Two hours after Thursday’s Western Hockey League trade deadline, the Everett Silvertips announced they acquired 19-year-old left winger Robbie Holmes from the Regina Pats for a second-round pick in 2020, a sixth-round pick in 2022 and drafted prospect Sloan Stanick.
“We wanted to get a quality piece to add to our group there and get to 14 forwards,” Everett general manager Garry Davidson said. “We thought that was very important. We believe with Robbie’s experience and where he’s been (that) he’ll fit with our top couple of lines and contribute both ways out there for us.”
Holmes has recorded nine goals and seven assists in 24 games for the Pats, including a run of nine points over his last eight games dating to Dec. 15.
The Sherwood Park, Alberta, native stepped into a bigger role when Regina dealt highly-touted forwards Nick Henry and Jake Leschyshyn to the Lethbridge Hurricanes in a blockbuster trade in November. An 11th-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft, Holmes has recorded 56 points in 148 career WHL games.
Davidson said Holmes projects into Everett’s top-six forward group moving forward.
“Obviously that will be up to his performance and how our coaches want to put our group together there, but I certainly see him as that type of a player,” Davidson said. “…I think he’s positioned as a left wing, and we can use that. Secondly, I think he’s an up-and-down guy that can help on both sides of the puck. He’s going to be a physical presence and help out defensively and work hard in that area, and I think he’s got a high quality package offensively.”
Holmes becomes the fourth Everett player with Memorial Cup experience, joining Sahvan Khaira, Artyom Minulin and Max Patterson. That is no coincidence, according to Davidson.
“That was very important,” he said. “We were looking for a veteran, mature, experienced guy, and we got one. He’s played lots in the league, but he also has lots of playoff experience. That was a big factor in making the move for him.”
Stanick, 15, has posted 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 31 games for the Yellowhead (Manitoba) Chiefs Midget AAA this season. The Rapid City, Manitoba, native was drafted in the seventh round by the Silvertips in 2018 bantam draft.
Notable deadline deals around the WHL
The Portland Winterhawks were one of the busiest clubs in the final days before the trade deadline. On Wednesday, the Winterhawks nabbed Swift Current Broncos goaltender Joel Hofer, a St. Louis Blues prospect, in exchange for six bantam picks, including two first rounders. Then, in a swap of 19-year-olds, Portland acquired Josh Paterson and two bantam picks for Ryan Hughes of the Saskatoon Blades.
Edmonton Oil Kings center Brett Kemp, a former Silvertips draft pick,was sent to the Medicine Hat Tigers for highly-touted 17-year-old Josh Williams. Kemp owns 39 points (22 goals, 17 assists) in 40 contests while Williams boasts 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 41 games.
There were far less buyers and sellers the 2019 deadline than there were in 2018, the same year Everett acquired Garrett Pilon and Ondrej Vala. Many of the high profile trades (Leschyshyn and Henry to Lethbridge; Brett Davis and Cam Hausinger to the Red Deer Rebels; Zack Andrusiak to Everett; Liam Hughes to Lethbridge) were completed several days before the deadline.
Josh Horton covers the Everett Silvertips and AquaSox for The Everett Daily Herald. Follow him on Twitter (@joshhortonEDH) or reach out to him over email (jhorton@heraldnet.com)
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