The Silvertips didn’t skate Monday, but that doesn’t mean things weren’t happening or that we aren’t covering them.

First off the Tips announced a trade Monday as they acquired 1999-born goaltender Dorrin Luding from Saskatoon for a sixth-round pick in 2019.

? Tips acquire G @D_Luding29 from Saskatoon for a 6th rounder in 2019

» https://t.co/XoEsVIm5Ic pic.twitter.com/MUs7lpvHID

— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) December 5, 2016

This is completely a depth move as Carter Hart is expected to make the Team Canada roster for World Juniors. I’d be surprised if Luding does much more than open and shut the door to the ice while he’s in town as Mario Petit has proven himself to be a more than capable backup.

Petit showed that last year in the playoffs against Portland. This year he is 4-0-1 with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. In fact, Petit’s only loss came in a 4-3 overtime loss at Kelowna when Hart was pulled after giving up two quick goals in the first period.

But you’ve got to dress a backup and that appears it will be Luding. General manager Garry Davidson tried to address this when he traded for Lasse Petersen prior to the season, but Petersen has dual citizenship in Denmark, so it was determined he would likely miss games at the same time as Hart. Petersen played just one game for Everett before he was reassigned to the MJHL and then subsequently traded to Red Deer where he’s appeared in 14 games.

Hart, along with teammate Noah Juulsen will likely leave for training camp sometime this week and the World Junior Championship is contested Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Montreal and Toronto. That means Hart and Juulsen could miss up to eight games before presumably being returned in time for Everett’s Jan. 6 game at Seattle.

Speaking of Hart, Neate Sager led off his CHL notebook by noting Hart’s current hot streak and notes that two goalies that survive training camp will be under intense scrutiny:

On the @sportsnet, have a heart for @C_Hart70 and stay for the story of the @ErieOtters' jersey relay! https://t.co/kHiKe4I23f #OHL #WHL

— Neate Sager (@NaitSAYger) December 5, 2016

BONUS:

The second episode of ThunderTips, a new podcast I’m doing with colleague Andy Eide (who covers the T-Birds) is up. Give it a listen below:

– Our colleague Gregg Drinnan, who runs the best WHL/CHL hockey blog in North America, notes that the Sioux City Musketeers have assumed the top spot in the USHL rankings.

Why should you care about Sioux City, you ask? Well, as Drinnan notes, the Muskies are coached by Jay Varady, a former Tips assistant coach, while fellow former Everett assistant Mark LeRose is Sioux City’s GM and head scout.

Musketeers move up the #USHL Power Rankings & have a lot to look forward to in December. Read more here https://t.co/WGJ8kyZRKW pic.twitter.com/4OafSq5bsa

— SiouxCity Musketeers (@Musketeerhockey) December 2, 2016

On a personal note, my first full-time journalism job was in Le Mars, Iowa, a town of 10,000 about 25 miles north of Sioux City. I spent a lot of time in Sioux City – including at the Tyson Events Center, the Missouri River-adjacent building the Musketeers all home. However, I must confess I never attended a Muskies game.

– Finally, if you’re wondering about the CHL class-action lawsuit seeking minimum wage for players, TSN has this story that provides an update. It seems 351 current and former WHL and QMJHL players have joined the effort.

For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter.