Broncos Trade

[Quarter Century Fan]

Posted from Swift Current Online

The Swift Current Broncos are now on their way to British Columbia for a five-game road trip, but not before making a trade with the Saskatoon Blades.

The Broncos have dealt 18-year-old defenceman Cole Bevan and a 7th round Bantam Draft Pick in 2015 to the Blades in exchange for 19-year-old defenceman Ayrton Nikkel.

"I've seen Nikkel play for a few years, I think there's a lot of potential there," said Broncos Head Coach and GM Mark Lamb. "He's a very aggressive kid, and I think he's one of those guys that needs a different opportunity, and I think he'll be a very good player for us.

"I think he fits our identity, in how we try to play and what we do," he added. "He's been around a little bit, and I think he's looking for an opportunity to really stabilize himself and be a real top player."

Nikkel is in his 3rd full WHL season, and scored 8 goals and 26 points over 173 games with Brandon, Everett and Saskatoon. Bevan leaves the Broncos after two seasons, registering two assists in 18 games.

"[Bevan's] been a real good kid here," Lamb said. "He put in his time in the gym, worked hard, and was popular with the teammates... I'm just happy we can make a deal for him, and go to Saskatoon to hopefully develop into a real good player."

Nikkel joins a veteran-laden blue line which includes Dillon Heatherington, Brycen Martin and Brett Lernout, who all recently returned from NHL camps, and Lamb says this addition will add to the competition, even with Julius Honka still at Dallas Stars training camp after surviving the first round of cuts this weekend.

"I think we have a good core on defence now, and I think he's really going to add to it," Lamb said. "Honka's one of those guys, and we don't know what's going to happen. It's hard doing the business, but even if Honka comes back, this deal is going to be beneficial for us."

[CHtoo]

Honka won't be back. :burningmad:

[dodywood4ever]

Pretty confused by what happened. Wonder if it was a big market team it would have gone down the same?

[nivek_wahs]

Honka....
http://starsblog.dallasnews.com/2014/09/stars-reduce-roster-by-six.html/


The Stars have made the decision to play 2014 first-round draft pick Julius Honka in the AHL this season.

Honka played last season with Swift Current of the WHL, and would typically have to return there under the agreement between the NHL and Major Junior hockey. However, he was on loan from Finland to the WHL, so he’s not allowed to go back to junior this year, according to Nill. That meant the choices for the Stars were to send him back to Finland or send him to the AHL. The Stars have decided to place the 18-year-old with the Texas Stars and leave him there for the season.

“It was a decision that we talked about, and he wanted to play in the AHL, so we feel good about this,” Stars general manager Jim Nill said. “In seeing him in Traverse City and in training camp, he’s a very mature player who is more than ready for this. If we didn’t think he could handle it, we would have made a different decision, but he proved himself.”

Honka last season played 62 games with Swift Current and had 56 points (16 goals, 40 assists). He also won a gold medal with Finland at the World Juniors. Honka was drafted 14th overall by the Stars in June.

Honka is expected to be in a great group of defensemen in Texas. If Brenden Dillon is signed before the start of the season, there’s a chance Texas will have Honka, John Klingberg, Jamie Oleksiak, Jyrki Jokipakka, Cameron Gaunce, Derek Meech, Maxime Fortunus and Troy Vance.

“You can never have enough depth, so we feel good about that group,” Nill said.Sounds like the Stars hands were tied.

[patsdude114]

Sounds like the Broncos management was either confused or didn't give out all the info to their fans when Honka came over last year. The Broncos got him on a loan and nothing more it was a 1yr loan.

Either way a big loss to the Broncos blue line as a player like that you just don't replace.

[dodywood4ever]

Wouldn't surprise me if Lamb had no idea. Not the brightest star in the sky. Fortunately for him mediocrity is rewarded in Swift.

[sbtatter]

That's too bad for Swifty. Hope these Euros don't all start following this "loan" route and quit after 1 year

[Harvest]

Wouldn't surprise me if Lamb had no idea. Not the brightest star in the sky. Fortunately for him mediocrity is rewarded in Swift.

Completely agree. Someone in the organization really dropped the ball on this one. You don't hear about other teams in the league losing a euro to the ahl at 19. We start 2-3 to begin this year and the only team we've beaten is the aaa warriors. We have the longest serving active coach and gm in the league, you wanna know why? because if another team hadn't made it past the first round in 6 years they would've canned there coach, but instead the board of directors and choo foo reward mediocrity. When will drinking buddies and business partners take second to the greater good of the organization. This is a small market team and you cant afford to have people in place just because they've been there for a long time. Yes I know they've made money this last year but was it because of a superior hockey product or because our on ice promotions and gimmicks were top notch? doubtful. Speaking of on ice gimmicks, my goodness could they be more unorganized and clueless out there, give me a break. I will say though that the promotions to get people to the rink has been better then before. But the main reason for an increased revenue is people in swift and heavily the surrounding area don't want to lose this team, that part markets itself. Now to get back to the on ice product, I'm not saying Lamb hasn't done a decent job at evaluating talent and taking chances in some low risk trades but hockey is a game of what have you done for me lately and frankly not getting through the playoffs even a round is disheartening. And our breakout, don't even get me started on our breakout. All this being said this is still the team I grew up watching and will continue to have season tickets (15+ years) for as long as theres a team here. Rant over

[Quarter Century Fan]

Honka not coming back is quite disappointing. I thought he would be excellent trade bait to get a dynamic offensive forward which I think we really need.:confused:

[trucker]

I don't think this is Lambs fault here. This choice is as bad as it could get for ALL CHL teams! Our organization is hurt the most, by far, out of all the parties involved here though! This whole euro system to the CHL is becoming a wreck! Something far more concrete than this,...wishy washy, having to deal with IIHF system (that gives me a sour taste) needs to be made! I for one would rather see more 20's in the league, and or, more Americans, and no euro's! Don't get me wrong...loved the euros we have always had here but the Soberg situation and now this situation leaves the Broncos at another loss.

[patsdude114]

There is a risk with every draft pick in the import draft, you never know who is gonna show up until that opening day of camp.

The Pats used to have terrible luck with euro's as well it seems like once it starts happening it is tough to reverse. Just comes down to doing more homework on which players are really willing to come over here and play. The import draft is basically who you know with the information you get on players and then comes down to the agent who the player has, chances are if a GM here has had past relations with certain agents you can get these players over here easier..


I think there are a lot of Russian players out there who are very willing to come over to Canada and play now that Russia is part of IIHF transfer agreement. The Russian junior league is not that great of league and all the top junior age kids get places in the pro teams and play against men. The WHl (CHL as a whole) have seen an increase of Russian players the past 2 years and I see this trend increasing more as long as Russia sticks with the IIHF transfer agreement.

[trucker]

I totally agree with all that! The euro draft is a crap shoot! Gm's have to go on what they are told by whom ever it is that the gm trusts with the info they receive. I think we needed to do what we had to, to get Honka here. Just sucks losing him! It's a Big blow