The Prince George Cougars added an element of toughness to their lineup Monday when they acquired 20-year-old forward Jaxsen Wiebe in a trade from the Edmonton Oil Kings.
The Cougars also picked up a conditional eight-round draft pick in the deal which sent 20-year-old F Noah Boyko, a third-round pick in 2023 and a conditional pick in 2026 to Edmonton.
Wiebe won the WHL championship last season with the Oil Kings, having joined them in the summer for 2021 after two seasons with the Red Deer Rebels. He was a seventh-round draft pick of the Rebels in 2017.
As an Oil Kings assistant captain last season, Wiebe scored 10 goals and 26 assists for 36 points and 95 penalty minutes in 51 regular season games. Wiebe also collected two goals and eight points in the WHL playoffs and in the Memorial Cup he tied for the team lead in points with three goals and an assist. His three goals came in a single game against the Saint John Sea Dogs.
Wiebe has run into suspension issues this season which has limited his production to three goals and an assist in just six games with Edmonton. The Moose Jaw, Sask., native was handed a four-game suspension in supplementary discipline after being assesses a minor penalty for boarding in game in Saskatoon, Oct. 23. Then on Nov. 15, he received a seven-game suspension for a hit from behind in another game against the Saskatoon Blades, Nov. 12.
”Jaxsen is a unique player that brings a physical element and has the experience of winning,” said Cougars head coach and general manager Mark Lamb.
Wiebe will be available to the Cougars when they begin a six-game roadtrip Sunday in Langley against the Vancouver Giants.
Boyko joined the Cougars in an off-season trade from Saskatoon and in 23 games he produced five goals and five assists. Monday’s trade to Edmonton will move him closer to his hockey roots in Fort Saskatchewan. He was originally property of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, who selected him 16th overall in the 2017 draft.
“It is always nice when you have the ability to add local players to your lineup who are familiar with the city and club,” said Kirt Hill, the Oil Kings president of hockey operations and general manager. “Noah is a former first-round pick in the WHL and has a lot of offensive ability to his game.
“He will be asked to provide leadership to our younger group of players and help provide offense on our power play and at even-strength. We look forward to having Noah in our line-up Wednesday night.”
LOOSE PUCKS: The Connor Bedard road show is gaining popularity. Friday’s game at CN Centre against the Cougars is heading towards a complete sellout. Only single seats remained unsold Monday afternoon in all but the six-end zone sections in the Cougars’ attacking end. There were only a few unsold seats next to each other in those sections. The buzz over the 17-year-old Regina Pats centre, considered a once-every-generation type of hockey talent, has sold out buildings in Vancouver and Victoria, and the same is expected in Kelowna (Tuesday) and Kamloops (Wednesday), when the Pats come to visit. Bedard leads the WHL in scoring with 22 goals and 53 points in just 22 games… The Brandon Wheat Kings fired head coach Don MacGillivray Monday after two years with the team. Wheaties GM Marty Murray will assume the coaching duties….Memorial Cup ticket packages go on sale starting Thursday. The Kamloops Blazers will host the four-team event May 26-June 4, 2023.
