The Raiders acquiring the rights to Noah Gregor from Victoria was a gamble that paid off in a big way. (Vincent Ethier/CHL Images.)

By Jeff D'Andrea

Noah's Ark

Gregor gambit pays off big time for the Raiders

May 23, 2019 | 8:00 PM

When the Prince Albert Raiders triggered a trade for Noah Gregor’s rights from the Victoria Royals on July 25, they didn’t really know if he would come.

But that Gregor gambit paid off in big time throughout the season. After going to camp with the team that drafted him, the San Jose Sharks and their AHL affiliates in the San Jose Barracuda, Gregor reported to Prince Albert.

He immediately became the most consistent goal-scorer on the Raiders, leading the team with 43 goals in the regular season and was second in playoff scoring with 13 goals.

Gregor basically carried the Raiders late in the season. At the 2019 Memorial Cup Presented by Kia in Halifax, Gregor contributed to five of the Raiders’ six goals throughout the tournament. That came after he scored both of the Raiders goals in regulation for Game 7 of the WHL finals, and set up Dante Hannoun’s overtime winner against the Vancouver Giants.

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“I couldn’t have asked for a better finish to my junior career,” Gregor, who is aging out of the WHL this year after his overage season, said. “Not the outcome I wanted in the Memorial Cup, but still very proud to be a Western Hockey League champion. I’ll have that for the rest of my life.”

Gregor played his first 222 games (regular season and playoffs) with the Moose Jaw Warriors and the Victoria Royals before reporting to Prince Albert. He joined the Raiders until the Oct. 3, six games into the year after his re-assignment from Barracuda camp.

“Coming in, I didn’t really know anyone. Everyone welcomed me with open arms,” Gregor said. He was fourth round pick of the Sharks in 2016.

“Going through a long playoff series and a long season, you make a lot of friendships. You go through a lot of battles. I’m going to be able to talk to all these guys for the rest of my life,” he said.

Gregor hopes that the Raiders’ championship winning season can help lift the Raiders in years to come.

“It’s amazing. We were the top team in the WHL all season long, [then to] win the championship, that’s a tough thing to do,” Gregor said. “Not many teams win the league in the regular season, then end up winning the championship as well. Small market Prince Albert hadn’t won a championship in a very long time, so put P.A. back on the map. There’s nothing but good things going forward for this organization.”

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW