Veteran presence
Canucks load up for deep playoff run by acquiring 20-year-olds from St. Catharines
The Niagara Falls Canucks are beefing up for a playoff run.
Owner and head coach Frank Pietrangelo kicked off 2018 by acquiring veterans Dante Copps and Tanner Ferriera from the St. Catharines Falcons. The newly acquired Canucks made their debuts in the Red and Black on the back end of a homeand-home series against the Thorold Blackhawks.
The Niagara Falls player heading the other way in the trade with St. Catharines was 18-year-old defenceman Tanner Brown, who was recently selected to play in the 2017-18 Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League Top Prospects Game.
“Tanner is a good hockey player, but you have to be willing to give up something in order to get something back and this was one of those situations,” Pietrangelo said.
Copps and Ferriera , now both 20, were integral pieces to the Falcons team that eliminated the Canucks in six games in the Golden Horseshoe Conference semifinals last season.
Pietrangelo loves the experience both players bring, particularly Copps on the back end.
“He’s been around the GOJHL four years and has played on some good teams,” the Canucks bench boss said of the 6-foot, 190-pound-defenceman. “Dante’s got that winning attitude. He’s a physical kid, he has size, moves the puck well and is a leader.
“We’ve only seen him for a short term, so it’s difficult to evaluate guys.”
Copps, a native of London, Ont., began his junior B career playing 10 games with his hometown junior team, the London Nationals of the West Conference. He stayed in the west the following season with the Strathroy Rockets, playing 49 games and tallying 15 points.
He was a member of the Falcons for all of last year and played in 27 games registering this year before being dealt to the Canucks.
“When I first found out about the trade it was New Year’s Day Falcons GM Frank Girhiny told me to give him a call and he got me in the loop,” Copps said.
Copps had become attached to his teammates in St. Catharines and, though it was tough to say good bye, he is thrilled to have a chance to finish his career in Niagara Falls.
“I have lifetime friends there, the Falcons are an outstanding organization, it was a lot of fun the past two years, but I’m excited to start new.”
Copps thrives on shutting down opposing players. He did it last season throughout the Falcons playoff run and in Niagara Falls will complement Canucks captain Andrew Barbeau’s grit and vision on the back end.
“I’m more of a defensive defenceman, not much offence, but I really pride myself on being a shut-down defenseman.
The gritty blue-liner uses his size and, if necessary, absorbs checks keeping opposing teams’ top lines off the scoreboard.
“I pride myself with being known as one of the more physical guys in the league and I got lucky with some big hits a couple of times tonight,” Copps said.
He and his new team have the same goal: winning a Sutherland Cup championship.
“Winning a championship is the end goal with it being my last year of junior hockey,” Copps said. “Whether it’s with the Falcons or Canucks, it doesn’t change.”
Niagara Falls hosts the Ancaster Avalanche in a 7 p.m. faceoff today at Gale Centre and visits the Caledonia Corvairs for a 7:30 p.m. game Saturday.
The Canucks was swept by St. Catharines in a home-and-home series last week to fall to 25-10-0-4. They are fourth in the nine-team conference, five points back of the Falcons and 14 ahead of Thorold.
Niagara Falls is 0-4, eight points to two, in head-to-head play with Ancaster and 0-4, eights to one, versus Caledonia.