The Niverville Nighthawks used the trade market to solve one of their biggest questions heading into next season.
With both starter Chris Fines and backup Dane Couture leaving the program, the Nighthawks had a massive hole to fill in net due to the departing 20-year-olds.
The team pulled off a trade with the Winnipeg Freeze to acquire 2004-born Keegan Gordon in exchange for a 2023 draft pick and future considerations.
Despite the Freeze’s dismal record of 4-51-3 last season, Gordon put up a brave performance in the Freeze net. He posted an impressive 0.915 save percentage, even with his team’s lack of success on the ice.
Nighthawks head coach and general manager Kelvin Cech said adding a goalie with Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) experience was key.
“Gordon had a really strong year last year playing behind a young team,” Cech said.
“You lose two 20-year-old goalies, and that’s difficult… We’re expecting that (Gordon) is going to come in and help push us to new heights.”
The Freeze scored only 113 goals in 58 regular season games, over 50 fewer than any other team in the league. In 29 games, Gordon faced over 1,300 shots, nearly 45 per game.
With their first pick in the subsequent MJHL draft, the Nighthawks selected Gavin Holod, a forward from Stonewall, who had 27 points for the Interlake Lightning U18 team this season.
“It’s always cool to add new kids to the organization, (I) had a good chat with each of them yesterday,” Cech said.
“It’s cool to meet them, cool to add them, and we’re excited to see where it goes.”
From there, the Nighthawks added to their history of taking local players, selecting St Adolphe’s Calyb Moore (forward) and Lorette’s Nathan Forster (defense). Both played for the U17 Eastman Selects AAA team last season.
Moore put together a strong season for the team offensively, racking up 51 points in 36 games, and chipping in seven points in five playoff games.
Forster had a strong season offensively as well, picking up 24 assists as a defender for the Selects, and scoring six points in the playoffs.
The two U17 AAA players will join teammate Cassius Walker, who the Nighthawks auto-protected before the draft, in Niverville. The Nighthawks first-ever draft selection was also from the U17 Selects as Avery Laliberte is expected to suit up for Niverville next season.
“Every player has a different path, and every kid fits in different places,” Cech said.
“It doesn’t matter to us if a kid is in high school, U17 or U18, whatever it is. There was nothing on purpose about any of that. Each one of the kids we got we identified prior to the draft as someone who could come in and contribute at some point in the future.
It isn’t just players added to the Nighthawks roster, with the team hiring play-by-play man Kevin Pauls as their marketing and game day director and Michael Salonius as a senior sales associate. The team is also looking to hire an assistant coach for the 23/24 season.
“There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes at the Junior A level,” Cech said, adding he was grateful to be adding those two to the Nighthawks fold.
“It’s just awesome to see what we can build when everyone works together.”
Niverville Nighthawks MJHL Draft (Hometown in brackets)
R1: F Gavin Holod (Stonewall)
R2: F Calyb Moore (St Adolphe)
R4: D Nathan Forster (Lorette)
R6: D Luke Marykuca (Winnipeg)
R8: G Quinn Burfoot (Winnipeg)