Soo T-Birds make a trade
Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have dealt 1997 birth-year defenseman Matt Busby and the rights to 1998 birth-year defender Dakotah Woods to the Aurora Tigers of the Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
In confirming the transaction, Thunderbirds coach-general manager Jordan Smith said the Soo will receive 1996 birth-year centre Austin Kozluk and 1996 birth-year winger Ryan Waterhouse from Aurora.
The two-time defending NOJHL champion Thunderbirds are off to a 4-1-0 start to the 2016-2017 season.
Don’t know about this deal from a TBirds standpoint. Neither Kozluk or Waterhouse really lit up the OJHL while they were there and in the previous leagues they played in..really weren’t standouts from a points total.
Busby was one of the better all around defenders in the NOJHL, and Woods spent time with the Remparts in the Q. Seems to me that the Birds overpaid a little for two over-age forwards frm the OJHL. II Probably would rather have the extra year of junior hockey out of Buzzer and the upside of Woods over the size of Kozluk and Waterhouse up front…
But who knows, maybe they wanted out of the Soo and this was the best deal they could get. Can’t really say much more.
Well Kozluk has looked good and Waterhouse is also contributing, both at better than point per game clips. Although they’ve only really played the Soo Eagles, Eskis and Chemmy Habs, they might prove me wrong..haha.
I’m assuming Busby wanted to play closer to home and that’s what caused the trade…it would’ve been nice to see him back in Espo..they could use a powerplay QB in the worst way on the back-end.
Sure would have been nice to have seen Busby finish his junior career
where it started in Espanola.