The Saskatoon Blades didn’t back down as to why Colton Dach (pictured) was traded to Kelowna Tuesday afternoon.

The Bridge City Bunch news release quotes President and G-M Colin Priestner as saying, “This was not an easy trade to make. Colton was a first round pick of ours and we were looking forward to seeing him continue to develop. However the day after the N-H-L draft, Colton’s representative requested a trade. We remained patient in our discussions on Colton’s future, and were not going to agree on a trade until we received an equal or better player of the same age coming back to our club.”

That player is fellow 18-year-old centre Trevor Wong who, like Dach, put up a point-per-game during the truncated 2021 season. A Vancouver product, Wong recently attended Florida’s N-H-L rookie camp on an invite after posting six goals amongst 16 points in 16 games for the Rockets. Dach had 11 goals amongst 20 points in 20 games with the Blue and Gold in the East Division hub, leading to him being taken in the second round of this past summer’s N-H-L Draft by Chicago…the same team that took his older brother, and former Blade, Kirby Dach in the first round in 2019. Wong is expected to be in the Saskatoon line-up this weekend to open the new season against Moose Jaw. Following is the news release on the trade from the Blades, as well as a Les Lazaruk interview with Colin Priestner…..

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SASKATOON, SK — The Saskatoon Blades announced today the acquisition of
2003-born centreman Trevor Wong from the Kelowna Rockets in exchange for
2003-born forward Colton Dach.
Trevor Wong was selected by Kelowna 18th overall in the 2018 WHL Bantam
Draft, and has consistently improved on his numbers season over season. In a
COVID-rendered 2021 campaign, the Vancouver, BC, native led the Rockets with
16 points (6G-10A) in 16 games, vastly improving from his 14 points (6G-8A) in
58 games in his 16-year-old rookie campaign. This includes a four-goal outing
against Prince George on March 28th.
The 5-foot-9, 154-pound forward recently attended the Florida Panthers rookie
camp after receiving an invite this summer.
“I owed it to our talented, committed group of core players to make the right deal
to improve our team,” commented Blades president & general manager, Colin
Priestner. “Trevor was one of the most dynamic bantam players I have scouted in
my nine years with the Blades. He’s someone that you normally would never be
able to acquire in a trade because he’s so talented and so well-regarded around the
league, but this trade appears to be a good fit for both sides. Trevor led the Rockets
in scoring last season with a point-per-game and he is going to add a lot of speed
and skill to our centre ice position that will complement our skilled wingers.”
Priestner also commented on how the trade was initiated earlier in the summer.
“This was not an easy trade to make,” said Priestner. “Colton was a first round pick
of ours and we were looking forward to seeing him continue to develop, however
the day after the NHL draft, Colton’s representative requested a trade. We
remained patient in our discussions on Colton’s future, and were not going to agree
on a trade until we received an equal or better player of the same age coming back
to our club. Trevor is certainly that level of player.”
Wong is expected to arrive in Saskatoon in the coming days and will make his
Blades debut in this weekend’s home and home series against Moose Jaw to start
the 2021-22 regular season.
“We are very happy to put this deal behind us and go forward with our group into
opening night in Moose Jaw, where Trevor’s dad Eddie is from,” added Priestner.
“Trevor is going to be a fan-favourite from day one with his style of play and we
feel we are a better team today than we were yesterday.”
“We want to wish Colton all the best in Kelowna and I sincerely hope he has a
great second half to his junior career playing for a storied WHL franchise,”
continued Priestner.
For more information and interview requests, please contact