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Wheat Kings Acquire Veteran Brent Raedeke from Oil Kings
December 30, 2009
Brandon, Manitoba – For the second time in two weeks, the Brandon Wheat Kings have completed a Western Hockey League trade, as they continue to build their roster for the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup.
Wheat Kings’ general manager and head coach Kelly McCrimmon has announced that they’ve acquired 19-year old center Brent Raedeke from the Edmonton Oil Kings in exchange for 16-year old right-winger Klarc Wilson.
A 6’ 200 lb. Regina product, Raedeke is currently in his third WHL season and entered the second half of the season as the Oil Kings’ leading scorer with seventeen goals and 31 points in 39 games.
An eighth round pick (141st overall) of the Regina Pats in the 2005 WHL bantam draft, Raedeke, who was signed by the National Hockey League’s Detroit Red Wings last year, is expected to join the team in Red Deer today and will be in the lineup Wednesday night when the Wheat Kings continue a 3-game road trip against the Rebels.
“Brent will be an excellent addition to our club and will complement our forward group,” says McCrimmon. “He is a natural center with good size and strength, is an excellent skater and will be a very good two way player for our team.”
In 181 career WHL games, Raedeke has 51 goals and 117 points, while accumulating 202 minutes in penalties.
Wilson, an Edmonton product, was Brandon’s first pick and tenth overall selection in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft and in eighteen games, he had two assists and 12 penalty minutes.
Wednesday’s trade was Brandon’s first since Christmas and second in two weeks. The weekend before Christmas, the Wheat Kings dealt Jordan DePape to Kamloops in exchange for 19-year old Shayne Wiebe.
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EDMONTON, AB- The Edmonton Oil Kings said good-bye to their all-time leading scorer Wednesday morning.
Oil Kings General Manager Bob Green made his second significant move this week by trading veteran forward Brent Raedeke to the 2010 Memorial Cup host Brandon Wheat Kings in exchange for highly touted power forward Klarc Wilson and a conditional draft pick.
It was a difficult move, but with the acquisition of Wilson, the Oil Kings keep a keen eye for the future.
Raedeke was acquired by the Oil Kings at the 2007 WHL expansion draft. He played in 181 career games with Edmonton tallying 51 goals and 66 assists for 117 points.
The Regina native was invited to the Detroit Red Wings training camp prior to the 2008-09 season , and would sign a three-year entry level contract shortly thereafter.
Raedeke led the Oil Kings in all offensive categories this season scoring 17 goals and 14 assists in 38 games.
"Brent has been a big contributor to our organization for the past two and a half seasons. We've been able to see him develop into a future pro hockey player," said Green.
"We appreciate all that Brent has done for this organization, and with his new opportunity in Brandon, he will get a chance to win a Memorial Cup championship to close out his career."
Wilson is part of the same draft class as Oil Kings forward Michael St. Croix. He was selected in the first round, 10th overall by Brandon in the 2008 WHL bantam draft.
It will be a return home for the Edmonton product. The 16-year-old played his minor hockey with the Knights of Columbus Pats.
The 6 foot 198 pound right winger has tallied two assists in just 18 games this season.
"He's a big strong physical presence with scoring touch, who has a nose for the net," said Green.
"Anytime you can add a 16-year-old player with his pedigree to your lineup, it's important. He will be a big part of our future going forward."
Raedeke will make his Wheat King debut tonight in Red Deer against the Rebels.
