Blizzard Trade for Three Veteran Players
May 29, 2014 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Brookings Blizzard News Release
The Brookings Blizzard have acquired the rights to three NAHL veteran players through a trade with the Odessa Jackalopes. The trade gives the Jackalopes the Blizzard's second round draft pick (26th overall) in next week's NAHL Draft. The trade will bring goaltender Eric Hancock and defensemen Chris Taff and David Chavis II to Brookings.
The transaction was approved by the NAHL yesterday and was the first trade executed by new Blizzard head coach and general manager Dan Daikawa.
Hancock is a native of Cleveland, OH and played in 31 games for the Jackalopes last season, his first in the NAHL. Born in 1995, he has two years of junior eligibility left.
Goaltending is a position of emphasis for the Blizzard this off-season. Connor Girard, who started 28 games for the Blizzard last season, is headed to the Air Force Academy this fall. Garrett Forrest, who is a 97 birth year and was with the team all of last season, was drafted by the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL Draft earlier this month.
Chris Taff was the Jacks' leading scorer among defensemen in 2013-14 with 16 points. The Omaha, NE native has played three seasons in the NAHL, starting his junior career with the Corpus Christi Ice Rays in 2011-2012.
David Chavis II is a 6'4", 205 lb. defenseman from Grosse Pointe Woods, MI. He played in 38 games during his rookie season with the Jackalopes last year.
Both Taff and Chavis will bring an element of physically and toughness to the Blizzard blue line. Last season the pair combined for 187 penalty minutes.
Although the Blizzard have traded their second round pick, they will still have and a good opportunity to build for the future as they hold the rights to both the second and third overall picks in the draft.
The Blizzard will be hosting their final pre-draft camp this weekend in Rogers, MN as they prepare for the NAHL Draft. The NAHL Draft will be held on Tuesday, June 3rd. Follow the draft on twitter or listen live on Fasthockey.com.
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