The Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings announced another big move Monday morning. The team has traded captain Braden Birnie to the Steinbach Pistons of the MJHL.
Birnie, who was named the captain of the team earlier this season, is in his final season of junior hockey eligibility. The Weyburn native has played in 93 games with the Red Wings, compiling 50 points in that stretch.
Birnie was named the team’s Rookie of the Year in the 2019-20 season, and was also named to the SJHL Young Guns team for the SJHL/MJHL Showcase in 2019-20. He was also named the team’s RBC Community Ambassador earlier this year, and the league’s RBC Community Ambassador.
Coming back to Weyburn are two players right now, and another to be named later.
The Red Wings have acquired Warroad, Minnesota native Blake Norris from Steinbach. The 03-born defenseman has nine points in 17 games so far this season. In his final season of high school hockey in Minnesota he had 45 points in 20 games, and finished the year with a =/- rating of 36.
The other player to join the Red Wings now is forward Ethan Clements. The 18-year-old, who hails from Winnipeg, is in his rookie season in the MJHL, and has five points in 21 games this season with the Pistons.