Warriors beef up blueline with addition of Anaheim Ducks prospect Vojtech Port
Moose Jaw, Sask.- The Moose Jaw Warriors have added another formidable weapon to its blueline with the addition of Anaheim Ducks prospect Vojtech Port.
The Warriors acquired Port, forward Rilen Kovacevic and a draft pick from the Edmonton Oil Kings in exchange for forward Andrej Tomasec and three draft picks.
Port, an 18-year-old from Jihlava, Czechia has put up seven goals and 22 assists over 74 career WHL games. Three of those goals and nine helpers have come in 26 contests this season.
Port was originally selected by the Kelowna Rocketd in the 10th round, 204th overall in the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft.
The 6-foot-2, 176-pound defender was picked up by Anaheim in the sixth round, 161st overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
19-year-old Rilen Kovacevic is in his third WHL season and second with Edmonton after being traded from his hometown Kelowna Rockets in the 2022-23 season.
In 131 career WHL matches, Kovacevic lit the lamp 28 times and added 21 helpers. Despite some injury struggles in 2023, the 5-foot-11 forward is on pace for his most productive junior outing with 10 goals and two assists in 18 games.
The Warriors also gain a 2024 sixth-round WHL Entry Draft pick (via Wenatchee) in the trade.
“Vojtech is a big, NHL drafted defenceman, who can skate, move pucks quickly and will be able to log a lot of minutes down the stretch for us,” Warriors general manager Jason Ripplinger said. ““This trade adds to the team’s depth up front and gives us a top-four defencemen. Moving forward it helps us for next year as well.”
The Oil Kings gain 2006-born forward Andrej Tomasec in the move.
The 17-year-old WHL rookie has suited up for 12 games this season after being selected by Moose Jaw in the first round, 48th overall at the 2023 CHL Import Draft.
Tomasec represented his home country of Slovakia at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and 2023 World Junior A Challenge.
“Andrej is a player who had great success at the U18 level in Finland and brings a strong work ethic, speed and good shot to our lineup as he continues to get used to the WHL game,” Oil Kings President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kirt Hill said. “We look forward to getting Andrej into our lineup on our current B.C. road trip.”
The Oil Kings also get a 2025 first-round pick, a conditional 2025 second-round pick (via Vancouver) and a 2026 third-round pick in the swap.
Edmonton (9-20-0-1) faces off against the league-leading Prince George Cougars to kick off the post-holiday slate on December 27. Moose Jaw (18-14-0-2) returns to regular season action on December 29 when it hosts Regina (13-16-2-2).
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