Brophey Trade Signals Plymouth's Run For First Place

November 30, 2005 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Plymouth Whalers News Release


With an eye on first place in the Ontario Hockey League's West Division, the Plymouth Whalers did a little early Trade Deadline shopping November 23rd.

The Whalers acquired center Evan Brophey and defenseman Wes Cunningham - along with a 4th round draft choice in 2006 - from the Belleville Bulls in exchange for center Cory Tanaka and Plymouth's second round draft choices in 2006 and 2007.

"It's tough trading Cory," said Plymouth President, General Manager and Head Coach Mike Vellucci. "He is a great hockey player and a quality individual. In making the trade, we had a chance to acquire two of our needs - a number one center and another experienced defenseman. You have to give up quality to get quality.

"I can speak for our entire organization that we will miss Cory. We wish him the best."

Although the OHL's Final Trading Deadline isn't until January 10, the Whalers didn't want to miss an opportunity in acquiring Belleville's leading scorer - even if it meant trading a popular player, on and off the ice.

Brophey left the Bulls with 9 goals and 17 assists for 26 points in 22 games. Originally selected by the Barrie Colts in the second round (37th overall) in the 2002 Ontario Hockey League Draft, Brophey was acquired by Belleville last season. Brophey was taken in the 3rd round (68th overall) by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2005 National Hockey League Entry Draft.

Brophey - who's offensive numbers have increased every season - could return to Plymouth next season as an overage player.

Cunningham (18 years old) was originally drafted by Owen Sound in the second round (23rd overall) of the 2003 OHL Draft and acquired by Belleville last season. Cunningham - who has 2 goals with 4 assists for 6 points and 26 penalty minutes this year in Belleville - has 4 goals with 26 assists for 30 points and 138 penalty minutes in 140 career games in the OHL.

Tanaka (17 years old) was selected by Plymouth in the second round (29th overall) in the 2004 OHL Draft and scored 10 goals with 11 assists for 21 points and 49 penalty minutes in 67 games last season. This season, Tanaka had 2 goals with 3 assists for 5 points and 20 PIM's in 21 games.

Brophey talked about finding out about the trade.

"I went into the coach's office in Belleville," Brophey said. "My agents (Pat Capizzano and Anton Thun) were on the phone and told me about the deal and then it happened through the night. I had a little feeling and I was a little surprised. But Plymouth is a great team, a great organization. They have a lot of good players here."

Brophey drove five-and-a-half hours from Belleville to Plymouth the next day and was in the lineup when the Whalers beat Sarnia, 4-3, in overtime. He played on a forward line with John Vigilante and Vaclav Meidl.

"The team looks great - there's a lot of speed and skill here. I think we'll be a contender this year," Brophey said after his first game with the Whalers. "I think with the players here it will boost my game. (Vigilante and Meidl) see the ice real well, they're good playmakers and it seems we have some good chemistry."

Brophey was asked if he was tired after the long drive and was there some adrenalin in joining a new team.

"I had a case of both," Brophey said. "You see the new guys, so you want to try to perform your best. I tried to do that, but I guess you could say I had a case of the bus legs as the game wore on."

The same afternoon Brophey drove to the Whalers, Tanaka and his parents - Kim and Ron - reported to the Compuware Sports Arena for the last time as members of the team and its' extended family. It was an emotional last visit.

"One of the reasons the deal took so long to make was I didn't want to give up Cory Tanaka," Vellucci said. "But sometimes you have to do that to make your team better. We needed a number one center and when Evan became available, that made my decision a little easier."

Cunningham eases the load for young Plymouth defensemen Brett Bellemore, Leo Jenner and Scott Madden - all Whaler pups seeing their first action in the OHL this season.

"Cunningham may be a forgotten piece of the puzzle," Vellucci explained. "Our young defensemen are inexperienced so we're going let them grow and get some experience and not throw them to the wolves early on. We really needed that fifth defenseman."

The Whalers' acquisition of Brophey was overlooked around the OHL. Kitchener Rangers' General Manager-Head Coach Pete DeBoer did some dealing of his own, sending right wing Patrick Davis to Windsor for right wing David Lomas and acquiring the rights to Victor Oreskovic from the Spitfires in a separate deal.

"I don't have any doubt that again this year, the Western Conference is deeper," DeBoer told the Kitchener-Waterloo Record. "To have teams like Plymouth, sitting in fourth place in (our) conference, starting to load up in November doesn't bode well for the cost of getting an older player at the deadline."

Brophey had four assists in his first three games with the Whalers, who went 1-1-0-1 last week.

Plymouth comes into this week tied with Saginaw at the top of the OHL West with 30 points. People in Saginaw have been looking for a meaningful Whalers-Spirit rivalry since North Bay moved to Michigan in 2002. The Whalers beat Saginaw, 7-2 on Sept. 21 and will play the Spirit seven times after Christmas.

So it looks like we'll see the Plymouth-Saginaw rivalry in full effect, with both teams battling for the top of the West Division.

"Right now in Plymouth, we're looking at first place," Brophey said. "We're not looking down, we're looking forward."

That's the feeling of Vellucci and everyone who wears a Plymouth jersey.

"The (West) division is up for grabs," Vellucci said. "I really feel we should definitely win our division and take it from there and try to win the conference."

A little pre-Trade Deadline shopping may turn the division into Plymouth's direction.

WHALERS WEDNESDAYS CONTINUE TONIGHT at GINOPOLIS ON THE ICE.

Ginopolis on the Ice Restaurant - located inside the Compuware Sports Arena - is offering a new feature designed to bring fun into the facility on Wednesday evenings.

Ginopolis on the Ice is offering "Whalers Wednesdays" from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. During "Whalers Wednesdays", two members of the Whalers will be available at the restaurant to sign autographs, be available for photos and mingle with guests at the restaurant.

Plymouth captain John Vigilante and veteran right wing Dan Collins will be at Ginopolis tonight.

In an event tailor-made for children, 15 young Whaler fans attended the first "Whalers Wednesdays" Nov. 16, featuring overages Ryan Nie and Mike Letizia.

Letizia and Nie signed autographs, posed for pictures and mingled with the children and their families. All children won some kind of prize during a question-and-answer period hosted by the Voice of the Whalers, Pete Krupsky.

Discounts will be given to children 12-and-under for the event. Children 12-and-under can eat free for every adult they bring who pays full price for their entrée. The Kids Menu will be their choice of Chicken Strips and Fries, Kids' Hot Dog or Kids' Linguine.

This event will go on during most Wednesdays at Ginopolis on the Ice, barring the Whalers schedule or the Christmas Holidays.

Whalers fans interested in attending 'Whalers Wednesdays' are encouraged to call Ginopolis on the Ice for reservations. Please call (734) 453-4455.

WHALERS HOST MISSISSAUGA and KITCHENER, THEN PLAY IN BRAMPTON IN A BUSY WEEKEND

All OHL teams experience what the Whalers will this upcoming weekend, as Plymouth plays three games in less than three days in hosting Mississauga on Friday and Kitchener on Saturday before traveling to Brampton on Sunday afternoon.

This weekend is the third of nine weekends over the season that Plymouth plays three games in three or less than three days. By contrast, the Whalers played ten last season.

The Whalers host a Mississauga team Friday that is last in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference with a record of 8-16-1-2. The IceDogs are the lowest scoring team in the league with 68 goals scored in 27 games.

Mississauga is coming into Friday's game after winning, 4-1, in Oshawa on Sunday.

"We'll take anything right now," Mississauga head coach Greg Gilbert told the Mississauga News after the win. "Every win is a big win, but no matter what, it seems as though we do some foolish things at some point that keeps games closer than they should be. You can't relax for one minute. You've got to stay focused and intense. When you're not focused every minute, something is bound to happen and you let the other guys off the hook."

Goaltender Michael Ouzas (23 games, 3.30 goals against, .910 save percentage) sees the bulk of the time in goal for Mississauga and is capable of holding the IceDogs in most games. Left wing Jordan Owens (12-13-25) and overage defenseman Dave Pszenyczny (6-13-19) lead Mississauga in scoring. Former Whaler Craig Cescon leads the OHL in penalty minutes with 115, but he's also a team-low minus 13. Another former Whaler - Jordan Grant - has scored three goals with two assists for five points and 86 PIM's in 27 games for the 'Dogs.

Mississauga comes into the game banged up, with regular defenseman Frank Santini out with a broken ankle and rookie defenseman Keith Wynn out with a broken wrist. The 'Dogs used left wing Nathan Hooper on the blue line last weekend.

Plymouth defeated Mississauga, 7-2, at the Hershey Centre Oct. 12, with Dan Collins getting the hat trick, Jared Boll his first two goals of the year and Chris Terry and Vaclav Meidl adding singles.

As mentioned, the Whalers renew acquaintances with the re-tooling Kitchener Rangers Saturday night. Besides acquiring Lomas and Oreskovic last week, Kitchener has also picked up Matt Auffrey (5-7-12) and overage Cory Konecny (43 PIM's in 14 games between Guelph and Kitchener) earlier this season. Veteran goaltender Eric Pfligler moved on after the Rangers decided to go with overage Dan Turple (2.82, .910 in 22 games) and rookie Mark Packwood (2.80, .892 in 6 games) in goal.

Detroit-draft Evan McGrath (19-31-50) leads the Kitchener attack and is aided by grinder Mike Duco (11-14-25), second-year player Justin Azevedo (8-14-22) and veteran Craig Voakes (9-12-21). On defense, Boston first-rounder Matt Lashoff (1-12-13, -7) is back in the lineup after missing the early part of the year with an injury; Detroit first-rounder Jakub Kindl (5-22-27) is often paired with Atlanta-draft Boris Valabik (1-1-2, 92 PIM's) on the Rangers' blue line.

Kitchener comes in the weekend at 13-10-0-1, in fourth place in the OHL's Midwest Division. Plymouth shut out Kitchener, 3-0, in Kitchener on Oct. 21.

Whalers play in Brampton (13-12-0-0) on Sunday against a team that has run hot and cold over their first 25 games. Washington-draft Daren Machesney (3.38, .906 in 19 games) is a quality goaltender, Maryland-native Luke Lynes leads the Battalion with 16 goals and former Whaler Taylor Raszka has 10 goals with 4 assists for 14 points in 22 games for Brampton. The Battalion defeated Plymouth, 3-2, in a shootout Nov. 19.

All three games this weekend will be broadcast via audio internet on http://www.plymouthwhalers.com beginning at 7:20 pm on Friday and Saturday and 1:50 pm on Sunday. Video streaming will be available for the games on Friday and Saturday through http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com.

SPEND YOUR WHALERS GAME NIGHT IN STYLE IN THE LABATT HOSPITALITY ROOM

The Labatt Hospitality Room is now available for private parties and special events during Whalers' games.

For $25 per person, you'll receive:

Tickets to the game. Watch the game from the privacy of the Hospitality Room. Use of a 50-inch Plasma Screen Television. Beef and Chicken Kabob dinner. Non-alcoholic beverages.

To book your special event in the Labatt Hospitality Room, please call Bob Bannatz or Char Merckel at (734) 453-8400



Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 30, 2005


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central