Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

A trade that had to be made

Rockets deal Dach

Jan 7, 2023 | 11:37 AM

Rockets Press Release:

Kelowna Rockets general manager Bruce Hamilton announced today that the Rockets have acquired 18-year-old forward Ty Hurley, 17-year-old defenceman Ethan Mittelsteadt, a first-round pick in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft (originally Regina’s), a conditional second-round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft (originally Everett’s) in exchange for 19-year-old Rockets captain Colton Dach and a fifth-round pick in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft.

“Anytime you trade your captain, it’s a very tough decision,” said Rockets president and general manager Bruce Hamilton. “With Colton being injured and not available to play until likely March 1st, we felt that it was in the best interests of our team and Colton to make this trade. We want to congratulate Colton on his World Junior gold medal and thank him for his time with the Rockets, we wish him all the best moving forward.

“We acquire a forward in Hurley and a defenceman in Mittelsteadt that will give us depth for our run to move up the standings. The first-round pick will help us restock our talent pool of young players for the future.”

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A trade, in my view that had to be made. Dach’s trade value has never been higher. Despite an injury at the world junior’s, the 19-year-old was a member of Team Canada, which is proof that he is one of the best junior players in our country. 

Dach was the leading scorer for the team last season, and he led the team in road goals.

Had he remained in Kelowna, we wouldn’t have seen him back in the lineup until early March. By then, the Rockets playoff fate may have been already decided.

With the addition of two players from Seattle, they can help the team – now – to move up the BC Division standings. 

The real value in the deal is a first-round Prospect Pick in 2024.

Ideally, I would have liked to see it in 2023, considering the team has no first-round selection in this upcoming draft.

Regardless, I have great trust in the scouting staff that they will nail the pick, which will be a player they can build around in the future.

Seattle fans may believe they paid too much for a player who has been injured this season with concussion and now shoulder problems.

Remember, the Rockets overpaid for Matthew Wedman, as he was not used for the intent in which he was acquired.

The hope was Wedman would be a key player in the 2020 Memorial Cup, which never happened.

Hurley has appeared in 31 games this season, splitting his time between the Swift Current Broncos and the Thunderbirds, posting a pair of assists and 20 penalty minutes. The Broncos drafted the Sherwood Park, AB product during the 4th round (No. 84) at the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft.

Mittelsteadt was drafted by the T-Birds in the fifth round (No. 95) of the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft. He’s appeared in 16 games for Seattle this season, recording two goals and two penalty minutes.

A second-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, Dach was dealt to the Rockets in September 2021 from the Saskatoon Blades in exchange for Trevor Wong. He most recently competed at the World Juniors for Canada where he sustained an upper-body injury.