It took awhile Monday, but the Battlefords North Stars were by no means idle as the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League trade deadline was Monday night.
The first move of the day brought in a 20-year-old forward from Estevan. Sound familiar? Ken Pearson acquired Chad Filteau from Estevan one year ago to help with the playoff push and he went back to the Estevan well and picked up Cole Gibson. In exchange for Gibson, the playing rights of 1994-born forward Dayton Picard were sent to Estevan.
This will be Gibson's third SJHL team this season, as he moved from Melfort to Estevan after 20 games. He has 12 goals and 16 assists in 32 games this season.
The North Stars also added 20-year-old defenceman Lance Tabin and Braedon Johnson courtesy of the Kindersley Klippers. The North Stars trade the playing rights of 17-year-olds Michael Sagen and Justin Lund of the Battlefords Midget Stars.
Tabin will be a welcome addition to the North Stars' defence core, as they dressed five defenceman last game due to minor injuries and Cade Kimery is also no longer listed on the teams roster. Tabin has seven points in 39 games with the Klippers, but was not in the lineup Tuesday due to a shoulder injury. Johnson played 31 games with the Saskatoon Blades this season, but was sent back to Kindersley and should be in the Battlefords this week.
The North Stars also traded the playing rights of Dane Muench to the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL for future considerations.
The final move made had 20-year-old forward Travis Cech traded to Selkirk of the MJHL for future considerations. Cech played 25 games tallying nine goals and nine assists with 56 penalty minutes this season.
The Battlefords North Stars' active roster is locked and loaded for the final push of the regular season and the playoffs. The breakdown of the forwards is one 1993-born forward, four '92s, five '91s and five '90s. The defence core is spread evenly with two '92 and two '91-born defencemen and three 20-year-olds. The goaltending situation hasn't change with 19-year-old Graham Hildebrand and 20-year-old Kyle Birch on the roster.
