Flames, Habs swap first rounders
The Calgary Flames swapped a 2013 first-round pick for another, sending Hunter Shinkaruk to the Montreal Canadiens for Kerby Rychel.
Shinkaruk, originally drafted by the Vancouver Canucks 24th overall, had been with the organization since 2016 when he was acquired in a trade for Markus Granlund. The 23-year-old winger and product of the Calgary Royals association skated 14 times for the Flames (seven in 2015-16 and another seven in 2016-17).
As for Rychel, drafted 19th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets, the 23-year-old is now in his fourth organization having been traded from Columbus to the Toronto Maple Leafs on June 25, 2016, and dealt to the Montreal Canadiens in February in the deal that sent Tomas Plekanec to the Leafs.
He played four games for the Montreal last year and 16 with the club’s AHL team in Laval.
“A fresh start for two guys,” said Flames general manager Brad Treliving Monday. “That’s how both players are looking at it, a clean skate. Kerby ’s a guy we’ve watched and known well, even going back to his junior days. He’s a good sized body, a knack for scoring. He’s had good production at the American Hockey League level. Now he’ll try to scratch and claw to get an opportunity at the NHL level. Talking to him, he’s excited about the opportunity and a motivated player. We look forward to seeing him in camp.”
Shinkaruk scored 17 goals and 15 assists in 63 games for the AHL’s Stockton Heat in 2017-18, and netted 15 goals and 20 assists in 52 games the previous season.
At the NHL level, he’s scored one goal and added two assists in 15 games (14 with Calgary and one with the Canucks) and was clearly looking for a clean slate.
“Hunter came in and was a productive player in Stockton in his first year with us,” said Treliving of Shinkaruk’s six-goal and six-assist debut through 17 games in the remainder of the 2015-16 campaign.
Rychel’s most productive season at the AHL level came in the 201617 campaign with the Toronto Marlies where he netted 19 goals and 33 assists in 73 games.