AUDIO: Hear Tyler King’s conversation with Barons head coach and GM Gord Thibodeau about the trade:
[audio:http://pmd.country933.com/audio/tyler-news/gord-thibodeau-may13-2013-yadlowski.mp3]The Fort McMurray Oil Barons have acquired 1993-born defenceman Austin Yadlowski as the future considerations in the deal with Drayton Valley that sent forward Doug Jones there at the trade deadline.
“He’s a kid that’s had some leadership qualities over the years, and we’re hopeful he can bring that to our team,” said head coach and general manager Gord Thibodeau. “[He’s] a big kid that can still move; moves the puck well; we think there’s more offence in him.”
A native of Edmonton, Yadlowski was listed at just under 6’2″ and 181 lbs last year with the Thunder, where he scored 17 points in 58 games (with 93 penalty minutes). The year prior, he scored 30 points in 55 games (with 176 PIMs) with DV after spending his rookie season in St. Albert.
He formerly played minor hockey for South Side in Edmonton.
The trade leaves the Barons with 6 1993-born players, which is the limit that can be dressed on any given night. However, it’s likely that one of their two goalies will be traded before training camp, opening up one of those spots.
While the team is also awaiting two players owed to it from the Nanaimo Clippers in BC in the Brock Maschmeyer trade, Thibodeau said those players may not even end up in Fort McMurray.
“I think there’s more work to be done – at this stage, we’re fielding a lot of phone calls,” he said of the long-term roster picture. “We’d love to find a first-line centreman, and we think we could add another defenceman, a power-play guy.”
The Barons will be holding their summer camp in Fort McMurray in early July.
May 13, 2013
