The Virden Oil Capitals decided to stand pat as the junior hockey trade deadline passed on Wednesday night.
Jamie Hodson, director of business and hockey operations for the club, says there were opportunities to add to the lineup but didn’t feel the return was what the team was looking for.
“We made our trade deadline acquisitions prior to Dec. 1 with (Landyn) Cochrane and (Rylee) Zimmer,” Hodson said. “We were open to discussions with possibilities out there, but at the end of the day we believe in our group.”
Troy Leslie, head coach and GM of the Oil Caps, says the organization wasn’t willing to sacrifice prospects, adding that the organization believes in the current core group of players in the dressing room.
“At the end of the day, we believe in our team,” Leslie said. “We are deep up front with lots of skill and speed. We have a solid young defensive core that will gain experience quickly and have already.”
Leslie touched on the goaltending tandem currently in place with the team, adding that both Riley McVeigh and Dalton Dosch have both been good and will only get better come the stretch drive and through the rest of the year.
“Riley and Dalton both have played well but they know they can and will be more consistent moving forward,” Leslie said.
Hodson agrees with those sentiments.
“They will continue to escalate their game along with the rest of the team during the rest of the season,” Hodson said.
Meanwhile, there’s a possibility Marco Creta could be reassigned to the Oil Caps by the WHL’s Regina Pats. The 17-year-old blueliner from Oak Bluff was a training camp invite this year with the Pats and ended up signing on with the team. He spent last season with the Oil Capitals, notching two goals and 11 assists in 57 games with the MJHL club.
“We’re waiting to hear on what happens with Creta and if he does in fact re-join our organization, he’ll certainly help our back end,” Hodson said.
The Oil Caps also received word that Garrett Sambrook, a defenceman that was reassigned to the club from the Brandon Wheat Kings back in late November, will in fact be staying with Virden and will AP with the Wheat Kings when needed the rest of the year. Sambrook got injured in his first game with Virden but is now 100 per cent healthy, Hodson says.
“There’s a real possibility we’ve added two solid defencemen for the stretch drive in Creta and Sambrook,” Hodson said.
Overall, Hodson believes the organization is in great shape moving forward.
“We believe in the core and the group of leadership in that room.”