The Moose Jaw Warriors took a step to solving their overage situation with a trade on Monday.
Warriors general manager Jason Ripplinger sent 20-year-old forward Calder Anderson to the Brandon Wheat Kings in exchange for a conditional draft pick, leaving the Western Hockey League team with four overagers on their roster.
The trade carries an extra element to it as Anderson is from Brandon and grew up playing minor hockey in the community.
Anderson played three seasons with the Warriors, putting up four goals and 10 points in 62 games in his rookie campaign in 2019-20 before serving as an assistant captain in the East Division hub and scoring three times with 10 points in 21 games.
A knee injury that required surgery saw Anderson miss the majority of the 2021-22 season, and he wouldn’t return until Mar. 4 against the Prince Albert Raiders. He’d score in that game and finish with four goals and six points in 15 games before adding another two goals and three points in 10 playoff games.
The Warriors will have to take a wait-and-see approach with regards to their overage situation this fall, with three of their 20-year-olds having their rights owned by NHL teams.
That includes captain Daemon Hunt and forward Ryder Korczak, who are signed by the Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers respectively, along with defenceman Cole Jordan, who will be in camp with the Calgary Flames but is currently unsigned.
Goaltender Connor Ungar -- who was acquired in a trade with Red Deer in the off-season -- is the other overager and will be in Warriors training camp.
Season tickets are currently on sale, be sure to visit www.mjwarriors.ca for more information.
