Busy WHL commerce deadline introduced questions galore and the stretch drive to the playoffs within the Western Convention will convey solutions
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The WHL commerce deadline has come and gone, bringing questions that will likely be answered all through the stretch drive of the season.
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Did the Prince George Cougars do sufficient in trades by the Jan. 10 cut-off? Did the Vancouver Giants do an excessive amount of? May the Wenatchee Wild have achieved one thing else? There are others, too, however these are essentially the most outstanding.
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The Cougars are having one among their finest seasons because the crew moved to city from Victoria for the 1994-95 marketing campaign.
Prince George (29-12-0-1) awakened Wednesday morning first within the Western Convention, two factors up on the Everett Silvertips (27-14-1-2) and 4 in entrance of the Portland Winterhawks (26-10-2-1).
Prince George’s prime common season finishes have been a second-place standing within the Western Convention in 2016-17 and a second place within the outdated West Division in 1999-00. The league adopted its present two-conference format in 2001-02.
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We’ve seen front-runners prior to now few years make massive, flashy trades, shifting out handfuls of draft picks and youthful gamers. Prince George, too, is with out sniper Koehn Ziemmer — a 41-goal man final season and a signed Los Angeles Kings prospect — who broke his ankle on Nov. 27. He’s had surgical procedure and is sidelined for a number of months.
Prince George coach and common supervisor Mark Lamb gave up a younger defenceman and three picks in two offers to land a few veterans.
The Giants (17-23-2-0) had been bolder, touchdown a few 19-year-old forwards in two offers that included a mixed 5 picks going the opposite approach. The Giants, who began Wednesday in seventh place, had draft capital from promoting the previous two deadlines, and common supervisor Barclay Parneta wished to offer his youthful crew a lift for a playoff run. He’s additionally pondering that each newcomers may very well be within the combine to be one among Vancouver’s three 20-year-olds subsequent season.
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And Wenatchee (24-14-4-0) ended up sellers, regardless of being within the hunt for the U.S. Division banner and home-ice benefit within the opening spherical. They dealt away Canadian world junior crew forwards Conor Geekie and Matthew Savoie in separate blockbusters.
Their pondering? The Wild are the previous Winnipeg Ice, having moved to Washington State this summer time when the crew modified possession. Winnipeg had spent closely in trades for 2 playoff runs and Wenatchee common supervisor Bliss Littler was trying to recoup draft picks.
With the mud now settled, right here’s a have a look at what’s in retailer for the common season stretch drive for the Western Convention groups. All stats are as of Wednesday morning. The highest eight groups within the convention make the playoffs, with the front-runners from the B.C. and U.S. Divisions assured the primary two seeds.
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Prince George Cougars — 29-12-0-1, 59 factors
Remaining common season video games: 26 (13 dwelling, 13 away).
Video games embrace: Six with Kamloops, 4 with Vancouver and Victoria, two with Portland.
Commerce deadline: Added winger Borya Valis, 19, who had 13 targets and 33 factors in 35 video games with Regina, from the Pats in alternate for defenceman Tyson Buczkowski, 17, and two draft picks. Added defenceman Chad Pauls, 20, from Lethbridge for a 2024 third rounder.
Stat reality: The Cougars are the lone crew within the prime three in each energy play (third, 28.9 per cent) and penalty kill (second, 84.5 per cent). They had been second on the PP (27.7 per cent) and 18th on the PK (74 per cent) final season.
Everett Silvertips — 27-14-1-2, 57 factors
Remaining common season video games: 24 (12 dwelling, 12 away).
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Video games embrace: 4 with Spokane and Wenatchee, three with Seattle and Tri-Metropolis, two with Portland.
Commerce deadline: Added defenceman Parker Berge, who turned 21 final week, from Regina for defenceman Ty Gibson, 20, and a 2025 second rounder.
Stat reality: Everett and Prince George have already accomplished their season sequence. Everett went 3-1-0-0.
Portland Winterhawks 26-10-2-1, 55 factors
Remaining common season video games: 29 (13 dwelling, 16 away).
Video games embrace: Six with Seattle, 4 with Tri-Metropolis, three with Victoria, two with Everett.
Commerce deadline: Added centre Nate Danielson, 19, a 2023 Detroit Crimson Wings first rounder who was simply getting back from enjoying at world juniors with Canada, from Brandon for defenceman Rhett Ravndahl, 18, and ahead Nick Johnson, 18, and three draft picks, together with two first rounders. Added defenceman Tyson Jugnauth, 19, who’s a 2022 Seattle Kraken fourth rounder, from the Kamloops protected checklist for 4 draft picks. Jugnauth left the College of Wisconsin and joined Portland.
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Stat reality: Portland has been outshot by opponents a league-low 5 occasions. They’re 2-3-0-0 in these video games.
Wenatchee Wild — 24-14-4-0, 52 factors
Video games remaining: 26 (12 dwelling, 14 away).
Video games embrace: They’ve a three-in-three weekend on the street agains Calgary, Crimson Deer and Alberta subsequent month. They’re final West crew to complete off their Japanese Convention street journey.
Commerce deadline highlights: Despatched centre Matt Savoie, a 2002 Buffalo Sabres first rounder and Canadian world junior crew member who turned 20 on New 12 months’s Day, to Moose Jaw for seven draft picks, together with two first rounders. Despatched centre Geekie, 19, who’s a 2002 Arizona Coyotes first rounder and Canadian world junior crew member, to Swift Present for defenceman Josh Fluker, 18, ahead Maddix McCagherty, 17, and defenceman Sam Ward, 18, together with 4 draft picks, together with two first rounders.
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Stat reality: In accordance with Alan Caldwell, who tracks WHL trades at his Small At Giant website online, Wenatchee now have 11 picks within the prime three rounds of the following 4 drafts after going into this commerce deadline interval with simply 4 choices in these rounds in that timeframe.
Victoria Royals — 23-14-3-3, 52 factors
Video games remaining: 25 (15 dwelling, 10 away).
Video games embrace: 4 with Vancouver and Prince George, three with Portland.
Commerce deadline: Added winger Tyson Laventure, 20, from Swift Present for a 2026 fifth rounder.
Stat reality: The Royals had been 8-7-1-0 after they fired Dan Value as head coach in November and have gone 15-7-2-3 with James Patrick on the helm.
Kelowna Rockets — 20-18-2-0, 42 factors
Video games remaining: 28 (15 dwelling, 13 away).
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Video games embrace: Six with Vancouver and Kamloops.
Commerce deadline: Despatched defenceman John Babcock, 19, to Saskatoon as a part of a three-way deal that additionally included Edmonton. Rockets acquired defenceman Carter Kowalyk, 18, and three draft picks.
Stat reality: Twenty-seven of Kelowna’s 40 video games have been determined by both one or two targets. They’re 11-7-2-0 in one-goal video games and 3-4-0-0 in two-goal matches.
Vancouver Giants — 17-23-2-0, 36 factors
Video games remaining: 26 (14 dwelling, 12 away).
Video games embrace: A triple header weekend later this month the place they’re dwelling to Victoria after which on the Royals for a pair.
Commerce deadline: Added ahead Connor Levis, 19, from Kamloops for 3 draft picks, together with a primary rounder. Add ahead Ty Zimmer, 19, from Lethbridge for winger Colton Langkow, 19, plus a prospect ahead Kai Anderson, 15, and two draft picks.
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Stat reality: Vancouver has the second fewest energy performs within the league and has been short-handed the third most occasions.
Tri-Metropolis People — 16-21-2-1, 35 factors
Video games remaining: 28 (14 dwelling, 14 away).
Video games embrace: Six with Spokane, 4 with Portland and Seattle, three with Everett.
Commerce deadline: Added winger Mason Finley, 19, from Edmonton for a 2026 eighth rounder.
Stat reality: Presently sit in a 1-9-1-0 rut.
Spokane Chiefs — 15-20-4-0, 34 factors
Video games remaining: 29 (14 dwelling, 15 away).
Video games embrace: Six with Tri-Metropolis, 4 with Wenatchee and Everett.
Commerce deadline: Added winger Shea Van Olm, 19, from the Kamloops for winger Cole Wadsworth, 17, and two draft picks.
Stat reality: The rivalry between Tri-Metropolis and Spokane has gone backwards and forwards for the previous few years. During the last 5 season, the People are 21-22-0-1 towards the Chiefs.
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Seattle Thunderbirds — 13-21-2-0, 28 factors
Video games remaining: 32 video games (18 dwelling, 14 away).
Video games embrace: Six with Portland, 4 with Tri-Metropolis, three with Prince George and Everett.
Commerce deadline: Traded centre Gracyn Sawchyn, 18, who’s a 2023 Florida Panthers second rounder, together with ahead prospect Lucas Sawchyn and defence prospect Tracen Ashley, 15, to Edmonton for ahead Nathan Pilling and 7 draft picks, together with one first rounder.
Stat reality: Seattle, who had been trying to recoup draft picks given as much as enhance their previous two playoff runs with the Sawchyn deal, have been hit onerous by accidents this 12 months. They’ve gotten a mixed 13 video games out of winger Nico Myatovic, 19, who was a 2023 Anaheim Geese second rounder, and centre Jordan Gustafson, 19, a 2022 Vegas Golden Knights third rounder. Seattle is itemizing each as day-to-day.
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Kamloops Blazers — 10-27-3-2, 25 factors
Video games remaining: 26 video games (14 dwelling, 12 away).
Video games embrace: Six with Kelowna and Prince George, 4 with Vancouver and Seattle.
Commerce deadline: Moved Levis to Vancouver, Van Olm to Spokane and ahead Dylan Sydor, 20, to Lethbridge for ahead Blake Swetlikoff, 20, and two draft picks.
Stat reality: Kamloops hosted the Memorial Cup final 12 months and spent closely in commerce to load up, together with shifting 10 draft picks to Everett as a part of a swap so as to add defenceman Olen Zellweger and winger Ryan Hofer. The Blazers began buying and selling early to recoup picks this 12 months, together with sending centre Fraser Minten, 19, who began the season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, to Saskatoon in November for winger Jordan Keller, 18, and three draft picks, together with two first rounders. In six trades from November till the deadline, the Blazers introduced again 16 draft picks.
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