OHL North Bay Battalion

Troops Land Bratina in Clarke Trade

Published on December 27, 2013 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
North Bay Battalion News Release


NORTH BAY, Ont. - The North Bay Battalion has acquired Zach Bratina from the Saginaw Spirit in a trade for fellow left winger Blake Clarke, the Ontario Hockey League club announced Friday.

Both Bratina and Clarke are 17 and were first-round picks in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection, Bratina 19th overall by the Plymouth Whalers and Clarke 15th overall by the Brampton Battalion.

Bratina, six-foot-one and 183 pounds, has five goals and nine assists for 14 points in 30 games with Saginaw this season. He totaled six goals and eight assists for 14 points in 50 games split between Plymouth and Saginaw as a rookie. Bratina had one assist in three playoff games with the Spirit.

Plymouth traded Bratina, a resident of Lindsay, Ont., who played his minor midget season with the Central Ontario Wolves, to Saginaw last Jan. 10 in the deal in which the Whalers acquired eventual OHL scoring champion Vincent Trocheck.

" He ' s a very good player, a first-round pick, " Stan Butler, Battalion director of hockey operations and head coach, said of Bratina. " He ' s a skilled player and a good skater who brings some physicality as well. "

Butler, who called the deal " a trade I feel is good for both teams, " said Bratina likely will take Clarke ' s spot on what ' s generally regarded as the second line.

" That ' s kind of our goal. He ' s going to play with (Matt) MacLeod and (Nick) Paul. "

Butler said he hoped Bratina would arrive in North Bay in time to practise Friday before the Battalion visits the Sudbury Wolves at 7 p.m. Saturday in both teams ' first game after the Christmas break.

Clarke, from Wildwood, Mo., scored one goal and added two assists in 21 games with the Battalion this season, losing 14 games to a torn rotator cuff suffered in the USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game at Pittsburgh on Sept. 26. He had 19 goals and 32 assists for 51 points in 68 games as a rookie, adding three goals and three assists for six points in five playoff games.

Check out the North Bay Battalion Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 27, 2013


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