Haydn Delorme has found a new team during the summer. The Portland Winterhawks sent the 19-year-old to Regina for a conditional draft pick in next year’s Bantam Draft. Delorme was the first Native Indian to play on the Winterhawks since Robin Big Snake in 2004. Delorme often allowed others to play instead of him and only suited up for 31 games, scoring once and adding three helpers.
Delorme’s biggest event was on the road in Saskatoon. He was part of a group of Winterhawks to be bestowed customary blankets from the Chief during a special on-ice presentation. His arrival in Regina adds to the strengthening of Regina as they had made a deal with Everett three weeks prior where they acquired Robbie Holmes for a fifth and sixth round bantam pick in 2020.
Regina had traded one week earlier with Vancouver as they swapped draft picks in 2022 and players. Sergei Alkhimov went to Vancouver for Dawson Holt. Even though they are not hosting the Memorial Cup, the Pats have made the most moves prior to training camp and look to be running for the Cup again.
Kelowna hosts this year and has been remarkably silent on the trade front. That may change as the preseason and into the regular season progresses as to where they stand.
The Winterhawks have announced that they have signed the European players that were drafted to Standard WHL contracts. Simon Knak from Switzerland and Jonas Brondenberg from Denmark will now make their appearances during the Winterhawks training camp in three weeks. Knak was the captain of the under-18 team at the Ivan Hlinka Gretzky Cup as an underage forward and was named a top three playing for Switzerland. Brondenberg has great size at 6’4″ in the role of a defenceman.
Michal Kvasnica, who was released by the Winterhawks prior to the import selection, has turned professional as he signed with a team at home in Czech Republic.
