KELOWNA – The Kelowna Rockets announced Friday that the team has traded 20-year old Forward Carter Rigby.
The Penticton native is going to the Swift Current Broncos.
In exchange, the Rockets receive a third round WHL Bantam Draft pick in 2016.
The Rockets had four 20-year olds on their roster which is over the league limit.
Kelowna Rockets President and General Manager Bruce Hamilton says the Carter trade is a big loss for the organization.
“Carter is a quality young man and he has been an important part of the organization for three years, not only on the ice but out in the community as well,” says Hamilton.
Since joining the Rockets at the start of the 2011-12 campaign, Rigby played in 171 career regular season games scoring 57 goals, including a career-high 21 goals as a rookie.
This year Rigby had scored five goals in seven games. He was also a regular in Rockets’ community events and a past winner of the Rockets’ Humanitarian award.
“We don’t make a lot of trades and Carter is not being moved because he isn’t good enough. Swift Current is arguably one of the best teams in the East and Carter is the player they wanted all along. They feel he’s going to help their team, ” says Hamilton.
The Rockets had been carrying three 20-year-olds heading into last weekend’s play but the return of Tyrell Goulbourne from the Philadelphia Flyers NHL training camp pushed the team over the limit.
Joining Goulbourne as the remaining overage players are defensive stalwart Cole Martin and forward Colton Heffley.
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