For the second time this week, the Saskatoon Blades have been involved in a W-H-L trade.
The Bridge City Bunch have reached the limit of three, 20-year-old players while reducing their number of 2007-born defencemen as part of a five-piece trade today with Wenatchee. The Bridge City Bunch acquired 20-year-old blueliner Josh Fluker, plus conditional fourth round W-H-L Prospects Draft picks in 2027 and 2030, with 19-year-old Isaac Poll and a conditional fourth round choice in 2030 heading to the Wild. Back on Monday, the Blades picked up 19-year-old goaltender Koen Cleaver from Lethbridge for a ninth round choice in the 2029 Prospects Draft. Fluker was Wenatchee’s captain and didn’t have a point in 10 games this season. He joins fellow defenceman Tyrone Sobry and right winger Hunter Laing as the Blue and Gold’s 20-year-old contingent. Poll was a first round Prospects Draft pick of the Blue and Gold in 2022 and had a goal and an assist in eight games this season. Poll’s departure leaves captain Brayden Klimpke, Jordan Martin and Jack Kachkowski as rearguards born in 2007 on the roster. Fluker is expected to be in the Saskatoon line-up Saturday against Seattle – a 2 o’clock Halloween matinee start. Following is the news release from the Blades…..
Blades acquire Wenatchee captain Fluker
The Saskatoon Blades have acquired 20-year-old defenceman Josh Fluker and two conditional Western Hockey League (WHL) Prospects Draft picks from the Wenatchee Wild in exchange for 2007-born defenceman Isaac Poll and a conditional 2030 fourth-round selection.
The picks acquired by Saskatoon include Brandon’s 2027 fourth-round pick and Wenatchee’s fourth-round pick in 2023.
Fluker was drafted seventh overall by the Swift Current Broncos in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft.
“Josh is one of the best skating defenders in the league,” said Blades President and General Manager Colin Priestner. “He’s battled some really difficult injuries throughout his career, but he is healthy and expressed a strong desire to be a Blade.”
Fluker, a Boissevain, MB product, was acquired by the Wild in a blockbuster deal on January 4, 2024, when Wenatchee sent 19-year-old forward Conor Geekie to Swift Current for a package that included two other players and four draft picks.
After playing 28 games with the Wild to close out the 2023-24 season, which saw Fluker score a goal and five assists, he was named an alternate captain ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, listed by Central Scouting, and attended rookie camp with the Colorado Avalanche in September 2024.
Despite playing just 19 games due to injury in 2024-25, Fluker scored one goal and eight assists in 18 games to go along with a +6 rating.
The 6-foot blueliner was named Wild captain ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. In a short sample size due to injury, Fluker recorded four goals and five assists in 19 games along with a +10 rating with the “C” on his chest last season.
“We also felt adding the current captain of a WHL team would help our leadership and experience and solidify our defensive core as one of the deepest in the league,” said Priestner.
Fluker’s dressed in 176 career WHL games between the Broncos and Wild, scoring nine goals and 32 assists for 41 points.
Drafted 21st overall by the Blades in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Poll scored four goals and eight assists in 103 career games. The White City, SK product was limited to 34 games last season due to a lower-body injury and scored one goal and two assists in those two games.
“Isaac has battled through a lot of adversity in his time with the Blades and done it with nothing but determination and a great attitude,” said Priestner. “We felt this move would give him a fresh start on a younger team in Wenatchee, where he can play a bigger role and help lead their great core of young players.”
We’d like to thank Isaac for his numerous contributions to the organization and city of Saskatoon throughout the past two-and-a-half years. We wish him nothing but the best in Wenatchee.
We’re excited to welcome Josh to Blade City as he continues his senior WHL season.
