By Matt Stefano
A two-player trade has been made.
The Soo Thunderbirds have announced on Monday that they have traded second-year defenceman Kyle Trottier to the NOJHL’s Timmins Rock in exchange for forward Daniel Beaupre and a player development fee.
Beaupre, who is a 2003-birth-year forward, stands 5’10 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds.
“We are really excited to add Daniel to our current group,” said Soo Thunderbirds assistant coach and general manager Jamie Henderson. “Daniel is going to add another element to our team and by all accounts he should fit in extremely well both on and off the ice.”
“I’m excited to get started with a winning team and a winning program,” Beaupre added. “I’m also hoping to help this team win another championship this season.”
In five games played with the Rock this season, Beaupre had 3 goals, 0 assists and 0 penalty minutes.
Last season in 2021-2022, the 2003-birth-year forward split time with three teams, including the PIJHL’s North Van Wolf Pack, the NOJHL’s Timmins Rock and the OJHL’s Trenton Golden Hawks.
As a member of the Timmins Rock during 2021-2022, Beaupre found the back of the net 5 times and set up 5 others in 21 regular season games, before being dealt to the OJHL’s Trenton Golden Hawks on January 10.
After closing out the 2021-2022 season with 1 assist in 14 games played with the OJHL’s Trenton Golden Hawks, Beaupre then ended up being traded back to the Timmins Rock on July 5.
“Playing with North Van, Trenton and Timmins were great learning experiences and I’m happy to bring what I’ve learned from them over to the Thunderbirds,” Beaupre said.
Beaupre, who is from North Vancouver, British Columbia, is also from the same city as current Soo Thunderbirds forward Dharan Cap.
“I know Dharan Cap very well,” Beaupre said. “I skated with him a couple times over the summer and he always spoke highly about the Soo Thunderbirds organization.”
Trottier, who has been dealt to the Timmins Rock, had 0 points in 2 games played this season with the Soo Thunderbirds.
In his rookie season with the Soo Thunderbirds last season, Trottier found the back of the net 3 times and set up 15 others in 45 regular season games, before helping the Thunderbirds clinch the Copeland Cup McNamara Trophy.
“Kyle is a special young man who comes from a great family,” Henderson said. “We are happy to give him an opportunity to play closer to home, and he was a tremendous player for us last season in our championship run. We also wish him the best with his new team.”
NOTE
The Thunderbirds will take on Kyle Trottier and the Timmins Rock in their next home game at the John Rhodes Community Centre on Friday, October 14 at 7:00 p.m.
