The Prince George Cougars will have another new face in the lineup when they resume their five-game road trip tonight in Wenatchee, Wash.
The Cougars acquired right winger Borya Valis in a trade from the Regina Pats for 17-year-old defenceman Tyson Bucskowski, a fourth-round pick in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft and a conditional third-round pick in the 2027 draft.
The six-foot-two, 185-pound Valis has been producing at nearly a point-per-game pace for the Pats, totalling 13 goals and 20 assists for 33 points in 35 games.
The 19-year-old Denver, Colo., native has 44 goals and 62 assists for 106 points in 147 WHL games over a three-season span.
“Valis is an offensive player that has a nose for the net,” said Cougars head coach and general manager Mark Lamb. “His experience and size are also something we were looking for, especially with the injury to (winger Koehn) Ziemmer.”
Valis will wear No. 18 when he steps on the ice tonight in Wenatchee to face the Wild.
Buczkowski was the Cougars’ first-round pick (15th overall) in the 2021 draft. In 36 games this season the Saskatoon native had two goals and seven assists with 22 penalty minutes and carried a plus-22 rating.
On Dec. 27, the Cougars announced the addition of 20-year-old defenceman Chase Pauls, picked up in a trade with the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for the Cougars’ third-round pick in 2024.
The six-foot-five, 220-pound Pauls made his Prince George debut on the blueline Dec. 28 and picked up his first assist as a Cougar Saturday in Kamloops in their 4-1 win over the Blazers.
The WHL trade deadline is Jan. 10 at 2 p.m. PT.
The Cougars have a busy schedule ahead with consecutive games this weekend in Seattle, Portland and Everett.
Prince George (26-10-0-0) is one point behind the league-leading Saskatoon Blades (25-8-2-1).
