Chiefs send Gillen to Moose Jaw for defenseman
The Spokane Chiefs solved an immediate problem Tuesday, but it cost them something to do it.
Spokane traded 18-year-old center Steven Gillen to the Moose Jaw Warriors for 17-year-old defenseman Dan Mercer. The deal is one in which both teams hope a change of scenery will benefit each player.
“Being a high pick (first round, bantam draft, 2001), all of us – probably including Stephen – thought his career might have turned out different to this point than it has,” said Spokane general manager Tim Speltz. “That being said, I talked to Stephen and he’s looking forward to a fresh start and a new opportunity.”
The Chiefs, who have been skating with five regular defensemen since losing Scott Lynch for the season to injury, needed to make a move on the blue line. This one gives the team a much-needed body for the third defensive line.
Spokane brought in Junior B player Rob Woods, a former Western Hockey League player, before Christmas, but then let him go.
There were several challenges for Speltz in putting together any kind of a swap. Foremost among those is that most WHL teams are also looking for top defensemen. The Chiefs, with just one drafted National Hockey League player, don’t have a plethora of superstars to dangle as trade bait.
Speltz said he’s not done trying to make deals but this one was “a fit that makes sense,” which is the standard he will apply to any more wheeling and dealing that might occur before next Monday’s WHL trading deadline. “That’s the thing that’s going to be the mandate.”
Without giving specifics, Speltz said the team will be looking to improve its depth in certain areas. However, he did state that the Chiefs have “untouchable” players.
“This is the first thing we had to do before we could even start with our plan,” said Speltz.
Speltz also had praise for the five defensemen who have held on for dear life during the past few weeks, including for the greater part of the eastern road swing when Lynch was lost. He said Mercer was being played as a top-two defenseman in Moose Jaw, which is difficult for a 17-year-old.
His size, at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, is good by WHL standards. In 37 games this season with the Warriors this season, Mercer has three goals, seven assists and 67 penalty minutes. He played his first two seasons with Red Deer, appearing in 43 games and was a second-round pick in 2002.
Gillen appeared in 111 games as a Chief, including 39 this year, and scored 14 goals and 29 points.
Speltz said this time of year is distracting for the players as they read their names among trade speculation, especially on Internet sites.
“Honestly, it’s gotten worse, just because of modes of communication and rumors,” said Speltz. “Most of the information is bogus and wrong, but it’s always been tough for them.”
Number crunching
The Chiefs (13-18-7-1, 34 points), last place in the U.S. Division, meet the U.S. Division-leading Seattle Thunderbirds (25-10-0-1, 51) tonight at 7 in the Arena.
With a win, Spokane could earn a fourth-place tie with idle Tri-City (36 points) in the race for the last playoff spot. Spokane has split its two games with Seattle this season.
Seattle comes into tonight’s game with the Chiefs as the top-ranked team in the WHL and the second-ranked team in all of the Canadian Hockey League (WHL, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League).
The Thunderbirds trail only the once-beaten London Knights of the OHL in the CHL rankings. The WHL has three other teams in the CHL’s Top 10: Lethbridge (6); Kelowna (7); and Saskatoon (8).