With the ODBHL playoffs underway, we are looking to review some of how the Kings got to the playoff dance once again. Over the period of the Saint John Kings history there has been one constant in the Saint John Kings organization and that is change. There are very few teams that have the player turn over rate that GM John Kenny has demonstrated since day one of the ODBHL. This season has not been much different than the past as the season progressed with Kenny dealing with players like a Bay Street stock trader on the TSX. With all the moves The Kings and GM John Kenny have been a part of this season, we will be breaking the roster changes down in a couple of articles. The first of two focusing on the lead up to the past offseason GM meeting and up to the season opener.
It seems like before the offseason was even happening this past season Kenny had a few irons in the fire, looking towards that elusive first ODBHL Cup that has escaped him for the past 10 seasons. For the first piece of business the Kings fulfilled a previous obligation by sending Colton Parayko to South Esk. Then in a move to solidify the Kings top 4 defence corps prior to the meeting, the Kings swapped young star centre William Eklund, Filip Johansson and a second round pick to Albert County for Alexander Romanov and the Albert County S13 first round pick. Kenny then approached Cains GM Jamie Coughlan after some previous discussions on swapping some young centres, which culminated ina deal sending Nico Hischier and goaltender Veini Vehvilainen for upcoming RFA Jesperi Kotkaniemi and star goalie Logan Thompson. This deal also ended up including the swap of a second round pick to Cains with Gregori Denisenko landing in Saint John. With the meeting coming up, the Kings made one more deal to free enough cap space and solidify the third defence pairing by sending forward Nolan Patrick to Albert County in exchange for Lassi Thompson.
These moves were all part of the slew of trades GM John Kenny ends up considering or making to keep the Kings moving in the direction he is looking to go in. We will break down the rest of this seasons moves in the follow up article as this first round progresses.
Irwin P Freeley
Telegraph Journal
11/30/2024 - 395 words
