Pietroniro steering Drakkar’s ship: the coast-to-coast

Combing all corners of the country and the blogosphere for your junior hockey headlines ...

WHL

Saskatoon Blades star Nikita Scherbak is unavailable at the moment, but the way-too-early read is that Russia will be very deep in this world junior cycle. (Le Tribune)

The Regina Pats are going to give new coach John Paddock "management control on the hockey operations side," writes Greg Harder. Where does that leave GM Chad Lang? (Regina Leader-Post)

Please: another year in Portland is not going set Winnipeg Jets prospect Nic Petan back. (Arctic Ice Hockey, ProHockeyTalk)

Want a synopsis of Team USA's summer camp, which includes Portland goalie Brendan Burke? Chris Peters to the rescue. (The Pipeline Show)

Condolences: long-time Winnipeg hockey organizer Dale Hughesman, father of former Tri-City standout Adam Hughesman, died of cancer last week. He was just 51. (Winnipeg Free Press)

OHL

Could Edmonton Oilers first-rounder Darnell Nurse go from left out in 2014 to being Canada's designated shutdown defenceman for the world junior? (The Hockey News)

Columbus Blue Jackets first-rounder Sonny Milano is affirming his commitment to Boston College. What, you expected him to say something else in the middle of a USA Hockey camp? (SB Nation College Hockey)

Trades, Jerry, trades! Saginaw and Ottawa swapped third-year forwards, with Jeremiah Addison going east for Connor Brown and picks.

Is it better than even money that Washington Capitals first-rounder Andre Burakovsky will be a one-and-done Erie Otter? (CSN Washington)

Connor vs. Jack for the 2015 draft: it's just not happening, like Happy Endings being revived. (Juniorhockey.com)

Hey, a release from Plymouth about a forward signing! It's Nicholas Caamano, a second-rounder with big upside. (OHL)

Which hue of blue will overage Mat Campagna wear this season? Or he could end up with a team with a different base colour. There is that. (Sudbury Star)

Early rankings are already out for next spring's 2015 priority selection. (TheScout.ca)

QMJHL

One year ago this month, 16-year-old Jordan Boyd collapsed and died at the Acadie-Bathurst Titan training camp. Hundreds came out for a celebration of his life in Bedford, N.S., last weekend. (Metro Halifax)

Marco Pietroniro, who was part of league champion Val-d'Or's coaching staff, is the new bench boss in Baie-Comeau. (Le Soleil)

A year after the fact, it is hard to believe that Team Canada hopeful Jeremy Gregoire was available to the Montreal Canadiens with the No. 186 pick in 2013. (La Presse)

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.