Here’s a rare sight in junior hockey: a trade deadline came and went in the league hosting the MasterCard Memorial Cup with but a few impact deals.
The London Knights, who are hosting the national championship in May, opened up their wallets just once – acquiring speedy scorer Gemel Smith from Owen Sound – in the days leading up to the deadline, but otherwise stood pat with their roster. Smith arrives hungry, having falling short in the 2011 tournament with the Attack.
It’s a far cry from the number of deals a year ago, when the host Saskatoon Blades were frantically trying to assemble a roster worthy of competing for the MasterCard Memorial Cup. The fact the Knights have been to the past two tournaments, and carry over many key players from those teams, left them feeling confident their roster may be good enough to win another championship on home ice.
Strangely, many big names remained with their teams this season. Ryan Hartman (Plymouth), Slater Koekkoek (Windsor) and Jake Paterson (Saginaw) were all thought to be heading elsewhere before the deadline loomed. The fact they weren’t dealt to teams like Guelph or Erie can be seen as a boon to the Knights.
It’s not to say the deadline passed without some sizeable trades. The Storm, who had previously sent five second-round picks to Windsor in a deal for Kerby Rychel and Nick Ebert in December, re-acquired four second-round picks in dealing Hunter Garlent to Peterborough. Consider it a major coup for the Storm, who can average out the two deals as being Garlent, Brody Milne, a second-, third- and two fourth-round picks for Rychel, Ebert and Stephen Pierog.
Garlent will get his wish to be the headliner in Peterborough after this deal.
The Sudbury Wolves were perhaps the most surprising deadline buyer. The Wolves won the Trevor Carrick sweepstakes while also adding Dallas Stars first-round pick Radek Faksa on Thursday. Recognizing that the East is up for grabs – perennially, as it seems – the Wolves threw their hat in the ring. Of course, should the Knights win the West, whichever team emerges from the East would automatically play in the MasterCard Memorial Cup.
“This is the first time I’ve been in a situation to really load up a team like this,” Wolves general manager Blaine Smith told the Sudbury Star. “In past years, I’ve always tried to tweak or sell some of our bigger players, like last year.”
These trades put the Wolves in serious contention to win the East. Considering the only other contending team is the Oshawa Generals, who stood pat at the deadline, these deals could very well help the Wolves achieve one of their franchises’ most successful runs in its history.
A complete list of the OHL trades here.
DUMBA JOINS PORTLAND, WHL DEADLINE
The calculated move the defending Western Hockey League champion Portland Winterhawks made on Dec. 10 will pay handsomely. The Winterhawks made a conditional trade with the Red Deer Rebels to acquire Dumba’s WHL playing rights, which perhaps made it even easier for the Minnesota Wild to return their top prospect to a team that will vie for a championship.
The Winterhawks also addressed their goaltending by acquiring Corbin Boes from the Lethbridge Hurricanes in their only other impact trade. Portland was clearly missing Mac Carruth, who graduated this summer, as Brendan Burke failed to transition into the starting goaltending role while providing the same steady reliable play Carruth had in previous years. Their 153 goals allowed this season are second-most among Western Conference teams in the playoff picture.
The Winterhawks were also able to get in the opening round of this year’s bantam draft after losing this year’s pick in last year’s sanctions. Portland received Calgary’s first-round pick in exchange for sending Adam Tambellini’s playing rights to the Hitmen. Immediately upon announcing the trade, the Hitmen announced Tambellini, who was playing at North Dakota in the NCAA, would join their team.
Tambellini wasted little time getting to and adjusting to the WHL, scoring a goal and adding three assists for four points in his Hitmen debut on Wednesday. He told the UND coaching staff he was leaving the team on Tuesday evening, was traded to Calgary on Wednesday morning, drove to Winnipeg and then flew to Saskatoon in time for the game Wednesday’s game. Tambellini told the Calgary Herald his decision to play for the Hitmen instead of the Winterhawks was influenced by his friendship with Hitmen forward Greg Chase, whom he grew up with in Edmonton.
The league-leading Kelowna Rockets also took an unconventional trade route, adding overage import Marek Tvrdon in a deal with Vancouver. Tvrdon, a Detroit Red Wings prospect, had been playing in the East Coast Hockey League this season but was sent to Kelowna where he will contend for a championship. It’s a huge boost for an already championship-calibre team.
The Blades may still be paying the price of going for broke in pursuit of last year’s MasterCard Memorial Cup, but are ready to make risky moves again to turn their franchise around this season. General manager Lorne Molleken moved sophomore forward Matt Revel – who was untouchable at last year’s deadline – to Kamloops for a package that included former fourth-overall pick Jordan Thomson, a first-round pick and JC Lipon’s younger brother Mitch. Thomson left the Blazers earlier this year but could be a huge boost to the Blades’ rebuild.
A complete listing of all the WHL deals here.
GRIGORENKO JOINS REMPARTS, QMJHL DEADLINE
And so the Mikhail Grigorenko saga continues. One of the most enigmatic teenaged hockey players in the world just can’t stay out of the headlines. The Quebec Remparts — thought to be a seller at this year’s deadline to fill the cupboards for next year as they vie to host the MasterCard Memorial Cup – didn’t deal Grigorenko at the deadline, which immediately raised questions about his future in the league.
It appears Grigorenko wants to dictate his future. First, newly-appointed Buffalo Sabres general manager Tim Murray told Le Soleil’s Kathleen Lavoie last week they were leaning towards sending him to Quebec. The Sabres then assigned Grigorenko to Quebec on Saturday, and the prospect quickly refused to report. A day later, Grigorenko finally did report to the Remparts.
The Sabres had only two options: send him to the Remparts or keep him on the active roster. Since he’s still 19, Grigorenko was not eligible for the American Hockey League. Anyone who’s tracked his career will say it hasn’t lacked in drama. However, after his performance at the world juniors, sending him back to junior really was the only logical choice.
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s deadline lived up to its billing, Grigorenko notwithstanding. Charles Hudon was finally sent to Baie-Comeau for a trio of first-round picks, a deal that was reported prior to participating in the world juniors. The Drummondville Voltigeurs were active adding William Carrier and Ryan Culkin in separate deals.
Meanwhile, the Charlottetown Islanders’ purge continued. The Islanders dealt captain Jack Nevins, Ryan Graves and last year’s second-overall pick, Alexis Pepin, in separate trades for futures. Charlottetown is building for a bright future, and the deferred compensation in these transactions could expedite the rebuild according to GM Grant Sonier.
A list of all the QMJHL trades can be found here:
– Did last year’s Canadian Hockey League champions play it too safe?
– Moose Jaw Warriors forward Brayden Point replaces Kingston’s Sam Bennett in Wednesday’s BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.
– Yahoo’s Neate Sager breaks down the OHL deadline’s winners and losers.
– Kelly Friesen looks at the WHL’s deadline
– Regina Pats defenceman Tye Hand is shutting it down for the season and will be re-evaluating his career after suffering six concussions.
– Former Windsor Spitfire Eric Wellwood is working out with his former junior team as he tries recovering from a scary career-threatening injury last season:
