Petes not throwing in towel by dealing Ang: Oke
Peterborough Petes GM Mike Oke says in no way is he throwing in the towel on this season with the trading of Jonathan Ang on Monday.
The Petes traded Ang, perhaps their marquee player, to the Sarnia Sting for 17-year-old right wing Brady Hinz and Sarnia’s second-round draft pick in 2020 and third-round pick in 2022.
While Ang is the higher profile player, was invited to Canada’s national junior selection camp and has 43 points this season compared to Hinz’s 28; both players have 21 even-strength points this season.
“I don’t think we’re moving past this season at all,” Oke said. “We were able to acquire a player who has already proven to be a productive player who we were familiar with not only through the OHL draft but in the past season-and-a-half watching him play at the OHL level.
“We were also able to acquire some additional assets in the form of draft picks. I think he’s the type of player who can come in and be a competitive player and a productive player. He has good skills and skates well. He’s the type of player who can help us make a push up the standings this year and the fact he’ll be eligible to come back for two more years is also a benefit.”
Hinz, born in 2000, is in his second OHL season. He was originally selected in the third round, 52nd overall in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection. The 5’8”, 160-pound Stratford native has recorded 18 goals, 35 assists, 53 points and 12 penalty minutes in 101 games with Sarnia. He is eligible for the 2018 NHL draft.
Ang, who was selected by the Petes in the first round, ninth overall in the 2014 OHL draft, has played 233 games with the Petes registering 73 goals, 98 assists, 171 points and 206 penalty minutes. The 6’0”, 170-pound assistant captain was selected in the fourth-round, 94th overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2016 NHL draft and signed with Florida prior to Christmas.
“It was a difficult decision to make because we’ve grown to have a good relationship with Jonathan and he’s been a part of our group for four years,” Oke said.
“He’s a good player himself and brings some real strengths to our group but we also recognize we were able to replace some of those strengths, maybe not all the experience, with a player who is a little bit younger.”
The Petes currently sit ninth in the OHL’s Eastern Conference, well below their expectations of contending for first place. They will also lose a number of key players to graduation and Ang would be one of them. To try to get them back on track something had to change and Oke believes this move has the potential to change team dynamics this season while helping their future.
“The fact we made a deal with a Western Conference opponent the fans have really only had a very limited opportunity to see this player,” Oke said.
“Once they become more familiar with him and what his skill-set is I think they’ll come to understand and appreciate what this player can bring to our group.”
With the OHL trade deadline approaching on Wednesday at noon, and a noon Tuesday deadline for overage players, Oke said this move does not signal a fire sale.
“I think I’ve been open in previous discussions that if teams made offers that I thought were appropriate that would benefit us this year and moving forward I would consider it. I think this move accomplishes that objective,” Oke said.
“I would consider making additional moves but I’m not going to move players just for the sake of moving players. I’ve had additional phone calls today so we’ll see.”
Hinz is expected to be in the lineup when the Petes host the Guelph Storm at the PMC on Thursday.