Pats, Blades make major deal ahead of WHL trade deadline

The Regina Pats and Saskatoon Blades have made another swap as they prepare for the WHL playoffs.

The Pats traded goaltender Tyler Brown, forward Bryan Lockner and picks to the Saskatoon Blades for 20-year-old star forward Cameron Hebig and starting goalie Ryan Kubic.

Regina gave up a first round pick in 2020, a second round pick in 2020 and third round picks in 2019 and 2021 in the trade.

Saskatoon then promptly traded Lockner, their own 2020 first round pick and 2021 second round pick to the Medicine Hat Tigers for forward Max Gerlach.

Hebig has had a career year after missing the 2016-17 season with injury, scoring 30 goals and 58 points in 48 games for the Blades. In his WHL Career he has put up 193 points in 238 career games.

“Cameron is one of the best overage players in the league this year,” Pats Head Coach John Paddock said in a news release.

“We are really excited to add his scoring and playmaking ability to our team.”

Kubic has compiled an 8-11-1 record in Saskatoon this season with a 3.96 goals against average (GAA) and .871 save percentage.

The Blades get a veteran goaltender in Brown, who has played 152 games and has won 76 of them. In 33 games this season, the 20-year-old holds a 15-13-3 record with a 3.31 GAA and .891 save percentage.

“Tyler has 35 games of playoff experience as a starter, as he will make an excellent tandem with our young tender (Nolan Maier),” Blades General Manager Colin Priestner said in a news release.

Gerlach will also add playoff experience to the Blades, playing in 11 post-season games in his WHL career. He has 35 points, including 16 goals, in 35 games this season.

The move comes two days after the Blades traded Czech defenceman Libor Hajek to the Pats for a package including Dawson Davidson and a first round selection. Saskatoon now owns Regina’s first round picks in 2019 and 2020.

The WHL Trade Deadline cuts off at 4 p.m. Wednesday.