With the WHL trade deadline just one week away, the Prince George Cougars made a move Thursday.
They sent 17-year-old forward Ryker Singer to the Red Deer Rebels for forward Arjun Bawa, also 17, the Rebels’ second round and seventh round picks in the 2023 Prospects Draft.
The six-foot-two, 175-pound Bawa is a native of Vancouver who started his junior career in the BCHL with the Cowichan Valley Capitals. He put up eight points in 46 games with the Caps last season.
In 34 games this season with the Rebels, Bawa had two goals and three assists, as well as 40 penalty minutes. The Rebels picked him in the second round, 36th overall, in the 2020 Prospects Draft
“Arjun is a player that we were interested in at the 2020 draft. He is a big physical player that will fit well with our forward core,” said Cougars head coach and general manger Mark Lamb.
Bawa will wear number 9 when he’s expected to make his debut with the Cougars on Friday, the start of a two-game set against the Everett Silvertips at CN Centre.
Singer was the Cougars first-round pick (22nd overall) in 2000. In 34 games this season for the Cats he had three goals and six assists and 41 penalty minutes. The native of Paradise Hills, Sask., played 65 regular season games and four playoff games last year as a WHL rookie and picked up six goals and 11 points.
Coming off a 10-6 win Saturday at home over the Kamloops Blazers, the Cougars (15-16-3-0, seventh in Western Conference) are just two points behind the Silvertips (17-17-1-0, fourth in Western Conference).
Game time Friday is 7 p.m. and the rematch with the Silvertips on Saturday starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.ticketsnorth.ca or at the TicketsNorth box office at CN Centre.
