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Home , Adam Clendening, Alan Eagleson, Alec Martinez, Andreas Athanasiou, Andrew Cogliano, Birmingham Bulls (ACHL)

B2 ■ SPORTS THE BRANDON SUN ■ THURSDAY JULY 29 2021 TRY TO BEAT THAT!: THE 1978-79 Racers want Propp and Allison, but Wheat Kings say no! BY GREGG DRINNAN Hartsburg and . Cincinnati took The approach to the Wheat Kings by Skal- and the Racers, of course, picked bania was made through player agent Bill Mc- This story originally appeared in the Nov. 8, off Gretzky. Farlane, who represents Propp and Allison. 1978 edition of the Brandon Sun. All nine players, though, were taken — with- “Neither player has been heavily involved It was only last week that , out permission of the various clubs — from up to this date,” Brockest said. “And they are owner of the ’s India- teams in the Major Junior A League very defi nitely members of the Wheat Kings. napolis Racers, sold 17-year-old Wayne Gretz- and the Major Junior League; and The initial reaction from their agent (McFar- ky and his reported $1.75-million personal Western League clubs were left unscathed. lane) is that the offer made to them is not out- services contract to Oilers and im- Subsequently, two team owners from the east standing.” mediately was quoted as saying that he intend- have fi led lawsuits in Ontario’s Supreme Court Brandon coach Dunc McCallum said his re- ed to recruit 10 more juniors this season. against several of the players, Birmingham action to these latest developments was “the Well, Skalbania’s raiding party has touched Bulls’ owner and player agent same as it was last summer” when Propp and down and it appears that its fi rst stop was right , claiming breach of contract. McCrimmon were approached by the Bulls. here in Brandon. Propp and Allison both signed WHL player “They weren’t offered a whole bunch to As Jack Brockest, of Bran- con tracts with the Wheat Kings before this sea- join,” said McCallum. “And they’ve got more don Wheat Kings, stated: “ I can’t think of a bet- son started and Brockest says, “As far as we’re to lose in the long run by making a hasty de- ter place for him to start than right here where concerned, they’re valid contracts. They signed cision. If the boys are going to fi nish their we have whom we believe to be the two best with us as 19-year-olds. year here, I think possibly this is another junior players in the country.” “But, we’re not holding this as a club over feather in their hat, and may even help them At a hastily called press conference Tuesday their heads.” get drafted a little higher. Any publicity they night at the Keystone , Brockest revealed Because under-age players from the west can get has to help. that “an approach has been made … to buy up have been left alone, there has never been a “But,” McCallum added, “it’s about time the contracts of and .” precedent-setting court case held to establish the took a stand. If the NHL Propp and Allison, linemates with the West- the validity of the contracts. Brockest adds, would declare that these juniors who sign with ern Hockey League club, are both 19 years though, that “I think we’re quite prepared to the WHA aren’t eligible for the (NHL) draft old, meaning they are eligible for the National do that (take legal action). But we’d hate to get next year it would stop it in a hurry. These kids Hockey League’s 1979 junior draft. On top of two kids caught in the middle of litigation.” all want to play in the NHL, and they’d scurry that, the two outstanding forwards are cur- It’s doubtful if things will ever go that far, so back to the junior teams in a hurry.” rently making a shambles of the WHL scoring Wheat Kings have adopted a wait-and-see at- Brockest and Wheat Kings’ president Bob race, in which they stand one-two. titude. Cornell didn’t waste any time, or words, “The Wheat Kings have been offered $80,000 “The initial reaction of the two players,” shooting down rumours which have been to give up the rights to Propp and Allison,” commented Brockest, “is that they want circulating as to whether or not the Brandon Brockest added. “But at an emergency board to wait and go into the draft in the normal hockey club is for sale. meeting it was unanimously agreed that we scheme of things. I mean, the WHA exists “Some people have been claiming the team turn the offer down. We don’t want any part of today, but there’s no guarantee it will tomor- could be purchased as an expedient way of it.” row.” getting to these two players,” said Brockest. “ The “it” Brockest refers to is the signing Propp and Brad McCrimmon But, there’s no way. The Wheat Kings are sim- Brandon Wheat Kings general manager Jack Brockest and of underage junior hockey players by WHA were ap proached by Birmingham last sum- ply not for sale.” the team’s board of directors refused to sell the contracts of teams. Birmingham Bulls, mer, but decided to stay and play out their Cornell was in full agreement: “I don’t Brian Propp and Ray Allison to the World Hockey Associa- and combined last summer to ink junior eligibility and wait for the 1979 draft. think the club will ever be for sale. The exist- tion’s . Brockest is shown behind Bran- nine underage players. The Bulls grabbed sev- Indianapolis, though, has not expressed an ing owners and ‘B’ shareholders have worked don’s bench during a game coach Dunc McCallum had to en of those — Pat Biggin, , Mi- interest in McCrimmon, who defi nitely is one very hard to get the Wheat Kings to where miss. (Brandon Sun fi le photo) chel Goulet, , , Craig of the top 10 juniors in the country. they are today.” SIGNINGS AROUND THE NHL

Oilers, Flames make big splashes • Michael McCarron — two-year, $1.5-million deal. BY GEMMA KARSTENS-SMITH • — one-year, $4.5-million deal. • Brogan Raferty — one-year, $750K deal. NEW BRUINS • — two-year, $8.25-million When visited • Nick Foligno — two-year, $3.8-million deal. deal. Edmonton with his wife about • Derek Forbort — three-year, $9-million • Chase DeLeo — one-year, $750,000 deal. a week ago, he quickly realized deal. • Dougie Hamilton — seven-year, that signing with the Oilers as a • Erik Haula — two-year, $4.75-million deal. $63-million deal. would be a “no brain- • Tomas Nosek — two-year, $3.5-million RANGERS er.” deal. • Patrik Nemeth — three-year, $7.5-million • — one year, $750,000 deal. The couple liked the city and deal. • Linus Ullmark — four-year, $20-million • Jarred Tinordi — two-year, $1.8-million could see their seven-month- deal. deal. old son, Theo, growing up there. • Greg McKegg — one-year, $750,000 deal. Hyman loved the rink — and the • — one-year, SENATORS opportunity to play with super- $1.05-million deal. • Michael Del Zotto — two-year, $4-million stars like Connor McDavid. • Mark Pysyk — one-year, $900,000 deal. deal. “I wanted to go to the place • Jimmy Schuldt — one-year, $750,000 deal. • Andrew Agozzino — one-year, $750,000 that wanted me the most and FLAMES deal. that had the best chance to win • Blake Coleman — six-year, $29.4-million FLYERS and had the best chance for me deal. • Nate Thompson — one-year, $800,000 • Trevor Lewis — one-year, $800,000 deal. to develop as a hockey player. deal. • — one-year, $750,000 deal. • — one-year, $750,000 And Edmonton checked those • Nick DeSimone — one-year, $750,000 deal. deal. boxes,” Hyman said Wednes- • — one-year, $750,000 deal. • Nick Seeler — one-year, $750,000 deal. day after inking a seven-year, • Ryan Fitzgerald — one-year, $750,000 deal. US$38.5 million with the Oilers. • — two-year, $9-million • Gerald Mayhew — one-year, $800,000 deal. Edmonton made some big deal. PHOENIX COYOTES moves as the NHL’s free-agent • Tony DeAngelo — one-year, $1-million • Carter Hutton — one-year, $750,000 deal. market opened Wednesday, deal. • Dmitrij Jaskin — one-year, $3.2-million • — two-year, $4-million deal. signing Hyman, defenceman deal. • Josh Leivo — one-year, $750,000 deal. • — two-year, $2.7-million Cody Ceci and Derek Zach Hyman, shown celebrating a with the Maple Leafs during the 2019-20 sea- • Ian Cole — one-year, $2.9-million deal. deal. Ryan. The club also re-signed (The Canadian Press) • Jordan Martinook — three-year, son, signed with the on Wednesday. blue liner to a $5.4-million deal. • Evan Rodrigues — one-year, $1-million three-year deal and traded up- (three goals, eight assists) in 23 three-year, $13.5 million deal on ue of $2.5 million, and re-signed BLACKHAWKS deal. and-coming d-man playoff appearances. Wednesday. “And when you’re veteran blue-liner Travis Ham- • — two-year, $1.95-million • Brock McGinn — four-year, $11-million to the Carolina Hurricanes for “Blake was a highly sought- winning games and having per- onic to a two-year, $6-million deal. deal. • Jake McCabe — four-year, $16-million • — one-year, $750,000 left- Warren Foegele. after player,” Treliving said. “He sonal success, it goes a long way. contract. deal. “Obviously we’ve got an in- deal. plays in the trenches. I think his It was just a lot of fun in a short The Jets chose to add to their • — one-year, $750,000 deal. credible core that’s really coming skill is very understated.” year. And I can’t imagine what back end earlier in the week, • • Filip Lindberg — two-year, $1.85 deal. into their prime years. So I felt Roland McKeown — one-year, $750,000 While Coleman’s destination it’ll be like with fans.” bringing in defenceman Nate deal. a responsibility, an obligation wasn’t revealed until Wednesday After fi nishing the pandemic- Schmidt from the Canucks and • — one-year, $1-million as the manager to try to build a afternoon, Hyman’s new home condensed regular season sec- Brendan Dillion from the Wash- • Eric Robinson — two-year, $3.2-million deal. little bit deeper supporting cast seemed to be a long time com- ond in the all-Canadian North ington Capitals for picks in next deal. • James Reimer — two-year, $4.5-million as we head into the season,” said ing. Division, the Oilers were swept year’s draft. • — four-year, $15-million deal. Oilers GM . His move to Edmonton fol- from the fi rst round of the play- The Maple Leafs brought in a deal. • Lane Pederson — two-year, $1.5-million While the league’s last free- • Sean Kuraly — four-year, $10-million deal. deal. lows weeks of speculation and offs by the Jets. new goalie Wednesday, signing • — two-year, $4.1-million deal. agency period in October saw a reports that the Oilers were at- “Obviously it’s a little disap- Petr Mrazek to a three-year deal • Nick Merkley — one-year, $750,000 deal. of short-term contracts tempting to orchestrate a “sign- pointing how we ended the with an average annual value of • Ryan Suter — four-year, $14.6-million deal. • Jaycob Megna — one-year, $750,000 deal. • — one-year, $2-million deal. and smaller numbers, manag- and-” deal with the Toron- year last year,” Barrie said. “But $3.8 million. KRAKEN ers across the NHL seemed to • Luke Glendening — two-year, $3-million to Maple Leafs that would allow I think we can only go up from Joining the Leafs was “an easy deal. • Alexander Wennberg — three-year, open their wallets once again for an eight-year contract. there.” choice,” Mrazek said, noting the $13.5-million deal. on Wednesday to dole out cash The 29-year-old winger said Defencemen were a hot com- team has a number of skilled RED WINGS • Philipp Grubauer — six-year, $35.4-million • — one-year, $850,000 deal. and term for the most-coveted he had “a bunch” of conversa- modity on the free-agent market players and a passionate fan deal. • Pius Suter — two-year, $6.25-million deal. • Jaden Schwartz — fi ve-year, $27.5-million talents. tions with other teams, but liked Wednesday. base. EDMONTON OILERS deal. Business was brisk, too, said what Edmonton has to offer The Canadiens The 29-year-old will work • Derek Ryan — two-year, $2.5-million deal. general man- best. landed -winner Da- alongside goalie Jack Campbell, • Zach Hyman — seven-year, $38.5-million • Remi Elie — one-year, $750,000 deal. ager . Hyman put up 33 points (15 vid Savard, inking the 30-year- and said he’s looking forward to deal. • Charles Hudon — one-year, $750,000 deal. “You better jump the gun goals, 18 assists) in 43 games for old to a four-year contract with developing the partnership. • Tyson Barrie — three-year, $13.5-million • — one-year, $900,000 deal. pretty early. You better have all his hometown Maple Leafs last an average annual value of $3.5 “I don’t know Jack person- deal. • Brayden to an eight-year, $76-million your ducks in a row because season and said he’s looking for- million. ally but I’ve heard a lot of great • Cody Ceci — four-year, $13-million deal. deal. players were going off very fast,” ward to seeing what he can add “For me, (signing with Mon- things about him from my previ- • Zach Bogosian — three-year, $2.55 deal. • Maxim Mamim — one-year, $975,000 deal. • Pierre-Edouard Bellemare — two-year, he said with a smile, noting the to the Oilers lineup. treal) was an easy decision be- ous teammates. I can’t wait to be $2-million deal. even D.J. Smith got “Obviously Connor McDavid, cause it was a great fi t for my a partner with him,” he said. on the phone to try and connect • — six-year, $33.5-million he’s a special player, he’s a gen- family and a great fi t on my ice, Mrazek played 12 regular- • Petr Mrazek — three-year, $11.4-million with some players. erational-type player,” Hyman on the team,” said the native of season games for the Carolina deal. • Alex Edler — one-year, $3.5-million deal. deal. It was a busy day in Calgary, • said, noting that he’d played St-Hyacinthe, Que. Hurricanes last season and reg- • — one-year, Michael Bunting — two-year, $1.9-million too, but the Flames were pre- alongside other special players Savard fi nished last season in istered a 6-2-3 record with a .923 $2.7-million deal. deal. • David Kampf — two-year, $3-million deal. pared, said general manager in Toronto, including Auston Tampa Bay after the Columbus save percentage and 2.06 goals- WILD . Matthews, and • Michael Amadio — one-year, $750,000 Blue Jackets dealt him to the against average. • Alex Goligoski — one-year, $5-million deal. deal. “You do your homework on William Nylander. Lightning at the trade deadline The six-foot-one, 192-pound • Frederick Gaudreau — two-year, • Kurtis Gabriel — one-year, $750,000 deal. the player you’re going to be in- “For me, it’s about bringing in April. netminder from the Czech Re- $2.4-million deal. CANUCKS vesting in,” he said. my work ethic every day and The six-foot-two, 233-pound public has played 275 NHL • Joe Hicketts — two-year, $1.5-million deal. • Jon Lizotte — one-year, $750,000 deal. • — one-year, $1.125-million Calgary’s preparation appears trying to be consistent and try- blue-liner had six points (one games with the Detroit Red deal. to have paid off, with the Flames ing to create as much space as I goal, fi ve assists) in 54 regular- Wings, and • — two-year, $1.7-million landing forward Blake Coleman can for the guys that I play with. season appearances and added Carolina. • David Savard — four-year, $14-million deal. on a six-year deal with an aver- With Connor, obviously he’s another fi ve helpers in 20 play- In something of a correspond- deal. • Kyle Burroughs — two-year, $1.5-million • Mike Hoffman to three-year, $13.5-million age annual value of $4.9 million. deal. a guy that takes advantage of off appearances. ing move, Toronto’s former No. 1 deal. • Nic Petan — one-year, $750,000 deal. “We pursued him hard. And in space, his speed is off the charts. The Senators also added a de- Frederik Andersen signed a two- • Louie Belpedio — one-year, $750,000 deal. — two-year, $6-million deal. order to get that player, you’ve And if I can create space for him, fenceman to the roster, signing year, $9-million deal with the • — one-year, $750,000 deal. • Phil Di Giuseppe — one-year, $750,000 got to make a commitment,” I think everyone in the world 31-year-old Michael Del Zotto to ‘Canes on Wednesday. • Cedric Paquette — one-year, $950,000 deal. Treliving said of the contract. knows what he’s capable of do- a two-year contract with an av- The 31-year-old Danish net- deal. • — four-year, $10-million • Jean-Sébastien Dea — one-year, $750,000 “And that’s not unlike any player minder struggled with a nagging deal. ing.” erage annual value of $2 million. deal. Danila Klimovich — three-year, in the market.” Playing in Edmonton was a lot Del Zotto, who hails from lower-body injury last year, and $2.775-million deal. Coleman heads to Calgary af- of fun last year, Barrie said, even Stouffville, Ont., had 13 points fi nished with a 13-8-3 record to • Mikael Granlund — four-year, $20-million Brady Keeper — two-year, $1.525-million ter helping the Tampa Bay Light- if the campaign didn’t end the (four goals, nine assists) for the go along with career-worst num- deal. deal. ning win back-to-back Stanley way the team had planned. Columbus Blue Jackets last sea- bers, an 895 save percentage and • — one-year, $1.25-million Jaroslav Halak — one-year, $1.5-million deal. Cups. “It was fun to come to the son. 2.96 GAA. The performance gave deal. The 29-year-old from Plano, rink every day and get on the The Campbell the chance to steal the • Anthony Richard — one-year, $750,000 • Alec Martinez — three-year, $15.74-million Texas, tallied 31 points (14 goals, ice and get better and work with added former Jets defenceman top job. deal. deal. • — one-year, $750,000 deal. • 17 assists) in the regular season — two-year, $4.65-million these guys,” said the 30-year- Tucker Poolman on a four-year • Zachary L’Heureux — three-year, deal. last year and added 11 more old defenceman who signed a deal with an average annual val- » The Canadian Press $2.775-million deal. • Sven Baertschi — one-year, $750,000 deal.