Smokies make five player trade

The Trail Smoke Eaters made a major five player deal today with the AJHL's Brooks Bandits. Matt Wilkins, Darnell Dyck and Mitch Kaufmann are headed to Brooks for Cullen Bradshaw and Steve Dobbin.

Bradshaw was Brooks' top scorer with 65 points while Dobbin was third on the team with 46 points. Dyck scored 29 for Trail while Wilkins had 25 in 37 games and Kaufmann added 17 in 32 games. Everybody in the deal can make a major contribution to their team.

It's a clear signal from the Smokies that they're looking to be competitive next season. Bradshaw and Dobbin are both entering their 20 year old seasons and expected to play at their highest level. Given that they were top scorers on their team in their 19 year old seasons one would expect they have the ability to be go to guys for the Smokies as well. Add them to a core of returning players that already includes several top 6 forwards and there's lots of reason for optimism.

As for the guys heading the other way... it's always disappointing to see promising and talented guys who want to be here move on. That's the reality of trying to make your team better. You have to give up something of real value to try to push to that next level. I'm sure that trading away Wilkins, Dyck and Kaufmann was far from easy for Coach Ingram. I know the team will miss what those guys brought to the table.

Darnell was probably the biggest character on the team who knows how to get under the opponent's skin better than anyone in the league. He also proved last year that he can be an offensive player as he increased his production from 11 points with Surrey to 29 with Trail. With some great moves and a very good shot he could take his game to an even higher level with the Bandits.

Wilkins had a rookie season unfortunately interrupted by a broken jaw in the fall. Up to that point he was hovering at a point per game pace, but it took him a little bit to get back to that when he returned. Matt also admitted to me that earlier in the season he deferred a little too much to the veterans and didn't take his shots. When he started to later in the year and especially in the playoffs... boy he was dangerous. Matt was the top goals per game scorer in the KIJHL as a 17 year old so the sky is the limit in Brooks.

Kaufmann heads back to the AJHL after he won a championship in that league two years ago. He brought a steady all-around game to the Smokies and has a bullet of a shot on the one timer. I think Kaufmann is a guy who with the experience he has gained is going to be able to run a power play in Alberta.

Brooks is lucky to have them.

But as I said you have to give something to get something. Bradshaw's point totals with the Bandits last season would have had him third on the Smokies in scoring behind Jacklin and Sandor. He fits right into that top group of forwards who would make a difference both at even strength and on the power play. He wasn't just a set up guy either as he put 28 goals home last year.

Dobbin also played at a high level with a point total that would have had him tied with St. Denis for 4th on the Smokies if he had been here last season. Obviously there are some questions about how the guys will adapt to the BCHL and a new team, but I'm looking forward to seeing both in Smokies colours.

This move gives Trail the kind of depth at the top of their line-up that would allow them to role out 3 very strong scoring lines. Depth wins championships whether you're Vernon or Chicago. Add that to all the new recruits that are going to be coming to camp and there's a lot to look forward to.

I'll have comments from Coach Ingram on this tomorrow night on Overtime. I'll also have an interview with Bradshaw on coming to Trail. We'll eventually get that audio on the blog as well.

Best of luck to Darnell, Matt and Mitch. You were all class acts and will be terrific in Brooks. Looking forward to seeing you again at the exhibition tournament in September.

Spruce Kings Clean House, Pickering Traded

A couple of days ago I suggested that the Prince George Spruce Kings were likely sellers at the deadline... and they were. However, what I didn't count on was how little they would actually do to help other BCHL clubs.

The Spruce Kings instead made 4 of their 5 deals with teams in the AJHL. All of the deals saw Prince George pick up future considerations in return. Next year's team could be an interesting one as a result. The only BCHL club to benefit from the Prince George house cleaning is the Surrey Eagles who add veteran defenceman Josh Pineiro. Pineiro is a very solid vet, but his production has tailed off after a start that had him on a point per game pace. He should help Surrey at both ends of the ice.

Prince George also moved Brooks Robinson back to Alberta as the son of former Caps Coach Scott Robinson is now a member of the Fort McMurray Oil Barons. Goaltender Steve Papciak also returns to the Alberta league, but this time with Canmore. As far as I can tell Papciak was the only goalie with a winning record for Prince George this season as they've kind of had a revolving door between the pipes. Talented Forward Marcus Watson's stay with PG was a short one as he is now off to join the Grande Prairie Storm.

As much as all of those guys could be key additions for the teams they find themselves with, I would say that Wes McLeod is likely the biggest fish leaving the Spruce Kings. I heard speculation all around the BCHL about who could get him. There were even people in Trail last night telling me the Smokies should go after him. Trust me when I say the price was way too high for a team with as much young talent as Trail. A lot of that talent would be in Spruce Kings colours next season if that was the move they made. There was talk that everyone from Vernon to Salmon Arm to Flin Flon wanted to take a crack at McLeod. Who won the sweepstakes? The Spruce Grove Saints.

Why is McLeod so valuable? Anyone who has seen him play doesn't need me to answer that question. He's a point per game guy from the back end who is very solid in all aspects. He played for Team Canada West and is a multiple time All-Star. He's also only 19 and as such doesn't take up a 20 year old spot. Why should we care that he's going to Spruce Grove? The Saints are the best team in Alberta and may in fact be the best team in Canada. They've only lost 3 times in regular all season. Now a team that good can add a player of McLeod's status... not paying the price to get him could end up coming back to haunt whichever team wins the BCHL championship and has to face Spruce Grove in the Doyle Cup.

It looks like (at least for now) Prince George Captain Sam Muchalla is staying put. The 1990 born forward could have fetched a huge price on the open market. However, he is a Prince George native and I bet the Spruce Kings wanted to keep him in their uniform before he heads off to school next year. The Sprucies also kept the likes of Zac Rasmussen, Joe Morgan and Brad Bourke who could have been key additions for contending clubs. While it certainly looks like Prince George is throwing in the towel on this season, they do still have some significant talent. The reason I say that is because I'm sure some fans in Trail, Merritt and Quesnel just got a little more comfortable with their playoff spot. Don't count on it yet! Ed Dempsey's club isn't going to go out without a fight. Sometimes a house cleaning of veteran talent like this can motivate guys and create an "us against the world" environment.

They've got nothing to lose so don't start making playoff reservations yet.

PICKERING A VEE

Former Smoke Eater Andrew Pickering is on the move again. After starting his career with Victoria he has now seen stops in Trail, Prince George, Merritt and now Penticton. As Brian reported over at Making Cents, Pickering apparently asked to be moved to a contender. His wish has been granted. There are few if any teams more poised to make a run for it all than the Vees.

In return the Cents will add the services of Sam Gemmell. Gemmell's stay with the Vees was a short one, but there should be an opportunity to prove himself with the Cents. The other good thing for Merritt fans is that Gemmell is only a 1990 born forward so he could return next season while Pickering is in his final year of junior.

I also heard about this deal from a couple of other sources earlier today but they were holding off reporting it until the league approved the deal. Where does Pickering fit in Penticton? I suspect there's an opportunity for him to see some offensive ice with Eric Filiou on the shelf. However, there is a lot of depth on that Vees forward group. He'll have to play and produce consistently to get the kind of ice time he's had in his previous stops. Andrew is a very skilled hockey player who sees the ice very well. It'll be interesting to see how he fits in with the Vees.

SMALL DEALS

There were a couple of other small moves. Vernon sent 19 year old defenceman Nils Erik Soderlund to Winkler of the MJHL for futures. Soderlund is a big and talented defenceman who just didn't get enough of a chance to play in Vernon. They have a deep club and Soderlund found himself in the stands more often than not. Now that he'll get a chance to play more I expect he'll turn some heads. I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up back in this league next season. Now everyone is wondering if the move clears the way for Sahir Gill to return from the USHL.

Quesnel sent Defenceman Matt Hutchinson to the OCN Blizzard of the MJHL for future considerations. He looked solid in the games I saw him in but apparently wasn't in Quesnel's plans.

Is there more to come? Probably. A lot of these deals don't get reported until a full day later sometimes. Stay tuned for more including an update on the KIJHL. Also don't forget that teams can still add "free agents" if they have available cards. This isn't over just yet.

Swaffield video and interview, Deadline thoughts

Taylor Swaffield told me today on Mountain FM's Overtime that he's a physical guy. Don't believe him? Check out the videos above. You can also check out his fight card. Taylor has dropped the gloves 21 times over 117 AJHL games. While he's not a goon, it's clear Swaffield is willing to go to battle.

As for his scoring, I'd say perhaps there's a little more potential there than it may appear. Swaffield was out half the season in 08-09 with an injury. If he plays a whole season we're likely talking about double the point total last season... 14-16 points instead of 8. This season he's around that same pace. In AAA Midget hockey he had 14 points in 34 games and was tied for 7th in team scoring. Is that Bobby Orr material? Obviously not. However, this is not a guy with no offensive instincts at all. He'll chip in with some helpers here and there. The scouting report is that he has a good first pass. A combination of his size, physical play and a good first pass may make him an ideal fit as a guy who can spring the skilled Trail forwards. If he gets more of an opportunity here you never know how he could take advantage of it.

The bottom line is that Swaffield isn't here to light the league on fire. He's a veteran guy who the Smokies are hoping will provide solid play, a physical edge and leadership on the back end. Anything else is a nice bonus. Trail really has nothing to lose here. They didn't have to give up a player to get Swaffield. The big guy wasn't free, but he can help the team today without costing them down the line. It's low risk and possibly high reward. I had the chance to have brief chats with both Taylor and Smokies Assistant Coach Brian Youngson on the move today on Mountain FM's Overtime.

New Smokies Defenceman Taylor Swaffield

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Smokies Assistant Coach Brian Youngson

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Is this it for Trail? It's hard to imagine them doing too much more given the current card situation. That being said, the phones will be ringing off the hook all weekend. Never say never.

How about the rest of the league? I suspect there will be some activity. There are already a ton of rumours out there including a couple of pretty specific ones over at the message board. It's silly season and you can't take everything you read seriously. You also can't rule it all out.

To me the team best positioned to sell off some very valuable pieces is Prince George. All of the top guys on that roster are either 20 years old or leaving after this season for a scholarship. It's one thing to be a young squad in the bottom few teams of the conference, but if you're a veteran team something has to give. Take a look at the roster and tell me there aren't a couple of guys (especially those who wouldn't take up 20 year old spots) that would fetch a giant price from a team with championship ambitions. Of the teams near the bottom they have the most to offer (at least in terms of guys they would lose for nothing otherwise) and have the most to lose from doing nothing. Ed Dempsey is a sharp and experienced hockey man. I'm sure he's at least listening.

Williams Lake has already done some selling so I suspect they could make some more moves if there is interest in their guys. They could be this year's Merritt in that way. However, they do still have to field a roster so they can't move too many guys.

I think Quesnel's schedule (all those games against their northern partners) and recent roster upgrades make them the favourite to finish 5th in the Interior. After several years on the outside looking in I can't imagine them being a seller with that possibility staring them in the face. If they do sell there are six 89s on that team who could all help a contender. Of course the demand for 20 year olds is somewhat limited depending on how man of those slots are open. Vernon is full and Penticton only has one 89 spot open for example.

Merritt has a couple of 20 year olds that could be of interest. However, Coach and GM Luke Pierce told me in a recent interview that he didn't intend to sell at the deadline. The Cents have a very good shot at a playoff spot in what is an incredibly important season for the viability of the franchise. I doubt they'll make any moves that could put their playoff hopes at risk. I could even see them adding an 89 or two.

Who is buying? Vernon may be getting some help up front with Robinson coming in and a chance Sahir Gill could come back. If Gill does return maybe there's another deal involving a forward and a younger D-man to bring in an 18 or 19 year old vet on the back end with a physical edge. I don't expect much more than that.

Penticton has some roster space and may need to fill Filiou's spot depending on how long he'll be out sick. I expect them to make some noise.

Westside is a very good team despite being young. Should they sacrifice much of what looks like a very bright future to go for it now? Tough decision for their management I'd say.

To me the team that should be trying to buy is Salmon Arm. This is a club that will lose the likes of Zengerle, Chakeen, Gubb, Lipsett and Ierfino after this season. I'd be shocked if Kilip and Noyes didn't get the chance to go to school next season too. However, SA is also a couple of pieces away from being able to take Vernon or Penticton in a 7 game series in my view. They did beat Vernon twice this past weekend, but do the Silverbacks have the same depth as those clubs? To me when you have talent like that going out the door you have to do everything you can to make a run. If they add a couple of key guys (especially a veteran defenceman) we could put them in the same category as Vernon and Penticton. For now I think both the Silverbacks and Warriors are a step or two behind.

I could see a big trade between Salmon Arm and Prince George that involved multiple players heading south. If those two clubs pulled off a blockbuster deal the balance of power could change at the top of the Interior. I have no "inside" information here, but I think it would make a ton of sense.

Of course those are just the Interior clubs I'm talking about. I could also easily see the Bulldogs, Eagles, Chiefs and Kings making a big push for whatever players the Interior clubs are willing to part with. The Coast is wide open (outside perhaps of the very top spot in the standings) so any big move could propel one team out of the pack. I also feel like all of those teams need a couple of big pieces if they hope to give the Interior winner a real challenge. Teams in the BCHL could also move some of their vets to contenders in the other Junior A leagues east of Trail.

I'll have more thoughts on the trade deadline and the moves we've already seen tomorrow. I may also have some video from the Salmon Arm game. I'd like to get highlights up from the Penticton game but my copy of it cuts off mid-way through the third period.

Smokies acquire Swaffield

Trail made a move today picking up 1989 born defenceman Taylor Swaffield from Fort McMurray of the AJHL for future considerations. He has 22 points in 117 career games. Swaffield is in his third season of Junior A hockey as he played previously with Lloydminster. He's 6'3, 210lbs and describes himself as a physical, stay-at-home defenceman. The move gives Trail eight defencemen, but Graeme Strukoff is currently on the shelf with an upper body injury. That means once Strukoff gets healthy again it'll be very competitive as the defencemen battle for ice time during practice and games.

The Smokies are hoping Swaffield will be another calming influence in their own end. He can also drop the mitts when called upon. I know since the start of the season I've been saying they need to be tougher in front of their own net... this move should help that. It should also help the PK which has improved but is still at the bottom of the BCHL. We'll have an interview with Swaffield and Brian Youngson on Overtime tonight. Expect more on the blog later.

Ingram, Vandekamp on Trade

(Kaufmann at Rebels camp - Red Deer Advocate)

A couple of different perspectives have come in today on the deal that sent veteran forward Colin Lidster to Grande Prairie of the AJHL for 18 year old defenceman Mitch Kaufmann. First, I had the chance to chat with Smokies Coach and GM Jim Ingram at practice yesterday...

Ingram on Roster Moves

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Grande Prairie Coach and GM Mike Vandekamp (who used to coach in Merritt and Vernon) has some comments on the deal up on the Storm website.

Kaufmann, a six foot, 190-pound defenceman from Red Deer, was in his second year with the Storm. He saw limited playing time to start the season.

“We’ve been carrying what we feel is too many defencemen since the start of the season,” said Vandekamp. “That made it difficult to provide necessary playing time.

“Mitch has been caught in a numbers game at times. We felt this move would help him.”

It's really hard to know what the Smokies will get from Kaufmann. The newspaper report I linked to yesterday said he was steady and reliable. A Grande Prairie fan on the BCHL message board gave the impression he could be an offensive defenceman that could run a power play if given more of an opportunity. I suppose we'll find out soon enough! I'm not sure if Mitch will be in the line-up tonight, but surely we'll see him either tonight against Cowichan Valley or tomorrow against Prince George. I'm sure we'll see new forward Josh McEwan make his Smokies debut though. Both those games have 7:30pm puck drops at the Cominco Arena.

Smokies Add Kaufmann and McEwan

(Josh McEwan and Mitch Kaufmann)

The Trail Smoke Eaters made a couple of roster moves today leading into their home games against Cowichan Valley and Prince George this weekend. They traded 1989 born forward Colin Lidster to Grande Prairie of the AJHL for 1991 born defenceman Mitch Kaufmann and future considerations. Trail also added 1991 born forward Josh McEwan to their roster. He spent last season with the Langley Chiefs. To make room for McEwan the Smokies released 1989 born forward Riley Loyst. I'll have more details coming up shortly.

EDIT: So what does this move mean for the Smoke Eaters? First of all it creates a log jam on the back end. There are now nine defencemen on the roster. It also means the Smokies now have a third veteran on the blue line. Kaufmann may only be 18 years old but he has a year under his belt on a top team in the AJHL. As a rookie Kaufmann got ice time on a championship team throughout their playoff run. He only has one point in his Junior A career so I don't expect him to walk in to Trail and run the power play. That being said, I'm told he has a very good shot. He also had 15 points in 36 games with the Red Deer Optimist Rebels as a 16 year old in Midget AAA.

I don't think anyone should expect Kaufmann to walk in here and completely re-shape the back end. I would expect a solid player with some experience who can help calm things down in the Trail zone. That's the way he was described in an article on Kaufmann's try out with the WHL's Red Deer Rebels this fall:

“I think Mitch has played well. He’s been steady,” said (Rebels Head Coach Jesse) Wallin. “He’s got some junior A experience so he’s come in here and played with confidence because of that. He’s a steady guy. He doesn’t do anything real flashy but he’s solid in his own zone, he makes a good first pass and doesn’t get himself in much trouble. As a result, he’s certainly garnered some attention that way and he’ll get a longer look.”

That's the kind of player the Smokies could use right now. Smart, simple and effective play. I know Kaufmann is excited to be coming to Trail and should be in town in time for this weekend's home games against Cowichan Valley and Prince George.

As for the addition of Josh McEewan, he is another player who should make a difference with his two-way game. Josh had a goal and a couple of assists last season with the Langley Chiefs. McEwan also made a very tough Fernie Ghostriders squad when he was 16 years old. He only had 11 points in the regular season, but Josh upped his game in a big way with 9 points in 19 playoff games as Fernie won the KIJHL Championship. He also had 119 penalty minutes that season and 90 last year with Langley. McEwan has been skating with the Smokies for over a week now without any promises. He came in to prove himself and show the organization that he has what it takes to wear the orange and black. Coach Ingram says he's exactly the kind of player he likes and a guy who has told the coach that he will do anything and play whatever role it takes to get onto the roster. That kind of attitude and determination is exactly the kind of way to get Ingram's attention. Now we'll see how Josh can do if all the paperwork gets taken care of before the games this weekend.

As for the departures, it is always tough to see anyone go. Riley Loyst was a guy who always worked hard and played a very determined game. He battled back from two broken jaws and always busted his butt. I hope Riley can land somewhere to finish off his junior hockey career in style.

We know where Colin Lidster is going to go. The big man will now have a chance to show his stuff on the defending AJHL champions. Colin came to Trail to try and show that he could be a top 6 player and put up some big points in his 20 year old season. The performance of some of the new Smokies forwards like Lewis, Mellor and Wilkins made that less likely. Rather than play out his final season here on the bottom 6 we'll see if Lidster can head to Alberta and make a loud impression with a perennial power house in that league. He's a guy with a great stride and good shot on a huge frame... if he can put it all together the Storm may reap the rewards.

I certainly wish both Loyst and Lidster the best.

With their departure and the previous release of Devon Murtagh the Smokies also find themselves with three free 20 year old slots. Does that mean they'll fill those spots? Not necessarily. However, it does give Coach Ingram the flexibility to add a few more veterans should the opportunity present itself. I suspect there are still some moves to be made. For now we'll get our first look at the new additions tomorrow night against Cowichan Valley and Saturday night against Prince George. The Smokies are tough to beat at the Cominco Arena, especially if we get another great crowd like last Saturday night.

NOTES

...With the departure of Colin Lidster there was an opening for another alternate captain. Second year defenceman Graeme Strukoff will now have an 'A' on his jersey for the Smokies. Congratulations to Strukoff who is a first class citizen on and off the ice. I talk often to his father and I can see where it comes from. The "bull in a china shop" is one of two 18 year old members of Trail's leadership team with Justin Brown. Hopefully they will both be big parts of the team for the remainder of their junior careers.

...My condolences to the Vernon Vipers and the family of Wayne Buck. The former Vipers PA announcer passed away recently. He was the man behind the mic for 15 years.

...What kinds of things would make your Christmas time experience at a BCHL hockey game a little more exciting? Let me know via e-mail shawnsamsmullin@hotmail.com

...Some BCHL broadcasters got together today for what I believe is the first broadcasters pool. There are 8 of us in there and I'll keep you up to date as the season goes on. That is unless I find myself at the bottom of the standings! I've got Ovechkin on my team so I've at least got that going for me.

...Tomorrow's game by the way is another chapter in the mentor vs. student battle between Capitals Coach Scott Robinson and Smokies Coach Jim Ingram. Ingram was at one point Robinson's assistant in Cowichan Valley. The Caps beat Trail in the only match-up between the two teams last year. Both squads are struggling in the standings and will be playing desperate hockey. It should be entertaining.

Getting to know Kodi Sawka

(Sawka with the Lloydminster Bandits)

Sawka on Mountain FM's Overtime

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Sawka joined the Smoke Eaters after spending part of last season with the St. Albert Steel of the AJHL. He left the team mid-way through the season to join the Lloydminster Bandits of the NEAJBHL. The Bandits would go on to win their league championship and the provincial Junior B championship before coming up short at the Keystone Cup. Sawka describes himself as a physical blue liner, but he sure put some numbers up last season for the Bandits. Sawka scored 4 goals and 23 assists in 20 regular season games. Of course that physical edge also brought him 53 penalty minutes. He added 3 goals and 11 assists in 14 playoff games. Of course Junior B scoring success doesn't always translate to Junior A, but that is certainly an element of Sawka's game that may be more developed than he would suggest. I liked how in the interview he made it clear he's willing to take on any role that the team wants him to play. He'll battle in the corners, in front of the net, drop the gloves and is willing to play that kind of a role if other guys are going to be given the ball offensively. That kind of unselfish attitude will make it easier for him to make an impression and stick in the BCHL. He's one of five new faces on the blue line that will have to prove they can get the job done early in this regular season or the Smoke Eaters may be forced to make a move or two for veterans.

There are a number of other new Smokies (see the roster post bellow) that I'll be interviewing and hopefully profiling before the puck drops on Fiday in Merritt. Stay tuned to Mountain FM's Overtime (6pm to 10pm daily on 104.1FM in Trail and you can listen live at mountainfm.net) and this blog for the latest.

24

As stated earlier this week in Jim Ingram's interview on Mountain FM's Overtime, the Trail Smoke Eaters roster is now down to 24 players. That's one more than they'll be allowed to have when the puck drops on the regular season next Friday in Merritt. The Smokies also still have the rights of Adam Gummer and Chris Stew to deal with at some point as well. Nothing is set in stone in junior hockey, but I figured we'd take brief look at who is left standing after what was a taxing training camp. I'll also take a look at the pre-season scoring leaders.

FORWARDS

(Riley Loyst had a strong camp - Photo Randy Emery)

• Paul Mailey (90) - fourth year as a Smoke Eater, Smokies Captain, Trail native
• Sean Nugent (89) - second year as a Smoke Eater, Alternate Captain, former Cowichan Valley Capital, played for Jim Ingram in the VIJHL
• Justin Brown (91) - second year as a Smoke Eater, Alternate Captain, former Beaver Valley Nitehawk in the KIJHL, played for the Major Midget Kootenay Ice, Trail native
• Nick Sandor (89) - second year as a Smoke Eater, former Alberni Valley Bulldog
• Riley Loyst (89) - second year as a Smoke Eater, former Merritt Centennial, former Nelson Leaf in the KIJHL
• Scott Jacklin (90) - second year as a Smoke Eater, former Cowichan Valley Capital, former Columbia Valley Rockie in the KIJHL
  
• Travis St. Denis (92) - second year as a Smoke Eater, played for the Major Midget Kootenay Ice, Trail native, nominated for BCHL Rookie of the Year in 2008-09, committed to Quinnipiac in the NCAA
  
• Colin Lidster (89) - first year as a Smoke Eater, former Salmon Arm Silverback, son of former NHLer Doug Lidster
• Darnell Dyck (91) - first year as a Smoke Eater, former Surrey Eagle, played for Fraser Valley Major Midget
• Tye Lewis (89) - first year as a Smoke Eater, former Omaha Lancer in the USHL, also played in the NAHL
  
• Thomas Abenante (90) - first year as a Smoke Eater, former Beaver Valley Nitehawk in the KIJHL, played for the Major Midget Kootenay Ice, Trail native
• Sam Olson (90) - first year as a Smoke Eater, former Grand Forks Border Bruin in the KIJHL
• Matthew Malenstyn (90) - first year as a Smoke Eater, played for Aldergrove, Delta and Squamish in the PIJHL
• Matt Wilkins (91) - first year as a Smoke Eater, former Kimberley Dynamiter in the KIJHL
• Sam Mellor (92) - first year as a Smoke Eeater, former Kimberley Dynamiter in the KIJHL, played for the Major Midget Kootenay Ice, committed to Alaska-Anchorage in the NCAA
  

DEFENCEMEN


(Steve Koshey against the Vees - Photo Randy Emery)

• Steve Koshey (91) - second year as a Smoke Eater, former Beaver Valley Nitehawk in the KIJHL, played for the Major Midget Kootenay Ice, Trail native
• Graeme Strukoff (91) - second year as a Smoke Eater, played for the Major Midget Fraser Valley Bruins
• David Piccard (90) - first year as a Smoke Eater, former Nelson Leaf in the KIJHL
  
• Wade Bennett (90) - first year as a Smoke Eater, played with the Midget LA Junior Kings
• Kodi Sawka (90) - first year as a Smoke Eater, played with the AJHL's St. Albert Steel, played with the NEAJBHL and Alberta Junior B champion Lloydminster Bandits
  
• Ben Matthews (91) - first year as a Smoke Eater, played with the Alaska All Stars
• Eric Walker (93) - first year as a Smoke Eater, played with the Major Midget Okanagan Hockey Academy team, nephew of former NHLer Gord Walker, Castlegar native
  

GOALTENDERS


(Devon Murtagh against Powell River - Photo Randy Emery)

• Devon Murtagh (89) - first year as a Smoke Eater, former Westside Warrior, former Nelson Leaf in the KIJHL
• Garrett Beckwith (90) - first year as a Smoke Eater, former Westside Warrior, former Nelson Leaf in the KIJHL

PRE SEASON SCORING

• Loyst (3G, 1A)
• Lidster (2G, 2A)
• Dyck (0G, 4A)
• Jacklin (0G, 3A)
• Lewis (0G, 3A)
• Sandor (2G, 0A)
• Malenstyn (1G, 1A)
• Mellor (1G, 1A)
• Piccard (0G, 2A)
• Abenante (1G, 0A)
• Koshey (0G, 1A)
• Walker (0G, 1A)
• Mailey (0G, 1A)
• Strukoff (0G, 1A)
• Nugent (0G, 1A)
• Matthews (0G, 1A)

Remember not everyone played all three games. This just gives you an idea of who was hot during the exhibition tournament. All these numbers get erased next Friday in Merritt. Tune in to Mountain FM for every road broadcast all season long.

Smokies Stew, BCHL Notes

The Trail Smoke Eaters have acquired defenceman Chris Stew from Surrey to complete the Paul Barclay/Darnell Dyck deal from earlier in the summer. It's listed on the BCHL website as Stew to Trail for future considerations but Stew is in fact the future considerations. The deal ends up being Barclay to the Eagles for Dyck and Stew. Stew is listed at 6'1 and 185lbs on the BCHL website while the PIJHL website gives him an extra 5 pounds. He scored 2 points in 30 games as a BCHL rookie last season. Stew also played 24 games for Port Moody in Junior B last year and scored 17 points. He had 10 points in each of his previous two PIJHL seasons, but seemed to find his offensive stride as a veteran with the Black Panthers. Enough that he got the call to the Eageles where seemingly he played limited minutes. This is another opportunity for him to prove himself at the Junior A level.

Stew's name is now added to what should be a very competitive camp on the blue line. Only two guys are back from last year's Smokies teams with several spots up for grabs. These guys will need to convince management they can do the job or they may have to make a move or two. There is a lot of talent coming in and Smokies fans will see that when camp starts. I can't believe how soon that will be. I just wish I was going to be here for camp! Instead I'll be off at a friend's wedding in Ottawa. Don't worry, we'll keep you up to date on the blog.

NOTES

...EDIT: Tickets are in fact not on sale yet. They'll be selling them at the door. However, you can still get a full tournament pass for $15. It runs on August 28th, 29th and 30th at the Cominco Arena. Penticton, Powell River and Brooks will all take part. Each team will play each other once over the three days. It'll only cost you $15 for the entire tournament or $5 per game. To get your full tournament pass head over to Re-Max All Pro Realty. That's a hell of a deal for 6 games. These won't be easy going exhibition games either. Players will be fighting for spots and trying to impress college scouts who will come out to Trail for the tournament. Don't miss it.

...Kelowna broadcaster Regan Bartel is reporting that former Smoke Eater Lucas Bloodoff and Trail forward Travis St. Denis' brother Kyle are both getting invites to NHL training camps. The two are teammates with the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL. I talked to Kyle today and he says his invite from the Dallas Stars was set up by Rockets owner Bruce Hamilton. The former Vernon Viper and Beaver Valley Nitehawk will turn some heads with added responsibility this year if he can stay healthy. Lucas will join his brother Evan at the Phoenix camp as Evan was drafted by the team this year. Both Bloodoff brothers (from Castlegar) will win points with hard work and smart hockey.

...Former Smoke Eater Skyler Smutek is on the move. Quesnel picked up the one time Spokane Brave and Jeff Writght from Fort McMurray (who got Smutek's rights from Drayton Valley somehow) for Brad Ryan and Matt Brown. Skyler was an all star for the Thunder last year after being traded from Trail for Adam Gummer. I hope he will find a comfortable home up north as he's a nice young man with a lot of talent.

...Brooks Robinson is headed to Prince George after a series of trades. We saw him as a part of Team Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge in Trail two seasons ago. Brooks had kind of an off year in 08-09 but he's got a lot of talent. He played for Jim Ingram in Junior B and Trail's Coach speaks highly of him. However, it seems like basically a wash for Prince George when they gave up Alex Allan. It's one point per game player for another.

...Vernon got stronger as well by trading the rights to Brian Elser to Victoria for Jonathan Milhouse. He's another veteran point per game player that will help Vernon defend their Royal Bank Cup. With Sahir Gill and several older veterans leaving Milhouse will fill part of that void.

...Former Nelson Leaf Dylan Walchuk has committed to Northern Michigan University after a terrific season in the KIJHL. He was excellent in Nelson's run to the league title. Smokies fans got to see him in action as an AP for a few games. He'll be a good one for the Vipers next season.

...Check out Ryan Pinder's Vees Blog for an update on Penticton's prep camp in Osoyoos. I'll be there myself this weekend with my family for some late summer relaxing.

...Eddie Gregory on his Burnaby Express Blog has the scoop on the Dan Correale situation. I have a feeling we'll hear more about this before the season starts.

Brodie Reid traded to Alberta

(John Stimson)

As pointed out today on the BCHL message board, the AJHL transactions page lists a deal that sends Brodie Reid from Nanaimo to Brooks for John Stimson. So what stands out for you about that transaction? How about that Brodie Reid was last seen playing for the Penticton Vees in the second round of the BCHL playoffs. How did Reid end up as Nanaimo's property? Wasn't he scheduled to start his scholarship at Northwestern this year? I believe he had delayed it to play last season so perhaps it got delayed again after what must be considered a somewhat disappointing season for him. After lighting it up with Burnaby the year before, Reid got dealt to what should have been a good situation in Penticton playing with the likes of Denver Manderson. However, his point and goal totals dipped as Reid ended up surprisingly under a point a game pace with the high powered Vees.

What happened? Perhaps the chemistry was just never quite there. Reid is a terrific finisher, but when I saw the Vees he didn't really seem to always be on the same page as his linemates. If he has to delay that scholarship for another year perhaps it's good for Reid to get a fresh start somewhere new.

As for Stimson, he scored at a 0.8 points per game pace in Brooks last season as a 19 year old. That's double his pace from the year before. Certainly anyone who shows that kind of improvement has to be intriguing. Can he take his game to another level? He goes to Nanaimo and will fill up a 20 year old spot there, so they must be expecting him to make a leap forward. He's listed at 6'1 and 180lbs so he's not a small player either.

The big question out of all this is how did Reid get from Penticton to Nanaimo and what was involved in that deal? I'm just excited that the off season wheeling and dealing is starting already.

I'm having trouble getting to the BCHL website right now so I'll try and update later.

Trade Deadline Madness (Part 3, BCHL)

Scroll down the site for Part 1 on the Smoke Eaters moves and Part 2 on the KIJHL trades. I'll update either post if I get any new information.

I'm just going to post the trades I can find information for here with links and very brief commentary. We can leave futher anlysis to a later date and perhaps to more well informed people. This week on Mountain FM's Overtime I intend to seek out the movers and shakers in the BCHL to talk about the deals they made and get a sense of what that means for the playoff race.

Jan 6, 2008: The Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the BCHL acquire the playing rights of Bryan Gillis (88)(G) from the Antigonish Bulldogs of the MJAHL in exchange for future considerations.

Click here for the Silverbacks press release. Gillis is a terrific goaltender who stole the show at the World Jr A Hockey Challenge in Trail and Nelson this past fall. He's a big upgrade for Salmon Arm and could be the difference in a series against the other top teams in the Interior. Looked very solid in the 5-1 win over Trail.

Jan 7, 2008: The Victoria Grizzlies Hockey Club transfer the playing rights of Grant Toulmin (89)(F) to the Prince George Spruce Kings Hockey Club in exchange for future considerations.

Click here for the release from the Spruce Kings and click here for Victoria's release. I don't really understand the move to be honest. Toulmin is at the right age to fit into Victoria's plans for an RBC run next year. With 26 points in 37 games he seemed to be playing quite well as an 18 year old. You would think he'd be among the team's top scorers next year. Big forward who should help the Spruce Kings as they make a run for the playoffs. Victoria says the player they'll get from Prince George is the key to the deal for next year, so we'll have to wait and see who that ends up being.

Jan 8, 2008: The Trail Smoke Eaters Hockey Club acquires the playing rights of Kevin Koopman (88)(D) from the Merritt Centennials Hockey Club in exchange for future considerations.

Click here for the release from Merritt. Check out my part 1 of my post for more thoughts on this deal. Koopman fills a giant hole for the Smokies. Hard to know how good a deal it is for Merritt until we find out what player they'll get.

Jan 9, 2008: The Merritt Centennials Hockey Club transfer the playing rights of Jorday Zalba (88)(F) to the Victoria Grizzlies Hockey Club in exchange for future considerations.

Click here for the release from Victoria. Merritt's says the same thing it did about Koopman essentially. Zalba is an Island boy and Victoria's release indicates he'll be helping them get to the playoffs this year. However, Zalba is still only 19 and could be back for their RBC run next year. Whatever they are giving up to get Zalba must be less than they are getting from Prince George for Toulmin.

Jan 9, 2008: The Surrey Eagles Hockey Club transfer the playing rights of Andrew Hammond (88)(G) to the Vernon Vipers Hockey Club in exchange for future considerations.

Click here for the release from Vernon. After losing their goaltender to college, the Vipers had to do something. They apparently were looking at a couple of Jr B goaltenders, but ultimately got Hammond from Surrey. Hammond's numbers are pretty good. He's a rookie in the BCHL, but a 19 year old rookie. An 89.90 save percentage is pretty solid. It'll at least provide good competition for Gore. I don't think Hammond stacks up to the goaltending Penticton, Westside or Salmon Arm has though.

Jan 9, 2008: The Quesnel Millionaires Hockey Club transfer the playing rights of Chris Baker (87)(F) to the Grande Prairie Storm of the AJHL in exchange for the playing rights of Thomas Kala (89)(F).

Click here for the release from Quesnel. Kala is a 5'8, 160lbs forward who played Jr B hockey in Victoria last season. He's apparently a very quick skater and should help Quesnel down the road. Baker was just going to play out the rest of the season and the Millionaires are almost sure not going to be contenders this year. They make the move without improving their competitors. Quesnel also released Darryl Gagnon to Fernie of the KIJHL.

That's it so far for trades posted on the BCHL website. However, other deals were announced by the teams themselves.

Jan 10, 2008: The Cowichan Valley Capitals Hockey Club tranfer the playing rights of Clinton Pettapiece (87)(F) to the Westside Warriors Hockey Club in exchange for the playing rights of Alex Gellert (89)(F) and future considerations.

Click here for the release from Westside. I'm hearing that the future considerations Westside will give up are going to be very significant. How can we properly judge this deal without knowing just how significant they'll be? I guess first by saying that the Warriors just added one of the top scorers in the entire league. Westside has the third lowest goals against in the league. However, their scoring is right in the middle of the pack. With Pettapiece coming in and Arduin returning soon from injury, that's bound to change. The Warriors are in second place without Arduin and Pettapiece. Their addition could easily take them to the next level. Gellert isn't a huge loss to a contending team, but they also sent Chris Shudo to Mellville of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League in order to make a 20 year old slot available. Shudo wasn't an all-star, but it is a loss from the roster. In terms of this year's roster the Warriors have only had to give up Santiago, Gellert and Shudo to get Pettapiece and Arduin. That is a very significant upgrade. The Warriors are likely the most improved team after the deadline.

Jan 10, 2008: The Trail Smoke Eaters Hockey Club transfer the playing rights of Chris Santiago (89)(F) to the Victoria Grizzlies Hockey Club in exchange for the playing rights of Chris Markiewicz (88)(D).

Click here for the release from Victoria. Markiewicz refused to report to Trail and was shipped to Alberta. Santiago was the immediate return in the David Arduin trade. More on the deal in Part 1 of this post.

Jan 10, 2008: The Trail Smoke Eaters Hockey Club transfer the playing rights of Chris Markiewicz (88)(D) to the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League in exchange for future considerations.

Again there's more information in the earlier post. An unfortunately rushed move, but could turn into something nice for next season.

Jan 10, 2008: The Vernon Vipers Hockey Club transfer the playing rights of Patrick Raley (89)(D) to the Trail Smoke Eaters in exchange for future considerations.

Click here for Vernon's release. More info in the earlier post. Vernon picked up a couple of former WHL defencemen at the deadline and sent Raley to a situation where he'd have a chance to play. Trail gets a D they needed after Markiewicz refused to report.

Jan 10, 2008: The Vernon Vipers Hockey Club acquire the playing rights of Kevin Kraus (89)(D) from the Tri City Americans of the Western Hockey League and of Justin Palazzo (89)(D) from the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League.

Click here for Vernon's release. Palazzo had 4 points in 37 WHL games this year with Vancouver and Prince Albert. He was a -5 with 56 penalty minutes. He's also 6'4 and 202lbs. A big guy with WHL experience. Kevin Kraus had 5 points in 21 games with Tri-City. He is also a big guy at 6'2 and 202lbs. They should add some size and experience to Vernon's blue line. However, it doesn't look like either guy is much of a point producer.

Jan 10, 2008: The Surrey Eagles acquire the playing rights of Tommy Tartaglione (88)(G) from the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League.

No official release yet but he's listed on Surrey's BCHL roster. Tartaglione has been with three different WHL teams in three season. He's never posted a save percentage about .900 and his G.A.A. went from 2.15 with Vancouver two years ago to 3.59 this year in Prince George. That being said, a .894 save percentage in the WHL is a decent number and should mean that he's an upgrade over Hammond in Surrey. We'll see how that goes. This is obviously a big step for Trataglione as he's 19 and doesn't have much more time to prove himself as a starter that can lead a team.

Jan 10, 2008: The Prince George Spruce Kings Hockey Club have acquired the playing rights of Morgan MacLean (88)(F) from the Grande Prairie Storm of the Alberta Junior Hockey League in exchange for future considerations.

Click here for the Spruce Kings' release. MacLean played most of the year with the Prince George Cougars in the WHL so this is a natural move. He scored 10 points in 30 games with the Cougars, but likely wouldn't have returned to the WHL as a 20 year old so he may be with the Spruce Kings for next year as well.

Jan 10, 2008: The Prince George Spruce Kings Hockey Club have transfered the playing rights of Ryan deVries (87)(D) to the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the AJHL in exchange for future considerations.

deVries is very good defenceman at the Junior A level and his departure will certainly hurt the Spruce Kings. He's scoring at a very impressive 0.8 points per game clip from the blue line. However, they're a team that will finish no better than 5th in the Interior and it makes sense to try and get some value out of a top end 20 year old when you're building for the future. Smokies fans will like seeing deVries go as they fight with PG for 5th, but won't like seeing PG bolster their forwards with MacLean and Toulmin.

January 10th, 2008: The Merritt Centennials Hockey Club have acquired the playing rights of Jordan Wilkins (90)(D) from the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League.

Click here for Merritt's release. Wilkins is a hulking 6'4 and 210lbs. He had a goal in 30 games this year and another goal in 25 games last year with the Ice. Seems to have developped more of an edge this year by jumping his penalty minutes from 5 to 32. I would imagine he's just looking to get some playing time before returning to the WHL next year, and with all the rumoured departures from Merritt there will certainly be lots of playing time for him. If he does stick around next year, a player that size could certainly do some damage in Merrit's rink.

January 10th, 2008: The Merritt Centennials Hockey Club transfer the playing rights of Eric Ruud (87)(F) to the Weyburn Red Wings of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League in exchange for future considerations.

No release yet but click here to see the SJHL transactions. Ruud just killed the Smoke Eaters when they played Merritt. He really jump started his junior career when he moved to the Cents earlier this year. He's been absolutely terrific there in a situation that allowed him to play a lot of minutes in key situations. Ruud went from posting numbers like 0.7 points per game to 1.6 points per game this year. If he reports to Weyburn he'll get a chance to play for one of the better teams in that league and prove himself in a competative situation. Good luck to him.

I've heard about several departures from Merritt at and around the deadline. However, there's nothing official on their website or any other site I can find. Until I get official word I'll just have to leave the speculation to other people. However, I can say it's going to be a pretty bare bones and youthful roster in Merritt the rest of the way. Certainly an opportunity for their young guys to get some significant ice time and kind of a baptism by fire.

Am I missing anything? Let me know in the comments and I'll add it to the list. What do you think about the big trades? What teams improved the most and what teams didn't do enough? Any and all thoughts are welcome. I'll continue to update as more trades come in.

EDIT: More deals...

Jan 10, 2008: The Burnaby Express Hockey Club of the BCHL acquire the playing rights of Tim Holloway (88)(F) from the Drayton Valley Thunder of the AJHL in exchange for future considerations.

Holloway a lot of BCHL experience. He'll add a veteran pressence to Langley. Described as a guy who won't put up a ton of points, but he'll do a solid job and give you solid minutes in key games.

Jan 10, 2008: The Salmon Arm SilverBacks of the BCHL tranfer the playing rights of Graeme Gordon (89) (G) to the Merritt Centennials of the BCHL in exchange for future considerations.

With Brian Gillis coming in to stat for Salmon Arm, it looks like Gordon was the odd man out. Neither Mainprize or McConnell played for Merritt last night in their 5-3 loss to Prince George. If they're gone from Merritt that means Gordon can come in and be the starter there. I'm sure he'll see a lot of rubber, anyway.

Jan 10, 2008: The Langley Chiefs Hockey Club of the BCHL acquire the playing rights of Russell Laforest from the Antiganish Bulldogs of the MJAHL in exchange for future considerations.

Laforest appears to be another veteran role player. Langley adding some experience at the deadline, but it doesn't look like much scoring.

Jan 10, 2008: The Quesnel Millionaires Hockey Club of the BCHL transfers the playing rights of Lee Pagee (87)(F) to the Camore Eagles Hockey Club of the AJHL in exchange for future considerations.

Pagee is certainly a big loss for the Mills, but with them on the outside of the playoff picture at the moment it's probably better for him.

Jan 10, 2008: The Merritt Centennials Hockey Club of the BCHL transfers the playing rights of Johnny Mahovlich (89)(D) to the Olds Grizzlies Hockey Club of the AJHL in exchange for the playing rights of Adam Grier (89)(F) and future considerations

Jan 10, 2008: The Westside Warriors Hockey Club transfer the playing rights of Chris Shudo (87)(F) to the Mellville Millionairs in exchange for future considerations.

I had heard rumours that Shudo wouldn't report, but he apparently made his debut there this weekend. Good luck to him!