FORT McMURRAY, AB (December 1, 2014) – The Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League have acquired 1996-born forward Zach McNeill (Calgary, AB) and 1995-born defenceman Chandler Irvin (Cochrane, AB) in a trade with the Calgary Mustangs, the team announced today.
In exchange, the Oil Barons send 1995-born defenceman Taylor Lileikis (Calgary, AB) and 1997-born forward Jordan Xavier (Calgary, AB) to the Mustangs.
McNeill is a 6’2”, 185lb forward in his rookie junior A season, who has scored 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists) in 29 games with 104 penalty minutes, ranking him fourth in the AJHL in that category.
Irvin is a 5’11”, 170lb defenceman who played last year for the Dauphin Kings of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, a team which hosted the 2014 Western Canada Cup, and earned one of the two berths in the RBC Cup national championship. Irvin had 24 points in 53 regular season games for the Kings, with 57 penalty minutes, adding 10 points in 13 league playoff games, and 3 points in 6 Western Canada Cup games.
Prior to his time in Dauphin, Irvin spent the beginning of 2013-14 and all of 2012-13 with the Drayton Valley Thunder, where he recorded 27 points (9 goals, 18 assists) in 69 regular season AJHL games, with 53 penalty minutes. Irvin is a graduate of the UFA Bisons Midget AAA team out of Strathmore, AB.
“Zach provides us with some size and strength in the middle,” said Oil Barons head coach and general manager Curtis Hunt. “and Chandler Irvin, in playing with Dauphin last year, has experience at the WCC, experience at the RBC, and is a puck-moving defenceman.”
“We needed veterans, and we got ourselves a little bit older today,” he added.
Lileikis was in his second year with the Oil Barons, having played 78 career games with the team, scoring 1 goal and 7 assists with 58 penalty minutes. Xavier was in his rookie season, and had recorded 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) in 26 games, with 2 penalty minutes, including 7 points in his last 8 games.
The Oil Barons staff would like to thank both Taylor and Jordan for their contributions to the organization, and wish them the best of luck.
The MOB’s next home game is tomorrow night, Tuesday December 2nd, when they take on the Bonnyville Pontiacs at 7:30 PM. Tickets are available at the Casman Centre box office, by phone at (780) 743-5509, or online at tickets.oilbarons.com.
-30-