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WHL Everett Silvertips

This Week in Silvertips Hockey

June 7, 2006 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Everett Silvertips News Release


Five Everett Silvertips took part in last weekend's NHL Scouting Combine in Toronto, Ontario. All of the prospects had to give through several interviews with different NHL teams and had to go through rigorous off-ice training. Silvertips forward Brady Calla was very happy with his performance during the busy combine and had a chance to talk with Silvertips play-by-play man Keith Gerhart about the weekend.

ONE ON ONE WITH BRADY CALLA

Keith Gerhart: What were your overall thoughts on the NHL Combine?

Brady Calla: It was a very good experience overall. It was fun to meet the NHL Scouts and General Managers and a great opportunity to meet some of the top players in the draft.

KG: Was the combine intimidating for you?

BC: The interviews were not as bad because I did a few of them with some NHL teams before coming to the combine. The workout portion was interesting though because everyone from the NHL Scouts, Media and NHL personnel were watching you very closely. Especially the bike test, where you go as fast as you can for 30 seconds. The trainers are screaming at you to keep pushing. That was nerve racking a bit.

KG: How did the interviews go with the different NHL teams?

BC: I thought I did very well. I interviewed with 12 NHL teams and came out with a positive experience every time. It was great to meet the scouts and general managers. I also did an interview with NHL.com which was fun.

SILVERTIPS IN THE COMMUNITY

The Silvertips would like to thank everyone for a great time at the 2006 Unity Basketball Game between the Everett Police Department and the boys and girls senior basketball players from Cascade and Everett High Schools at Cascade High School on Tuesday, June 6. Before the event former Silvertips defenseman Shaun Heshka and forward Torrie Wheat signed autographs for the fans. All of the proceeds from the event went directly to Special Olympics.

The Silvertips will also participate at the Marysville Strawberry Festival Parade on Saturday, June 17. This will be the 3rd year in a row that the Silvertips have taken part in the parade.

SILVERTIPS ANNOUNCE SPECIAL AUCTION

All week long, the Everett Silvertips will be conducting a special auction through the team's website (www.everettsilvertips.com) to help benefit the Bishop Medical Fund. In January, Graydon (the son of Spokane Chiefs Athletic Trainer Darcy Bishop), was diagnosed with Leukemia, which prompted the Western Hockey League trainers to create the Graydon Bishop Medical Fund. To date, member WHL clubs, the Spokane Chiefs have raised over $50,000 to help the Bishop family cover medical costs.

Up for auction will be a Game Used Michael Wall jersey from the 2004-05 playoffs and an autographed Peter Mueller hockey stick from World Juniors.

All proceeds of the auction will go directly to the Bishop Medical Fund. Auction will close on Friday, June 9th.

To bid on the items go to the Silvertips website and click on auctions section under the merchandise tab.

BRUINS SELECT MEROPOULIS IN EXPANSION DRAFT

The newest team in the WHL, the Chilliwack Bruins, selected Silvertips forward Matt Meropoulis in the 2006 WHL Expansion Draft last week. Overall the Bruins selected 19 players in this year's expansion draft. The Bruins picked one player from each team, with the exception of Tri-City, which lost three players. As part of the expansion agreement between the Bruins and the Tri-City Americans, the Americans agreed to protect 12 players and have the Bruins select three. The Bruins selected players from all WHL teams with the exception of the Kamloops Blazers, Medicine Hat Tigers, Portland Winter Hawks and Vancouver Giants - teams which have already dealt players to the Bruins.

Meropoulis was drafted by the Silvertips in the 7th Round (133rd Overall) in the 2004 WHL Bantam Draft. The Edmonton, AB native did not play in a game with the Silvertips this season but suited up for the Edmonton K of C Knights (Midget AAA). Meropoulis tallied 11 goals and 23 assists for 34 points in 36 games for the Knights this season.

"I believe it will be a great opportunity for Matt to play for the Bruins next season," mentions Silvertips Director of Player Personnel, Scott Scoville. "I think Matt will be on one of the three top lines for the Bruins. It is definitely disappointing not to have him with the Silvertips in the future but we wish Matt the best in the future."

SILVERTIPS OWNER RECEIVES HONORARY DEGREE

Seven exceptional individuals, including Everett Silvertips President Bill Yuill, received Honorary Degrees from the University of Lethbridge at the 2006 Spring Convocation ceremonies.

Honorary Degrees are awarded by The University of Lethbridge Senate under the power conferred upon this body by The Universities Act of the Province of Alberta. Recipients of these degrees personify the values expressed in the philosophy of the institution - they cultivate humane values and seek to foster such things as intellectual growth, social development, aesthetic sensitivity, personal ethics, and the dimensions of a scholar's personality. Individuals who are honored have made substantial contributions to society at the provincial, national and/or international levels in such areas as the professions, business, public life, philanthropy, the arts, humanities, and the sciences.

Yuill, received an honorary Doctor of Laws form the university.

He presides over The Monarch Corporation, a private holding company with interests in telecommunications, transportation, sports properties and land development. An active Chairman and CEO, Yuill consistently leads his management team to higher levels of achievement. His other business interests include serving as a director of two public companies, Shaw Communications Inc. and Western Financial Group. Yuill has an extensive record of community service. He is a governor of the Western Hockey League; member and past Chairman of the World Presidents' Organization, Alberta Chapter; past Chairman of the Medicine Hat District United Way; past president of the Medicine Hat Family YMCA; a member of the Foundations Board of St. Andrew's College; and a long-serving member of the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede Board.

IRVING INVITED TO HOCKEY CANADA'S PROGRAM OF EXCELLENCE GOALTENDING CAMP

Everett Silvertips goaltender Leland Irving has been invited by Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League to attend the first ever Program of Excellence Goaltending Camp in Calgary, Alberta from June 8 to June 11. A total of twelve goaltenders have been selected to attend the camp, including six goaltenders under 20 years old (candidates for Canada's National Junior Team) and six goaltenders under 18 years old (candidates for Canada's National Under-18 Program).

The twelve goaltenders were selected by Hockey Canada based on evaluation reports conducted by former Hockey Canada Director, Player Personnel Blair Mackasey over the course of the 2005-06 season, as well as in consultation with coaches, general managers and team officials throughout the Canadian Hockey League and National Hockey League.

The camp will include on-ice and off-ice sessions with two selected Hockey Canada goaltending consultants: Ian Clark (Goaltending Consultant, Vancouver Canucks) and Sudarshan Maharaj (Goaltending Consultant, New York Islanders). Clark and Maharaj will provide Hockey Canada with detailed reports on each goaltender at the conclusion of the camp.

"Over the past few years, Hockey Canada, along with the CHL, has been looking to provide more support and development to the top goaltenders in our Program of Excellence programs," said Johnny Misley, Hockey Canada's Vice-President of Hockey. "We believe that this Goaltending Camp will serve as an excellent tool in establishing our goals of identifying, developing and evaluating goaltenders for our National Junior and Under-18 Teams, while at the same time, providing each of them with direction and teaching with a high level of expertise."

QUICK SILVERTIPS TRIVIA

Before we get to this week's trivia question, the answer to last week's question is John Lammers. Lammers scored 4 short handed goals in the 2005-2006 season to put himself on the top of the list for the Silvertips in short handed goals scored.

Now for this week's trivia question. The Silvertips played against current Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward in the 2003-2004 season when Ward was playing for the Red Deer Rebels. The Rebels defeated the Silvertips 2-1 at the Enmax Centrium on January 3, 2004 where Cam Ward received 1st Star honors. Which Silvertips player scored the only goal against Ward in that hockey game?

The answer will be revealed next week.

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Western Hockey League Stories from June 7, 2006


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