With the CHL trade deadline passed, it’s interesting to see how new players fare on their new teams. Keep in mind, not only do the players have to sign off on a trade, but the deals must also be approved by the player’s parents and representatives.
Oftentimes, older players get moved for picks and younger players who were not significant parts of their old team, but will be a big part of the solution in their new destinations. These trades can have a positive impact for those younger players who often move from a low position on the depth chart to high-leverage minutes.
Think back to when Ryan Strome was traded from Barrie to Niagara. He blossomed with the IceDogs and ultimately two years later was taken fifth overall in the NHL Draft, something that would not have happened if he was stuck playing bottom-six minutes for a deep, veteran-laden Colts.
With that in mind, let’s examine which trades made since January 1, 2019 will have the biggest impacts.
10. Shane Bowers from Saint John to Drummondville
Let’s get this clear right away: Bowers is playing at Boston University and by all accounts is happy to stay there. He had a chance to go to Saint John during a Memorial Cup run in 2017 and that did not deter his course.
Having said that, he is two years older now, was recently a member of Canada’s world junior team and his NHL rights belong to Colorado. It wasn’t that long ago that another Avs prospect, AJ Greer, left the NCAA to join Rouyn-Noranda for their Cup run in 2016.
If Bowers does leave the NCAA, he has a chance to go late into the spring with the Volts. If Bowers signs with the Avs, he’d no longer be eligible to play NCAA hockey and after a year and a half this option is more viable than it was when he played for Waterloo in the USHL.
9. Ryan Hughes from Portland to Saskatoon
The addition of Hughes should take some of the heat off Kirby Dach, Max Gerlach and Gary Haden. A smaller, skilled player who adds to Saskatoon’s overall team speed, Hughes has similar numbers to the player he was dealt for in Josh Paterson.
This move doesn’t come without risk as Paterson was wearing an “A” and at 6-foot-2, 203 pounds, his size is a coveted playoff asset. Hughes is much smaller (5-foot-7), but brings the added value of having played 27 playoff games over the past three seasons, the kind of experience Saskatoon has very little of.
8. Alex D’Orio from Saint John to Baie-Comeau
Baie-Comeau’s goaltending situation was set with the additions of Dereck Baribeau, and Lucas Fitzpatrick, but Baribeau got injured and GM Steve Ahern was forced to go out and get D’Orio from Saint John. It was his third goalie acquisition in three weeks.
The most underrated team in the CHL, le Drakkar has made the playoffs in six of the past seven seasons, including two trips to the league finals in 2013 and 2014. With another long playoff push in mind Ahern didn’t want to put Fitzpatrick, a 2000-born goalie, on the pedestal without another option in the stable. D’Orio has Memorial Cup experience and the early returns are proving that he needed a stronger team in front of him to get back to par. In four games since the trade, D’Orio is 4-0 with a 1.50 GAA and .937 save percentage.
7. Jack Studnicka and Matt Brassard from Oshawa to Niagara
Feeling the Jason Robertson/Jacob Paquette deal with Kingston wasn’t enough, Dogs GM Joey Burke struck another big deal in a bid to challenge Ottawa and Oshawa in the Eastern Conference. With Robertson and Paquette, Niagara went 9-3-2-0 before this deal was made on January 8. Since then, they are 1-1-0-0, but it will take time to integrate two high-end players into the lineup.
Boston prospect Studnicka adds strength down the middle of the ice, while Brassard brings his big bomb from the point. The challenge for head coach Billy Burke will be to keep everyone satisfied with minutes and special teams time. Oshawa, the most interesting team at the deadline, got Lleyton Moore in the deal, someone they plan to build around in a suspected bid for the 2022 Memorial Cup when it comes back to Ontario.
6. Owen Tippett and Ryan McLeod from Mississauga to Saginaw
The Spirit haven’t been relevant since the days of Brandon Saad and Vincent Trocheck early in the decade. Last year’s coach Troy Smith did yeomen’s work to get Saginaw into the playoffs before being swept by eventual conference champion Sault Ste. Marie.
This time around, the Spirit are legit thanks to some great recruiting and the addition of Florida first-rounder Tippett and Edmonton second-rounder McLeod. Tippett is a true goal scorer and is a threat the moment he crosses the opposition’s blue line. He has 116 goals in 187 career regular season games. McLeod, who made a monster impression on the Edmonton brass this past fall, has great speed, can win draws and is a dual threat as a scorer and distributor.
5. Kevin Hancock from Owen Sound to London
Trading within the division surely wasn’t the top choice of Attack GM Dale deGray, but when those are the best offers you have to stay there. The Hunter group was definitely familiar with Hancock, who put up 28 points in 32 career games against the Knights. Add in the fact he’s over a point-per-game player in his 238 career OHL games and the Knights added instant offence and one of the most well-rounded two-way players in the league. Hancock’s 34 career playoff games are also a major asset to a London team that lost four straight to Hancock’s old team in the 2018 playoffs.
4. Zack Andrusiak from Seattle to Everett
The Silvertips have been a defensive dynamo for as long as they’ve been in the league, but when push comes to shove, you still have to score more than the opponent to win. Everett scored just 13 times in a six-game series loss to Swift Current last year, but with the addition of Andrusiak, who had 27 goals at the time of the trade, that’s not likely to happen again.
Everett is more than one goal a game (3.50) behind league leader Prince Albert (4.60). GM Garry Davidson made three shrewd moves, but this might be the most important of all as he attempts to support Connor Dewar, Riley Sutter and Bryce Kindopp offensively.
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3. Noah Dobson from Acadie Bathurst to Rouyn-Noranda
It took some coaxing, but Dobson is reunited with coach Mario Pouliot, who he played so well under in winning the 2018 Memorial Cup as a member of the Titan. The Huskies are once again back in contention and with Dobson’s leadership qualities, his on-ice play and championship pedigree, this addition may very well put the Huskies over the top.
Never mind Dobson’s lacklustre numbers with Acadie-Bathurst. Think about a player who was relied on for top minutes on a championship team, is now a year older and somewhat more ornery after having his world junior experience cut short.
2. Nick Suzuki and Sean Durzi from Owen Sound to Guelph
Despite being hampered by injuries over the past couple of seasons, Durzi more than fills the void left by Ryan Merkley’s trade to Peterborough. The Toronto second-rounder can run a power play and is highly effective at even strength with good decision making on when and when not to join the rush.
Suzuki has sniped 40-plus goals in back-to-back seasons, not to mention he grew up playing minor hockey with Guelph’s leading goal-scorer Isaac Ratcliffe, which makes for instant chemistry. Those two players bring more than 65 games worth of playoff experience combined.
1. Dante Hannoun from Victoria to Prince Albert
A perfect fit for the Raiders. Hannoun is a playmaker extraordinaire who Raiders fans will fall in love with. He moves around the ice effortlessly, thinks the game well and is effective in all three zones. With 32 games of playoff experience under his belt, and the fact he won’t have to be the go-to guy in Prince Albert, Hannoun should thrive in a secondary offensive role. He’s great working the half wall on the power play and brings an enthusiasm that is contagious.
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