WHL trade deadline featured 12 trades around league
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on January 11, 2024.
sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews Western Hockey League teams were in a buzz Wednesday afternoon, setting their teams up for a playoff run or recouping assets for the future. A total of 12 trades were completed on Wednesday’s trade deadline day. The standout deal of the day came an hour after the deadline, with the Brandon Wheat Kings sending the ninth overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft Nate Danielson to the Portland Winterhawks. The Detroit Red Wings prospect has 12 goals and 14 assists in 26 contests this season and added a goal and two assists in five games for Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship. Going the other way is a pair of 2005-born players, defenceman Rhett Ravndahl and forward Nick Johnson, as well as three draft picks, a first-round pick in 2025, a first-round pick in 2027 and a fifth-round pick in 2026. The Wheat Kings also sent the rights to 18-year-old forward Evan Groening to Prince George in exchange for a 2027 10th-round pick. Medicine Hat traded goaltender Evan May to the Moose Jaw Warriors for a third-round pick in 2027 and sent defensive prospect Kolby Gapter to the Vancouver Giants for an eighth-round pick in 2026. Here are the remaining deals from the deadline day: The Calgary Hitmen acquired defender and former Medicine Hat Tiger Pasha Bocharov from the Tri-City Americans for a fifth-round pick in the 2027 WHL draft. The 19-year-old Bocharov has seven goals and 11 points in 37 games for the Americans. Earlier in the day Calgary picked up 17-year-old rookie forward Justin Ivanusec from the Giants for a 2025 fifth-round pick. He has three goals and five points in 29 games this season. The Lethbridge Hurricanes traded for 19-year-old forward Hayden Pakkala from the Prince Albert Radiers in exchange for a 2027 third-rounder. The Okotoks product has six goals and 18 points in 38 games played with the Raiders this season. Lethbridge also added 19-year-old defenceman Braedyn Wynn from the Seattle Thunderbirds. Wynne had three assists in 20 games for Seattle, who received a 2024 seventh-round pick in return. Wenatchee traded rookie Oscar Lovsin to the Thunderbirds in exchange for former Tiger Cru Hanas. Lovsin scored the first goal in Wild franchise history on Sept. 22, 2023 and earned WHL rookie of the week honours with two goals and two assists in his first two regular season contests. Hanas had four assists in 20 games with Seattle after being acquired from Medicine Hat earlier this season. The Kelowna Rockets, Edmonton Oil Kings and Saskatoon Blades engaged in a three-team trade with seven pieces involved. Saskatoon acquired 19-year-old D-man John Babcock, who has three goals and 10 points in 35 games. Edmonton received Kelowna defenceman Ismail Abougouche along with a 2026 second-round pick from Saskatoon. Kelowna received the largest package, acquiring 18-year-old defenceman Carter Kowalyk from the Oil Kings along with a 2025 fourth-round pick (from Edmonton), 2024 second-round pick (from Saskatoon, originally from Medicine Hat) and a 2026 third-round pick (from Seattle). Vancouver acquired Winnipeg Jets prospect Connor Levis from the Kamloops Blazers for three draft picks. The 19-year-old winger has 10 goals and 28 points in 37 games, earning the Blazers a 2025 lottery-protected first-round pick, a 2024 second-round pick (from Seattle) and a 2026 fourth-round pick. The Swift Current Broncos were involved in two trades to kick off deadline day. They acquired 20-year-old defencmean Tyson Galloway from the Calgary Hitmen for a second and third-round pick in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft. In a corresponding move, Swift Current sent 20-year-old forward Tyson Laventure to the Victoria Royals for a fifth-round pick in the 2026 WHL draft. Laventure has 15 goals and 36 points in 39 games. 28-27
