EVERETT – Last season in the Western Conference finals, the Everett Silvertips were pushed around by the bigger, stronger and more physical Vancouver Giants.
Tuesday the Silvertips made a move designed to prevent that from happening again.
Everett addressed its lack of size and toughness by acquiring defenseman Jesse Zetariuk from the Moose Jaw Warriors.
The Tips acquired the 20-year-old Zetariuk along with 18-year-old right wing Carter Smith in exchange for 20-year-old defenseman Cody Thoring, 18-year-old right wing Brady Calla and a sixth-round pick in the 2008 bantam draft.
Zetariuk and Smith were expected to join the team in Spokane late Tuesday night, and both are expected to be available for today’s game against the Chiefs.
Everett’s lack of toughness was exposed by Vancouver last season, when the Giants swept the Silvertips in the Western Conference finals. Although Everett’s players are bigger and stronger this season, the Tips still lacked a dominant physical presence at the blue line.
Everett general manager Doug Soetaert believes he’s solved that with Zetariuk, who he compared to a revered name in Tips history.
“He’s very similar to Mitch Love,” Soetaert said. “He skates like Mitch, except that he’s bigger and faster and quicker than Mitch.
“We were looking to get a little bigger and stronger at the back end,” Soetaert added. “We feel this young man will fill that role.”
The acquisition of Zetariuk gives Everett a bonafide No. 1 defenseman. The 6-foot-3, 202-pound native of Brandon, Manitoba, is mobile, has a rocket for a shot and a mean streak.
Last season, he was the top defenseman for a Moose Jaw team that won the Eastern Conference title. This season, with Moose Jaw sinking in the standings, he had five goals, 15 assists and 50 penalty minutes in 30 games.
Zetariuk, who’s a left-handed shooter, also is expected to see time on the power play at the right point.
“It was kind of a shock, actually,” Zetariuk said about the trade. “Neither of us saw it coming. But when we found out where we were going, we were excited.
“It’s a little bit of a switch going from Moose Jaw to Everett,” Zetariuk added. “We were struggling in Moose Jaw and Everett’s been phenomenal. I’m real excited to come in and help bring the team a Memorial Cup.”
With Vancouver and Everett separating themselves from the pack in the Western Conference again this season, it was important for the Tips to address their need to match the Giants physically.
“Certainly there was an opinion that Vancouver was bigger and stronger than us in the playoffs last year, and Zetariuk is a big, strong kid,” Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. “He adds a physical element to our D that isn’t necessarily missing, but he will add more of a physical presence, as well as add a really good offensive player to our core.”
For Smith, the trade represents a fresh start. A second-round pick in the 2003 bantam draft, the 6-foot, 200-pound native of Eyebrow, Saskatchewan, has yet to live up to his potential, never scoring more than eight points in a season. This season, Smith has two goals, two assists and 18 penalty minutes in 17 games with Moose Jaw.
Smith also was involved in the tragic car accident that left Moose Jaw left wing Garrett Robinson with critical head injuries. Smith escaped the accident with minor injuries.
“It’s been a tough season,” Smith said. “It’s been a roller coaster that was tough to deal with at first. But eventually I recovered from my injuries, I’m 100 percent and I’m ready to be with a winning team.”
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