WHL champion, Regina Pats captain, Navy commander Bill Ansell dies at 63
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Ansell won a Western Hockey League championship with the 1979-80 Pats. He became their captain the following season before playing for Hall of Fame coach Clare Drake with the University of Alberta Golden Bears. Ansell spent 33 years in the Royal Canadian Navy, serving on the HMSC Regina, before recently retiring as a lieutenant-commander in Sidney, B.C.
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'Billy was the ultimate team guy,' said former NHLer Mike Blaisdell, a teammate on the 1979-80 Pats. 'Always positive, came to the rink with a smile on his face. He gained the respect of his teammates and coaches by his actions every day.
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'He was a helluva hockey player. He won battles in every end of the rink. Smart payer, focused on the team's success. Played bigger than his size and never quit. I'll always remember how important he was to our WHL champion team.'
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After playing minor hockey in Regina, at 5-foot-10 and 179 pounds Ansell tallied 182 points on 69 goals and 113 assists through 152 games in 2 1/2 WHL seasons with the Pats. He added 15 goals and 17 assists in 28 playoff contests. Ansell played 120 games for the Golden Bears, winning the 1986 national university championship and recording 42 goals and 58 assists during five seasons.
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Ansell was recently featured in a Leader-Post column, where he spoke about a cancer diagnosis that had originally given him four months to live. He was optimistic about a new treatment that could extend his life for another year while he hoped to hear from friends and former teammates.
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'There's been lots of reaction,' Ansell said afterwards. 'I've heard from lots of people.'
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Ansell was predeceased by his mother Maxine and father Ron, a long-time senior hockey player who coached the Regina Pat Canadians before scouting for the NHL's Los Angeles Kings and retiring to Vancouver Island in 1980. Bill Ansell's wife, Leslie, died from cancer earlier this year. He is survived by her three children, three grandchildren, siblings Max, Pat (a former Pats goalie) and Dawn and their families.
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Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Calgary Herald
Rules rewritten: How the NCAA is shaking up major junior hockey in Canada
Article content This month, the best player in major junior hockey chose a new development path. Medicine Hat Tigers star Gavin McKenna announced on ESPN SportsCenter he would play for the Penn State Nittany Lions this fall in his final season before likely being picked No. 1 in the 2026 NHL draft. This wouldn't have been possible except for the NCAA changing a long-standing – and frankly, archaic – rule last fall to let skaters with Canadian Hockey League experience join U.S. college teams. That's not all. They also can be paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for their services. The reported and repeated price tag for McKenna has been $700,000, though some agents and hockey observers don't think it's nearly that high in reality. The bottom line is Canada's most marketable hockey teen has opted to play south of the border and the Memorial Cup runner-up Tigers got nothing in return. It's a clear blow for the CHL, though its president believes it will take at least two or three years to determine the overall impact. 'When this rule change happened, universally, the (CHL) leadership group said it gave players more opportunity and choice,' Dan MacKenzie told Postmedia this week. 'We felt that was a good thing. I would stick by that. Gavin McKenna made the choice he felt was best for his career and it's within his rights to do that. 'We're going to cheer him on next year.' For decades, talented kids as young as 15 had to pick either major junior or the NCAA. Some, like McKenna, will get to experience both before making the jump to the NHL. But there remain big factors to consider: quality of team and competition, length of season, importance of education and advancement opportunities. 'It's going to be interesting – both sides – where it all ends up,' said Mark Hunter, GM of the defending Memorial Cup champion London Knights. 'If you have a good program and spend time on your development side and make sure the players are doing everything they can to get better as a person and hockey player, your program will be fine. The ones that are not, it could be a struggle. Players can come and go. Everyone thinks it's greener somewhere else. It's not always . . .and there's no crystal ball here. 'The lay of the land is interesting right now.' SHOW US THE MONEY THE CHL is banking on McKenna as a unicorn. The Yukon 17-year-old played two productive seasons in Medicine Hat, but wasn't eligible for this year's NHL draft because he was born in December. The NHL draft cutoff date is Sept. 15. He's hardly the first phenom affected by a late birth date. It happened to Auston Matthews 10 years ago. Instead of playing for the Western league's Everett Silvertips or a U.S. college, the future Toronto Maple Leafs captain opted to join Zurich in Switzerland for a reported $400,000 salary. McKenna has set the bar with his take-home pay at Penn State. Will there be a million-dollar NCAA hockey player at some point? Certainly, Connor McDavid would have commanded seven figures had he been in this situation in his junior days. Penn State's big-name donor is alumnus Terry Pegula, who owns both the Buffalo Sabres and the NFL's Bills. The Pegula Ice Arena where McKenna will play seats just over 6,000 – more than Medicine Hat, but not nearly the size of some other big junior teams. Still, a university's ability to raise money is not limited to ticket sales and sponsorship like most junior franchises. 'There are only a handful of brand-name schools in hockey,' said player agent Andrew Maloney, of Maloney & Thompson Sports Management. 'There are some things we already know, but there is still some uncertainty. How much of a chilling factor will (money) have on players leaving the CHL early? What does the CHL-NHL agreement look like down the road? And how much money will be thrown around at these schools? 'I feel like (the payments) are not going to go down. Those are things we don't know at this point.' One NHL scout, speaking on condition of anonymity, called this a 'test dummy year' in the NCAA's drive to recruit CHL blue-chippers. 'In my opinion, how many schools can afford to keep doing this?' the scout said. 'Are you only paying for first-liners, or will fourth-liners get NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) money, too? That's up in the air right now. And if this doesn't work out, how are you going to get kids to come back who aren't actually NHL players and are going for an education? 'There isn't an answer to that yet.' This leads to the obvious question: Will the CHL counter by relaxing its recruitment rules and letting players be paid salaries instead of weekly stipends? The three leagues have defended themselves from lawsuits by claiming their players are student-athletes who live with billets and earn tuition for years spent in the major junior ranks. MacKenzie noted that everything is currently 'on the table.' 'The financial element is something I think for the vast majority of players shouldn't be the context for a real decision-making factor,' he said. 'For the vast majority of those players, the money being offered isn't life-changing and . . . shouldn't alter your development path. If you believe playing in the CHL in your 19th year is what's best, but you will forego NIL money, you will probably make it back when you sign your NHL contract. The CHL figures the NCAA rule change resulted in 225-plus players from other leagues choosing major junior for the coming season, while 143 U.S.-born players were selected in the OHL, WHL and QMJHL drafts – the most in a decade. 'It's pretty clear at this point younger players that would have previously played in the BCHL (B.C. Hockey League) or otherwise are good enough to play major junior,' Maloney said. 'Those guys are coming into the league now at age 16 and 17. Some of the high-end 20-year-olds are not coming back for an over-age season. They're going to the NCAA. So are guys who previously went to Canadian university. Now they're getting a shot at U.S. college and all of that is very positive. 'What's less clear is what will happen with those high-end 17- to 19-year-olds. Gavin McKenna didn't win the Memorial Cup, but what else could he possibly do in junior?' THE TUG-OF-WAR The benefit of attracting a talent like McKenna is obvious. If you're a Nittany Lion, you get to play with him. If you're in the Big 10, you get to play against him and that's also good for your development. But by staying in the CHL, you can experience longer regular seasons and the intensity of traditional NHL-style playoffs. 'You can't teach how to play in a seven-game series,' MacKenzie said. 'NHL teams like to see their drafted players go through it. It's a grind and it becomes a tell. It's harder to identify for players who only play 34 games and could get knocked out after two games in March (in college).' Reigning Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson of the Canadiens and the Sharks' 2024 NHL first overall pick Macklin Celebrini were ousted early while together at Boston University. Unless things change dramatically, you still need quality third- and fourth-year players to win a national title. It's the same as requiring top-notch 19-year-olds to win the Memorial Cup. 'You interview the kids before the draft and ask them about their plans,' the NHL scout said. 'No team will try to sway them, because this is 2025 and it's their career. Some say they have options and will know what to do after they're picked. 'All of them are promised rainbows and lollipops by teams and schools, but they have to see what it's like when they get there. It might not end up being what they thought and we'll see in November if some players go kicking and screaming back to where they were.' It will take time for most CHL markets to offer what many NCAA programs do in terms of dressing room, gym and facilities. The OHL recently showed off the Oshawa Generals' gorgeous home space on social media, but that's more the exception than the rule. Eight CHL teams, including Oshawa, Kitchener, Barrie and London, are upgrading facilities while three more – Sudbury, Brantford and Ottawa – plan new arenas. The CHL also expanded its import draft to three rounds, resulting in about 20 more players being selected. 'Our teams were keen on making sure we continue to have the calibre of play as high as it can be,' MacKenzie said. 'The third import was designed to do that. There are always topics on the agenda to make sure we're developing players in the best way and have the right environment – be it facilities, training and staff – as they get older. 'We want to continue to be a place where 19-year-olds can thrive.' Sam Dickinson was the CHL's top defenceman last season. If the 19-year-old doesn't make the Sharks this fall, he'll be sent back to the London Knights, just like Easton Cowan of the Maple Leafs when he was the same age. The American league is not available to CHL players like Dickinson or this year's top picks, such as Michael Misa and Porter Martone, until they're in their age-20 year. The NCAA is only an option for players who remained unsigned by their NHL teams. 'I don't know why it's a rule (anymore), because they've professionalized themselves in every way,' Maloney said of U.S. colleges. 'But you still can't go back to school after signing a contract. The CHL and NHL will negotiate at some point and we'll see what happens after that.'
Vancouver Sun
6 days ago
- Vancouver Sun
Canucks: Who is the real Evander Kane? His former WHL head coach knows the whole story
Two early career developments framed NHL promise and problems for Evander Kane. He is now a key offensive component for the Vancouver Canucks , and in a much better personal place. But the long road the imposing left winger travelled to get back home was full of potholes that often drove him into the ditch. It didn't start that way. At age 15, Kane was inserted into the Vancouver Giants' juggernaut lineup at the 2007 Memorial Cup in the Pacific Coliseum . Head coach Don Hay reasoned the blossoming dynamo was simply too effective to be a spectator on a club that would claim its first title. 'I took out an older player to play Evander because I just really liked his game,' Hay told Postmedia on Wednesday. 'He was really competitive and we needed that. And then he played really well as a 16-year-old, scored 24 goals, and would go head-to-head with top defencemen like Tyler Myers of Kelowna. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'They had some great battles. He just finds a way to get to the net and doesn't make it comfortable for the other team.' In his second WHL season, Kane exploded for 96 points (48-48) in 61 games, and his stubbornness was an attribute. It drove him to 617 NHL points (326-291) in 930 games with five teams, twice hitting the 30-goal mark. 'As a coach, you have to be stubborn, and he was coachable. But I was firm and direct with him and he responded to that,' recalled Hay. 'He was suited for me and I was suited for him at that stage of his career. He believes in himself and what he brings. That's the biggest thing. He might rub some people the wrong way, but I really admire his competitiveness.' Kane became the fourth-overall selection in the 2009 NHL Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers. The hype was huge and so was the pressure. He responded with a credible 14 rookie goals in 66 games. But the East Vancouver native not only found himself in a big city and on a bad team, he lived by himself. He didn't have a billet family — which is really beyond belief — or that key roster veteran to lean on for instruction and direction. That's a recipe for distractions … and there were plenty. 'He made some bad decisions at that time. The stubbornness took over, and he would just do whatever he wanted,' said Hay. 'Social media was just out at that time and all the other nonsense that goes on. He did bizarre and stupid things, but did it when he was younger. And it's hard to shake that reputation. 'I really like Evander and have a lot of time for him. He's got a family and is settled in more and did a lot in the community in Edmonton.' In an intriguing way, Hay and Kane remain aligned. The legendary Hay, 71, came out of WHL coaching retirement after compiling a record 750 regular-season victories and four Memorial Cup titles. He will be an associate coach with Kelowna Rockets bench boss Derek Martin to guide that team, who are the 2026 Memorial Cup host. Kane, who turns 34 on Aug. 2, wants to keep playing and is in a contract year, which usually brings out the best in the 6-foot-2, 218-pound winger. He's a salary cap fit at an expiring $5.125 million, and surrendering a fourth-round 2025 pick to the Oilers was palatable. So, what are the Canucks getting? 'A real competitive player who loves to score goals,' stressed Hay. 'I don't think he has changed from when he was young. He plays a hard and physical game and goes to the real tough areas to compete for the puck. And he's a shooter. He's going to really complement their team.' Kane missed the entire 2024-25 regular season recovering from surgery and then produced a dozen points (6-6) in 21 playoff games, but also took 44 minutes in penalties. 'I liked the way he played in the playoffs,' added Hay. 'It showed those competitive juices are still flowing. And coming home in front of family and friends, and a team he watched growning up, he's going to be really motivated to help the Canucks have success. 'He'll be counted on a little more than in Edmonton, and it's good to have those kind of expectations. He's explosive from the blueline in and wants the puck. He can score off the rush, but also get those dirty goals and can pull people into the battle.' Kane can also drive the play and create space with ruggedness, which could mean an alignment with Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser . That would put Jake DeBrusk with Filip Chytil, if there's not a credible centre addition, and Conor Garland . This isn't the first time Kane has been tied to Vancouver at the NHL level. Nine years ago, there was speculation the struggling Canucks might try to pry Kane from the Buffalo Sabres. They were coming off a brutal season and finished 13 points shy of the final wild-card playoff spot. The aging roster was also getting long in the tooth — Henrik and Daniel Sedin along with Alex Burrows, 34, and Chris Higgins, 32 — and the Canucks needed younger players. They didn't get Kane then. They have him now. bkuzma@
Vancouver Sun
7 days ago
- Vancouver Sun
Memorial Cup host Kelowna Rockets recruit Mazden Leslie away from NCAA
Score one for the WHL in their duel with the NCAA for players, as Mazden Leslie has dropped his school commitment to return to the junior ranks with the Kelowna Rockets. The NCAA announced last November that it was opening up scholarship opportunities to players from the three Major Junior leagues for the first time this coming season, and Leslie, 20, was one of the initial ones from the WHL to take advantage. He told the Vancouver Giants in February that he wouldn't be returning for his final season of junior eligibility this fall and would join the Bowling Green State University Falcons for the upcoming campaign instead if he didn't land a spot in pro hockey. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The Rockets are hosting the Memorial Cup national championship tournament next spring, and they traded for Leslie's junior rights in May, sending Vancouver a conditional 2028 WHL Draft first-round pick and a conditional 2026 third rounder. The WHL has seen several marquee players give up junior eligibility to try the American collegiate system, most notably projected 2026 NHL Draft first overall pick Gavin McKenna, who recently signed on with the Penn State University Nittany Lions rather than go back to the Medicine Hat Tigers for his much ballyhooed draft season. The 6-foot-1, 201-pound right-shot Leslie was the WHL's second-leading scorer among defenceman last season, thanks to his 72 points, including 21 goals, in 66 games with Vancouver. The Rockets and WHL have both trumpeted his pivot on their social media this week, and you can understand why. 'The combination of the Memorial Cup and the Rockets' deep history of developing defencemen for the NHL were the main reasons why I decided to join the team,' Leslie explained via text message. 'The Rockets' deep history of developing defencemen to the NHL was a huge reason why I decided to join the team.' Mazden Leslie on his decision to join the Rockets for the 2025–26 season, rather than pursuing an NCAA career. #RocketsHockey | #KelownaRockets The conditions on the picks in the trade, according to the Giants, are tied to Leslie reporting to Kelowna, so both selections become Vancouver's property when he plays his first game with the Rockets. Leslie was passed over in the NHL Draft for a third straight time this year. He is slated to attend the Vegas Golden Knights' training camp this fall as a free agent. He went to Golden Knights development camp earlier this summer. He took part in their training camp last season. The Golden Knights could sign him as a free agent, but considering general manager Kelly McCrimmon's close ties to the WHL — he's a former owner/operator of the Brandon Wheat Kings — Leslie would almost certainly be reassigned to the Rockets with the Memorial Cup run in mind. Something similar happened to the Giants in their Memorial Cup host season of 2006-07 with defenceman Brett Festerling, who had a free-agent contract with the Anaheim Ducks but was sent back to back to Vancouver instead of playing minor pro. Leslie has played 280 regular season games with the Giants, which ties him with winger Mitch Bartley (2002-06) for sixth on the team's all-time list. Defenceman Neil Manning (2006-12) has the Giants' record for games played with 310, and Leslie would have shattered that if he came back to Vancouver this season. Leslie is 10th in career regular season points (190) in team history as well. His first game against Vancouver on the visiting side at the Langley Events Centre comes Nov. 1, when the Rockets make their first of three trips there to face the Giants next season. 'That will be fun. It will be a little different being on the other bench for the first time, but it will be fun,' Leslie explained. See you in September, Mazden! The former Giants captain has announced he's heading to the @Kelowna_Rockets for the 2025-26 WHL Season. 📝 | Vancouver had told the Giants that he was looking for a change in scenery in his bid to advance to pro hockey. The Giants could have held onto his rights to see if he would return to junior at some point from Bowling Green this season, but it's doubtful they would got more than a package featuring a first-round draft pick for one-year player. Kelowna is looking to build up their roster after their 18-44-4-2 finish last season. They've brought in former Giants head coach Don Hay to be an assistant to Derrick Martin. Hay will likely be in charge of working with the defencemen. Vancouver had changed up its staff as well, naming Hnat Domenichelli as general manager and Parker Burgess as coach last month. Domenichelli takes over from Barclay Parneta, who agreed to part ways with the team in April, and Burgess succeeds Manny Viveiros, who left for a pro job in Austria in May. Vancouver finished 34-26-8-0 last season and finished in sixth spot in the Western Conference. They lost to the Spokane Chiefs in the first round of the playoffs. Leslie was Vancouver's team captain last season. He was a top pairing defenceman, alongside rookie phenom Ryan Lin. Vancouver has also lost top-four rearguard Colton Roberts, 19, who has jumped to the Colorado College Tigers. The Victoria Royals have been one of the hardest hit teams by defections to the NCAA, with centre Cole Reschny, 18, and blue liner Keaton Verhoeff, 17, both jumping to the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks. @SteveEwen SEwen@
