Brown has arrived, Bartek on his way

Published 5:26 pm Tuesday, September 16, 2008

I was back at practice for the first time in a while today — the weekend was spent pounding out copy for our Silvertips preview section, which comes out in Friday’s paper. So I met new defenseman Shayne Brown for the first time. Brown, acquired from Medicine Hat in exchange for defenseman Tyler Kieffer late last week, arrived in town Sunday and has been familiarizing himself with his new team and teammates. He sounded ready to get things started. The team’s looking at him as a top-four D-man, so this will be the most responsibility he’s been given during his WHL career.

As far as Everett’s other acquisition, Czech left wing Daniel Bartek who was picked up from Brandon for a fourth-round pick, the Tips received good news Tuesday. It looks as though Bartek’s immigration paperwork will be completed in time for him to participate in Everett’s opener Friday at Kamloops. Bartek, who’s remained in Brandon while the paperwork was sorted out, will join up with the team in Kamloops on Thursday and be in the lineup Friday.

And two quick equipment notes. Goaltender Kent Simpson received his new mask — no more generic black. It looks uncannily like Leland Irving’s old mask. And every player in the league will wear a decal with the letters “EC” on their helmets this season in honor of the late Ed Chynoweth, one of the league’s great builders who passed away from cancer earlier this year.