Warriors add NHL-drafted defenceman, veteran forward in trade with Edmonton

The Moose Jaw Warriors took steps to shore up their defence and add depth to their forward corps in a trade with the Edmonton Oil Kings on Wednesday afternoon.

The Warriors acquired 2004-born forward Rilen Kovacevic, 2005-born import defenceman Vojtech Port and a sixth-round pick (2024) from the Edmonton Oil Kings 

The Warriors are sending 2006-born import forward Andrej Tomasec, a first-round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft, a conditional second-round pick in 2025 and a third-round pick in 2026 to Edmonton in the deal.

“This trade adds to the team’s depth up front and gives us a top-four defencemen. Moving forward it helps us for next year as well,” Warriors general manager Jason Ripplinger said.

Port, 18, has three goals and 12 points in 26 games with the Oil Kings this season. The Jihlava, Czechia product posted four goals and 17 points in 48 games with Edmonton and Red Deer last season.

Port was selected in the sixth round, 161st overall, in the 2023 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks.

The six-foot-two, right-shot defenceman was also named to Team Czechia for the 2024 World Junior Championship before suffering an injury in pre-tournament action and being forced to miss the tournament.

“Vojtech is a big, NHL-drafted defenceman, who can skate, move pucks quickly and will be able to log a lot of minutes down the stretch for us,” Ripplinger said.

Kovacevic, 19, is in his third Western Hockey League season and has 10 goals and 12 points in 18 games this season with Edmonton. The right winger was originally a 10th-round pick by his hometown Kelowna Rockets and has 28 goals and 49 points in 131 career WHL games.

“Rilen can play anywhere in our top-nine and brings the high character, grit, work ethic and secondary scoring to our lineup,” Ripplinger said.

Port is currently week-to-week with the upper body injury that kept him out of the World Juniors, while Kovacevic will join the Warriors ahead of the team’s return to action on Friday when they host the Regina Pats at the Moose Jaw Events Centre. Game time is 7 p.m.