unit of the Calgary police Department confirmed Friday that Calgary Hitmen general manager and coach Graham James is under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct.

James resigned from the Western Hockey League club Thursday for personal reasons.

“Yes, we are conducting an investigation into allegations concerning that person,” Inspector Peter Copple told the Calgary Sun.

The investigation revolves around alleged sexual misconduct with several players once coached by James, including a player in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, where James coached from 1986 to 1994.

James had been the Calgary coach, general manager and a minority shareholder since the team was established in May, 1994.

Jim Currie was promoted from assistant to interim coach and GM.

T-birds trounce Chiefs

Seattle’s Thunderbirds hammered Spokane with a five-goal second period Saturday night and went on to a 9-2 exhibition victory over the visiting Chiefs.

Joe Cardarelli and Ty Jones scored for Spokane.

Notes

Former Chief Milan Dragicevic is an assistant coach in Tri-City. Dragicevic led the Chiefs in penalty minutes in 1989 with 260… . The Chiefs have hired University of Michigan grad Dave Ludwig as director of public relations. Ludwig, 22, from Malibu, Calif., replaces Todd Doolittle, who becomes director of Greater Spokane League sponsorships for Brett Sports & Entertainment… . Looking for stability, the Prince George Cougars signed GM Dennis Polonich to a four-year contract and new coach Stan Butler to a two-year deal. The Cougars also acquired a physical presence in the June import player draft, taking 6-foot-9, 235-pound Slovakian defenseman Zdeno Chara, a “welcomed addition,” Butler says. The New York Islanders’ third-round draft pick Chara is “physical and he finishes his checks,” Butler says. “He hasn’t been challenged in training camp, but I’m sure there are players in this league who will challenge him.” … Butler is new to the WHL but familiar with major junior hockey as former coach of the Oshawa (Ontario) Generals… . Tri-City Americans forward Jody Lapeyre won’t play on Friday nights in keeping with his Seventh Day Adventist beliefs. The 17-year-old, who missed 17 games last year, could miss up to 14 regular-season games this season. … If Tri-City’s over-age center Brent Ascroft plays 71 games - not unusual for him - he’ll wind up No. 3 all-time in WHL games played. … No. 2 is Rob Dumas, who finished his junior career with Spokane in 1990… . Kelowna Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton says he’s confident a new arena will go up on lakefront property in the B.C. city that has grown to 105,000. “Our goal is to get something going by October, which would give us a chance to be in the new building after Christmas next year,” Hamilton said… . An old rumor, still simmering, is that Kelowna will lose the franchise to Boise if the project bogs down.

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