Troops get Pitre for Pazii
The North Bay Battalion has acquired centre Kaden Pitre from the Flint Firebirds in a trade for forward Ihnat Pazii, the Ontario Hockey League club announced Friday night.
North Bay sent Ukrainian import Pazii and a fourth-round pick in the 2026 OHL Priority Selection that originally belonged to the Windsor Spitfires to Flint for Pitre, a first-rounder in 2022 who turned 19 on Feb. 8.
In 12 games this season, Pitre has scored five goals and earned two assists for seven points. In 167 games over three-plus seasons, he has 44 goals and 57 assists for 101 points with 111 penalty minutes,
Flint selected him 18th overall in 2022 from the Vaughan Kings U16s, two picks before the Battalion took centre and now captain Ethan Procyszyn. The Tampa Bay Lightning tabbed Pitre in the sixth round of the 2024 National Hockey League Draft.
“Iggy has been such a pleasure to have on our team and in our community, and because of that it’s a bittersweet day,” said Adam Dennis, the Battalion’s director of hockey operations.
“This move simply comes down to fulfilling a change-of-scenery request from both players in hopes of a good hockey trade that can help all parties involved. In Kaden we’re getting a legitimate two-way centre who has experience in big moments and someone we feel can add an immediate impact to our roster.
“While we wish Ihnat all the best in Flint, we welcome Kaden to our club with open arms and look forward to introducing him to North Bay.”
General manager John Winstanley suggested Pitre will have broad influence on the Troops’ fortunes.
“We’re thrilled to add a truly complete player, someone with elite hockey IQ, high compete and the ability to impact the game in all three zones. He makes everyone around him better, and we believe he’s the kind of player who will have an immediate impact.”
North Bay chose Pazii in the first round of the 2023 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft after he played the 2022-23 season with the Chicago-based Windy City Storm.
Pazii, who has played left wing and centre, has scored six goals and earned 10 assists for 16 points in 22 games this season. In 123 games over two-plus seasons, the Kharkiv native, who turns 19 on Dec. 4, has 25 goals and 35 assists for 60 points with 63 PiM.
With Pazii traded and Pitre not yet having joined the team, the Battalion was to dress 17 skaters, one below the limit, in its game Friday night against the Oshawa Generals.
