The Prince George Cougars gave up a bit of their future to lock up the services of an experienced winger in his final junior hockey season.
They’ve acquired 2002-born left winger Cole Dubinsky in a trade with the Regina Pats for 2005-born centre Zackary Shantz and a third-round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.
Dubinsky, a veteran of 209 regular season games, is in his fifth WHL season and in seven games with the Pats he had two goals and five assists. The native of Ardrossan, Alta., was a fourth-round pick of the Pats in the 2017 draft.
In his WHL career he’s collected 38 goals 65 assists and 103 points. He had his most productive season last year, finishing with 20 goals and 29 assists for 49 points in 61 games.
The five-foot-11, 192-pound Dubinsky will wear No. 18 but was not in the lineup for tonight's game in Spokane, where the Cougars face the Spokane Chiefs.
Game time tonight is 7 p.m. Cole Waldie will be behind the mic for the play-by-play broadcast on 94.3 FM, The Goat.
Dubinsky will be the third overager on the Cougars’ roster, joining 2—2-born forwards Chase Wheatcroft and Noah Boyko. Major junior teams are limited to maximum of three 20-year-olds.
Coming off a 6-5 shootout win over the Portland Winterhawks Wednesday in Portland, Ore., the Cougars (7-7-0-0, fifth in Western Conference) will stay overnight in Spokane for a rematch with the Chiefs on Saturday and will travel to Kelowna for a Wednesday game.
The Cats return to CN Centre on Saturday, Nov. 12 to host the Vancouver Giants on Heroes Night (6 p.m. start), and will be back on home ice on Sunday, Nov. 13 (2 p.m.) for the second game of the doubleheader with the Giants. That game will feature the Cougars’ first Mega 50-50 draw.
