EVERETT — The Everett Silvertips sorted out their overager situation Tuesday. However, they needed to acquire yet another 20-year-old to do so.
Everett added to its overflowing pile of overagers by picking up center Chris Langkow from the Saskatoon Blades in exchange for a pair of bantam draft picks. The Tips then broke up the logjam by waiving forward Travis Dunstall and defenseman Colin Scherger to get down to their allotment of three 20-year-olds. Dunstall and Scherger both were acquired off waivers earlier in the season.
The Tips surrendered a sixth-round pick in 2010 and a third-round pick in 2011 to acquire Langkow’s services. A 6-foot-1, 190-pound native of Vegreville, Alberta, Langkow is in his fourth season in the Western Hockey League, having split the previous three between Spokane and Saskatoon. Last season with the Blades, he had 15 goals, 34 assists and 52 penalty minutes in 70 games.
More importantly from Everett’s standpoint, Langkow is a true center.
“Looking at our hockey club, that’s where we felt we needed to add another player,” Everett general manager Doug Soetaert said. “Travis was in here and he did a good job, but he’s not what you call a natural centerman, he’s more of a winger. Langkow can play center, He’s played there in the past and is comfortable there.
“We think we’re solid down the middle now with (Byron) Froese, (Zack) Dailey and Langkow.”
Langkow joins Dailey and Shane Harper as the three overagers on Everett’s roster.
Langkow became expendable in Saskatoon when overage forward Milan Kytnar was reassigned to juniors rather than the minors by the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers.
In Langkow the Tips added a hard-working two-way player who can chip in with the occasional point.
“We think he’s very responsible defensively,” Soetaert said. “He competes, he’s a quality individual and a real character guy, plus he can also be a part of a power play because he has good hands and can move the puck. He’s a top-two line guy in the league for sure, so we feel we’ve added a solid piece to the puzzle.”
It ended up being short stays in Everett for Dunstall and Scherger.
Everett acquired Dunstall off waivers from Medicine Hat during the preseason. Dunstall, who had 15 goals and 34 assists in 61 games last season, appeared in Everett’s first two regular-season games, notching one assist while lining up at center.
The Tips picked up Scherger off waivers from Prince George during the summer. Scherger, who had one goal and nine assists in 65 games last season, was a healthy scratch in each of Everett’s first two games.
Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog.
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