It’s my Parting Shot to review how some pre-W-H-L Trade Deadline chatter worked out…

Three players were believed to be big targets prior to January 10th…and all three were moved!

Initially, 19-year-old goaltender Max Paddock held the most interest…especially for Central Division teams! Edmonton, Calgary and Lethbridge all contacted Regina G-M John Paddock about his nephew. So did Winnipeg. In the end, the ICE added 20-year-old Liam Hughes, the Oil Kings acquired overager Beck Warm and Paddock ended up in Prince Albert! Go figure!!

I was told the starting point to acquire 18-year-old forward and Anaheim first round draft pick Brayden Tracey from Moose Jaw was a first round Bantam choice and a 17-year-old forward. It turned out to be more! A lot more!! Victoria gave the Warriors a first-round selection…in 2021. However, the 17-year-old forward was replaced by a trio of 18-year-olds and three other Draft picks while the Royals got a goaltender and two other draft choices for a total of 11 pieces changing hands. That qualified as a blockbuster…a word that gets over-used and under-valued!

The third player was defenceman Dawson Barteaux. I was told Red Deer would only move him if there was an offer that knocked the socks off Rebels bossman Brent Sutter! I guess Winnipeg managed that with six draft selections going to the Rebels for a 19-year-old two month, and maybe more, rental players…plus a couple of later picks! Those are the kind of deals they make in Ontario and Quebec, right?!

Three Western Conference teams to watch as potential buyers really didn’t do much…one of them, Kelowna, hosts the Memorial Cup…while the others, Kamloops and Portland, lead the B-C and U-S Divisions, respectively! Perplexing from my perspective!

Heck…based on making the biggest improvement to a team before the Deadline…the westernmost and easternmost teams, Victoria and Winnipeg, might just be the favourites to meet in the Ed Chynoweth Cup final! There’s still a long ways to go!!

That’s my Parting Shot, I’m Les Lazaruk…