The Flin Flon Bombers have made a deal to send a returning defenceman out of province.
Brady Morrison has been dealt south to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL)’s Swan Valley Stampeders for a player development fee.
The 19-year-old defender from Chilliwack, B.C. played 22 games for the Bombers last year with one assist. Before joining the Bombers, Morrison suited up for the British Columbia Hockey League’s [BCHL] Cowichan Valley Capitals in 2017-18, playing 17 games.
“[It’s] hard to move a guy like Brady but he deserves more ice time than we can give him,” said Bomber head coach and general manager Mike Reagan in a press release by the team. “He’s a great teammate and would like to thank him for his contributions to the Bombers. We wish him all the best and know that they will be very happy with him.”
Morrison was one of five defensemen from last year’s Bomber team who were likely to return this season, along with Mason Martin, Ryder Richmond, Jaxon White and Jack Michell. Defenders Isaac Jackson, Calvon Boots and Tyler Higgins each aged out of junior hockey, while defenceman Vaughan Bamford will head south forascholarship with Lake Forest College, an NCAA Division III school located near Chicago.
Morrison is the second former Bomber to join the Stamps ahead of this season. Swan Valley traded for the rights to forward Mike Wong June 29, acquiring him from the Melville Millionaires for future considerations. Wong suited up with the Bombers during the 2017-18 season, playing 26 games and scoring eight points.
Defenceman
Add another commit to next season’s Bomber blueline.
Cole Vardy came to terms with the team for the upcoming season June 25. Originally from Hammonds Plains, N.S., Vardy played last season with the Cole Harbour Wolfpack in the Nova Scotia major midget ranks, ending last season with 21 assists and 30 points in 34 games, finishing second in league scoring by defencemen. Vardy brings some junior A experience, having played three games last season with the Maritime Hockey League (MHL)’s St. Stephen County Aces, racking up one assist.
The 18-year-old, 6-foot-3, 210-pound Vardy is a right-shot defenceman. He is one of two new defenders to have committed to the Bombers for this season, joining American defenceman Jack Craycroft.
Futures
The Bombers also sent a package including a player, prospect and payment to Weyburn to complete a trade that landed the Bombers forward Cade Kowalski last season.
In addition to receiving forward Dawson McKenzie in the initial trade, the Red Wings will receive a player to be named later, a player development fee and the SJHL rights to defenceman Sebastian Eger.
Eger, a 17-year-old defenceman from Regina, played last season with the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians, finishing the season with 14 points in 38 games. Eger was picked by the Bombers in the second round of the 2016 SJHL draft, but has never played for the team.
