The Trail Smoke Eaters made a bit of elbow room on its roster Thursday announcing transactions that sent four players to new teams.
To complete an earlier deal, the Smokies sent forward Taylor House to the Whitecourt Wolverines of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
The 20-year-old House was acquired midway through the 2011-12 season in a five-player deal with Alberni Valley. He scored 4 goals and 14 points in 48 games with Trail.
“We’re just trying to move kids on, we got some new kids coming in, and stuff in the works to try to get a little older and a little more experience,” stated head coach and general manager Bill Birks.
Forward Kyle Horsman (94) was also traded to Whitecourt for future considerations.
The Sechelt product scored 7 points in 40 games in his rookie BCHL campaign.
Meanwhile the Prince George Spruce Kings acquired the rights to 19-year-old forward Adam Fares.
Despite a promising start, the six-foot-four forward suffered a concussion early in the season and appeared in only 15 games with the Smoke Eaters after being traded from Victoria. He scored 4 goals and 9 points for the Smokies.
In another transaction, Trail traded forward Brandon Long (93) to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Battlefords North Stars for future considerations.
Long has potential, he scored 8 goals and 21 points in his rookie BCHL season, appearing in 52 games with the Smoke Eaters.
The trades pare the Smokies lineup down to 17 players, including lone goalie Lyndon Stanwood, leaving room to build for the next season.
“All three players were great kids for our hockey club,” “At the same time our team gets a little bit older as we re-tool for next season.”
Smoke signals:
The Smoke Eaters will also be participating in the Kamloops Two Rivers Hockey showcase.
The camp runs from June 15-17, and will provide Birks and the Smokies coaching staff an opportunity to scout players they missed in the spring camp.