Westside Warriors General Manager and Head Coach Rylan Ferster announced today that his team has acquired 20 year old forward Richard Vanderhoek from the Surrey Eagles.
Ferster sent 19-year-old defenseman Matt Cronin (Merrimack 12/13) to the Surrey Eagles in exchange for 20-year-old forward Richard Vanderhoek (Langley, BC).
In 55 games with the eagles last season, Vanderhoek had 26 goals and 71 points.
Vanderhoek is the highest point getter returning from the BCHL last season.
Over the past two seasons, both with Surrey, Vanderhoek scored at better than a point -a-game clip, picking up 48 goals and 118 points in 109 games.
He scored 13 times and had 23 helpers on the power-play last year as well.
In his only season with the Warriors, Cronin scored four goals and added 10 assists in 52 games.
The Warriors acquired Cronin from Drumheller of the Alberta Junior Hockey League prior to training camp a year ago.
"Any time you make a deal you try to improve your hockey club and we certainly hope with this one that will be the case," says Ferster of the deal.
"Richard is a top-six forward and had 71 points in 55 games, so we have a high end forward here. It's never fun to part with guys, but unfortunately that's the nature of the beast."
Cronin was a rock-solid force on the blue-line and a leader in the community. Ferster says the club gave up a lot in Cronin to make the deal, but says he hopes Vanderhoek will come in and not only provide offence but leadership as well.
Vanderhoek will be in town when the Warriors open training camp Wednesday, August 31st at Royal LePagePlace.
