Late Thursday notes

Couple things late Thursday here....

Firstoff, some horrible news from Italy, where former WHL (Saskatoon and Red Deer) defenceman Darcy Robinson collapsed and died during a game between Asiago (his team) and Renon. He was just 26. Robinson was a member of the Rebels' 2001 Memorial Cup championship team after spending three and a half years with Saskatoon.

Cause of death is (as of this writing) undetermined, but Robinson apparently was not involved in any hits or anything on the ice at the time of his collapse.

Secondly, a trade between Lethbridge and Kootenay tonight. Kootenay sends overage tough guy Luke Wiens to the Hurricanes for a 2008 6th round pick. Wiens is currently suspended for one more game for an incident that occured while he was with the Ice, so he'll have to sit out the 'Canes' next game before he can play for them.

I personally don't see the sense behind this acquisition since by my estimation there are still at least seven other overagers around the league who will need new homes before October 11 who are better hockey players than Luke Wiens. I'm surprised that, given the Hurricanes roster, that they weren't more interested in a player like Mark Louis in Brandon, who is an Alberta boy who would give them another stable veteran on the blueline as well as provide some size and toughness (9 fights last year). Not as much toughness as Wiens obviously, but at least more than a 1 or 2 shift a period player which Wiens was in Kootenay.

Thirdly, Chilliwack veteran Donnie Glennie has decided to leave the WHL and return home to Manitoba to play Junior A.