The WHL Trade Deadline held some intrigue as to what teams were planning with all of the uncertainty surrounding the season. Speculation was heavy that players like Ryker Evans and Ozzy Weisblatt were going to be moved.
To keep or not to keep? That was the question.
The deadline started off slow but ended with a bang. Even though only nine transactions took place this deadline will be remembered.
Moose Jaw and Spokane exchange veteran forwards
TRADE: We've acquired 20-year-old forward Cordel Larson from the @spokanechiefs in exchange for 19-year-old forward Cade Hayes and a 2022 third round pick.
Full details: https://t.co/mfeISCD702#AllInTogether | @cordel_larson pic.twitter.com/dXcEG1DWH8
— Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) January 17, 2022
TRADE π | We have acquired F Cade Hayes & a 3rd-round pick from the @MJWARRIORS in exchange for F Cordel Larson.
Welcome to #Spokane, @cadehayes14!
π° | https://t.co/weF7ADEyYF
#GoChiefsGo pic.twitter.com/2Q2WewE1It
— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) January 17, 2022
The Moose Jaw Warriors acquired 20-year-old forward Cordel Larson from the Spokane Chiefs for 19-year-old forward Cade Hayes and a third-round pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft.
Larson brings 172 games of WHL experience (all played with the Chiefs) to the Warriors in which he has 85 points (30G-55A). The Weyburn, SK has played 30 games this season where he has 17 points (5G-12A).
Hayes had played his three years in the WHL with the Warriors where he had played 101 games collecting 44 points (16G-28A). The Eatonia, SK product has 19 points (5G-14A) in 35 games this year with the Warriors.
Regina, Kamloops swap forwards
NEWS: The Pats have acquired 17-year-old forward Tye Spencer from @blazerhockey in exchange for Drew Englot.
Details –> https://t.co/UYqx7vvH39
We'd like to welcome Tye to Regina!#MarchOn pic.twitter.com/wqsjM2DdIP
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) January 17, 2022
π¨TRADE!π¨
Weβve added 19 year-old F @DrewEnglot from Regina! Welcome Drew!π₯
MORE: https://t.co/48tAap8Mnw pic.twitter.com/qhX2HzmzLo— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) January 17, 2022
The Regina Pats got a little bit younger and the Kamloops Blazers got a little bit older in a swap of right-handed shooting forwards. The Pats acquired 17-year-old Tye Spencer from the Blazers for 19-year-old Drew Englot.
Englot, a 6’3″ power forward from Candiac, SK had played all of his three-year WHL career with the Pats. In 112 games with the Pats he had 40 points (20G-20A). In 32 games this season he has 16 points (6G-10A).
Spencer, still classified as a rookie is a small speedy forward from Saskatoon who has 11 points (3G-8A) in 32 games with the Blazers this season. In his career, he brings 50 games of experience to the Pats with 13 points (5G-8A).
Saskatoon acquire forward from Kamloops
We have traded F Josh Pillar back to his hometown with @BladesHockey due to a private medical situation. We wish Josh all the best and thank him for a great four seasons and two BC Division banners that he played a big role in.
MORE: https://t.co/LF2gyv1wOA pic.twitter.com/BCG9xydLr6— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) January 17, 2022
TRADE ALERT π
We've acquired @mnwild prospect Josh Pillar in a deal with the Kamloops Blazers.
DETAILS | https://t.co/jD6Uc8phMW pic.twitter.com/AltxNlvLRt
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) January 17, 2022
The Saskatoon Blades and Kamloops Blazers came together to make a deal. The Blades brought Josh Pillar in from the Blazers for two conditional draft picks (second-round pick in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft and a third-round pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft).
Pillar who is from Warman, SK was moved so he could be back in his hometown to deal with a medical situation.
In 183 career WHL games (all with the Blazers), the 19-year-old forward has 126 points (43G-83A).
Kamloops makes third trade of the day in deal with Spokane
π¨TRADE ALERT!π¨
Whoa! Welcome @LukeToporowski π₯π₯π₯
MORE: pic.twitter.com/UVym1yu8RE— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) January 17, 2022
TRADE π | The Chiefs have acquired forward Nick McCarry (01) and a 2025 2nd-rd pick in exchange for forward Luke Toporowski (01).
Welcome to #Spokane, @McCarry_N!
π° | https://t.co/wbHBOnNnNh#GoChiefsGo pic.twitter.com/I3aPsqVusf
— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) January 17, 2022
The Kamloops Blazers acquired Luke Toporowski from the Spokane Chiefs in exchange for Nick McCarry and a second-round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft in a swap of overage forwards.
Toporowski had played his entire WHL career with the Chiefs where he began as a 16-year-old. In 223 games with the Chiefs, he has 165 points (76G-89A). In 27 games in 2021-22, the Iowa-born forward has 29 points (15G-14A).
So far in 2021-22, his first season with the Blazers, McCarry has 28 points (7G-21A) in 34 games. The Calgary product started his WHL career with the Tigers before his move to Kamloops. In 138 career WHL games so far, he has notched 69 points (30G-29A).
Lethbridge and Medicine Hat swap overagers
TRADE: The #WHLCanes have acquired 2001-born forward Corson Hopwo from the Medicine Hat Tigers in exchange for 2001-born forward Logan Barlage and a fourth-round draft pick!
Details π https://t.co/mOPCXjydtc pic.twitter.com/H5u1jv1l3m
— Lethbridge Hurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) January 17, 2022
π¨π¨ Trade Alert π¨π¨
The Medicine Hat Tigers have acquired forward Logan Barlage from the @WHLHurricanes!
Welcome to Orange County, Logan!
read the release -> https://t.co/vpq31BVNQX#medhat #letsgotigers pic.twitter.com/1XVTyx61cm
— Medicine Hat Tigers (@tigershockey) January 17, 2022
In a swap of 20-year-old forwards, the Lethbridge Hurricanes traded Logan Barlage and a fourth-round pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft for Corson Hopwo.
Barlage, a 6’5″ forward from Humboldt, SK has 17 points (7G-10A) in 31 games in 2021-22. In his 259 game WHL career, which started with Swift Current, Barlage has 154 points (57G-97A).
Hopwo, a forward from Victoria, BC has skated in 25 games with the Tigers scoring 16 points (8G-8A). He had played his entire career in the black and orange where he had 96 points (43G-53A) in 170 games.
Vancouver adds defenseman from Regina
NEWS: The Pats have acquired a pair of draft picks from the @WHLGiants in exchange for defenceman Tom Cadieux.
Details –> https://t.co/t2ORtSyLVX
We'd like to thank Tom for his contributions to the team & wish him well in Vancouver!#MarchOn pic.twitter.com/7PfjcXvj4O
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) January 17, 2022
TRADE: The Vancouver Giants have completed a deal with the @WHLPats. The G-Men have acquired 2002-born defenceman Tom Cadieux in exchange for a pair of draft picks.
Welcome to Vancouver Tom!
More π: https://t.co/5PLeP4M80m pic.twitter.com/Xki45NjhVr
— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) January 17, 2022
The Vancouver Giants acquired defenseman Tom Cadieux from the Regina Pats in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospect Draft, and a fifth-round pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft.
In 30 games this season with the Pats, Cadieux has 11 points (1G-11A). The Saskatoon, SK product started his career with Tri-City before being dealt to Regina and in 143 career games, he has 24 points (3G-21A).
Winnipeg and Lethbridge swap forwards and picks
TRADE: The #WHLCanes have acquired 2004-born forward Brayden Edwards, a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick from the Winnipeg ICE in exchange for 2002-born forward Chase Wheatcroft and a fifth-round pick!
Details π https://t.co/bcW30S0NTB pic.twitter.com/XAXWhy7kjE
— Lethbridge Hurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) January 17, 2022
TRADE | ICE acquire Chase Wheatcroft and 2022 5th round pick from the @WHLHurricanes pic.twitter.com/Up1atsB3Dd
— Winnipeg ICE (@WHLWpgICE) January 17, 2022
The Winnipeg ICE acquired Chase Wheatcroft and a fifth-round pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft from the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for Brayden Edwards, a second-round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft, and a fourth-round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.
Wheatcroft, a forward from Calgary, is in his third WHL season, all were with the Hurricanes. In 22 games this year he has 17 points (4G-13A) and in 104 career games he has 61 points (19G-42A)
Edwards, a rookie seventeen-year-old forward from Abbotsford, BC has played in 11 games where he has three assists.
Winnipeg adds defenseman from Vancouver
TRADE: The Vancouver Giants have acquired a first-round draft pick in 2022 from the @WHLWpgICE in exchange for 2002-born defenceman Tanner Brown.
More π: https://t.co/IzePZrLlVF
πΈ: @Rjmediadottech pic.twitter.com/pO2LnspEah
— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) January 17, 2022
TRADE | ICE acquire Tanner Brown from the @WHLGiants pic.twitter.com/PGzuUj0EVw
— Winnipeg ICE (@WHLWpgICE) January 17, 2022
The Winnipeg ICE has acquired nineteen-year-old Tanner Brown from the Vancouver Giants in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft.
In 34 games thus far with the Giants, the Kelowna, BC product has 14 points (3G-11A). He had played his entire WHL career with the Giants which consisted of 127 games in which he has 29 points (6G-23A).
Edmonton makes big splash in deal with Vancouver
π TRADE ALERT π
The #OilKings have acquired F Justin Sourdif from the Vancouver Giants in exchange for F Jacob Boucher, a '22 1st round pick and a '25 1st round pick.
DETAILS β‘οΈ https://t.co/mldv28JXMj#TheKingdom
πΈ: Rob Wilton/Vancouver Giants pic.twitter.com/8DXc9jPEFP
— Edmonton Oil Kings (@EdmOilKings) January 17, 2022
TRADE: The Vancouver Giants have acquired 2002-born forward Jacob Boucher and a pair of first-round picks from the @EdmOilKings in exchange for 2002-born forward/captain Justin Sourdif.
More π: https://t.co/3f5iCGkIIo pic.twitter.com/2OPZIXiKAP
— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) January 17, 2022
The Edmonton Oil Kings made in what most would say the biggest splash of the trade deadline when they acquired Justin Sourdif from the Vancouver Giants for Jacob Boucher, a first-round pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, and a first-round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft.
Sourdif, a five-year WHLer had played his entire career with the Giants where he was the club’s captain this season. In 24 games with the Giants, the Richmond, BC product has 32 points (9G-23A). In his career, Sourdif has skated in 171 games notching 166 points (69G-97A).
Nineteen-year-old Boucher has played 30 games for the Oil Kings this season picking up 20 points (10G-10A). The St. Albert, AB product is with his third WHL club (started with Lethbridge) and has played 49 career games with 24 points (11G-13A).