The Prince Albert Raiders and the Seattle Thunderbirds made a blockbuster trade Wednesday afternoon.
Raider captain Nolan Allan and the rights to forward Reese Shaw have been traded to Seattle in exchange for defenceman Easton Kovacs, forwards Brayden Dube and Gabe Ludwig along with six WHL Prospects draft selections, including two first round selections in 2023 and 2024.
“We’re a third of the way through the season and we are on the outside looking in,” Raider general manager Curtis Hunt said in a team press release. “I believe this trade gives us better depth in our forward group and adds speed and skill up front.
“These draft picks allow us to further supplement our group as we work through the holiday season towards the (trade) deadline, in the event that there is an opportunity to make our group that much better again.
It is the second consecutive season the Raiders have dealt their captain as Kaiden Guhle was traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings last year.
Allan has been a member of the Raider organization since he was drafted with the 3rd overall selection by Prince Albert in the 2018 WHL Prospects Draft. So far this season, Allan has posted 11 points in 16 games since returning from Chicago Blackhawks training camp.
“You can’t replace Nolan Allan,” Hunt said. “But Easton is a player that can play a physical, stay at home type of game. The rest of the group is going to have to step up and fill those minutes. I think collectively, we should be a little better as an entire group. We’re inserting some energy and some pace up front.”
The Raiders return to action on Saturday night when they host the Medicine Hat Tigers at the Art Hauser Centre. Puck drops at 7pm.
