Perhaps overshadowed by the excitement of the 2014 CLax Draft, there were some significant trades that occurred that evening, which could shake up the CLax rosters involved.
First, the Niagara Lock Monsters shipped Tim Bergin and a number of draft picks to Durham in exchange for the number one overall pick, allowing them to select goaltender Zac Boychuk. Bergin had a break out year in his first CLax season, emerging into one of the Lock Monsters biggest scoring threats. He finished the season with 26 points in ten games and should be a big part of the Turfdogs offence in 2015.
Next, the Barrie Blizzard acquired Shane Scott from the Southwest Cyclops in exchange for Martin Whittaker and the fifteenth overall pick. Scott was having a solid 2014 season for the Cyclops, accumulating 20 points before going down with an injury near the end of the season. People shouldn’t forget the break out 31 goal season that Scott had in 2013 with the Durham Turfdogs. Coming the other way, Whittaker should provide a young Cyclops team with some experience and leadership. He joined the Blizzard halfway through 2014 and was a key part of the Barrie transition and offence.
The Blizzard then moved Nate Andres and Geoff McNulty to Durham in exchange for Brad Levick and Russ Poulton. Andres returns to the Turfdogs having spent the 2012 and 2013 season with the team, and should help solidify the Turfdogs defence. McNulty will provide the Turfdogs with some consistent offence this season. With Barrie, McNulty tallied 24 points in 2014. In return, the Blizzard pick up Brad Levick, who has spent three seasons in CLax, and has the potential to be a big part of the Blizzard offence. Russ Poulton is another CLax veteran and will provide the Blizzard with a solid two-way player who can move the ball up the floor quickly.
Lastly, the Niagara Lock Monsters sent goaltender Steve Fryer to Durham for the twenty-first overall pick in the draft. Fryer is currently in training camp with the Toronto Rock but, should he return to CLax, he could fill the number one spot in net for the Turfdogs.
