Broncos haul in players and picks at WHL trade deadline

The Swift Current Broncos continued to compile assets at the Western Hockey League deadline as they made three deals on Friday that sent two players and one pick out and brought in four players and three draft picks.

The Broncos opened their day with a six-piece trade that sent captain Ethan Regnier and import defenseman Kasper Puutio to the Everett Silvertips. The centerpiece of the return package was a coveted first round pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft as well as a second round pick in the 2022 draft. The Bronco also received import forward Martin Fasko-rudas and 2001born defenseman Parker Hendren.

Hendren, a 6’0’’ defenseman from Regina, has played 74 games with the Vancouver Giants and Silvertips.

The Broncos next made a one-for-one deal with the Brandon Wheat Kings to acquire 2002born defenseman Bode Hagan for a sixth round pick in the 2021 draft. The Alsike, AB native has four assists in 18 games during his rookie season in the WHL.

The Broncos subsequently flipped Faskorudas to the Saskatoon Blades for three pieces, including 2001-born forward Matej Toman. They also acquired prospect Cale Ashcroft, who was the Blades fourth round pick last year, and a sixth round pick in 2022.

Toman, a native of the Czech Republic, has 12 points in 37 games with the Prince George Cougars and the Blades in his second WHL season. Ashcroft, a defenseman from St. Albert, has eight points in six games with the Northern Alberta Extreme Elite 15’s.

The Broncos had made a number of moves prior to the deadline. They acquired goaltender Isaiah Di Lauria from the Portland Winterhawks on Wednesday in exchange for a conditional seventh round pick in 2021.

The third-year American goaltender had a 4-2-0-2 record this season with a 0.891 save percentage and a 3.27 goals against average.

Thursday, the Broncos announced that they had signed overage forward D-jay Jerome after claiming him on waivers. The Lethbridge native had 14 goals and 14 assists in 40 games this season with his hometown club. The 6’3’’ forward had 87 points in 207 WHL games with the Prince Albert Raiders, Red Deer Rebels, Victoria Royals and the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

The addition leaves the Broncos with Jerome, Jaxan Kaluski, and Hayden Ostir to fill the three overage spots after goaltender Reece Klassen was released.