The Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings made a big move Friday, as they announced the trade of 20-year-old goaltender Dazza Mitchell to the Humboldt Broncos.
Mitchell, who joined the Red Wings as a 17-year-old in 2021, appeared in 116 games, 104 in the regular season, for Weyburn. He posted five shutouts throughout his time with the club, with a 3.21 GAA and a .909 save percentage.
"The impact Daz has had in our community, and on our team, cannot be expressed properly," said head coach Cody Mapes. "He came here on a last-place team and has been a true culture driver here. The community will miss him. The kids will miss him. He's a one-of-a-kind person. We want to wish him the best of luck in Humboldt and in his future. His impact here will last for a long time."
"My time in Weyburn was nothing short of incredible," Mitchell posted on social media. "There are far too many people to thank and not enough words, but I'm going to try. Thank you to the organization, families, kids, billets, staff, and the entire community of Weyburn. I will forever be grateful that I was lucky enough to spend 3.5 years in this amazing place. I hope that in some way I made an impact in your lives, whether big or small, or made you think differently than before, or maybe even taught you something."
His performance last year, which saw him finish with a career-high five shutouts and a save percentage of .916, earned him team MVP honours. He was also the team's most popular player, as voted by the fans.
This season, Mitchell has played in 12 games for the Red Wings, with a record of 5-6-0-1. He has one shutout this year, coming on November 9th against the Estevan Bruins. He has also been named the SJHL goaltender of the week once, and the SJHL Saskatchewan player of the week once.
Coming back to the Red Wings from the Broncos are forward Josh Sale and goaltender Ty Matonovich.
Sale is a 19-year-old from Prince George, B.C. who has skated in 28 games this season, scoring six goals and adding six more assists. He spent last season with the Blackfalds Bulldogs, appearing in 35 games and finishing with seven points.
Matonovich is a 19-year-old from Calgary. He has played in nine games this season with a record of 1-6-0-1. His GAA so far this season is 3.78, with a save percentage of .894.
The move also sees Angelo Zol cemented as the starting goalie for the Red Wings. Zol has played 17 games so far this season, with a record of 12-4-1 and a GAA of 2.70 with two shutouts.