(Image credit: Kelowna Rockets)

By Pete McIntyre

WHL

Rockets add size in trade for NHL prospect

Sep 28, 2021 | 5:05 PM

Kelowna Rockets have acquired forward and Chicago Blackhawks prospect Colton Dach from the Saskatoon Blades in exchange for Rockets centre Trevor Wong.

“In my mind, along with the coaching staff and head scouts, I was concerned about the size of our team in the centre position,” said Bruce Hamilton, Rockets president and GM. “With Wong, Flamand and Cristall all being somewhat undersized compared to the teams that we’ll be playing in the BC Division, I just felt there was an opportunity to get a bigger guy in Dach who’s 6’3″.

“Colton is going to bring some things to our team that are going to be important to us, he shoots the puck well, I think he’s going to mature a lot as a player here now that he has an NHL training camp under his belt. We’re going to expect him to come in here and have a leadership role with our group in the near future.”

“When you make a deal of this size, battleship for battleship, we’re certainly giving up a young player that we’ve thought an awful lot of. Trevor was our first-round pick a few years ago and a real special person, but I think with where our team is, I thought that size was going to be an issue when we play big physical teams. I wanted to get something done earlier rather than later.”

Dach, 18, appeared in 20 games for Blades during the 2020-21 season, posting 20 points (11G, 9A), 16 penalty minutes. He led all Saskatoon skaters in goals (11) and power-play goals (5) scored last season.

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He has appeared in 82 WHL regular-season games over the last two seasons, posting 49 points (22G, 27A), 61 penalty minutes and a +7 plus-minus rating.

The 6’3″, 205-pound forward was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round (62nd overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He is the younger brother of Kirby Dach, who was taken by Chicago third overall in the 2019 NHL draft.

The Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. product was drafted sixth overall by Saskatoon in the 2018 WHL Draft.

Wong, 18, was drafted by the Rockets 18th overall in the first round of the 2018 WHL Draft. He appeared in 79 games for the Rockets, collecting 31 points (13G, 18A) and 40 penalty minutes.