SASKATOON – The Western Hockey League (WHL) trade deadline is right around the corner and the Saskatoon Blades are busy. The hockey club announced a couple trades on Tuesday.
Blades general manager and head coach Bob Woods continues to reshape the team’s roster into what he hopes will be a future contender.
Saskatoon dealt a third and fourth round pick and Alex Forberg, the team’s leading scorer, to the Victoria Royals in exchange for 16-year-old forward Brayden Dunn and a first-round draft pick in 2017.
Forsberg, 19, was the first overall pick in the 2010 bantam draft and was originally acquired by the Blades this past off-season. He is from Waldheim, Sask. and his 33 points are just seven shy of his best season.
The Blades now have two first-round picks in each of the 2015, 2016 and 2017 bantam drafts.
Saskatoon also added a second-round pick in the 2017 draft as the Blades sent 20-year-old defenceman Adam Henry to the Portland Winterhawks.
Henry was leading all Blades defencemen with 22 points this season. He was originally acquired from the Seattle Thunderbirds in late September.
As the Saturday trade deadline nears, Woods is happy with the returns he’s getting for his top assets.
“I think everybody’s looking at what we’ve done and I’d say we’re pretty fortunate to get what we’ve got,” said Woods.
The Blades have been one of the busiest teams around the WHL the last few months. On Monday, the team traded goalie Trevor Martin for Red Deer Rebels defenceman Kolton Dixon and called up the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Brock Hamm to fill the open goaltender position.
READ MORE: Saskatoon Blades make blockbuster trade with Red Deer Rebels
Woods still isn’t closing the door on the possibility of more moves.
“We’re going to be answering phone calls and looking at all situations, so if it makes sense for us we’re definitely entertain it and again there’s still some holes to fill,” said Woods.
“Our biggest thing is, we never want to put this franchise in the same situation that it’s been, looking at other teams and the guys that they have, the first-round picks are the big difference.”
Saskatoon is currently ranked last in the WHL Eastern Conference.
The Blades next game is Friday when they take on the Hurricanes in Lethbridge, Alta.
With files from Kim Thue
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