Kootenay gets two new faces, loses one

Just seven weeks shy of the Memorial Cup, the Kootenay Ice are starting to look vastly different than the line-up that hoisted the WHL Championship less than two months ago.

The 20-year-old debate that we started to have as the Memorial Cup ended for the Ice started with earnest today when Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth traded D Hayden Rintoul, 20, to the Victoria Royals (formerly the Chilliwack Bruins) along with future considerations in exchange for forward Dylan McKinley. The 19-year-old Winger is being acquired surely for his offensive upside. In 2009-10 with the Bruins the Langley product notched 20 goals and 23 assists in all 72 games but last year fell to just 6 goals and 14 assists in 55 games and finished -16 in an injured plaqued season. The Ice are hoping McKinlay can recapture that goal scoring he had as a 17-year-old.

In Rintoul it's obvious that the club is going with the need of size and offensive up front in forwards Joe Antilla and Jesse Ismond, along with James Martin on the backend. Rintoul's offensive potential couldn't trump the needs generated up front with the losses of King, Fraser, Boomer and Eakin. The blueline still has the experience of Martin - who is with the Calgary Flames at their prospects camp and will go to main camp in September with the Flames looking for a contract - along with Joe Leach, also a Flames pick, and Jagger Dirk, Luke Paulsen and John Niebrandt as the club's top five. The move frees up space for Mike Simpson, Jeff Hubic and Tanner Faith to fight for spots on the roster.

The Ice also added a European import today. Alex Kuvaev, a 6'3", 190lb forward from Moscow, Russia had 11 goals and 13 assists as a 17-year-old with the Lethbridge Hurricanes last season. The 18-year-old was dropped by the Canes when they used both their picks in last week's import draft.

Carter Bancks, a former Kimberley Dynamiter, who graduated from the WHL with the Hurricanes in 2010, last season played with the Calgary Flames AHL team in Abbotsford. The Flames signed Bancks to a contract this week to an NHL contract.

So with two moves the Ice create some real competition for the spots up front and open up the back end for their younger D-men in dealing Rintoul. With Eakin and McNabb both signed by Washington and Buffalo, respectively, the club won't get them back as 20-year-olds, leaving G Nathan Lieuwen, D James Martin and forwards Joe Antilla and Jesse Ismond as the four 20-year-olds for three spots. If Lieuwen signs with the Sabres and makes the club's AHL team (a distinct possibility), the 20-year-old situation in Kootenay is solved. If he's returned by the Sabres, there's still a lot in play.