The Vancouver Giants have brought themselves down to the mandated three 20-year-old player limit by trading Owen Hardy to the Moose Jaw Warriors for a future sixth-round pick.
The move marks the second overager Barclay Parneta has moved to the Warriors after also moving Jadon Joseph there last month.
Hardy, a Nanaimo, BC, native, has been a fan favourite since entering the WHL during the 2015-16 season. His hard-nosed, gritty game and strong forechecking made him noticeable out there almost every night.
He was originally drafted by Vancouver in the second round (42nd overall) in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft and skated in 233 career games, amassing 69 points (30G, 39A). Hardy broke out during last season’s run to the 2019 WHL Final, playing on “The Hardy Boys” line alongside Jared Dmytriw and Dawson Holt, where he put up 12 points (5G, 7A) in 22 games.
“Owen was a warrior for us. He battled hard for his teammates and set a standard for what being a Vancouver Giant is all about. He brought leadership on and off the ice and is another player that has forever left his mark on the history of the Vancouver Giants,” GM Parneta said about Hardy in a press release.
It shouldn’t be the last Giants fans see of the six-foot-one, 201-pound power forward, as Vancouver visits Moose Jaw exactly one week from now at Mosaic Place.
Hardy had a few last words as a Giant in the same release:
“I really want to thank the Vancouver Giants organization, the fans, my billets, and many others that made my time with the Vancouver Giants so special.”
