The Olds Grizzlys traded the team's top scorer so far this season, Taylor Bourne, to the Coquitlam Express of the British Columbia Hockey League in exchange for 18-year-old forward Mitch Deacon and future considerations.
Kevin Willison, head coach and director of hockey operations with the Grizzlys, said Bourne requested the trade, as he thought the BCHL would better match his style of play and offer him a better opportunity to get an NCAA scholarship in this, his last season of junior eligibility.
Willison said while the hole Bourne leaves on offence will be tough to fill – he had 11 goals and 12 assists so far this season in 22 games – he is confident that Deacon can pick up some of the slack. Deacon, he said, comes highly regarded and has a good scoring touch for a second-year player. His rookie season was cut down to only two games last season because of injury, but in 22 games this season the six-foot-three, 200-pound forward had seven goals for the Express.
Willison said he's hopeful that Deacon will fit in well with the Grizzlys and give the team a couple more solid seasons.
The Grizzlys also traded hometown defenceman Craig Gans, who has spent the last five years with the Grizzlys, to the Okotoks Oilers for defenceman Casey Rogers. Again, Gans, in his last year of junior, requested the trade to help him in securing an NCAA scholarship. Gans, who missed eight games this year due to a hand injury, recorded five points. Last year, he chipped in with 33 points in 55 games.
Rogers, a native of Monero City, Calif., has played in 17 games thus far this season, recording four assists.
