EVERETT – It turns out the Everett Silvertips’ fears regarding Michael Wall were justified.
The former Everett goaltender signed a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s Anaheim Mighty Ducks on Thursday, in all likelihood ending Wall’s junior career.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The 20-year-old Wall, who came into training camp as Everett’s No. 1 goaltender, was traded to Regina prior to the season, in large part because the Silvertips believed he would be offered a professional contract after impressing Anaheim during a tryout. In return Everett received a fifth-round pick in the 2006 Bantam Draft and, if Wall reported to Regina, an additional third-round pick in the 2007 Bantam Draft.
“We had what we thought were four or five good reasons to make that deal, and right at the top was we thought he was a great goalie with a strong chance of signing an NHL contract, which would take him out of our league,” Everett coach and director of hockey operations Kevin Constantine said. “So it was a chance to get a fifth-round draft pick as a little bit of insurance – and Regina I think did the right thing in taking a risk on a guy who could be a season-breaking type of player.”
Wall could still conceivably be reassigned to the Western Hockey League by the Mighty Ducks, in which case the Silvertips would still receive the conditional third-round pick. But given that Wall is one of just three goaltenders remaining in Anaheim’s training camp, with two spots also open with the Mighty Ducks’ American Hockey League affiliate in Portland, Maine, that would appear to be a long shot.
Wall, a native of Telkwa, British Columbia, played two years in Everett, serving one season as a backup and one as a starter. Last season he was one of the top netminders in the WHL, going 24-22-8 and finishing fifth in the league in goals against average (1.92), third in save percentage (.931) and second in shutouts (10).
Wall joins a list that includes forward Riley Armstrong and defenseman Ivan Baranka of former Tips who have signed contracts with NHL teams.
“The bottom line is we’re just really happy for Mike,” Constantine said. “He’s such a first-class person. As an organization we just love our players and we’re just so happy when good things work out for them.”
Blatchford lands in Kelowna: Another former Silvertip, defenseman Ryan Blatchford, has also found a home, being picked up by the defending WHL champion Kelowna Rockets.
Blatchford, an original Silvertip, was one of six overagers vying for the three openings in Everett this season. One of the odd men out, he was sent home last week. Everett sought a trade but found no suitors and subsequently released the 20-year-old from Kelvington, Saskatchewan, allowing Kelowna to swoop in.
“Blatch really wanted to get going with his plan B, so we waived him, which would have happened Oct. 13 (at the overager deadline) anyhow,” Constantine said. “Kelowna had interest, so they picked him up.
“We put notice out to teams that if they had interest in our extra overagers to let us know,” Constantine added. “But it’s really hard to trade guys like that because teams know they’re free come Oct. 13.”
Blatchford joins forwards Troy Bodie and Lauris Darzins and defenseman Liam Couture as candidates for Kelowna’s three overager spots.
Around the WHL: Former Silvertip Curtis Billsten has yet to play a regular season game for his new team, the Lethbridge Hurricanes, because of medical issues. According to the Lethbridge Herald, Billsten, a 19-year-old right wing who was part of the deal that brought John Lammers to Everett, was diagnosed with an irregularity during a recent physical and has been advised to avoid physical activity until further tests are performed. … U.S. Division rival Seattle was busy this week, making a pair of trades. The T-birds traded 20-year-old defenseman Kyle Fecho to Moose Jaw in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2006 Bantam Draft. Fecho became expendable when 20-year-old right wing Ryan Gibbons returned from training camp with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. Seattle also traded the rights of 20-year-old European forward Denis Tolpeko to Regina for a conditional draft pick in the 2006 or 2007 Bantam Draft. Tolpeko did not attend camp with the T-birds.
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