Chiefs Defenseman Rebounds From Serious Burns

Spokane Chiefs defenseman Adam Magarrell is recovering from burns suffered June 10 when the car he was driving was struck from behind by a motorcycle.

Magarrell, who came to Spokane in a Feb. 2 trade with the Brandon Wheat Kings, is in a Winnipeg hospital, where he underwent skin grafts to repair second degree burns to his hands, back, neck and face.

The 18-year-old Magarrell said Monday he’s lost 20 pounds and is undergoing physical therapy but expects a complete recovery.

“It’s not too bad now,” Magarrell said. “It’s been a long process. Hopefully I’ll rebound off this.”

His 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass caught fire when the gas tank ruptured on impact in the early-morning accident near Magarrell’s home town of Domain, Manitoba.

“There wasn’t much impact,” Magarrell said. “No whiplash, just the burns. I had my seat belt on. I was trying to get that off and I could feel the heat behind me.

“When I jumped out of the car, I knew I was burned. I could feel a lot of pain, but I didn’t know how bad it was. Cars were going by. A van picked me up and took me to the hospital.

“I was aware of everything,” added Magarrell, who is in Health Sciences Center in Winnipeg. “I guess I was lucky. If the car had rolled it would have been a lot worse.”

“His face has healed, except for the right ear and part of his neck,” Elaine Magarrell, the player’s mother, said. “He’s doing quite remarkably well. He has full use of his left hand. He got permission to start using the right hand (Sunday), so we assume the skin grafts have taken.

“He’s had pain, but most of that is gone, except in the right hand.”

The motorcycle rider is recovering from numerous fractures. He and Magarrell attended the same high school.

Magarrell, who played a key role in the Chiefs’ late-season surge into the second round of the Western Hockey League playoffs, said he hopes to report for the opening of training camp on Aug. 24.

“The skin grafts have healed, I’m off the painkillers and it’s just a matter of (regaining) flexibility in my hands,” he said. “I’ve had a few nightmares about it, but I’m over that.

“Tim Speltz (Chiefs general manager) visited here. He said I could take my time. If I’m not fully healed, I could report a little later but I feel I’ll be there for camp.”

Round robin grounded

The Western Hockey League has abandoned the round-robin format used in the first round of the ‘95 West Division playoffs, when the top six teams were divided into two three-team pools.

The first round of the ‘96 playoffs will match the first-place team against the sixth-place club, the second-place finisher against the fifth-place team and the third with the team that winds up in fourth.

All first-round series are best-of-seven. The top surviving seed then draws a bye. The other two survivors play a best-of-five second-round.

The division finals will be best-of-seven, with the top seed carrying home-ice advantage.

Hamilton rates highest

Chiefs defenseman Hugh Hamilton could go late in the first round but more likely early to middle second round when the National Hockey League holds its draft July 8.

The central scouting bureau lists Hamilton as the No. 25 prospect, although it doesn’t include European players, meaning that it’s likely Hamilton will hear his name called in the second round.

Central scouting rates Chiefs right wing John Cirjak and left wing Joe Cardarelli as fourth-round picks and considers center Trent Whitfield a potential sixth-rounder.

Center Darren Sinclair also is eligible.Former Chief defenseman Kevin Popp, let go to Seattle early last year, is projected as a third-round pick.

Babcock, Forss selected

Chiefs coach Mike Babcock will assist the Canadian national under-18 team in a four-nation international tournament in Japan over the first two weeks of August.

Babcock will work with head coach Gary Agnew of the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League in the Pacific Cup tournament.

Chiefs trainer T.D. Forss has been named athletic therapist for the Canadian junior national team in the World Junior Tournament over the Christmas break.

Notes

The NHL San Jose Sharks have added a second Eastern Washington exhibition. They’ll play Vancouver here at 6 p.m. on Sept. 17 in the new arena, then return to the region on Sept. 30 to play Edmonton in the Tri-City Coliseum… . Sept. 30 is the night the Chiefs expect to open the WHL season here… . The league’s scheduling meeting is July 18 in Vancouver.

The league won’t use the clearing-the-zone rule for offsides next year and will attempt to cut down on the hooking and holding that slows the game… . Interference will be called on players who push an opponent offside… . Continuing to hold an opponent against the boards after the puck has been moved also becomes a penalty this season.

The Chiefs have sold more than 2,000 season tickets for the first time in their history, dating back to 1985… . The WHL bought the Regina Pats and sold them to Russ Parker of Calgary. The club will remain in Regina… . The Tri-City Americans and former general manager Dennis Beyak reached a financial settlement agreeable to both parties before Beyak left Kennewick. Beyak rebuilt the foundation of the Tri-City club but was let go with two years remaining on his contract when Bob Brown became available. The Kamloops Blazers became the dominant franchise in junior hockey in the nine years Brown ran the team.

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