Firebirds wheel and deal
Trade winds have blown through Flint. The Firebirds have been busy in the player exchange game ahead of next week’s training camp opening and the subsequent ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League season.
In a blockbuster deal, Flint dealt 2005 birth year defenseman Tristan Bertucci, who is a prize National Hockey League prospect of the Dallas Stars, to the Niagara Ice Dogs for 2005 birth year defender Urban Podrekar and 2007 birth year blue liner Artem Frolov. Flint also received the rights to 2006 birth year forward Hayden Reid and the two teams exchanged multiple future draft picks. (Niagara subsequently dealt Bertucci to the Barrie Colts to complete a three way transaction.)
Firebirds head scout Mike Oliverio commented on getting the youngster Frolov and the more experienced Podrekar in the big deal with Niagara.
“Frolov is a highly skilled, puck moving defenseman with a high ceiling of potential. Whether with a first pass or skating, he has the ability to move the puck north. He is a very good skater with good mobility. We expect him to activate often to add offensively.
“Podrekar is a good skater with good mobility. He battles hard and takes away time and space effectively. We expect he will activate from the back end to add to the team’s layers of offense,” assessed Oliverio, who is based in Sault Ste. Marie but travels all the roads of Ontario and Michigan in his position as the head scout in Flint.
In another trade, the Firebirds shipped 2005 birth year defenseman Matthew Jenken to the Peterborough Petes for a pair of draft picks.