Patrick King

A flurry of activity consumed the headlines in the CHL.

As is the case each year, a flurry of activity consumed the headlines in the Canadian Hockey League as each league's deadline concluded recently.

With high-profile players added to high-profile teams, it's now time to look at which teams significantly improved its chances of competing in Brandon, Man. this May for the MasterCard Memorial Cup.

The defending champion Windsor Spitfires positioned themselves for another title run with some big moves. Windsor added grit and depth in two separate trades with Belleville and Peterborough.

Former Petes captain Zack Kassian, who grew up in the Windsor suburb of LaSalle, Ont., joins the defending champions. The price was steep, as Windsor parted with sophomore forward Austin Watson and two second-round picks, but could have Kassian back in their lineup again next season.

"I think we looked and we saw what we missed in our lineup was that element of toughness and to get a guy with toughness and skill is a real unique combination and it's tough to come by," Spitfires general manager Warren Rychel said.

"We're a pretty good hockey team, but we don't want to leave this chance," Rychel continued, "we want to do everything possible to try to win this thing again and that's exactly what we did."

Kassian was acquired Sunday after the team's blockbuster with Belleville. Windsor acquired veteran defenceman Marc Cantin, injured forward Stephen Johnston and German goaltender Philipp Grubauer.

Belleville got a big boost for its future through the trade, acquiring Windsor's first pick in last May's draft, Austen Brassard. Along with Brassard, Windsor traded Slovakian forward Richard Panik, defenceman Paul Bezzo, and disgruntled goaltender Steve Gleeson.

The key to the deal with Belleville could come next season, as the team drafted German forward Tom Kuhnhackl in the import draft. Kuhnhackl is a highly-touted forward for this summer's draft and played with Grubauer on the German junior team.

Windsor's main competition for the title, the Barrie Colts, was just as aggressive on the trade front. Barrie picked up Alex Pietrangelo, the top defenceman at the recently completed world junior hockey championship, and gritty forward Zac Rinaldo.

Pietrangelo will make his Colts debut in the highly-anticipated match-up against the Spitfires in Windsor on Thursday.

Barrie also added goaltender Mavric Parks from the Kitchener Rangers shortly before Monday's deadline. Parks will battle with Peter Di Salvo for the starting job, but will watch from the bench Thursday as Di Salvo gets the nod against Windsor.

Finnish goaltender Petteri Simila, who was acquired as part of the Pietrangelo trade with Niagara, will head home. Dalton McGrath, who had been Di Salvo's backup, will join a Colts affiliate team.

"Both goalies are going to play," Colts head coach Marty Williamson said. "We think we have two capable goalies that if one doesn't play up to snuff, the other one can take over."

The Colts also shipped Chris DeSousa, also acquired from Niagara, and a conditional pick to London for Rinaldo. Rinaldo is the league's resident tough guy with a reputation that sometimes oversteps the boundaries.

His addition gives Barrie a plethora of gritty forwards alongside Stefan Della Rovere, Kyle Clifford and Matt Kennedy.

"We want to be a difficult team to play against," Williamson noted. "We think we're awfully strong on the walls and we're going to try to make life miserable for other team's defence."

The Calgary Hitmen made a huge splash prior to Sunday's Western Hockey League trade deadline. Calgary acquired offensive forwards Tyler Shattock and Jimmy Bubnick and defenceman Zak Stebner in a deal with the Kamloops Blazers.

Heading to Kamloops is Chase Schaber and Austin Madaisky and a conditional draft pick. The move will enable Calgary to contend for another league title, after falling two games short of winning its second league championship last season.

"There's some very good teams (in the Eastern Conference), anything can happen and I think we have as good a chance as anybody," Hitmen general manager Kelly Kisio said.

Calgary's defence and goaltending has been solid throughout the first half of the season, but lacked the same scoring depth as other top teams, such as Medicine Hat and Brandon.

"I think we were pretty solid offensively this year, but adding those two guys will help a great deal," Kisio said. "They are a couple of big guys that skate real well and are solid defensively, but when they get the chance to score they usually put it in the net."

With 30 games remaining in their schedule, Kisio isn't concerned about his new additions finding chemistry.

"The good thing about the CHL and Western Hockey League is we have two and a half months to get them ready," he said. "If you can't build chemistry in 30 games then you won't be able to do it."

The Memorial Cup host Wheat Kings made a huge splash, acquiring Canadian world junior defenceman Travis Hamonic from Moose Jaw. The price was steep, as Moose Jaw added injured young player Dallas Ehrhardt, a first-round pick and two second-round picks.

The move gives Brandon another reliable stay-at-home defenceman, which could be crucial in a playoff series against another high-scoring opponent.

The Portland Winterhawks added Swiss defenceman Luca Sbisa from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Sbisa's time in Portland could be brief, as he was injured at the world junior tournament and was named to the Swiss Olympic team.

The Québec Major Junior Hockey League's Moncton Wildcats shifted their mentality once learning Nicola Riopel would be returned a month ago. Riopel set the league mark with a 2.01 goals against average last season, while also being named the league's most valuable player.

An injury to Ray Emery in Philadelphia afforded Riopel an, albeit brief, opportunity in the Flyers' system.

"There was a ripple effect throughout the Flyer organization and as a result Rio was made available to us," explained head coach and director of hockey operations, Danny Flynn. "Our goaltending was solid, but we have a chance to add a four-year veteran and a guy with half a year of pro hockey under his belt - you find room for those guys."

As a result, Moncton shifted its mentality and became aggressive on the trade front, acquiring forwards Gabriel Bourque, Nicolas Deschamps and Kelsey Tessier in various trades.

"When you have a chance to add the league MVP back into your lineup, it gives you reason to rethink the direction you're headed," Flynn said.

The Wildcats are hoping to have Kirill Kabanov back in the lineup in early March. The Russian forward underwent surgery before the break, but is skating with the team. Kabanov's injury was to the scaphoid bone, near the wrist, which is hard to determine when it will be fully healed.

Since the trade period is much smaller in the QMJHL than the other two leagues, Moncton was just one of many teams making some big trades.

The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and Drummondville Voltigeurs were also at the forefront. Huskies head coach and general manager, André Tourigny, acquired forwards Patrice Cormier and Jordan Caron on the final day of the trading period last Wednesday.

The Rimouski Océanic never hid their intentions in trading Cormier and Caron, and received two players, three first-round picks and a second-round pick in the deal. Tourigny is familiar with both, as he was an assistant coach on the Canadian world junior team.

In another highly-anticipated trade, the defending league champion Voltigeurs added goaltender Jake Allen from Montreal for two first-round picks. In spite of his poor play in the final game of the world junior tournament, Allen gives the Voltigeurs a solid goaltender that will go a long way in determining the champions of the QMJHL.

Now that the final rosters are set, each team will now build on chemistry in pursuit of the coveted Memorial Cup.