Barton bolsters Beavers blueline
During his Ontario Hockey League playing days with the Kitchener Rangers, new Blind River Beavers coach-general manager Brad Barton was a rugged defenceman who gamely guarded the front of the net.
Now, in trying to reverse the fortunes of what was the worst team in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League in 2014-2015, Barton has added three veteran defenceman to bolster the Blind River blueline for the 2015-2016 campaign.
In separate trades, the Beavers have acquired Alex Dajia from the Cochrane Crunch, Matt Pollard from the Elliot Lake Wildcats and Nicolas Proulx from the Pictou County Weeks Crushers of the Maritime Hockey League via the NOJHL’s Powassan Voodoos.
All three defenders have good size and varying skills.
Dajia and Pollard both have 1995 birth dates and hail from the same Uxbridge area that Barton is from.
Proulx is a year younger than the other two with a 1996 birth date.
“With the three recent trades we have solidified our blueline,” said Barton. “With the acquisition of a hard-hitting, offensive defenceman in Alex Dajia, a big, tough defenseman with a cannon of a shot in Matt Pollard and point-a-game guy in Nicolas Proulx who can be an all-star in this league, we are extremely excited.”
I think that the Beavs just may be on the way back to be a compeative team once again.
I recall Daija and Pollard from taking Beavers game photos last season.
I think they will make the team more competitive this season, sort of like the Blue Jays improving their team……good move coach !!
That’s literally a kick ass Blue line!
I hear a few more Beaver signings will be announced shortly!