The North Bay Battalion has added another defender to its arsenal.
On the weekend the Troops inked Declan Gallivan to a scholarship and development agreement.
Gallivan, a left shot who measures six feet and 190 pounds, has one goal and one assist for two points in as many games with the junior A Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.
The 2007 birth year defender was selected in the 7th round of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection out of the Soo U18 Greyhounds program and was one of the top defenceman in the northern circuit last season.
Gallivan helped the Battalion to a 2-1 victory via shootout over the Owen Sound Attack on Sunday afternoon, giving the Troops two wins in three exhibition games.
“He made some impressions at camp with us as somebody who just has a really good head for the game,” Battalion coach Ryan Oulahen said of Gallivan's game.
“He’s already got off to a really good start with his home club and now he comes here, and I thought, especially in the first two periods, ‘There’s a guy who knows the game.’ He was very simple, efficient. There’s a lot to like there with that package.
“I think it was good to get the first one out of the way, and then somebody that we can get involved in our program right now.”
The Battalion added him after rearguard Zach Wilson, a third-rounder in April, suffered a shoulder injury in a 7-2 preseason-opening loss to the visiting Ottawa 67’s last Wednesday night. The Troops won the rematch Saturday at Ottawa by a 5-4 count.
North Bay has one exhibition game left, a visit to Owen Sound at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23.
