Former Captain On Ice Tonight Against Chiefs
Joel Boschman knew he’d be back in Spokane as a 20-year-old, and he is.
As a Red Deer Rebel.
The veteran defenseman started the season as captain of the Spokane Chiefs. It was an honor he accepted with pride.
Soon after, however, Boschman was caught in a numbers game. Western Hockey League clubs can keep only three 20-year-olds. The Chiefs figured center Trent Whitfield would sign with the Boston Bruins and turn pro.
When that didn’t happen, the Chiefs got an early Christmas present - Whitfield - who now wears the captain’s C in Spokane.
Whitfield’s return put the Chiefs one over the maximum of over-age players. So exit Boschman, who was traded to Red Deer.
Boschman, by all accounts, left with the same kind of class he displayed in his three full seasons and part of a fourth - no hard feelings.
Still, dressing in the visitor’s room in a building that was his second home will seem a little strange tonight.
Coaching against him will be difficult as well.
“Bosch will always be a big part of this organization, as far as I’m concerned,” Chiefs coach Mike Babcock said. “But this gives him a chance for the final break - to get the Red Deer logo on your butt and get the Spokane one off it.”
If closure is part of the homecoming, so is renewal.
“I’ll be glad to see him again,” said Chiefs GM Tim Speltz. “We respect him as a player and a person. We know he’s at his best in his biggest games.”
It’s hard to imagine a regular-season game looming any bigger for Boschman. You might expect him to finish his checks with a little extra oomph.
It’s probably coincidence that Tuesday morning - some 10 hours before Boschman and the Rebels were to check into their Spokane hotel - a work crew in the Arena was hauling in new sections of Plexiglas.
A section of glass above the boards in the Arena was shattered in Saturday night’s win over Tri-City. Pieces showered fans seated in the lower rows of section 115. The hit that caused the break looked fairly typical.
Boschman has unloaded heavier hits than that. So, if you’re seated near the glass tonight, stay loose.
Leaf pays a visit
The Inland Northwest finally saw Ryan Leaf drop something.
In a season relatively free of costly fumbles, the Washington State University quarterback was in Spokane Friday night to drop the ceremonial first puck prior to the Chiefs-Portland game.
In an interview, Leaf told broadcaster Craig West he was in town, “shopping for some awards shows in a couple of weeks.”
The talented athlete said he’d “never been on skates in my life. I hope there’s a carpet (on the ice), so I don’t fall on my butt.”
The Chiefs did roll out the red carpet for Leaf, who was humble in a new athletic environment.
“I love the contact sport (but) I can’t see myself skating around,” the 6-foot-6, 245-pound quarterback said. “I don’t know if I have that kind of ability. I’ve never been to a hockey game, on this level.”
The interview is tentatively scheduled as part of KGA’s Rose Bowl pre-game show.
Notes
The Chiefs begin to go their own ways this week. Brad Ference and Zenith Komarniski leave for Team Canada’s World Junior Tournament tryout camp Thursday and Ty Jones heads out Sunday for the U.S. team’s camp. … Babcock is only five away from his 200th Western Hockey League victory… . Top scorer Marian Cisar is here through the weekend but leaves Monday to join the Slovakian team for the WJT in Helsinki Dec. 25-Jan. 3… . Babcock, referring to Greg Leeb’s scoring streak (the Chiefs center has six goals and six assists in his last 12 games): “When he gets his feet moving, he can eat up the neutral zone. Speed is the most intimidating aspect of his game.” … Center Derek Schutz has matched Leeb point for point in his last dozen games, with a half-dozen goals and as many assists.
Around the WHL …
Seattle’s Rick Berry was suspended Tuesday, pending the outcome of an investigation into a Nov. 30 slashing incident. Berry was skating by the Tri-City Americans bench after the Ams scored a goal. After somebody squirted him with water, the T-Birds defenseman swung his stick into the bench, catching Chris Anderson in the face. Anderson, who suffered a broken jaw, is expected to miss up to eight weeks. WHL vice-president Rick Doerksen said he expects to complete interviews and determine the length of the suspension this week… . The Americans get rookie center Scott Gomez back from a shoulder injury for three games in three days prior to Gomez’s departure for tryouts with the U.S. junior team.
Bone scans show that Regan Darby, the ex-Chiefs defenseman sent to Tri-City in the deal that brought defenseman Zenith Komarniski to Spokane, does not have a broken ankle as previously feared. Darby’s severe sprain may be healed by mid-January…The Americans suspended right wing Joey Bastien and sent him back to his Falher, Alberta, home…The Portland Winter Hawks lost Marian (Hurricane) Hossa today to the Slovakian national team. Hossa has a shot at skating for his country’s Olympic team, as well as its World Junior Tournament representative.
Portland’s Andrej Podkonicky leaves after Saturday’s Winter Hawks game to join Cisar with the Slovakian national junior team….Prince Albert fired coach Chris Stewart Monday, within a day after Saskatoon let GM Darryl Lubiniecki and coach Donn Clark go. Lubiniecki, who had been with the organization since 1980, was held responsible for falling attendance….The latest firings left Chiefs GM Tim Speltz a little fried. “We as a league want to provide a stable atmosphere to work in but we’ve had no commitment to that this season,” he said….Brent McEwen was hired as GM in Saskatoon. Willy Desjardins is the new coach….Former Chiefs coach Bryan Maxwell had his contract extended in Lethbridge through the 2000-2001 season.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MEMO: Cut in Spokane edition.