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.

Smokies stand pat, Renz to AV

As we approach the 8 o'clock deadline tonight I can tell you that the Trail Smoke Eaters will not be making any additional deals. They added big D Taylor Swaffield on Thursday and the rest of the team stays as is. With the season ending injury to Thomas Abenante and the addition of Steve Oursov the club will have 13 forwards and 8 defenceman on the roster. Wade Bennett of course could also count as a defenceman but we'll call him a forward given the way the numbers look right now.

Why no move? Trail can return basically their entire team for next season outside of Nick Sandor and Sean Nugent. This team now has a chance to grow together and win together. The way they've been playing lately they could really surprise some people down the stretch. Why mess with chemistry when you're young and on the upswing? This club is only going to get better game in and game out.

News throughout the league has been slow today. I know my phone has also been on the frtiz so I've had a hard time getting information.

RENZ TO ALBERNI VALLEY

One addition I do know about... the Alberni Valley Bulldogs have added 1993 born defenceman Ryan Renz from the KIJHL's Castlegar Rebels. Renz is a nearly point per game defenceman with a physical edge that has him over 100 penalty minutes. This is a guy who has had NCAA scouts on him already. I don't know what the Bulldogs plan for him this season as they contend for a championship, but he'll be a part of that franchise's young core as long as he doesn't make the leap to the WHL. The last time I talked to Renz he was undecided as to which way he'll go next season.

As for the Rebels, they added Darren Tarasoff after he was released from Williams Lake and former Rebel Brennan White is back. Tough break for Castlegar to lose one of their top young players at this stage of the season. However, they were able to get some veterans back to cover for that loss. It'll be a tight battle in the KIJHL's Neil Murdoch Division.

Other BCHL moves? I don't know yet. I do know several top teams are looking to add. Time is running out though. I've heard from a hand full of sources that the top D-man in Prince George should be on the move... but no official word yet.

I'll let you know if I hear anything else.

Trade Deadline Day (Pickering and Rumours)

EDIT: Sorry for the misunderstanding last night gang I typed Merritt instead of Vernon when talking about David Robinson. Hopefully that didn't cause anyone to spit out their coffee this morning.

It's like Christmas for a hockey fan... what new player will be under the tree today? I think Trail opened their gift early.

As I hear any juice on the trade deadline front I'll do my best to pass it on to you throughout the day. You can also check out the link to the BCHL transactions page if you want to keep track of when any deals become "official" before midnight tomorrow.

Many teams have made some moves already. I think there's slim to no chance that Trail will do anything more after the addition of veteran defenceman Taylor Swaffied. I'd be shocked if they did. However, the phone will continue to ring. No GM is going to refuse to listen. If Coach and GM Jim Ingram is blown away I'm sure he'll make any move that he believes will help the club. I simply doubt that any are coming given the current roster situation.

So far the biggest "deadline" move in my view has been Vernon's addition of David Robinson. We've also seen Prince George add veteran goaltender Andrew Walsh from Langley for defenceman Brendan Nadolny. Quesnel got into the act again (they've been busy all season) by picking up Justin Hogan from Williams Lake for futures. That's another nice depth move by the Mills who have heavily improved their forward group over the last month or so.

As for any rumours... the first concrete rumour comes from Brian's Making Cents blog. If you read what he writes there it certainly sounds like Andrew Pickering is either on the "wire" or has been traded already. I know Cents Coach and GM Luke Pierce told me he didn't plan on selling off his older players. Will this be a hockey deal? I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

I think it's also pretty clear Prince George is going to be very busy tomorrow. Ed Dempsey's phone is going to be ringing off the hook. The big questions to me are not if PG makes some deals but when, where and how many. I'd say given their age and obvious talent that Wade McLeod and Sam Muchalla would bring the most return. They're both off to school next season, but they're also both 19 year olds who could jump onto any roster no matter how many 89s they had. McLeod to me is more likely to move than Muchalle as Sam is a hometown guy and the Captain.

In a small move that involves a local KIJHL club, Williams Lake has allowed Darren Tarasoff to return to the Castlegar Rebels. The Castlegar native had 3 goals and 8 assists with the Timberwolves. He's the second former WL rookie to rejoin his former KIJHL recently as Dane Rupert is now back with Nelson. I wonder if the Timberwolves are going to have trouble fielding a whole roster for the rest of the season.

There is a ton of talk and I'm sure every GM will be very busy right up until midnight. Good luck to them all.

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.

Who is Scott Jacklin?

(Scott Jacklin)

A lot of heads turned when the Smoke Eaters traded leading scorer Chad Gehon to Merritt (and eventually Westside) for Scott Jacklin. How can you trade a top ten scorer for someone with 18 points? Well I think a lot of Trail fans are going to become big fans of the Kimberly native.

The BCHL is a league of opportunity. Just look at Nick Sandor. He had 3 points last season in Alberni Valley, but with Trail he's a point per game player. Right place, right time, right opportunity... right player. If the coaching and scouting staff does a good enough job, they can find a player who fits their system and will produce in the right opportunity. Scott Jacklin reads like one of those players.

Before I get into it though, here's an interview with Scott I did today for Mountain FM's Overtime.

New Smoke Eater Scott Jaclkin

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First of all, 18 points in 32 games is nothing to sneeze at in this context. Jacklin was not playing top 6 minutes in Cowichan this season. They have a loaded, veteran forward group and playing time was hard to come by. Despite that, Jacklin's points per game number is the same as Trail's young offensive force, Travis St. Denis. It's also tied for sixth on the Smokies behind only the likes of Ryan Bulach, Nick Sandor, JF Boisvert, Paul Mailey and Brett Corcoran.

This is an 18 year old second year player who is still producing those kind of numbers despite limited ice time and an admitted recent slump.

Jacklin produced at that same level last season as a 17 year old rookie in this league. The big question mark for him is not "can he produce 0.6 points per game?" it's "can he become a point per game player?" Even if he doesn't, a lot of players in the league would love to put up 0.6 points per game at his age.

Scott also admitted that due to slumping confidence he has been passing up too many shooting opportunities lately. Another player who admitted he passed up too many shooting opportunities and started to produce goals in Trail under Jim Ingram? Chad Gehon. Under Coach Ingram this season Gehon has 19 goals in 40 games compared to 11 in 45 last year. Gehon deserves a ton of credit for turning his game up to the next level, but certainly the coach had something to do with helping him get there too.

(Jacklin as a 16 year old in the KIJHL)

So what makes me believe (without having seen much of him) that Jacklin could be a big point producer here? Numbers don't lie. Take a look at Jacklin's history. As a 16 year old sophomore in the KIJHL, Jacklin scored 25 goals and had 67 points for the Columbia Valley Rockies. He scored at a 1.3 points per game pace as a 16 year old. That point total had him in a tie for 10th in the league scoring race with another pretty well known 1990 forward... Kellen Jones.

Unfortunately for Scott he didn't get to play on a line with Connor Jones and Hunter Bishop last season. Am I saying he's as good as the Jones twins? No, I have no reason to say that without getting to watch him play in a similar situation. What I'm saying is that he put up the same kind of numbers as the Jones twins at the same age. Anyone who can be among the top 10 scorers in the KIJHL as a 16 year old obviously has a lot of skill. Not to mention the fact that Columbia Valley was a mediocre fourth place team and he wasn't exactly surrounded by top flight veterans to help feed his point total. As 17 year olds in the KIJHL, Ryan Bulach and Chad Gehon put up about 1.4 or 1.5 points per game. Jacklin was just behind that pace as a 16 year old on a bad team. Jacklin also put up very respectable point totals so far in the BCHL without getting fed top line minutes at even strength or on the power play.

All I'm saying is that there's reason for optimism. If Jacklin produces at a 0.8 to 1.2 point per game level over this year and next (or even the next two) is that not worth trading two more months of Gehon? He likely won't cover all of Chad's production this season, but he should more than make up for it over time. Add the fact that Trail added Corcoran to the top 6 for Andrew Pickering who had been playing on the third and fourth line in Trail over the past two months, and I think it's fair to say this move shouldn't hurt immediate goal scoring totals.

The one thing you can say is that Trail didn't go out and buy an extra veteran scorer or defenceman for the stretch run. This is a community owned team so they aren't going to drop an envelope full of cash for any available veteran. If you want them to have the same resources to buy players that rich teams do you'll have to put more than 900 people in the seats for every home game. The Smokies all ready put more money into player recruitment and development than most community owned franchises. They also aren't going to ship off important pieces of a young team that they've been developing all season so that fans can be happy with some kind of a quick fix. If the Smokies win a championship this year, next year or in the future it won't be because of some high profile deadline scorer. It'll be because of hard work, dedication, passion and team concept from the first through the fourth line. That's how they got to first place in October. They just have to get healthy, get their confidence back and get back to what was working earlier in the season.

It's sad to see talented players like Chad Gehon and Andrew Pickering go. All I'm trying to say is that the impact of those trades isn't as simple as adding Gehon and Pickering's point total vs. Corcoran and Jacklin's. Opportunity could make fools out of early doubters.

Or not... this isn't an exact science. However, fans who are upset about moving Gehon should give Jacklin a chance before writing that trade off as a loss. Everything I see, read and hear about the young man gives me more reason to believe he's going to make Jim Ingram and his staff look pretty smart before it's all said and done.

Good luck to JF Boisvert, Chad and all the other all-stars participating in tomorrow's mid-season classic in Vernon. Tune into Overtime tomorrow night for updates from Penticton's charismatic play by play voice Ryan Pinder.

That trade analysis is still coming up sooner rather than later. I'll also have a little something on the visit of our Dutch Smokies fans and how generous this hockey community can be. I was very proud to be associated with this team after Saturday's gestures.

See you at the rink on Thursday!

Brett Corcoran Interview

(Brett Corcoran)

Brett Corcoran joined me on Mountain FM's Overtime tonight. He returns to the Smokies after playing for Cowichan and Surrey this season. He started this season on a red hot goal per game pace, but things cooled after an injury and trade. Brett is hoping to re-ignite that earlier fire with a return to familiar surroundings. He's thrilled about being back in Trail and you can hear that in this interview.

66% of you who voted on my poll wanted Trail to acquire a sniper. Brett Corcoran is that one shot scorer you asked for. Put him in a position to succeed and the twenty year old will use his great shot to deliver goals in bunches.

Smokies Forward Brett Corcoran

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So Brett will join the team (he's all ready here) for their game on Thursday at home against Nanaimo. Where will he fit in the line-up? I think Sandor/Bulach/Mailey as a unit looked terrific against Salmon Arm so I would imagine they wouldn't mess with that. If St. Denis is healthy could we see him work his playmaking magic with the veteran goal scorer? I think that would be an interesting pairing. You could also try to play Jacklin with Corcoran as the two were teammates on the Capitals earlier this season. It'll be interesting to see what kind of line-up Coach Ingram puts together with the two new forwards.

For more analysis on the trade deadline check out Ryan's Vees Blog for a post breaking down the moves in the Interior. Who do you think is the most improved team today? I have to say that Penticton adding players as talented as Odegaard and Grassi while only subtracting Grossman from their roster is very impressive. There may be a big price to pay in the off season, but for now I feel like the Vees did the most out of them, Trail and Westside to vault themselves into contention with Salmon Arm and Vernon. Are they tough enough, though? I also feel like Vernon did a terrific job addressing their needs with physical, veteran defencemen.

However, trades aren't won or lost in two days. Corcoran and Jacklin could be exactly what the doctor ordered in Trail. Gehon could be the piece that ignites the Westside offence. Goodship and Pickering might light a fire under what had been a sagging Spruce Kings group. Vandenberg and Cseter together could create a second line in Salmon Arm as powerful and dominant as their first. Chemistry, opportunity, long term competitiveness... those are all factors in determining the value of the deals teams made over the past week. Heck we could all be praising Al Glendinning this time next year for the building blocks he stockpiled at the deadline to build Merritt into a competitive squad again. Reactions at this stage don't mean anything. What does? Wins in the playoffs.

For Trail fans there is hope. A veteran goal scorer on the wall. A young speedster with a high ceiling. An ailing roster getting healthy by the end of the month. When Brandon Clark, Paul Barclay, Travis St. Denis, Steve Koshey and Riley Loyst all return to this line-up fans will see the Trail squad they remember from earlier in the season. A healthy group just in time for a stretch run and playoff war. These boys will be ready to roll.

All Roads Go Through Merritt

I think Merritt is making it their personal goal to be involved in every Junior A hockey trade in Canada! Today they've moved Jacklin to Trail for Gehon (with some futures) and turned around Gehon to Westside for Betker and futures. They moved Valenti to North Bay for defenceman Andrew Glasser, now shipped Glasser to Burnaby for Grassi and now Grassi is headed to Penticton. Not sure for what, but the Vees told me yesterday no roster players would go anywhere today. That likely means futures and cash go to Merritt for Grassi. They still have Jimmy Geerin who won't report, Alex Goodship, Forster, Grant and a bunch of other guys who could still end up anywhere... but it's 6pm now so I don't know if that got done.

No word on a home for Brooks Robinson yet. That's the other major chip I expected to fall. Nothing out of the Bulldogs camp. Do they still really think they have a playoff shot?

So Burnaby has helped Vernon, Salmon Arm and Penticton load up. Which former Express players will mean more to their new team? Brodie and Leidl, Vandenberg or Reid and Grassi? I think the Vees just positioned themselves as a player with the Snakes and the Backs.

As for Trail, Brandon Clark WILL be back at the end of the month. Corcoran is a shoot first sniper that many wanted. Jacklin is a gritty kid with some scoring ability. Loyst, St. Denis, Legassic, Barclay and others should all be back healthy by February. Don't count Trail out just yet! They haven't sold out their future to add a big gun, but they've made some interesting moves that could shake things up now and down the line.

Perhaps still more to come. I'm off to the game.

Smokies Make Their Moves

More details coming shortly but I just want to get the word out.

After what Jim Ingram described as a frustrating week (so many injuries) Trail has traded Chad Gehon back to Merritt for Scott Jacklin. Jacklin is a 90 that Ingram really likes while Gehon hurt his groin yesterday and will be out at least a couple of weeks. Don't expect Chad to stay in Merritt.

Trail also traded Andrew Pickering to Surrey for Brett Corcoran. Corcoran is thrilled to be returning to Trail.

Finally, Trail has re-carded Riley Loyst with their last card.

Expect a decimated line-up tonight, but Ingram believes this makes Trail better for a playoff run.

Targets?

We've seen some major moves before today's trade deadline. The big question today in BCHL circles is "What's Left?" Some thoughts at the Vees Blog.

At this point it's pretty obvious what teams will make the playoffs. What isn't known is how much those non-playoff teams will be selling. What teams are left to buy? Will any of the bubble teams be buying or selling? Lets take a look at some possible targets.

Non Playoff Teams

Merritt: Alex Goodship (89)(F), Paul Forster (88)(F), Scott Jacklin (90)(F), Jimmy Geerin (89)(D), Brad Bourke (89)(D), Harrison May (89)(G)

Quesnel: Trevor Hertz (89)(F), Mitchell Smith (88)(F), Taylor Rovatti (89)(F), Ben Payne (88)(F), Eric Galbraith (88)(F), Eliot Raibl (89)(D), Kiefer Smiley (90)(G) *Back to CV?*

Burnaby: Max Grassi (88)(F), Reid Edmondson (88)(F), Nathan Westover (88)(D), Greg Bay (89)(D)

Alberni Valley: Evan Witt (89)(F), Mitch MacMillan (89)(F), Chirs Moulson (88)(F), Brian Kang (88)(F), Matt Wong (88)(G)

Bubble Teams (Under 50 Points)

Prince George: Zach Davies (88)(D), Sean Ambrosie (89)(F), Alex Allan (89)(F), Wes McLeod (90)(D)

Trail: I'm not going to speculate in case anyone assumes I know something

Surrey: Adam Hartley (88)(F), Brett Corcoran (88)(F), Brennan Strang (88)(F), Tom Janosz (88)(D), Ilan Cumberbirch (88)(D), Tommy Tartaglione (88)(G)

Nanaimo: Russell Goodman (88)(F), Eric Filiou (89)(F), Steve Mason (88)(F), Ronnie Smith (8(F), Connor Krukowski (88)(D), Anders Franzon (89)(D), Jonathan Jobin (88)(G)

So there's part of what could be a large shopping list... but basically half a day to get it done. I think sleep is pretty hard to come by right now.

For teams like PG is the potential return for a guy like Davies too much to ignore? What about a guy like Hartley in Surrey? Those teams are not going to gut their rosters, but top end talent could sure fetch a nice return. We'll see.

Buy or Sell?

On the heels of a tough road loss, only 3 wins in 10 games, with injuries piling up (including your only multi-season veteran on D) and with teams like Vernon and Salmon Arm loading up... what should Trail do? Clearly the team is talented enough to win a playoff series with anyone. However, the question any GM has to ask themselves is "what is best thing I can do to build a championship team?" If you are Jim Ingram are your veterans more valuable to you as trade chips towards building a championship team in the future, or as members of a possible championship team this year?

That's a question more than one GM is facing today. Buy, sell or stand still?

Brian Burke once said that the worst thing you can do in sports is finish in the middle of the pack. The BCHL doesn't have a draft so there's no benefit to finishing last. However, if you don't believe your team has a very good shot at the BCHL championship or a Royal Bank Cup, is it smart management to hang on to a player when trading him could put you much closer in another year or two?

Ultimately (fair or not) winners are measured by championships. Jim Ingram is a winner. He built Kerry Park into a winner in the VIJHL and that's what he's doing here. He started his rebuild of the Smokies this off season with hard work and heavy recruiting. If that team is more likely to peak next season or in two seasons, should he not do everything he can to use his current assets to make those teams better?

There's lots to like and even love about this year's Smokies. They are a fantastic group of guys and I would hate to see anyone move. However, there is a case to be made that some of their veterans could make a bigger contribution to a possible Trail championship by playing elsewhere for the rest of this season.

I have no idea what Trail will do. Jim Ingram and the Trail staff are too classy to tip their hat to a media guy (as much as I consider them friends and would never spill those kind of beans... I'm still a media guy) and risk anyone finding out about their future from an outside source. I'm sure whatever choices he is facing are agonizing and complicated. As another bright BCHL source told me recently, Ingram is a smart man and can be trusted to make the right decisions.

Frankly, I don't know what those are... that's why nobody would pay me to make them.

Good luck to all BCHL GMs today. I know nobody likes trading young men. It's an emotional process. You want them all to succeed together and today is not easy. Good luck.

Cam Reid to Westside?

(Cam Reid)

Victoria's CFAX1070 apparently reported that young forward Cam Reid is on his way from Victoria to Westside. I heard that one before as well. Not sure if the futures will be a player this year or cash or a player in the future. There are rumours of it being more complicated, but I''ve heard nothing else officially. Have to catch a bus for now. More before tonight's game.

EDIT: The BCHL message board is speculating that this deal is a three way involving Quesnel as well. I called the Millionaires and they say there is no official deal done. That doesn't mean the rumour isn't true, it just means don't assume anything yet.

SECOND EDIT: The trade is official with Howe going from Westside to Victoria and from Victoria to Quesnel for futures. What could those futures be? Hmmm. Also, the Salmon Arm/Burnaby trade is official. Vandenberg to the Silverbacks for futures. I wonder if he'll come back to haunt the Vees? That's the fun of trade deadline season! I think he'll look great on a line with Cseter. I'm sure more to come.

Early Trade Analysis and Rumour

I'm hearing that the Salmon Arm Silverbacks are stepping into the game tonight. A former Interior Conference forward could be on his way back from the coast... but this time as a Silverback. I felt like the one thing they'd really want to upgrade is their forward depth. Another scorer on the second line to compliment Cseter. If what I'm hearing is legit, I think they've got someone who will be a very good fit in that role. Will this be Salmon Arm's one move? I suspect not.

I feel like Eklund today. Crosby to Trail (M4)

Here is my analysis of some of the moves we've seen so far as the BCHL heads towards Saturday's trade deadline. We've seen some big moves throughout the season, but I expect some of the contenders are still very active as we get closer to Saturday.

EDIT: I'm only half done for now, but my girlfriend has suffered enough. Time to take her out to a movie and get away from the computer for a while! Back with more analysis, rumours, weekend hype and an interview with a Smoke Eaters fan from across the pond who is going to check out their first Trail game this Saturday. It's a very cool story!

*The Vernon Vipers Hockey Club acquire the playing rights of Cameron Brodie (D)(88) and Mike Leidl (D)(88) from the Burnaby Express Hockey Club in exchange for the playing rights of John Digness (F)(89) and future considerations.

*The Merritt Centennials Hockey Club acquire the playing rights of Steve Tresierra (D)(90) from the Vernon Vipers Hockey Club in exchange for future considerations.

Analysis: The first two trades are somehow linked in a way we have yet to discover. I've commented on them and posted an interview with Mark Ferner of the Vipers. However, there is more analysis to be had. Check out Eddie Gregory's Burnaby Expressions Blog for an interview with Burnaby GM Darcy Rota on the deal. You can also visit Brian's Making Cents Blog for the Merritt perspective.

*The Merritt Centennials Hockey Club transfers the playing rights of Alex Valenti (F)(89) to the North Bay Skyhawks of the NOJHL in exchange for future considerations.

Analysis: It's just part of the yearly sell off in Merritt. The big question is how many guys are going to go. Will the likes of Goodship, Grant, Bourke, Geerin, May and others follow Valenti out the door? The last place Cents obviously are completely out of playoff contention, so how many vets are going to be left on the roster after Saturday? Forster and Kightley are their only 20 year olds left though. More on this deal is also available on the Making Cents Blog.

*The Powell River Kings Hockey Club acquire the playing rights of Justin Hogan (F)(90) from the Newmarket Hurricanes Hockey Club of the OJHL in exchange for future considerations.

Analysis: Check out Hogan's bio from the Newmarket website. He had 34 points in 35 games this season in the OJHL. It's not as good or as deep as the BCHL, but still a comparable level of hockey. Hogan looks to perhaps be the skilled forward that can step into the Kings line-up to replace Brooks Robinson as it appears he won't be back with Powell River. Where will Brooks end up? I think we all know Powell River can score, but the question is do they have the horses on the blue line. I also think the Kings should look at getting a reliable back-up goaltender. I see an Ian Curtis listed on their roster. Perhaps he is their solution to that problem. Ketting's save percentage of less than 85% isn't going to cut it if he's called upon in the playoffs. Either way, this move signals that Powell River is one small market team that is ready to go for it. I'm glad to see that.

*The Alberni Valley Bulldogs Hockey Club acquire the playing rights of Ethan Gartner (89)(F) from the Fort William North Stars Hockey Club of the SIJHL in exchange for future considerations.

Analysis: I don't know much about this guy. Check out the Bulldogs release for a brief view on the deal from their perspective. Does Alberni Valley still believe that they have a shot at the playoffs? Nanaimo is in a free fall, but that just doesn't seem likely. I'd think they would still be sellers. A guy like Evan Witt could be huge for any team in contention. A goaltender like Wong would also be excellent insurance between the pipes. The Bulldogs should be thinking about building for next year as much as they can. Gartner is an 89 so he could be back next year anyway.

*The Penticton Vees Hockey Club acquire the playing rights of Kaare Odegard (90)(D) from the Canmore Eagles Hockey Club in exchange for future considerations.

Analysis: You can get all the details on Pinder's Vees Blog including an interview. There was some question on the BCHL message board on the number of import cards the Vees were allowed to use. I think after the Nick Goyens saga he didn't end up counting against them. Odegard was on an excellent scoring pace for a pretty poor Camrose team this season. The Vees have a lot of mobility on their blue line, but Odegard seems like the type of guy who could really upgrade their power play. He may be a 90 but he's a rental as he'll be headed to Alaska to play NCAA hockey next season.

*The Cowichan Valley Capitals Hockey Club transfers the playing rights of Scott Jacklin (90)(F) and Jimmy Geerin (89)(D) to the Merritt Centennials Hockey Club in exchange for the playing rights of Curtis Gedig (91)(D).

*The Nanaimo Clippers Hockey Club transfer the playing rights of Stephen Simms (88)(F) to the OCN Blizzard Hockey Club of the MJHL in exchange for future considerations.

*The Langley Chiefs Hockey Club transfers the playing rights of Wyatt Wasclenchuk (G) to the Nipawin Hawks Hockey Club of the SJHL in exchange for future considerations.

*The Nanaimo Clippers Hockey Club transfers the playing rights of Mark Trousdell (G)(90) to the LaRonge Ice Wolves Hockey Club of the SJHL in exchange for the playing rights of Jonathan Jobin (G)(90) and future considerations.

*The Prince George Spruce Kings Hockey Club transfers the playing rights of Joe Rodwell (G)(88) to the Langley Chiefs Hockey Club in exchange for future considerations.

*The Salmon Arm Silverbacks Hockey Club transfer the playing rights of Jordan Berks (88)(D) to the Ft. McMurray Oil Barons Hockey Club of the AJHL for future considerations.

Mark Ferner Interview

After Vernon's trade to pick up Cam Brodie and Mike Leidl today from Burnaby I had the chance to chat with Vernon's Coach and General Manager. Looks like the Vipers are done, so rule them out of the bidding for the other available stars. We'll continue our coverage here on the blog and on Mountain FM's Overtime... and Friday's broadcast of AM Ford Trail Smoke Eaters Hockey in Penticton.

Vipers Coach and GM Mark Ferner

Click here to download

Rumours

Over at the Vees blog Ryan Pinder has word that a deal could be done to move Elias Grossmann (who demanded a trade) out of Penticton. He's also heard rumblings of something happening in Westside. Somehow I doubt we'll see another blockbuster from the Warriors this year. They seem to have great chemistry and their 3 for 1 deal last year didn't really turn out that well. How good would they be with those players still in place? Cowichan sure seems to be enjoying the benefits.

Vernon Beefs Up

It's not official yet (as in not listed on the BCHL official website) so I won't name any of the players. Don't want them to find out this way. But the Vernon Vipers are in the process of adding a forward and a powerful, physical defenceman from the coast. If these two players do end up in Vernon, a deep Vipers club just got more scoring and got a lot bigger. These would be the biggest additions for any team in the Interior so far.

Penticton has also added a big time defenceman in Kaare Odegard from Camrose. Salmon Arm, Westside, Trail, Prince George... it's your move.

EDIT: I got it half wrong. Not a good start here, Mullin!


(Cam Brodie and Mike Leidl)

It's official now at the Vipers website that Vernon has picked up two big, powerful 20 year old defencemen from Burnaby. Former Smoke Eater Cam Brodie and Mike Leidl will add their presence to what was a very young Vipers blue line.

Going the other way? D Steve Tresierra and F John Digness. Tresierra somehow ends up in Merritt and I'm not sure how that works yet.

My first thought? Great move by Vernon. They had a young core on the back end and I felt they lacked some size in their line-up as well. That's no longer an issue with the 6'1 215lbs Brodie and the 6'2 210lbs Leidl. Both players also have a scoring touch to their game as well. I got to watch Brodie all of last season and he's terrific at both ends of the ice. He's also probably the most powerful fighter in the league if someone does something to bring out his mean streak... but he's not a goon who will fight all the time by any stretch. This won't answer the call of some fans for a PP quarterback in Vernon. What it does is give them two steady veteran hands who can provide leadership, strong defensive play, some points, strong PK play and options on the PP.

Steve Tresierra is a good young D-man who will be a solid addition to Merritt if he reports. If not, he's another fine trading chip for them. As a 1990 born defenceman scoring at a 0.4 PPG clip, he'd be attractive to teams who are looking to upgrade but don't want to bring in a rental. How many cards does Merritt even have left at this point?

Digness is a fine forward who plays hard and has continued to improve in his second BCHL season. He'll likely get more opportunity to put some points up in Burnaby. However, in Vernon they can cover his loss rather easily with their extensive depth at forward. Frankly, I doubt Vernon is done adding. They'll likely want to add another forward. Perhaps someone who can be the sniper on a line with the Jones twins.

This is Brodie's third team this year and sixth in his BCHL career. Hard to get settled when you keep moving like this. However, he's a player that deserves a shot at a championship. He'll get that chance in Vernon. Leidl spent most of his career up north with Williams Lake and Quesnel. He's never played for a winner so I'm sure he's excited about the chance.

I'll have my thoughts on the moves we've seen earlier this week coming up before the end of the night.

EDIT: Vernon is done. Just did an interview with Coach Mark Ferner who says they're tapped out on cards and their roster is full. He has told his team they are done making moves before the deadline. There are some futures involved but the details of that aren't available for now. We'll have that interview with Ferner on the site shortly.

What Should Trail Do?

Just like last year I want to stay on top of the BCHL Trade Deadline here on the Smokies blog. I'll post the trades as I discover them with my analysis of the moves and what they mean for the teams and players. There have all ready been a couple of moves (including one with a former Smoke Eater involved) and I'll get to them shortly.

First though I want to know what you think Trail should do. I've got two polls here on the blog asking your opinion on what kind of moves you think the Smoke Eaters should make. It's an interesting situation for Jim Ingram here. The team has shown the ability to compete with anyone in this league, but they also have so many young players on the team that it would seem like they are being built for a bigger run at a championship next season. However, they wouldn't have Ryan Bulach, Chad Gehon, Brandon Clark, Marco Raimondo, Jadon Porterfield and Patrik Martin next season. With that core in place and leading the team this season, isn't there a real opportunity here for the Smokies to add a couple of pieces and make a significant push?

What do you think Trail should do? Vote in the poll and comment here.

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!