Kitchener Rangers General Manager and Head Coach Steve Spott announced today that the team has completed a trade with the Windsor Spitfires.
In the deal, the Rangers send import forward Juraj Bezuch and a conditional sixth round pick* in the 2013 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection to Windsor in exchange for forward Nick Czinder, defenseman Jeff Braithwaite and a seventh round pick in the 2014 Priority Selection.
*Kitchener’s sixth round pick is conditional on Jeff Braithwaite playing one game for the Kitchener Rangers in 2012-13 or being traded by the Rangers during in the 2012-13 season. At this time, Jeff has elected to pursue an educational opportunity and has not committed to playing his overage season.
Czinder posted career-best numbers with the Spitfires in 2011-12, recording 15 goals and 15 assists in 68 regular season games and two goals in four playoff appearances. Prior to making his Ontario Hockey League debut, he was named to the 2009-10 USHL All Star Game as a member of the Youngstown Phantoms.
Originally drafted by the Peterborough Petes in the second round of the 2008 OHL Priority Selection, Braithwaite joined Windsor last season via trade with the Kingston Frontenacs. He scored four goals and added 18 assists in 57 regular season contests last year. He also picked up one assist in four games during the postseason.
I should point out...and this surprises me...via Twitter:
Windsor Spitfires @GO_SPITS_GO
vlad ionin has been waived. RT @hazzhound96: @GO_SPITS_GO how will that work you guys already have two imports
--- I'm disappointed Czinder is gone, but when you have depth up front, it's to be expected. Braithwaite is all well and good, but I never grew attached to him. I'm hoping Bezuch gets some chemistry going with the forwards.
Wonder if the spits will pick up another O/A now with Czinder and Braithwaite,somebody from the O or from out west,a forward I would think
I don't think I would want a player that gets waived through an entire league. I'm sure they will fill that 3rd OA spot but may wait to see who comes back.
Drafting Ionin may have been a gamble, and the scout upon whose recommendation they made the selection may need to come under review, but I for one am glad the the Spitfires decided to cut their losses on this one. Fourth line minutes were all he could hope for this year, and Graham looked much better, less of a liability on the ice.
Bezuch for Czinder and a 7th plus a conditional 6th for Braithwaite: sure hope that Bezuch is a "huge" upgrade at forward.
Ionin never seemed to get going here, so I'm not surprised. Like I told Libbs, it strikes me as a situation where the Spitfires were 99.9% sure Tolchinski was coming here, then, when SSM selected him, Plan B was rushed.
As I posted earlier wondering who the Spits might pick up as an O/A in the forward position,quality players are hard to find players who might be of interest could be Myles Doan,the Lasalle native scored 9 goals last yr but put up 3 and 3 in the playoffs in 16 games and could be an effective winger,Scott Sabourin and Emerson Clark are snarly players who scored 11 and 12 goals respectively,also Corey Durocher who is not with the Hounds scored 16 goals,is 6 ft 3 and might fit in
I suggest these guys because I not sure how ready players such as Studnicka,Verbeek are at this time
