When Garry VanHereweghe was named as the team’s coach and general manager in March, he made it no secret that his first order of business would be to get his team younger for the 2013-14 season.
It appears that process has begun, as VanHereweghe has announced that the Bobcats have traded 19 year old twin forwards Liam & Mitch McNamara to the Portage Terriers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League in exchange for future considerations. The Terriers will serve as the host team for the 2015 RBC Cup. The Bobcats would like to thank Liam & Mitch for the contributions to the Bobcats organization and wish them all the best in their future endeavours. “Liam & Mitch are the type of players that will make any team better both on and off the ice,” VanHereweghe said. “If the Bobcats organization were not so top heavy with ’94 born players, these twins would be a part of our 2013-14 roster without a doubt.”
The Bobcats also acquired 18 year old forward Doug Morris and 19 year old defenceman Tyler Kunz from the Spruce Grove Saints earlier in the summer to complete the January 8th transaction for future considerations. Kunz is a 5’11, 180 pound playmaking defenceman who collected 5 goals and 5 assists in 54 games played with the Saints in 2012-13. He originally affiliated with the Bobcats in the 2011-12 season. “Tyler Kunz will be an experienced defenceman who will add more depth to a strong group of returning defensive core,” VanHereweghe commented. At 6’1 and 200 pounds, Morris is a power forward with a knack for finding the net. The young forward had 11 goals for the Saints last season as a 17 year old, and added 5 assists for 16 points in 39 games played. “In Doug Morris, we are gaining a power forward that has proven scoring ability, which is an ingredient the Bobcats are looking to add,” said VanHereweghe.
VanHereweghe reiterated that these transactions should be the first of many moves in what promises to be a busy offseason for the Bobcats coaching staff as they look to improve their roster and establish a better balance of age for opening night on September 6th, “ongoing discussions continue with teams throughout Western Canada in an attempt to place ’93 and ’94 born players to make room for youth and depth on the 2013-14 roster.”