The Canmore Eagles won’t officially open their 2013-14 training camp until August 22, but Eagle’s Head Coach and General Manager Head Coach Andrew Milne is already tinkering with his lineup as he has traded 19-year-old forward Alex Bechtold to the Dauphin Kings of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and 20-year-old defenceman Mattia Bortolotto to the Winkler Flyers of the MJHL.
The Eagles will receive future considerations for both players.
Bechtold, a 19-year-old power forward played one season with the Eagles scoring 2 goals and 9 assists in 24 games played. The 6’1, 210 lb Strathmore native missed the first half of the season due to a broken ankle but was the Eagle’s leading scorer in the playoffs with 3 points in three games.
Bortolotto, a 20-year-old defenceman from San Mateo, California was acquired in mid-season last year from the Spruce Grove Saints and accumulated 2 goals and 11 assists in 33 games wearing an Eagle sweater.
“Although our team improved significantly last year and qualified for the playoffs, we still felt we had to make some changes as we head into the 2013-14 season,” said Milne. “We have a lot of new and exciting players coming to our training camp this year and we had to open up some spots for them. Bechtold can be a real force on the ice, but Daulphin made us an offer that we just couldn’t refuse. Bortolotto was a 20-year-old year and we can only play six 20-year-olds, so unfortunately it was strictly a numbers game. We wish both players the best of luck in their hockey careers going forward.”
NOTEBOOK: The Eagles will open their training camp on Thursday, August 22. The annual Blue-White inter-squad game will be played at noon on Sunday, August 25. The Eagles only home exhibition game will be played against the Calgary Canucks on Tuesday, August 27 at 7 PM. Canmore will then play three exhibition games in a mini-tourney in Calgary on August 30 (Cal. Mustangs), August 31 (Calgary Canucks) and Sept. 1 (Olds). Canmore will open their 2013-14 regular season with a pair of home games on the Sept 6-7 weekend with a Friday night game against the Drumheller Dragons and a Saturday night game against the Calgary Canucks. . . . The Canmore Eagles 17th Annual Golf Tournament is set to go on Saturday, Sept. 14 at the Brewster Kananaskis Golf Course. Green fees are just $129 and include 18 holes of golf, power cart, and deluxe BBQ dinner. A foursome can be had for just $450. Please email John Ross at marketing@canmoreeagles.com to confirm your spot.
