Hope Dims For Return Of Chiefs’ Talented Center
The Spokane Chiefs appear to have lost a promising talent for the balance of the year.
Center Jared Hope, who has suffered two concussions this season that have limited him to five games, will return Monday to his Edmonton home where he’ll stay until his situation improves, Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz said Tuesday.
“It looks more and more like he won’t be back this season,” Speltz said, “unless things improve.”
The 17-year-old is staying with Ron and Judy Dahl.
“He was having some trouble sleeping, with headaches and blurred vision,” Judy Dahl said. “Although it doesn’t seem to be bothering him as much now, some symptoms are still there.
Without Hope, the Chiefs have turned to left wing Chad Gans, picked up on Nov. 21 from the Moose Jaw Warriors. Gans, who started the season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, has played in all situations, registering three assists in nine games since coming to the Chiefs.
When the walking wounded - Joe Cardarelli (ankle), Ryan Berry (back), Ty Jones (shoulder) and Mike Haley (knee) - come around, the Chiefs will number 25 players, should Hope remain on the injured list.That’s good news for the Gans, a stop-gap when he came in.The well-traveled Gans appears to have found a home.
Boise goes to the front
Hockey is coming to Boise.
The only question is what level after developers announced Tuesday a Jan. 4 ground-breaking ceremony for a unique 5,000-seat facility.
“The next stop is to put a hockey franchise in the facility,” said Cord Pereira, president of Diamond Sports, co-owner and operator of the building.
“We’re in the process of exploring various leagues that may be suitable.”
That includes the Western Hockey League, Pereira confirmed.
Boise’s privately financed facility is to open in August 1997 with 37 executive suites and 16 hotel rooms with a view of the ice.
A West Coast Hotel is part of the events complex.He said the “demographics of the Western Hockey League make sense but that’s not the only way we think we can go.”We’re actively meeting with other leagues,” Pereira said.
Diamond Sports owns the baseball Boise Hawks, a Boise all-sports radio station and the baseball Sioux City (S.D.) Explorers.
Rumble in Lethbridge
The Swift Current Broncos, in town tonight to meet the Chiefs, are feeling the fallout from Sunday night’s brawl in Lethbridge.
The fight ended with 13 game misconduct penalties.
Benches emptied in the first period, bringing coaches Todd McLellan of Swift Current and Lethbridge’s Bryan Maxwell on the ice to break up the melee.
Suspensions will be handed down to Maxwell, Kirby Law and Dale Purinton of Lethbridge.
Swift Current will lose McLellan, Tyler Willis, the No. 5 scorer on the club, and rookie Jeremy Rondeau.
Notes
Forward Jason Podollan and physiotherapist T.D. Forss of the Chiefs are off to the Canadian National Junior Team evaluation camp in Campbellton, New Brunswick. Two-a-day practices start Thursday. The 22 players - 32 were invited - who’ll represent Canada in the World Junior Tournament will be announced Monday. … Steve Glines, a student at Eastern Washington University from Eagle River, Alaska is a WHL linesman. … The Chiefs moved up from 10th to 7th in this week’s North American junior hockey top 10. … The NHL Boston Bruins returned former Chiefs goaltender Scott Bailey to Providence of the American Hockey League. … One of the top 16-year-olds in the WHL, center Jarrett Smith, has left the Prince George Cougars because of a dispute between club management and Smith’s parents, according to a story in the Regina LeaderPost. … Goaltender Jody Lehman, who left the Moose Jaw Warriors in November in hopes of engineering a trade, is playing with the Kindersley Klippers of the Saskatchewan junior league. … Lethbridge is coming on under former Chiefs coach Bryan Maxwell. After losing their first seven at home, the Hurricanes are 9-2 in their building. … Seattle traded penalty-prone defenseman Lloyd Shaw to Red Deer for future considerations.
, DataTimes