The Seattle Thunderbirds received a hammer blow last week.
Overage forward Kyle Pess left Seattle last Thursday, leaving a gaping hole in the T-bird lineup and rendering Seattle’s blockbuster deal from last season’s trade deadline null on the T-bird end.
The quick and skillful Pess was the key figure for Seattle in last season’s deal, in which Seattle acquired Pess, forward Robert Klinkhammer and goaltender Kevin Opsahl from Lethbridge in exchange for forwards Mitch Fadden and Yashar Farmanara and goaltender Gavin McHale. In 31 games with the T-birds last season Pess amassed nine goals and 11 assists.
However, after scoring three goals in Seattle’s first seven games this season, Pess left the team and requested a trade to a team closer to his home in Red Deer, Alberta.
The timing couldn’t have been any worse for Seattle. The deadline to cut down to three overagers was the previous week and the T-birds, with four 20-year-olds, reached the limit by trading Klinkhammer to Portland. Now Seattle is short an overager, and many of the best available overagers have already passed waivers and moved on to the Ontario Hockey League.
Pess’ departure, along with Klinkhammer’s trade and Opsahl’s decision not to report during the preseason, means Seattle has nothing left to show from last season’s trade. Meanwhile, Fadden has 15 points and Farmanara has nine in Lethbridge’s first 15 games. Also, Klinkhammer is leading Portland in scoring with 13 points in nine games.
To help fill the void, Seattle acquired 19-year-old forward Ian McKenzie from Moose Jaw in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2007 bantam draft.
Warrior remains in critical condition: There was no update Monday evening on the condition of Moose Jaw forward Garrett Robinson, who was critically injured in a car crash Sunday morning.
The 18-year-old Robinson suffered severe head trauma in the accident, which occurred after the Warriors arrived home from a game at Red Deer. Teammates Joey Perricone and Carter Smith received minor injuries in the crash.
Robinson remains at Regina General Hospital, where he underwent surgery Sunday.
League leaders: Points – Ben Maxwell (Kootenay) 24; goals – Kris Hogg (Lethbridge) 13; assists – Maxwell, Cody Franson (Vancouver), Martin Hanzal (Red Deer) 16; penalty minutes – Randy King (Lethbridge) 59; wins – Leland Irving (Everett) 8; goals against average – Irving 1.19; save percentage – Irving .951.
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