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ECHL Colorado Eagles

Colorado Acquires Olsen, Watson in Trade with Utah

February 15, 2018 - ECHL (ECHL)
Colorado Eagles News Release


WINDSOR, CO. - The Colorado Eagles, proud affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche, announced today that the team has completed a trade with the Utah Grizzlies to acquire forward Ryan Olsen and defenseman Cliff Watson in exchange for forward Jake Marchment, defenseman Gage Ausmus and future considerations.

"As we move forward through this very successful season, we feel both of these players will greatly bolster our team from a scoring and defensive perspective," said Eagles president and general manager Chris Stewart. "The players we moved were of high character and we have placed them with a team that will be able to provide them with some very valuable minutes on the ice. With the current league rules that mandate five AHL games to qualify a contracted player to participate in the playoffs, this was a move also made out of necessity. However, adding this type of depth and experience is invaluable and helps us to win those all-important face-offs and offensive zone battles, which really is the game being played today. You must find a way to score and play aggressive offense and these new additions help us to do that in a very dynamic way."

Olsen was a 6th round draft pick of the Winnipeg Jets in 2012 and posted eight goals and 17 assists in 34 games with the Grizzlies this season. He departed Utah midseason to join Orli Znojmo of the EBEL in Europe, where he notched one goal and three assists in eight contests. In addition to his time in the ECHL, the 23 year-old has played in 181 AHL games with the St. John's Ice Caps and Manitoba Moose, generating 17 goals, 16 assists and 191 penalty minutes. Prior to making the jump to the pro game, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound center generated back-to-back seasons with 30+ goals in the WHL with the Kelowna Rockets.

Watson was named to the 2018 ECHL All-Star Team after collecting nine goals and 16 assists with Utah this season. The former 6th round pick of the San Jose Sharks has also seen action in six games with the Utica Comets of the AHL, posting one assist in that stretch. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound blueliner is in his rookie season, after completing a four-year career at Michigan Tech, spending his final two seasons as team captain. Watson highlighted his collegiate career by helping lead the Huskies to a WCHA Championship in 2017.

Both players are expected to be in the line-up when the Eagles continue their seven-game road trip with a match-up against the Idaho Steelheads on Friday, February 16th at 7:05pm MT at CenturyLink Arena in Boise.

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