Battalion, Barrie in megadeal
The North Bay Battalion looked to its Ontario Hockey League future Sunday.
The Battalion acquired right winger Parker Vaughan, overage centre Zach Wigle and four conditional OHL Priority Selection picks from the Barrie Colts for right winger Anthony Romani and overage left winger Owen Van Steensel.
The picks are a fourth-rounder in 2027 which originally belonged to the Kitchener Rangers, a 2027 fifth-rounder that originated with the London Knights, a 2027 sixth-rounder from the Peterborough Petes and Barrie’s seventh-rounder in 2028.
“Parker is a player we were very high on leading up to last year’s Priority Selection,” said Battalion general manager John Winstanley. “He’s a complete player who, at 16 years old, brings scoring, competitiveness and a work ethic that will fit seamlessly with our program.
“With Zach we get a polished veteran who plays the game the right way. We’ve been watching Zach since his really strong playoff performance last year, and his offensive numbers have grown year after year since starting in our league.”
Vaughan, a St. Thomas, Ont., resident who turns 17 on March 6, was Barrie’s first-round pick, fifth overall, last April from the Elgin Middlesex Canucks U16s. Measuring six-foot-one and 189 pounds, he has scored four goals and earned three assists for seven points in 32 games this season.
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Barrie selected Wigle, who stands six feet and weighs 193 pounds, in the ninth round in 2020 from his hometown Oakville Rangers minor midgets. He has six goals and 16 assists for 22 points in 36 games this season and four-year OHL totals of 173 games, 29 goals, 40 assists and 69 points.
Wigle has committed to the Rochester Institute of Technology in upstate New York for the 2025-26 campaign, when former Canadian Hockey League players become eligible to play for Division I teams in the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
“While we’re very pleased to add both Parker and Zach to our lineup, those additions don’t come without some mixed emotions as we see two exceptional young men move on from our program,” said Winstanley.
“Owen has been a leader and committed member of our community. Anthony has brought electricity and excitement to our team. We wish both these remarkable athletes all the best.”
The Battalion will ice three 2024 first-rounders next season in Vaughan, centre Ryder Carey, selected 16th overall from Oakville, and Ryder Cali. Taken 18th overall by the Soo Greyhounds, Cali declined to report, and his rights were traded to the Troops on Sept. 13. He has just finished playing five OHL games as an affiliate player up from the junior A Milton Menace.
Romani, who resumed practising in November but hasn’t played since suffering a broken collarbone in a 3-2 win via shootout Oct. 11 over the host Erie Otters, has two goals and three assists for five points in six games this season.
A Pickering, Ont., resident who turned 19 on July 12, Romani was a third-round selection in 2021 from the Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16s.
Van Steensel, who has served as Battalion captain this season, ranks 17th all-time in franchise scoring with 75 goals and 99 assists for 174 points in 235 games in three and a half seasons since being a fourth-round choice in 2020 from the Elgin Middlesex Chiefs minor midgets.
The Ilderton, Ont., resident has 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points in 36 games this year after amassing 41 goals and 45 assists for 86 points in 65 games in 2023-24, when he was 14th in OHL scoring. He has committed to Clarkson University of Potsdam, N.Y.
No decision has yet been made on a new captain for the Troops. Photo/article credit - North Bay Battalion
