Pietrangelo Deal Done

Defenceman Alex Pietrangelo has been traded from the Niagara Ice Dogs to the Barrie Colts in a major deal seeing a few players change hands.

The deal includes hold-out forward Chris DeSousa – who hasn’t played since early December after he left the Ice Dogs.  Reports also have a goalie in the mix, most likely to be Petteri Simila

In exchange, the Ice Dogs receive Barrie’s first-round draft pick in the 2009 OHL draft, Ryan Strome, two second-round picks, a third round selection, a ninth-round pick and a conditional draft pick, and another player to be announced.  The player yet to be announced could be Danish defenceman Simon Gronvaldt, who was reported in the deal from yesterday.

Pietrangelo had a great World Junior tournament apart of Team Canada’s silver medal team capturing the tournament’s Best Defenceman award.  In six games at the WJC, Pietrangelo had three goals, nine assists for 12 points in six games.

Pietrangelo obviously brings a force on the defensive end for the Colts, who just had their streak of 22-consecutive wins snapped last week.  With the Windsor Spitfires clinging to top spot in the OHL, and boasting the potential number one draft pick at this year’s NHL draft, the Colts needed a stronger defensive presence to combat with the firepower of the Spits.

It was widely speculated that Pietrangelo was sent down to the OHL by the St. Louis Blues only if there was a trade in place to send him to a contender, which Blues GM Larry Pleau denied.  However, now that the deal has happened, expect these rumours to pick up again.

The OHL trade deadline is set for Monday at 12-noon.  Expect the floodgates to open now that the first major deal has happened as teams  will try and bolster their rosters for their respective playoff runs.