Eric Florchuk received an unexpected birthday gift this week.
The young hockey player, a Capitals prospect, was traded this week, leaving the Saskatoon Blades in favour of a position with the Vancouver Giants.
Giants general manager Barclay Parneta announced today that the G-Men have the 20-year-old forward from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. and a seventh-round pick in the 2021 WHL bantam draft from the Saskatoon Blades.
In return the Giants have traded 2001-born forward Evan Patrician, a 2020 first-round draft pick and a 2021 second-round draft pick to the Blades, Parneta explained.
TRADE ðŸ”: The Giants have acquired 2000-born forward/@Capitals prospect Eric Florchuk and a 2021 seventh-round pick in a trade with the @BladesHockey. In return, Saskatoon receives Evan Patrician, and two draft picks.
Details 📎: https://t.co/DRzg7CKNod pic.twitter.com/EmD7xoBL7K
— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) January 10, 2020
Originally selected by the Victoria Royals with the 13th overall pick in the 2015 WHL bantam draft, Florchuk has suited up in 223 career WHL games (Victoria/Saskatoon).
The 6’2″, 182-pound centre has registered 51 career goals along with 82 assists for 133 points.
He’s added 100 penalty minutes and a +11 rating. He’s appeared in 12 additional playoff games, notching two goals and two assists in that span.
So far this season with Saskatoon, Florchuk had posted 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points in 33 games. In June 2018, Florchuk was selected by the Washington Capitals in the seventh round (217th overall).
“We are very excited to welcome Eric Florchuk to the Vancouver Giants,” said Parneta.
“He’s an experienced, versatile, natural centre who has taken a lot of faceoffs in his career, which is invaluable. And he adds a scoring touch.”
GIANTS GAME DAY!
The G-Men are in Spokane tonight in the first half of a home-and-home with the @spokanechiefs *
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📸: @fedyck_fotos & Chris Relke pic.twitter.com/WN3iVKKMac— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) January 10, 2020
Patrician was drafted by the Giants in the seventh round of the 2016 WHL bantam draft. The product of Calgary appeared in 95 career games for the Giants and posted three goals and 14 assists for 17 points. He played in 19 playoff games with the Giants in 2019.
“We want to thank Evan for his positive contributions to the Vancouver Giants over the past few seasons. We wish him the very best as he continues his WHL career in Saskatoon,” Parneta added.
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Florchuk was expected to join the Giants ahead of Friday night’s game in Spokane, and will play his first at home game in Langley tonight (Saturday, Jan. 11) against the same Spokane Chiefs. The puck drops at 7 p.m. Tickets are available online.
The WHL trade deadline is set for 2 p.m. today (Saturday, Jan. 11), stay tuned for more possible movement impacting the Giants.
Parneta said he has been hard at work, “leaving no stone un-turned, trying to set the Giants up for success down the stretch of the 2019-20 season.”
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