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Stay-Puft
11-30-2005, 03:07 PM
The Portland Winter Hawks today acquired 17-year-old defenseman Lenny Thunderchild from the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for a 7th round choice in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft.

Earlier this week, the Hawks acquired 17-year-old defenseman Mike McDonald from the Tri-City Americans as injuries and the upcoming World Junior Championships could really deplete the Portland blue line.

Defenseman Justin Mazurek is out for the season due to shoulder surgery, defensemen Cameron Cepek is definitely out long-term with a broken wrist, defenseman Max Gordichuk is out indefinitely with a wrist injury, and defenseman Scott Gabriel is out indefinitely with neck and shoulder injuries and a concussion. Gabriel was hurt as a result of the major penalty for elbowing that was assessed to Tri-Cities’ forward Jason Beeman in Saturday night’s game in Memorial Coliseum. The Western Hockey League suspended Beeman for four games today.

In addition, the Hawks are likely to lose the services of defenseman Michael Funk (Team Canada), and perhaps defenseman Michael Sauer (Team USA), for as many as ten games from December 11-January 7 while they play in the World Junior Tournament. Team USA announces its roster on December 5 and Team Canada has a pre-selection camp that starts on December 11. Funk will almost certainly at least be involved in the pre-selection camp.

“Lenny caught my eye two years ago at the Alberta Cup major bantam tournament,” said Winter Hawks’ scout Brian “Bunny” Shaw. “He looked like a decent, stay at home defenseman that was willing to play physical in front of his net. He had good size, he was a right hand shot, and looked like he could play in the league.”

Thunderchild, 6’1, 210, has been in 13 games this season for Lethbridge with no points, 13 penalty minutes and a -1 rating. He was Lethbridge’s 4th round choice in the 2003 WHL Bantam Draft. Last season, he played 43 games posting (2-1-3) with 20 penalty minutes and a +2 rating with Lethbridge. In 2004-05, Thunderchild played AAA midget hockey for Sherwood Park, Alberta, posting (3-6-9) with 76 penalty minutes in 33 games.

Triton
11-30-2005, 03:32 PM
If I was a Winterhawk GM I would have went out and done a deal with a team full of D-men like Brandon.I would have got either Louis or Courchene.