Troops get Crete for pick
NORTH BAY, Ont. — The North Bay Battalion has acquired left winger Max Crete in a trade with the London Knights, the Ontario Hockey League club announced Thursday.
London receives an eighth-round pick in the 2028 OHL Priority Selection that originally belonged to the Niagara IceDogs.
An Ottawa resident who turned 18 on April 24, Crete measures five-foot-nine and 182 pounds.
Crete, who also has played centre, was a second-round selection by Niagara in 2024 from the Upper Canada Cyclones U16s, with whom he scored 28 goals and earned 38 assists for 66 points with 49 penalty minutes in 29 regular-season games.
In a 68-game rookie season with Niagara in 2024-25, Crete scored 11 goals and added eight assists for 19 points with 64 PiM.
London traded the OHL rights to centre Jacob Monks and a ninth-round pick in 2028 to Niagara for Crete on June 19, 2025. With the Knights last season, he had five goals and eight assists for 13 points with 35 PiM in 54 games.
“Max is a player we’ve been tracking closely since his draft year,” said Battalion general manager John Winstanley.
“He brings a high compete level, strong offensive instincts and the ability to make an impact in key moments. With two seasons of OHL experience under his belt, Max understands the pace and demands of the league and will be a valuable addition to our lineup.
“We’re excited about the opportunity for him to step in and make an immediate impact when the season begins.”
