Trade
Tri-City Americans Governor/General Manager Bob Tory announced today that the team has acquired 19-year-old forward Nathan MacMaster from the Calgary Hitmen in exchange for 20-year-old defenseman, Brock Sutherland.
Today’s trade brings Tri-City’s roster down to three overage players, Adam Hughesman, Mason Wilgosh and Brendan Shinnimin. The Americans’ roster currently sits at 25 players, including 16 forwards, 7 defensemen and 2 goaltenders.
MacMaster, listed at 5’10 179 pounds, is moving to his third WHL team in his fourth full season. Originally a second round (41st overall) selection by the Moose Jaw Warriors in 2007, MacMaster has appeared in 190 career games while totaling 14 goals, 49 points and 115 penalty minutes. The Calgary, Alberta native, who is coming off a career-best 10-goal, 30-point season in 2010-11, was part of a five-player deal between the Warriors and Hitmen, that saw MacMaster, Danny Gayle and Brandon Glover move to Calgary in exchange for Cody Beach and current Americans forward, Mackenzie Royer. MacMaster was also a teammate of Americans’ forward Justin Feser at the 2009 U-17 Hockey Challenge, scoring one goal and helping guide Team Pacific to a silver medal.
“The overage situation presents many challenges,” explained Tory. “We wanted to put our extra player into a good situation and also get an asset in return.”
Tory continued by saying that “acquiring another forward increases the competition for spots on our club this year. Nathan is an experienced player who possesses good speed and skill set.”
Meanwhile, Sutherland, who was dealt to Tri-City as a 17-year-old from the Lethbridge Hurricanes, wraps up a solid career in an Americans’ sweater. A 6’2 205-pound defenseman from Brandon, Manitoba, Sutherland arrived in Tri-City as part of a November 2008 package deal that also brought Mitch Fadden and Cam Stevens to the Americans in exchange for Eric Mestery and Drew Hoff. Sutherland went on to play 167 of his total 186 WHL games with Tri-City, totaling seven goals, 40 points, 155 penalty minutes and a plus-22 rating. Sutherland also departs having played in 39 playoff games with the Americans, ranking him tied for 8th all-time.
“We wish Brock all the best in Calgary,” Tory said. “He has developed into a very good, reliable defenseman in this League and it is sad to see him leave our team and family.” (Americans)
I'm with Bob in wishing Suds the best in Calgary, he'll be reunited with former teammates Spencer Humphries and Brooks Macek.
That settles the overage situation (unless he trades Shinny, Hughey, or Wilgs for some other 20 in the league). With this move I personally see (or would like to see) the "C" go to Wilgosh for his work ethic, moxie, leadership, and determination.
9 comments:
Of the four overagers who were left, Sutherland was the most likely to be dealt / let go. Which is too bad, because I thought he'd progressed nicely into a solid-not-spectacular D-man.
Couldn't have said it better myself. I knew he'd land somewhere, he's definitely good enough to be in the league as a 20.
Captain Milkshake. I love it.
You forgot Dreiger in Tri-Cities north.
GAHH I always forget something! Thanks for the reminder :)
Speaking of Brian Williamses, looks like there won't be possible confusion in the future concerning them afterall. I noticed that the other Brian Williams had been dropped off the protected list a few weeks ago. A friend of mine asked him about it and supposedly it was news to him, so it doesn't sound like he had 100% committed to college or anything. He had sounded like he was planning on coming to camp next year, too. Maybe he still will on an invite or someting, just curious that he was dropped.
On another note, I think Wilgosh would be a great captain, too.
BW#2 is still on the PP list.
Huh. Well his name wasn't there last night when I left that comment, and hadn't been for a while. I still have that page (yes, updated 10/3) up on my desktop from last night and his name isn't listed after Ryan Tait. Open a new page of it, now it's there. Whatever though, I'm glad he's actually still on it.
Aeris - You're right, I check the prospects list pretty often too and he wasn't on it for a few days. But since he was our first pick last year I figured it was just an error of omission on the website and not that he was actually off the official PPL. Sounds like when they updated the website recently they accidentally left his name off. I know the team is real high on him, he sounds like he'll be a great player. Can't wait to see him in an Ams uni next year.
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