The Silvertips made a trade today, sending 18-year-old winger Tyler Sandhu to Red Deer in exchange for fourth-round picks in the 2015 and 2016 bantam drafts.
Sandhu was originally part of the package Everett received from Portland in exchange for defenseman Seth Jones. In two-plus seasons the Richmond, B.C., native, who was originally a Winterhawks second-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft, had 33 goals and 31 assists in 120 games.
Sandhu had an enormously promising rookie season in 2012-13 when he had 19 goals and 14 assists in 62 games, one of the most productive seasons by a 16-year-old in franchise history. However, things didn’t really progress for Sandhu during his 17-year-olds season, with injuries playing a role in limiting him to 13 goals and 17 assists in 49 games. He went unselected in June’s NHL draft, then was largely relegated to fourth-line duty this season, notching just one goal in Everett’s first nine games.
By being traded to Red Deer, Sandhu will have the chance to play in the Memorial Cup, as the Rebels are hosting in 2016.
Trading Sandhu will open up the chance for the Tips to give more playing time to wingers Gunnar Wegleitner and Nik Malenica. Wegleitner needs to appear in 40 games because he’s a 16-year-old and he played in just two of Everett’s first nine (though he might get a couple counted because of the knee injury he was nursing at the start of the season), while Malenica has yet to get into a game this season.
More to follow …
—- UPDATE, 3:15 p.m.
I’d like to thank my billets, teammates, fans and the @WHLsilvertips for the past two seasons, made a lot of memories I will never forget!
— Tyler Sandhu (@TySandhu19) October 20, 2014
Last night, after the lights were turned off and I was in bed, I spent those last wakeful moments pondering Everett’s potential roster for next season — an activity I engage in far too often. As I was drifting off, I came to the conclusion that if things continued in the direction they were going, I had a hard time seeing Tyler Sandhu being on the team as a 19-year-old.
The next day comes, and voila.
I’ve talked to both Sandhu and Tips general manager Garry Davidson, and there seems to be some discrepancy on whether Sandhu asked for a trade. Davidson said Sandhu was dissatisfied with his role and requested a trade, while Sandhu said he didn’t request a trade and that it came as a shock.
But regardless of whether a trade request was made or not, I can’t say this deal comes as a surprise to me. From Sandhu’s perspective, he was maybe the best 16-year-old in the Western Conference two seasons ago (he won the Best 16-year-old in that season’s Best of the West poll), but now found himself on the fourth line and seeing little if any power-play time. From the Tips’ perspective, they had a player who seemed to be regressing after a promising rookie campaign. Davidson sounded like he wasn’t looking to trade Sandhu away and that he would have liked Sandhu to be patient, but that Sandhu continued to express frustration with his role and that Sandhu might need a fresh start.
I’ll say this much. If things click for Sandhu in Red Deer — and that’s still an “if” — this will be one heck of a trade for the Rebels. Sandhu will be a 19-year-old in his fourth WHL season when Red Deer hosts the Memorial Cup, and he has the potential to be an impact offensive performer for that team. If he becomes a point-per-game player, he would have cost Red Deer at least a first rounder if the trade is made this time next year.
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