Rocket Warrior Trade

[Broncs in RD]

Grantham to the Rockets for Hood

[Malc]

By Larry Fisher

The Kelowna Rockets just got tougher.

Whether they necessarily got better is a matter of debate, but Kelowna addressed a need on Thursday by acquiring the Western Hockey League's penalty-minute leader, Ryley Grantham, from the Moose Jaw Warriors along with a fifth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft in exchange for 18-year-old forward Dylan Hood.

"We felt it was very important to bring in another bigger body up front," said Rockets head coach Ryan Huska of swapping the five-foot-nine, 186-pound Hood for the six-foot-four, 203-pound Grantham. "We needed someone to play and compete and not really take a step back from anyone, and he's the guy we identified as probably the best one around that would be able to do that.

"We have a lot of skilled guys up front, and I think with the addition of Ryley, he's a guy that's going to make people think twice when they run around just simply because of his presence."

In Grantham, the Rockets are getting a 21-year-old forward from Hanna, Alta., who leads all WHL pugilists with 132 penalty minutes in 32 games.

Widely considered the WHL's reigning heavyweight champ, Grantham can really hold his own if and when push comes to shove. And his intimidation factor is second to none.

"He's going to make our group feel a lot more confident on the ice, for sure," Huska said. "He's going to make each and every guy in our dressing room feel bigger."

Kelowna product Kyle Beach, who was recently traded from Everett to Lethbridge, is second in the WHL with 106 penalty minutes.

Prior to picking up Grantham, the Rockets didn't have anyone in the top 40 for penalty minutes, and were led by 17-year-old rookie forward Mitchell Callahan with 68 penalty minutes in 39 games – ranking him 46th in the league.

Aside from his policing duties, Grantham also has eight goals and 13 points on the season, and Huska said he will be serviceable beyond his enforcer role.

"He's a very tough individual, but that's not the only part of his game," Huska said. "We have confidence we'll be able to stick him on a line with Colin Long or Cody Almond or wherever he may play and he'll be successful there. He's also a guy we can use on the power play in front of the net.

"He's a guy we're going to utilize and expect to contribute both physically and with a regular shift and power-play time as well."

The Rockets did have to give to receive, however. Hood was in his third season with Kelowna and the Osoyoos native is in the midst of a career year.

After tallying 10 goals and 18 points in 63 games as a 17-year-old sophomore last season, Hood has compiled eight goals and 19 points in 37 games to date on the current campaign.

"We're giving up a third-year player and a quality person," Rockets general manager Bruce Hamilton said. "The way our roster looks now, we wanted to send Dylan to a place where he would get the ice time he deserves."

http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local_sports.php?id=157146