Rebels acquire Louis

[Triton]

http://www.wheatkings.com/

Brandon, Manitoba -- The Brandon Wheat Kings have announced that veteran defenceman Mark Louis has been dealt to the Red Deer Rebels in exchange for a third round draft choice in the 2009 Western Hockey League bantam draft.

With Thursday's move, the Wheat Kings reduced their list of overage players to the league limit of three. Brandon's 20-year olds include left-winger Tyler Dittmer, captain Darryl Boyle and defenceman Theran Yeo, who is currently on the sidelines recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.

Brandon's active leader in games played with 241 career games in a Wheat Kings' uniform, Louis was Brandon's fifth round selection (93rd overall) in the 2002 WHL bantam draft. In six games this season, the 6'4" 220 lb Ponoka, Alberta native, had two assists and 15 minutes in penalties.

Since joining the Wheat Kings as a 16-year old in 2003, Louis had scored five goals, 31 points and accumulated 301 penalty minutes.

"This has been a very difficult decision to make," says Brandon coach and general manager Kelly McCrimmon. "Our 20-year old players have played well, and have provided great leadership for our team. Mark has had a great start to the season, and the Wheat Kings organization wish him the very best."

Brandon currently has 24 players on its roster - two goalkeepers, fourteen forwards and 8 defencemen. Of those, eleven are first year players.

On the ice, the Wheat Kings continue preparations for their upcoming 5-game homestand that will begin this weekend with games against the visiting Prince George Cougars and Kootenay Ice on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets to both games are on sale now at the Keystone box office, by calling 726-3555 or online at ticketmaster.ca

[dagley]

You guys will be impressed by Louis, he's a classy player and individual and will add to your young group of defenseman.

[SectionNDeserter]

Hopefully this gives the opportunity to the Rebels to show Egener and/or Morin the door, or at the very least light a bit of a fire under them.

[Philz]

morin is not a whl callaber player. I can see him in a JR A ranking, but he makes too many mistakes to be playin up here.

[RebelsFan]

I think a third round choice is a lot to give up for a 20 year old at the deadline but there must have been other teams after his services. From what I have read he is a quality guy and for him a good move as well being from Ponoka. I think he will help out our young defenceman and add some toughness to the team from the back end. It sounds like he isn't a great fighter but is more than willing to have a go.

[sbtatter]

He is a classy guy and better fighter than some think. He has under performed somewhat b/c he shows flashes of unbelievable skill. He has played very well this year, and stuck up for the young guys big time. He's a quiet type of leader, and physically huge. I think you did well to only give up a 3rd round pick to get him....He was an Assistant Captain to boot...

[RebelsFan]

I think a third round choice is a lot to give up for a 20 year old at the deadline but there must have been other teams after his services. From what I have read he is a quality guy and for him a good move as well being from Ponoka. I think he will help out our young defenceman and add some toughness to the team from the back end. It sounds like he isn't a great fighter but is more than willing to have a go.

[Hockey101]

Morin and Egener are not that bad of players. They just play way to many minutes and cant handle the load this should ease some of that now and will be able to see what they can do!!!

[SectionNDeserter]

morin is not a whl callaber player. I can see him in a JR A ranking, but he makes too many mistakes to be playin up here.Morin was a lot better last season than he has been this season. He does move pretty good with and without the puck, and positions himself good, but he has made such poor decisions with the puck this season, and has been outmuscled by even the smallest of opponents in battles for the puck.

I am totally at a loss to come up with anything that Egener brings to the team. He doesn't score or generate any scoring (which isn't neccesary to be a defenseman, I know), he doesn't win many battles on the boards, he doesn't block shots, he doesn't stick up for his teammates, he doesn't properly position himself in any passing lanes when killing penalties, he routinely passes the puck to the other team or to nobody. Last night he assisted on the Tiger's first goal by reaching out and deflecting a point shot onto his own goal (instead of blocking it), which Clark stopped, but not the rebound. He then put a shot on his own goal from the corner while trying to clear the zone a bit later. A little later on in the game, he tried to skate out in front of the net up the middle and had the puck taken away from him like he wasn't even there. He can skate pretty good without the puck I guess, but now that he is a 'leader' on this team, he is starting to cost the team more and more points with his presence on the ice. It was sort of funny to see a handful of people in Tiger's jerseys lined up after the hockey game to get his autograph. :laugh:

[Rebel66]

Good move by the Rebels that obviously addresses a huge problem. Louis is exactly the type of steady defenceman that the team required. I'm very happy with this trade. A 3rd sounds about right to me too.

I'm not going to get into the Morin/Egener debate but I will say that this will relieve some concerns that certain players were playing too many minutes back there.

:clap:

[Brandonite]

Good move by the Rebels that obviously addresses a huge problem. Louis is exactly the type of steady defenceman that the team required. I'm very happy with this trade. A 3rd sounds about right to me too.


:clap:


I'm not going to get into the Morin/Egener debate but I will say that this will relieve some concerns that certain players were playing too many minutes back there.

Once again the Wheat Kings were stuck with having to deal away one of their more valuable players to the team. If Louis was 19, he would have for sure finished off his career in Brandon but it was just a position thing more than anything but Louis has represented the Wheaties well in his 4 years here. The Rebels are getting a guy who like has been said will stick up for any teammate at any time and will really help lead the kids. A pure Sutter type player and a great pick up by Red Deer

[Brandonite]

Its been roughly 2-3 weeks since Mark Louis was traded from Brandon to Red Deer and I believe he has played atleast 3 games in Red Deer since coming to the Rebels. How have you Rebel fans felt about him and any comments from what you have seen? Good or bad..?

[SectionNDeserter]

Nothing really too flashy, but plays with a lot more poise than our other defensemen. He doesn't really have a hard slapshot, but I will say that he knows how to put it on net when he does shoot. I think he will serve as a good mentor to some of our younger guys as well.