T-Wolves Make Three Deadline Day MHL Deals
There was a flurry of activity in the final 24 hours leading into the Maritime Hockey League’s (MHL) trade deadline with 10 transactions completed.
The Miramichi Timberwolves obtained forward Matthew Cusson from the QJHL’s Lachine Maroons for future considerations. In 29 games, the 18 year old from Dorval, Quebec scored five goals and added 10 assists with the Maroons. Over the last three seasons, Cusson has suited up for 53 games with Lachine as well as 12 QMJHL contests split between the Blaineville-Boisbriand Armada, Charlottetown Islanders and Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
In the second of three deals struck by Miramichi on deadline day, the T-Wolves acquired forward Mitch Graham from the Milton Ice Hawks of the OJHL for future considerations. The 19 year old native of Ajax, Ontario scored six times and added 15 assists in 32 games with the Ice Hawks this season. Graham also boasts 22 games of major junior experience, appearing in 10 games with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires in 2012-13 as well as 12 games with the QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltigeurs last year.
The Timberwolves made one more personnel move in trading forward Zach Beaton to the Truro Bearcats for future considerations. The 19 year old native of Stratford, PEI appeared in 31 games with Miramichi this season, registering 17 points. Beaton had previously suited up for 29 games in the MHL with the Summerside Western Capitals as well as a combined 60 regular season games with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles and Charlottetown Islanders in the QMJHL.
In one of the biggest deadline deals, the South Shore Lumberjacks traded forward Matt Wright, a 10th round selection in the 2015 MHL Draft, originally obtained from Campbellton, and future considerations to the Valley Wildcats in exchange for their own 2nd round selection and a 7th round selection, previously acquired from Campbellton, in the 2015 MHL draft as well as future considerations. At the time of the trade, Wright led the Lumberjacks in scoring with 29 points, including 14 goals, in 32 games. In his previous two MHL seasons, split between the Lumberjacks and Yarmouth Mariners, the 20 year old Fredericton native scored 17 goals and added 26 assists in 89 regular season games.
The Yarmouth Mariners dealt defenseman Matt Lourenco to the Lachine Maroons of the QJHL for future considerations. In 29 games with the Mariners, the 19 year old Kirkland, Quebec native scored three goals and added nine assists with Yarmouth.
The Pictou County Weeks Crushers obtained forward Lucas Zwaagstra from the CCHL’s Glouchester Rangers for future considerations. In 82 regular season games with Glouchester over the past two seasons, the 19 year old Bedford, Nova Scotia native scored nine goals and added eight assists.
The Valley Wildcats, one of the busier clubs on the last day of the trade period, dealt forward Eric Chipman as well as future considerations to the Campbellton Tigers in exchange for a 9th round selection in the 2015 MHL Draft, originally acquired from Summerside, as well as their own 9th round selection in the 2016 MHL Draft. Chipman, a 19 year old native of Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, was acquired by Valley from the Miramichi Timberwolves last June. In 28 games with the Wildcats, Chipman, a second year MHLer, scored twice and added two assists.
The Amherst Ramblers traded the rights to forward Cody McPhee and future considerations to the Summerside Western Capitals in exchange for the rights to goaltender Julien Galloway. McPhee, a 17 year old native of Charlottetown, PEI, is currently in his third season with the Charlottetown Islanders Midget AAA program. In 95 combined regular season and playoff contests with the Islanders, McPhee has scored 20 goals to go along with 26 assists. Galloway is currently also in the Midget AAA ranks with the Moncton Flyers. The 17 year old Sackville, New Brunswick native currently sports a 12-1 record, with a league leading 1.68 GAA and .927 save percentage.
The Western Capitals were involved in another deal on deadline day, sending defenseman Bo Pellah to the South Shore Lumberjacks in exchange for a 4th round selection in the 2015 MHL Draft and future considerations. Pellah, the 19 year old native of New Westminister, BC, was acquired by Summerside from the AJHL Whitecourt Wolverines in late November. In 10 games with the Caps, Pellah registered six points and 58 penalty minutes. Pellah has extensive experience in junior hockey with stops in the AJHL, BCHL and USHL.
Finally, the Campbellton Tigers traded forward Chad Cullen to the Yarmouth Mariners in exchange for a 6th round selection in the 2015 MHL Draft and future considerations. Cullen, a 19 year old Glace Bay, Nova Scotia native, is in his MHL second season. Acquired by Campbellton from South Shore on November 29th, Cullen has appeared in 28 games this season, scoring once and adding three assists. Last season, Cullen registered 18 points in 52 games with the Lumberjacks.
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