The Prince George Cougars have cleared the logjam in the crease.
On Friday they reassigned 17-year-old goalie Tavin Grant to the Kamloops Storm of the Kootenay International Junior (B) Hockey League, which leaves the netminding duties to 19-year-old Ty Edmonds and 20-year-old Mack Shields.
Grant signed with the Cougars in
September 2014 and played 18 games last season as a 16-year-old, posting a 3-6 record with a 4.64 goals-against average and .849 save percentage.
After backing up Edmonds all of last season, Grant became expendable when the Cougars signed the more experienced Shields this summer. Shields already has three full seasons with the Calgary Hitmen on his WHL resume.
On Thursday, the Cougars sent 19-year-old goalie Patrick Gora to Camrose of the AJHL.
"From day one of training camp the four goaltenders that we invited have pushed each other to great lengths, and the internal competition between the pipes in Prince George has been the strongest it's been in a very long time," said Cougars general manager Todd Harkins, in a team release.
"Tavin Grant is still a huge part of our future and the most important thing for his development right now is to play, and to play a lot. We will follow his development closely, and we are very excited to watch him succeed in Kamloops with the Storm."
In preseason action, Grant allowed five goals on 21 shots he faced against Kamloops, Sept. 4, and allowed one goal on eight shots playing half the game against Kootenay, Sept. 12.
On Friday evening, the Cougars announced they've traded 18-year-old winger Cal Babych to the Prince Albert Raiders for a seventh-round pick in the 2016 WHL bantam draft.
Babych played 51 games for the Cougars last season after being picked up in a trade in October from the Calgary Hitmen. He collected seven goals,12 points and 16 penalty minutes and played in five of the Cougars' playoff games.
"With so many of our players eligible to return this season, it meant making some tough decisions, especially with our group of forwards," said Harkins.
"This trade provides Cal with a great opportunity to contribute key minutes to a young Prince Albert Raiders team."
The Cougars have 30 players left on their preseason roster - two goalies, 10 defencemen and 18 forwards.
They host the Kamloops Blazers in their final preseason game tonight at 7 at CN Centre.
They open the season next Friday at home against the Everett Silvertips.
