Saskatoon Blades general manager Colin Priestner said it was a tough decision to trade defenceman Libor Hájek.
Hájek was traded Monday to the Regina Pats for defenceman Dawson Davidson, forward prospect Tristen Robins and a first-round pick in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft.
Hájek is in his third season in the Western Hockey League after being selected second overall by Saskatoon in the 2015 CHL Import Draft.
He has eight goals and 25 points in 33 games this season.
“We really felt the return (for Libor) was too substantial to turn down,” Priestner said.
“We wanted to make it clear to our team and our fans that we aren’t giving up on this season by acquiring a player of Dawson Davidson’s status as a guy who can play two years for us and has potential to be a 50-60 point guy from the backend.”
Davidson has seven goals and 20 assists in 43 games this season. He is expected to join the team on Tuesday and be in the lineup Wednesday when the Blades take on the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Robins, 16, was selected 76th overall by the Pats in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft and is currently playing with Rink Academy in Winnipeg where he has 11 goals and 13 assists in 18 games.
“Tristen Robins is a player we’ve coveted for a long time, his dad was a Blade and he’s an extremely exciting young player,” Priestner said, adding he is a skilled and smart player who should contribute to the team’s offense in the future.
Priestner said the first-round pick they team acquired could end up being a high pick.
“If history is an indicator, Regina’s first round pick next year has a serious chance of being a lottery pick as Memorial Cup host teams often go through a tough phase,” Priestner said.
“So to have that first pick next year we feel that gives us a good chance at selecting a star player.”
The Blades may not be done dealing yet. The WHL’s trading deadline is Wednesday and Blades overage forward Cameron Hebig, who signed an entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oiler last week, is rumoured to be on the trading block.
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