A Dustin Slade Sighting?

[Redwic]

A small blurb, from today's Everett Herald:

"There's been a Dustin Slade sighting. The 20-year-old goaltender, who walked out on the Giants in November to pursue a pro job but has been stuck in limbo ever since, was spotted practicing with the Junior B Kamloops Storm. He was allegedly getting in shape for an impending signing with a higher-level team."

[Wingnut]

Here is the original article from the Kamloops Daily News, Friday, January 19th but first, some points to try to preempt questions that the article might raise.
1 - Slade can sign with any team that has an overage player card available up until February 10th.

2 - He cannot sign with a WHL, OHL, or QMJHL team unless Vancouver releases him and that team has a overage card available. I understand that he is on Vancouver's suspended list so that is why he would need a release from Vancouver. Teams must have an overage card open; they cannot dump an overage player and replace him with Slade. To figure out where he could go, if anywhere, check to see which teams have dressed less than three overage players in all games after January 10th. These are the only teams that could take Slade on.

3 - He cannot sign with a BCHL team because the BCHL has a deadline of December 1st to sign overage players from outside the league.

4 - He could sign with another Tier 2 (Junior A) team outside the BCHL if a deal can be worked out with South Surrey, who hold his Junior A rights. However, the trading deadline has passed in the BCHL and I don't know what the trade deadlines are in other Junior A leagues. They may well be January 10th as well so I don't know if South Surrey could trade him outside the BCHL for cash or not. South Surrey could always relinquish his Junior A rights. Also, there is only five weeks left in most Junior A regular seasons, so this might be a non-starter.

4 - He could sign with a Junior B team, provided the team has a player card available.

5 - He could sign in Europe or with a pro league in North America. I haven't seen anything on Slade signing in North America or Europe. Sweden and Finland have January 31st signing deadlines. I think Switzerland and Germany's deadlines are February 28th.

On to the article.....

By MARK HUNTER
Daily News Sports Reporter
The Kamloops Storm had a third goalie at its practice Thursday at the McArthur Island Sports and Events Centre.
Dustin Slade, who left the WHL's Vancouver Giants in November to pursue professional employment, was in full gear practising with the Storm, a member of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.
Don't get excited Storm fans, Slade's appearance was a one-time thing.
The Penticton native is getting back into game shape as he prepares to sign with a team, which he said could happen as soon as today.
He wouldn't say much more than a deal is imminent.
"It's been a long process the last couple months," said Slade, 20.
"It's definitely not an advantage to take this much time off in your 20-year-old season but, at the same time, maybe it will rest me up and I'll be able to go far in playoffs and contend for a championship, where ever that may be." Slade, who practised wearing all-white equipment and his Giants mask, played parts of five seasons in the WHL, starting with the Kamloops Blazers in 2002. He also made stops in Brandon and Regina before playing 55 games with Vancouver last season.
He set a league record with 17 shutouts combined in the regular season and playoffs in 2005-06, while helping the Giants to the WHL championship and a berth in the Memorial Cup.
But since he left the Giants, he hasn't seen much rubber.
"Drop-in, public skating, pond hockey," said Slade. "I came out here to get a little higher level of shots than some of the drop-in guys that I play against.
Goaltending is all positioning and reaction; it takes a couple of days to get back into it." Slade was invited to Storm practice by head coach Bryant Perrier, who coached Slade with the BCHL's Penticton Panthers in 2001-02.
"(Perrier) kind of gave me my start in junior," Slade said. "It's nice that he's still supporting me through all of these years." Slade hasn't played any organized hockey since Nov. 15, a couple of days before he left the Giants. When his search for a professional contract came up empty, he looked to re-enter the junior ranks, but couldn't catch on with anyone before Hockey Canada's Jan. 10 signing deadline.
It's been a long two months for Slade, who said he was optimistic when he left the Giants.
"It was actually a positive thing when I left, I was happy" he said. "Then a few doors got shut . . . a few doors got slammed shut." mhunter@kamloopsnews.ca

[GF71]

The Giants released Dustin shortly after he served his 60 day suspension, shortly after the trade deadline.