The final piece of the deal that brought Cade Kowalski to the Flin Flon Bombers late last season has been announced, with forward Shayde Peterson heading to Weyburn.
The 18-year-old Peterson made the Bombers out of camp this year but only played in one game with the club this season, scoring a goal. Peterson also played a game with the Bombers last season as an affiliated player, scoring in his junior A debut.
Originally from Assiniboia, Sask., Peterson played two seasons of midget AAA with Battlefords, ending last season with 50 points in 39 games.
In 21 regular season games with the Bombers during the stretch run last season, Kowalski scored 27 points, including 19 assists. He spent time on the team’s first line, along with captain Nate Hooper and goal scoring leader Brandson Hein, as well as playing with the Bombers’ first powerplay unit.
A former SJHL Rookie of the Year, Kowalski continued his hot play into the playoffs, leading the team in scoring with 11 points in nine games and seven points in seven games in the team’s second-round series against the Battlefords North Stars. He is slated to play NCAA Division I hockey with the Ferris State Bulldogs this year. His SJHL rights, which reverted back to Weyburn this offseason, were dealt to Battlefords for goalies Miles Minor and Noah Decottignies.
The final deal stands with the Bombers receiving Kowalski in exchange for forward Dawson McKenzie, defender Sebastian Eger, Peterson and cash. McKenzie was dealt to Weyburn in the original trade, while Eger joined the Red Wings over the summer.
Since the initial trade, McKenzie was traded to the Kindersley Klippers for the rights to Kai Studler and Colby Ralston. Studler, an 18-year-old forward from Stonewall, has scored one point in four games with the Wings this season, while the 17-year-old Ralston is playing AAA midget with the Battlefords Stars – the same program where Peterson played last season.
Goalie
With Jacob Delorme suffering an injury at the recent SJHL Showcase, the Bombers found some goaltending help in the form of Jaden Little.
Originally from Nanaimo, B.C., Little is listed at six feet, 165 pounds. Little played most of last season with the Campbell River Storm, a team in the British Columbia junior B ranks. While Little played in a back-up roll, he shone in his 16 games played, putting up a 1.91 goals-against-average and a .920 save percentage. Little's play even led to him getting a look with the AJHL's Calgary Canucks, where he played one game last year.
Earlier this season, Little joined the camp of the MJHL's Swan Valley Stampeders. One of six goalies at the team's camp, Little played in a preseason game against the Bombers, making 17 saves on 18 shots in just over a half hour of work. When the Stamps cut down to two goalies, Little was one of the odd men out, allowing the Bombers to pick him up.
In his Bomber debut Sept. 27, Little made 19 saves to help guide Flin Flon to a 6-2 win over the Nipawin Hawks.
Little's entrance means the Bombers will carry three goalies for the moment, along with both Delorme and backup J.P. Mella.
