The Amherstburg Admirals have made a big trade.
Announced last week, the local Provincial Junior Hockey League (Junior ‘C’) have sent veterans Stefan Jacobs and Braeden Armstrong to the West Stobbs division rival Wheatley Omstead Sharks for brothers Darby and Brady Drouillard.
“It was a trade that was in the works for a while,” said Admirals’ GM Andrew Sykes. “I have a history with Darby, we were in LaSalle. They wanted to come to Amherstburg.”
Sykes was the assistant GM with the Junior ‘B’ LaSalle Vipers where Darby, who will be an overager, suited up for 95 regular and playoff games.
Last season with the Sharks, the 6’4”, 215-pound defenseman had 14 points including six goals from the blueline. Younger brother Brady is an aggressive forward who had 62 PIM to go along with 19 points including nine goals in his rookie junior campaign. At 6’3” and 190 pounds, he will bring some much-needed size up front.
“You always want to have a good-sized team, being big is ideal. He (Brady) will be a reliable centre for us. He had a good rookie season,” said Sykes.
Heading to Wheatley, Jacobs and Armstrong were among the Admirals’ leading point producers the past couple of years. Jacobs was second in team scoring this past year with 24 points including 12 goals. He was the only player for the blue-and-white that played every game.
Armstrong, who is a 2005 birth year, led all blueliners the past two years. This past year he had six goals and 16 points.
So far, the Admirals have added two new goalies in Jay Proctor and Russell Vaughan along with a pair of defensemen in Freddie McCroy and Darby Drouillard.
“We have upgraded big time on defense and on the blueline. It’s a 180 (degree) from last year,” said Sykes.
Up front Logan Price and Brady Drouillard are additions along with recently signed 2005 forward Kaden Juodikis. As far as scoring, Sykes said it could probably be spread around. As far as who is returning, the GM said so far Jeremy DesBiens will not be back for what would have been his overage year.
The Admirals are set to open their 2024-25 training camp in LaSalle Aug. 23.
Sykes says the golf tournament, which is Aug. 9 at Coachwood Golf & Country Club, is shaping up to be a great event.
“We’ve got close to 100 golfers already and we have some great raffle prizes and winners of contests. It’s shaping up to be a good day. We want to have as many as our players there as possible.”
Anyone wanting to register for the tournament, can contact Andrew Sykes at 519-991-6952.
SLAPSHOTS: Last year the Admirals finished with a 10-32-0 record before bowing to Blenheim in the first round of the playoffs. Amherstburg has an exhibition game schedule in Essex Sept. 3.
Admirals make big trade, prepare for gold tournament
By Fred Groves
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