Greyhounds complete major deal with Otters (update)

A trade that has been rumoured for a while became official this afternoon.

The Soo Greyhounds announced today that the team has acquired high-scoring forward Taylor Raddysh and defenceman Jordan Sambrook from the Erie Otters.

The Greyhounds have dealt rookie forward Hayden Fowler and nine draft picks to the Otters in the deal. 

Among the picks are second round picks in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 and Guelph’s second round pick in 2020 along with third round picks in 2018 and 2023 and sixth round picks in 2018 and 2021.

“Both are elite players in this league that come with championship pedigrees that should be great fits to compliment our existing group,” Greyhounds General Manager Kyle Raftis said in a release.

Raddysh was a member of Team Canada at the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championship where he skated on a line with Greyhounds forward Boris Katchouk. Raddysh finished the tournament with two goals and five points in seven games in helping the Canadian team win gold.

In 30 games this season with the Otters, Raddysh scored 15 goals and 44 points.

Like Katchouk, Raddysh is a prospect of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. The fourth-year forward also played a key role in the Otters OHL championship last season, scoring 42 goals and 109 points in 58 games.

In 213 career games with the Otters, Raddysh scored 102 goals and 253 points.

Drafted by the Detroit Red Wings, Sambrook, a 19-year-old right-shooting defenceman, had seven goals and 24 points in 38 games with the Otters this season and had 31 goals and 91 points in 166 career games with the Otters. 

“Both Taylor and Jordan were instrumental in helping us create memories that the city of Erie, the organization and teammates will remember forever and we’re evermore thankful for their contributions,” said Erie General Manager Dave Brown in a release. “But today we had an opportunity to acquire and restructure our future. In acquiring Hayden, we have brought in a young man who carries many of the core traits this organization wants in a player in the locker room and on the ice. We are thrilled with what Hayden can add to our already exciting group.”

A product of Kingston, Ont., Fowler had two goals and four points in 33 games this season with the Greyhounds.

“Hayden has been a great Soo Greyhound from day one,” Raftis said. “He was an integral part of our club’s success to date this season. It’s always difficult to move a player that you know is going to be a special player in this league.”

Sambrook is expected to play on Sunday afternoon in Guelph but Raddysh's status for the contest wasn't known on Saturday evening.