Red Deer Minor Hockey

How the western Canadian franchises fared

CALGARY FLAMES

1st pick: Sven Baertschi, 13th overall, LW, 5-foot-10, 181 pounds, Portland (WHL). Baertschi is the second Swiss-born player in the past two years to go in the top 10 after Nino Neiderreiter last year and has many of the same skills. He’s strong, stocky, with good hands around the net, managing 85 points in 66 games in his first junior season.

Other highlights: It was a housecleaning of sorts for Calgary, dispatching veteran defenceman Robyn Regehr plus forward Ales Kotalik to Buffalo in a deal for youngsters Chris Butler, Paul Byron and important salary-cap relief. Calgary saved almost $7.5 million by getting rid of the two vets, and it permitted them to get Alex Tanguay signed to a five-year contract extension, meaning his fruitful partnership with Jarome Iginla can continue.

How they did: Under the circumstances, pretty well. Regehr is a 31-year-old stay-at-home defenceman, who has played through a lot of injuries over the years. Just how much he has left in the tank is open for debate. General manager Jay Feaster inherited a salary-cap nightmare when he took the job; and this weekend, represented the first step in trying to extricate the organization from the mess - something that isn’t going to happen overnight. The Flames may not be any better, but they are younger and in a position to do some things in free agency that otherwise weren’t in the cards until this weekend’s moves.

EDMONTON OILERS

1st pick: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 1st overall, C, 6-025, 171 pounds, Red Deer (WHL). Nugent-Hopkins was the consensus top choice, drawing comparisons to everyone from Joe Sakic to Wayne Gretzky for his on-ice vision and hockey sense. That poise should serve him well in terms of dealing with the expectations that will accompany his selection as Taylor Hall’s future centre.

Other highlights: The Oilers took David Musil and Dillon Simpson in the second and fourth rounds respectively. David Musil is the son of Oilers’ scout Frank Musil and Simpson is the son of Craig Simpson, a former Oilers’ assistant, who also won a Stanley Cup with them in 1990. At some point, they may also complete the stalled deal with the Los Angeles Kings for Ryan Smyth.

How they did: With three picks in the top 31, the Oilers filled organizational needs for a No. 1 centre, and depth on defence, after taking Oscar Klefbom 19th and Musil 31st. If Nugent-Hopkins becomes a star and the defencemen both become regulars, this will be another critical weekend in helping the Oilers escape the NHL basement.

Taking Note: Thursday . . .

THE COACHING GAME: Dave Cameron and Mark Reeds, who opposed each other as head coaches in the 2011 Memorial Cup, have been named assistant coaches with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. Cameron was with the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, while Reeds was head coach of the Owen Sound Attack. . . . Paul MacLean, a former Detroit Red Wings assistant coach, is the new head coach in Ottawa. . . . Former Tri-City Americans assistant coach Terry Virtue is an assistant in Owen Sound. Attack GM Dale DeGray has told Bill Walker of the Owen Sound Sun Times that he considers Virtue a candidate to replace Reeds. “I think we have a tremendous candidate in Terry Virtue, there’s no question,” DeGray told Walker. “We'll go through the process because quite honestly, you don't know what you're going to get as far as applicants who might be interested. I would be doing a disservice to the organization if I didn't look at applications." . . . The OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs have added two goaltending coaches to their staff in former NHL G Curtis Joseph and David Franco. Franco has coached goaltenders for more than 20 years and included Joseph among those he has tutored. . . . Jim Midgley, who was head coach of the New Brunswick at the 2011 Canada Winter Games, has joined the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads as an assistant coach. He has QMJHL experience as an assistant coach with the Saint John Sea Dogs. The U of Lethbridge Pronghorns have landed former WHL goaltenders James Reid and Dylan Tait. Reid, who played three seasons with the Spokane Chiefs, was the WHL Western Conference’s nominee as goaltender of the year. Tait, who is from Lethbridge, played last season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Pronghorns starter Scott Bowles is heading into his final season of eligibility. . . . F Todd Robinson (Portland, 1994-99) has signed a two-year contract with the Central league’s Evansville IceMen. Robinson, 33, put up 99 points in 62 games with the Central league’s Odessa Jackalopes last season. He is one of the most prolific scorers in minor pro history. Former Portland head coach Rich Kromm is Evansville’s GM and head coach. . . . Former Red Deer Rebels assistant coach Dallas Gaume is the new general manager of the Red Deer Minor Hockey Association.

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