Friday, August 23, 2013

North Bay acquires O'Neil

Press Release

NORTH BAY, Ont. – The North Bay Battalion has acquired the Ontario Hockey League rights to goaltender Brendan O’Neill in a trade with the Sudbury Wolves, it was announced Friday.

The Battalion sent Sudbury a conditional 15th-round pick in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection in return for O’Neill, who turned 19 on April 24. The Wolves chose O’Neill, six-foot-four and 190 pounds, in the fourth round, 65th overall, of the 2010 OHL Priority Selection from the London Knights minor midgets.

He played five games with Sudbury in each of the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons before splitting last season among the Kingston Voyageurs and Trenton Golden Hawks of the Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Carleton Place Canadians of the Central Canada Hockey League.

The Ilderton, Ont., resident played six games with Kingston and three with Trenton before compiling a 17-9-1 won-lost-tied record, a 2.55 goals-against average and an .899 save percentage in 28 games with Carleton Place.

“He’s a big goalie who’s played some OHL games and now is a little older,” said Stan Butler, Battalion director of hockey operations and head coach. “We think he can come into training camp and compete for a spot.”

Jake Smith played 20 games with the Brampton Battalion last season in the backup role behind Matej Machovsky, who turned 20 on July 25 and is to play professionally in his native Czech Republic this year. Smith, 18 since May 1, had a 2.57 GAA, an .891 save percentage and a 9-6-2 won-lost-extended record. He suffered two overtime losses in as many playoff appearances.

 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)

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