The Red Deer Rebels shipped out veteran forward Lane Zablocki shortly after their loss to the Moose Jaw Warriors Friday.
Red Deer sent the 18-year-old Wetaskiwin native to the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for 17-year-old local product Josh Tarzwell and two draft picks. The picks are a second round selection in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft and a conditional third round pick in the 2020 draft.
“Our direction is to play some of these kids and let them play. We were able to get a really good young player back,” Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter said.
“Hopefully, it will kick start Lane a little bit, too. He had a tough first half for us, hopefully, this will get him going and it will help him. It’s a good trade for both teams and what their needs are. They get a experienced forward and we get a very good young player.”
Zablocki, after being acquired by the Rebels last year had 19 goals and 29 points in 31 games. He added six goals in six playoff games and was also drafted in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings.
This year, expected to carry the offensive load, he struggled with just nine goals and 10 assists through 31 games. In his last 10 contests, he only had two goals.
Tarzwell, born and raised in Red Deer was a second round WHL Bantam Draft pick of the Hurricanes in 2015. At 17, he has already played 66 career WHL games and appeared in 10 playoff games for Lethbridge last year. This season he has three goals and 11 assists in 28 games.
During the 2015-2016 Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League season, Tarzwell had nine goals and nine assists in 32 games for the Red Deer Midget AAA Optimist Chiefs.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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