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MOB re-acquire McCallum; deal McNeill to Canucks

All that’s old is new again for the Fort McMurray Oil Barons. The club re-acquired 95-born forward Connor McCallum from the Calgary Canucks.  In return the Oil Barons sent a Calgarian in 96-born forward Zach McNeill to the Canucks.

McCallum who is from Strathmore, Alberta, began his junior career full-time in the Blue and Gold suiting up for 19 games during the 2013-14 season. The Oil Barons shipped him off to the Canucks in November 2013.

He bounced around between the Canucks and Whitecourt Wolverines before being shipped off to the Dauphin Kings of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League to start the 2014-15 season, he lasted just 17 games before being re-acquired by the Canucks.

He seemed to finally find his stride with the Canucks the second time around picking up 23 points in thirty-five games including eight goals.

“We were fortunate to have Connor as an 18-year-old and we’ve always thought of him as a late bloomer. As a 20-year-old, we think Connor will play a leadership role on our team this year and be able to contribute offensively,” said Head Coach and General Manager Tom Keca.

Keca expects McCallum to do a bit of everything, play on the power play, penalty kill and slot in somewhere on the top two lines, as well as play a leadership role.

“He’s definitely somebody that immediately gets consideration of wearing a letter from us this year because he’s going to understand where I’m coming from as a coach,” said Keca. “He understands what it means to be an Oil Baron and to bleed Blue and Gold.”

McCallum has 33 points in 84 regular season AJHL games.

Zach McNeill returns to his home city where he began his Junior ‘A’ career with the Calgary Mustangs who dealt him to the MOB on Dec. 1. McNeill had 19 points in 57 games between the two clubs last season, adding a whopping 194 penalty minutes.

The Oil Barons will conduct their annual summer camp in Edmonton this weekend.