CFL/WHL News

(From CFL.ca)

CALGARY -- The 2009 Grey Cup Festival and the Calgary Stampeder Football Club are pleased to announce that the 97th Grey Cup Championship game to be held in Calgary has sold out in record time, 12 weeks in advance of the game.“We are extremely pleased to announce a complete sellout so far in advance of this year’s Grey Cup Championship game,” said Scott Ackles, president of the Calgary Stampeders. “Our Stampeder season-ticket holders and football fans across the country have purchased tickets in record time for this year’s 97th Grey Cup Championship in Calgary and we are thrilled with their response.”“The sellout in record time speaks to the incredible enthusiasm for Canadian football by fans from across the country,” said Malcolm Kirk, Chairman of the 2009 Grey Cup Festival committee. “Hosting events like the 97th Grey Cup Championship and 2009 Grey Cup Festival gives Calgarians the opportunity to showcase our great city to the rest of Canada. Now that the Grey Cup game is sold out, all of our committee’s energy will be focused on staging the best Grey Cup Festival party ever."An additional 10,369 seats will also be added to McMahon Stadium, placing the new capacity number at 46,020 seats all of which sold out by Labour Day.Calgary last hosted the CFL championship on November 26, 2000 when the B.C. Lions defeated the Montreal Alouettes. The 1975 and 1993 Grey Cup Championships were also contested at McMahon Stadium.The Grey Cup is Canada’s largest professional sporting event. A celebration of sport and culture, the Grey Cup is uniquely Canadian and has a storied history and deep traditions. The 2009 Grey Cup Festival, “Canada’s Game Calgary’s Party,” will be distinctly Canadian and showcase Calgary’s famous western hospitality. For more information or to purchase tickets to the 2009 Grey Cup Festival events, visit the Grey Cup Festival website or call 403-777-0633.
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From WHL.ca

138 WHL Players Invited to NHL Training Camps

Calgary, AB – The Western Hockey League is proud to announce that 138 WHL players are attending NHL training camps this season.

All of the 138 players on the list are eligible to return to the WHL for the 2009-10 season.

Of the 138 players attending NHL training camps, 85 were selected by NHL teams in the NHL Entry Draft while 53 were invited to NHL camps as free agents. In addition, 33 of the WHL players attending NHL training camps are signed to NHL entry-level contracts.

The defending WHL Champion Kelowna Rockets will see 12 players attend NHL training camps, which is the most of any WHL club. The Calgary Hitmen, and the Saskatoon Blades will each send 11 players to NHL camps while the Vancouver Giants, Lethbridge Hurricanes and 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup host Brandon Wheat Kings will all see 10 players attend NHL training camps.

All 22 WHL clubs will see at least one player attend an NHL training camp.

Each year, WHL graduates make up a significant percentage of players who play in the NHL. In 2008-09, WHL graduates accounted for over 20 per cent of all players who played at least one game in the NHL.

The following is a list of WHL players, by team, who will attend NHL training camps for the 2009-10 season:

BRANDON WHEAT KINGS (10)
(Name, NHL Club, Draft year/Free Agent, Signed Y/N)

Keith Aulie, Calgary Flames, 2007, Yes
Matt Calvert, Columbus Blue Jackets, 2008, No
Jay Fehr, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No
Scott Glennie, Dallas Stars, 2009, No
Jordan Hale, Ottawa Senators, F/A, No
Brodie Melynchuk, San Jose Sharks, F/A, No
Toni Rajala, Edmonton Oilers, 2008, Yes
Colby Robak, Florida Panthers, 2008, No
Brayden Schenn, Los Angeles Kings, 2009, No
Alexander Urbom, New Jersey Devils, 2009, No

CALGARY HITMEN (11)
Joel Broda, Washington Capitals, 2008, No
Rigby Burgart, San Jose Sharks, F/A, No
Kris Foucault, Minnesota Wild, 2009, No
Martin Jones, Los Angeles Kings, F/A, Yes
Ryan Kerr, Washington Capitals, F/A, No
Brandon Kozun, Los Angeles Kings, 2009, No
Alex Plante, Edmonton Oilers, 2007, Yes
Paul Postma, Atlanta Thrashers, 2007, Yes
Ian Schultz, St. Louis Blues, 2007, Yes
Brett Sonne, St. Louis Blues, 2007, Yes
Michael Stone, Phoenix Coyotes, 2008, No

CHILLIWACK BRUINS (4)
Ryan Howse, Calgary Flames, 2009, No
Roman Horak, New York Rangers, 2009, No
Brandon Manning, Toronto Maple Leafs, F/A, No
Mitch McColm, Vancouver Canucks, F/A, No

EDMONTON OIL KINGS (6)
Brett Breitkreuz, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Michael Burns, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Adrian Van de Mosselaer, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Torrie Jung, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Brent Raedeke, Detroit Red Wings, F/A, Yes
Tomas Vincour, Dallas Stars, 2009, No

EVERETT SILVERTIPS (7)
Cameron Abney, Edmonton Oilers, 2009, No
Byron Froese, Chicago Blackhawks, 2009, No
Radko Gudas, Los Angeles Kings, F/A, No
Thomas Heemskerk, San Jose Sharks, F/A, No
Tyler Maxwell, Los Angeles Kings, F/A, No
Rasmus Rissanen, Carolina Hurricanes, 2009, No
Kellan Tochkin, Vancouver Canucks, F/A, Yes

KAMLOOPS BLAZERS (6)
Dalibor Bortnak, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No (Won’t attend due to injury)
Jimmy Bubnick, Atlanta Thrashers, 2009, No
Giffen Nyren, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No
Tyler Shattock, St. Louis Blues, 2009, No
Zak Stebner, Dallas Stars, F/A, No
C.J. Stretch, San Jose Sharks, F/A, No

KELOWNA ROCKETS (12)
Cody Almond, Minnesota Wild, 2007, No
Mikael Backlund, Calgary Flames, 2007, Yes
Tyson Barrie, Colorado Avalanche, 2009, No
Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars, 2007, Yes
Evan Bloodoff, Phoenix Coyotes, 2009, No
Lucas Bloodoff, Phoenix Coyotes, F/A, No
Collin Bowman, Ottawa Senators, F/A, No
Mitchell Callahan, Detroit Red Wings, 2009, No
Colin Long, Phoenix Coyotes, 2008, No
Brandon McMillan, Anaheim Ducks, 2008, No
Tyler Myers, Buffalo Sabres, 2008, No
Stepan Novotny, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Kyle St. Denis, Dallas Stars, F/A, No

KOOTENAY ICE (4)
Kevin King, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No
Brayden McNabb, Buffalo Sabres, 2009, No
Hayden Rintoul, Montreal Canadiens, F/A, No
Dustin Sylvester, Anaheim Ducks, F/A, No

LETHBRIDGE HURRICANES (10)
Carter Ashton, Tampa Bay Lightning, 2009, No
Carter Bancks, San Jose Sharks, F/A, No
Kyle Beach, Chicago Blackhawks, 2008, Yes
Zach Boychuk, Carolina Hurricanes, 2008, Yes
Austin Fyten, Detroit Red Wings, F/A, No
Dwight King, Los Angeles Kings, 2007, Yes
Eric Mestery, Washington Capitals, 2008, No
Luca Sbisa, Philadelphia Flyers, 2008, Yes
Colton Sceviour, Dallas Stars, 2007, Yes
Brennan Yadlowski, Philadelphia Flyers, F/A, No

MEDICINE HAT TIGERS (6)
Tyler Ennis, Buffalo Sabres, 2008, No
Mark Isherwood, Boston Bruins, F/A, No
Tristan King, Dallas Stars, F/A, No
Matt Konan, Anaheim Ducks, F/A, No
Tomas Kundratek, New York Rangers, 2008, Yes
Linden Vey, Los Angeles Kings, 2009, No
MOOSE JAW WARRIORS (2)
Travis Hamonic, New York Islanders, 2008, No
Matt MacKay, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No

PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS (6)
Spencer Bennett, Calgary Flames, 2009, No
Travis Ehrhardt, Detroit Red Wings, F/A, Yes
Tayler Jordan, Columbus Blue Jackets, F/A, No
Kurtis Mucha, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Brett Ponich, St. Louis Blues, 2009, No
Luke Walker, New York Rangers, F/A, No

PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS (1)
Ryan Button, Boston Bruins, 2009, No

PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS (2)
Dana Tyrell, Tampa Bay Lightning, 2007, Yes
Marek Viedensky, San Jose Sharks, 2009, No

RED DEER REBELS (6)
Willie Coetzee, Detroit Red Wings, F/A, No
Landon Ferraro, Detroit Red Wings, 2009, No
Tommi Kivisto, Carolina Hurricanes, 2009, No
Darcy Kuemper, Minnesota Wild, 2009, No
Cass Mappin, Columbus Blue Jackets, F/A, No
Justin Weller, Phoenix Coyotes, 2009, No

REGINA PATS (4)
Matt Delahey, New Jersey Devils, 2008, No
Jordan Eberle, Edmonton Oilers, 2008, Yes
Garrett Mitchell, Washington Capitals, 2009, No
Colten Teubert, Los Angeles Kings, 2008, Yes

SASKATOON BLADES (11)
Stefan Elliott, Colorado Avalanche, 2009, No
Burke Gallimore, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals, 2008, Yes
Derek Hulak, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Sam Klassen, New York Rangers, F/A, Yes
Mylan Kytnar, Edmonton Oilers, 2007, Yes
Adam Morrison, Philadelphia Flyers, 2009, No
Jyri Niemi, New York Islanders, 2008, No
Gaelan Patterson, Calgary Flames, 2009, No
Travis Toomey, Atlanta Thrashers, F/A, No
Teigan Zahn, Chicago Blackhawks, 2008, No

SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS (7)
Sena Acolatse, Phoenix Coyotes, F/A, No
Jacob DeSerres, Philadelphia Flyers, 2008, No
Brenden Dillon, Pittsburgh Penguins, F/A, No
Thomas Hickey, Los Angeles Kings, 2007, Yes
Jim O’Brien, Ottawa Senators, 2007, Yes
Prab Rai, Vancouver Canucks, 2008, No
Stefan Warg, Anaheim Ducks, 2008, No

SPOKANE CHIEFS (6)
Drayson Bowman, Carolina Hurricanes, 2007, Yes
Jared Cowen, Ottawa Senators, 2009, No
Levko Koper, Atlanta Thrashers, 2009, No
Tyler Johnson, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No
James Reid, Vancouver Canucks, F/A, No
Mitch Wahl, Calgary Flames, 2008, No

SWIFT CURRENT BRONCOS (5)
Morgan Clark, Vancouver Canucks, 2007, No
Justin Dowling, Pittsburgh Penguins, F/A, No
Cody Eakin, Washington Capitals, 2009, No
John Negrin, Calgary Flames, 2007, Yes
Geordie Wudrick, Los Angeles Kings, 2008, No
TRI-CITY AMERICANS (2)
Chet Pickard, Nashville Predators, 2008, Yes
Tyler Schmidt, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No

VANCOUVER GIANTS (10)
Jonathon Blum, Nashville Predators, 2007, Yes
Lance Bouma, Calgary Flames, 2008, No
Kevin Connaughton, Vancouver Canucks, 2009, No
Craig Cunningham, New York Rangers, F/A, No
Evander Kane, Atlanta Thrashers, 2009, Yes
Brent Regner, Columbus Blue Jackets, 2008, Yes
Tyson Sexsmith, San Jose Sharks, 2007, Yes
Nolan Toigo, Vancouver Canucks, F/A, No
Jamie Tucker, Columbus Blue Jackets, F/A, No
James Wright, Tampa Bay Lightning, 2008, No