Tigers send young defenceman to Spokane

By JAMES TUBB on September 21, 2021.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

For the second time in a week, the Tigers have made a trade with Spokane.

The Tigers announced Monday they have traded defenceman Ben Bonni to the Chiefs for an eighth round pick in the 2023 WHL draft.

Medicine Hat took the 17-year-old in the sixth round, 129th overall, in the 2019 WHL bantam draft. He has spent the last two seasons with the U18 AAA Winnipeg Thrashers. The Winnipeg product had nine goals and 21 points in 46 games with the Thrashers.

“We’d like to thank Ben for the time and energy he put in to his time with the Tigers. Ben is a good quality defenceman with a bright future,” said Tigers general manager and head coach Willie Desjardins in a media release. “With a lot of blue line depth here, we felt he would get a good opportunity to develop with the Chiefs.”

Last Tuesday the Tigers acquired forward Owen MacNeil from the Chiefs for a fourth round pick in 2022 and an eighth round pick in 2023. MacNeil stepped into the Tigers’ lineup with an assist on Saturday, when they beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-3.

Medicine Hat’s next games come this weekend as they will travel to Swift Current to take on the Broncos in pre-season action on Friday, before returning home on Saturday for the second half of the home-and-home series. Puck drops at Co-op Place at 7 p.m.

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