Yahoo Sports North Bay And Barrie Swap Players In Blockbuster Trade
Five days before the OHL trade deadline, the Barrie Colts and North Battalion agreed to a trade that sent Parker Vaughan, Zach Wigle and a bevy of picks to the Battalion in exchange for Owen Van Steensel and Vancouver Canucks prospect Anthony Romani.
Rumors had been swirling for weeks online that Barrie was looking to acquire experienced forwards with Parker Vaughan as the major return.
In the end, the Colts moved fifth-overall pick Parker Vaughan, overage forward Zach Wigle, a 2027 fourth-round pick (KIT), a 2027 fifth-round pick (LDN), a 2027 sixth-round pick (PTB) and a 2028 seventh-round pick (BAR) in exchange for Van Steensel and Romani.
Van Steensel, the former captain for North Bay is an overaged forward who has scored 26 points in 36 games this year. Romani, a 2005-born forward, has five points in six games with North Bay this season.
Notably, this trade allows Barrie to reunite Van Steensel, Romani with Dalyn Wakely. The trio scored a combined 301 points last year in North Bay. This makes the trade a perfect move for Barrie who only seemed to be lacking in top scorers.
This trade also clearly signals that Barrie is going all in trying to win a title this season. Since the offseason they have acquired two 2006-born players, three 2005-born players and a pair of overage players. That's a total of seven players acquired via trade.
Related: Barrie Colts acquire Tristan Bertucci as part of a three-team trade
However, this trade is mutually beneficial. Halfway through the year, North Bay sits ninth in the Eastern Conference. While they could push for the eighth and final playoff spot they seem to have decided it would be more beneficial to start working towards the future.
The four draft picks will help expand their prospect pool for the coming years while Parker Vaughan looks like a future star.
![Parker Vaughan playing for Barrie. Vaughan scored 49 points in 30 games last year playing for the Elgin Middlesex Canucks U-16 AAA team [Robert Lefebvre/OHL Images].](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/lKIerlOV5irDg9HcMpVnJA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTEwNDk-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the_hockey_news_articles_331/0071550a2e51c5c7ca8df31c79980c7d)
Vaughan averages just under 10 minutes a night and has seven points in 34 games this season. Before joining Barrie Vaughan had always scored better than a point per game. If given more time it is reasonable to assume he will increase his scoring rate.
Also joining North Bay is overage forward Zach Wigle. The RIT commit comes to North Bay as a result of the overage player limits in the OHL. In 36 games this season he has 22 points. While he won't help advance the team next year like Vaughan, he will bolster the team this year.
This trade can easily be viewed as a committal move from both sides. While Barrie is committing to going all in for a championship this year, North Bay is committing to a rebuild and a bottom-three finish in the Eastern Conference.
If that is the case both sides acquired assets that further their immediate and long-term goals.
