Thursday notes

News and notes from around the league this morning...

The Prince Albert Herald has more details on the Cole Penner situation....good quotes from G.M. Bruno Campese.

Today the Edmonton Sun takes a look at sophomore forward Brent Raedeke.

Very bad news for WHL vet and Regina Pats overage candidate Kirt Hill, who broke his thumb in a training camp fight the other day. With Hill likely to be out for up to two months, his chances of winning one of the Pats' overage spots just took a big hit. Also in the article, the dilemma faced by Pats prospect Spencer Braaten: to play exhibition games (thus losing his NCAA eligibility) without assurances of a roster spot.

Shane McColgan, Kelowna's first-round bantam pick, loves the city and the Rockets love him.

Prince George's top forward prospect, 16 year old Brett Connolly, has bulked up and is having an outstanding camp.

Both new Tigers Euros are in camp, although one of them still can't play while they wait for paperwork to be processed on his release. Sounds like they might have a couple good ones there.

Hitmen first-round bantam pick Peter Kosterman is excited to get his first WHL camp underway, and he doesn't even have to drive hundreds of miles to do it either.

Connolly in Prince George wasn't the only B.C. division player to bulk up: Adam Basford of the Giants did it too.

One of Chilliwack's top hopes for filling their offensive void is going to be out for a while. And I haven't seen Eric Welsh's article on the latest in the Evan Pighin saga appear on the Chilliwack paper's website yet, but you can get some key quotes from Bruins G.M. Darrell May from Gregg Drinnan's blog. To pick up on Gregg's idea of WHL boss Ron Robison getting involved, perhaps NFL commissioner Roger Goodell can step in and work out this situation now that he has finished with that messy Brett Favre thing.....

The Rebels took a break from camp to take their players on a team-building retreat.

In Saskatoon, perhaps the biggest battle in camp is between two 17 year olds for the backup goaltender spot.

And the Portland Tribune's Jason Vondersmith takes a look at how things are progressing at Winter Hawks camp, and which players are making a name for themselves.

And longtime NHLer - and part-owner of the Tri-City Americans - Stu Barnes has retired as a player today and will join the coaching staff of the Dallas Stars.