Giants, Bruins once again trading jabs

Last week’s overager cutdown date didn’t pass without controversy as yet another page was written in the burgeoning rivalry between the Vancouver Giants and Chilliwack Bruins.

In what resembles a crazy shell game, the Giants somehow ended up with 20-year-old right wing Ken Petkau, who was supposed to have retired.

Chilliwack released Petkau, who scored 24 goals last season, prior to the cutdown date after Petkau allegedly told the Bruins he was no longer motivated to play hockey and wanted to get on with his life.

However, when the overager draft occurred last Thursday, Vancouver took a flyer on Petkau, who it turns out had not retired and was attending a professional tryout with the Central Hockey League’s Oklahoma City Blazers.

And now stories have changed. According to the Vancouver Province, Petkau is now saying he quit Chilliwack because the Bruins didn’t do enough to get him an NHL tryout, and that he’s eager to play for the Giants. The Province also implied that some of Vancouver’s players had been aware there was more to Petkau’s story than retirement.

Needless to say, the Bruins were not amused. According to the Chilliwack Progress the Bruins filed a complaint with the Western Hockey League to prevent Petkau from suiting up with the Giants. However, the league upheld Vancouver’s claim, though it won’t allow Petkau to play until after talking to Petkau about the alleged retirement comments.

This is just the latest in a series of altercations between the two teams. Last season the Bruins selected former Giant Chad Scharff in the overager draft. Scharff said he wouldn’t play for anyone other than the Giants, and when Vancouver had an overage slot open up when goaltender Dustin Slade left the team, the Bruins were not accomodating with trade requests. Then in their first-round playoff series the teams brawled following the final game and did not participate in the traditional series-ending handshakes.

Stay tuned, ladies and gentlemen. This one isn’t over yet.

Around the WHL: In other moves leading up to the overager deadline, Red Deer acquired 20-year-old left wing Clayton Bauer from Kootenay for 17-year-old left wing Matt Fraser and a fifth-round bantam pick in 2008, then added 20-year-old defenseman Mark Louis from Brandon for a third rounder in 2009. Also, Lethbridge selected left wing Michael Wuchterl in the overager draft and cut center Yashar Farmanara, who was subsequently picked up by Medicine Hat. … Vancouver made a pair of trades, acquiring 17-year-old right wing Phil Gervais from Swift Current for a third rounder in 2008, then picking up 18-year-old defenseman Justin Palazzo from Prince Albert for a sixth rounder in 2009. … Spokane acquired 18-year-old right wing Ryan Letts from Calgary for a sixth rounder in 2008. … The sale of the Kamloops Blazers to a group that includes former Blazers and current NHL stars Jarome Iginla, Shane Doan, Mark Recchi and Darryl Sydor, was officially approved by the league in a unanimous vote. … Medicine Hat center Tyler Ennis was named the WHL Player of the Week. Ennis had three goals and five assists as the Tigers went 4-0.

League leaders: Points — Tyler Ennis (Medicine Hat), Michael Wilson (Swift Current) 16; goals — Ennis 10; assists — Wilson 15; penalty minutes — Kyle Beach (Everett) 49; wins — Tyson Sexsmith (Vancouver), Matt Esposito (Chilliwack) 7; goals against average — Riku Helenius (Seattle) 1.58; save percentage — Helenius .938.

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