Staring at a tight playoff race ahead, the Vancouver Night Train added two veterans from the expansion Hershey Bears one day ahead of the trade deadline. Goaltender Mike Smith and centre Luke Glendening will be joining the Night Train, while Hershey acquires goaltender Cal Petersen and forward prospect Will Lockwood. The teams also swapped second round rookie picks in the move.
While the Night Train try to secure a playoff spot in a very tough conference, the move is still a bit of a head-scratcher when you consider the numbers. Smith has struggled with Hershey, posting a GAA of 3.45 and save percentage of .879 in 20 games. The much younger Petersen, meanwhile, had been Vancouver’s best netminder, with a GAA of 2.47 and save percentage of .919 in 19 games. Vancouver must feel they need the veteran leadership if they’re going to have any chance against Adirondack, West Virginia or Farmington.
Gump Worsley Memorial Hockey League 