Tough Loss as Rigby Odd Man Out
Kelowna Rockets President and General Manager Bruce Hamilton announced on Friday that the Rockets have traded 20-year-old forward Carter Rigby to the Swift Current Broncos.
In exchange, the Rockets receive a 3rd round WHL Bantam Draft pick in 2016.
The Rockets were carrying four 20-year-olds, one over the league limit, and were forced to move Rigby.
“It’s a big loss for our organization to lose a person of this calibre,” said Hamilton. “Carter is a quality young man and he has been an important part of our organization for three years, not only on the ice but out in the community as well.”
Since joining the Rockets at the start of the 2011-12 campaign, Rigby played in 171 career regular season games scoring 57 goals, including a career-high 21 goals as a rookie. This year Rigby had scored five goals in seven games.
He was also a regular in Rockets’ community events and a past winner of the Rockets’ Humanitarian award.
“We don’t make a lot of trades and Carter is not being moved because he isn’t good enough,” said Hamilton. “Swift Current is arguably one of the best teams in the East and Carter is the player they wanted all along. They feel he’s going to help their team.”
The Rockets had been carrying three 20-year-olds heading into last weekend’s play, but the return of
Tyrell Goulbourne from the Philadelphia Flyers NHL training camp pushed the team over the limit.
Joining Goulbourne as the remaining overage players is defensive stalwart Cole Martin and forward Colton Heffley.
