The North Bay Battalion is bringing in a veteran forward.
The Troops acquired right-winger Chad Denault in a trade with the Peterborough Petes, the Ontario Hockey League club announced Wednesday.
"It all happened so fast but that's the nature of the game," Denault told CKAT.
"Being a northern boy from Iroquois Falls I am familiar with the location and it is just great to be here. This is my third year in the league and I have a lot of experience and I see myself as a hard-working, physical presence on the ice so I hope to bring a little bit of a spark to these guys.'
North Bay sent a conditional 15th-round pick in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection to Peterborough for Denault.
“He’s a big, strong two-way player, and we felt, with the youth of our team, he would bring some experience to enhance the development of our players,” said Stan Butler, director of hockey operations and head coach in a release.
Butler also believes Denault can be utilized on the Battalion penalty kill.
Peterborough selected Denault in the third round, 49th overall, in 2016 from the Sudbury Wolves minor midgets.
In 23 games this season, he has scored two goals and earned four assists for six points with 11 penalty minutes.
The OHL vet has played 152 OHL games, with 11 goals, 12 assists, 23 points.
“Chad has been a tremendous member of the Petes family and the Peterborough community,” Mike Oke, the Petes’ general manager, stated on the Petes website.
“In addition to be an excellent teammate, he has been a great ambassador for our team over the last four seasons.”
Oke says the trade will allow Chad the opportunity to play in more situations this season with North Bay.
The addition of the 6'1" 182 pound forward brings the Battalion’s active roster to 22, numbering 13 forwards, seven defencemen and two goaltenders.
It's the second trade this week for the 5-22 Battalion.
The Troops shipped centre Matthew Struthers to the Owen Sound Attack on Monday for three OHL Priority Selection picks, a second-rounder in 2022, a third-rounder in 2023 and a sixth-rounder in 2024.
