Eric Pearce. (Keith Hershmiller/WHL)

By Jeff D’Andrea

Goodbye Pearce

Long-time Raider veteran Pearce dealt to Wheat Kings

Oct 14, 2021 | 12:30 PM

After being drafted by the Prince Albert Raiders in 2016, playing 197 regular-season games, and winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2019, Eric Pearce’s long association with the Raiders came to an abrupt end.

The Raiders announced on Thursday they traded veteran Pearce to the Brandon Wheat Kings for a sixth-round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.

“This was a difficult decision with a four-year Raider, a leader, and a champion,” Raiders general manager Curtis Hunt said in a statement. “We believe this is a great opportunity for Eric. We thank him for his commitment to the Raiders on the ice and in the community, and we wish him the best.”

Pearce joined the Raiders’ organization in the 2016 WHL Prospects Draft, when he was drafted in the second round. He went on to score 21 goals and 20 assists for the Raiders during the 2017-22 regular seasons.

Pearce is playing in his 20-year-old season. The trade now leaves the Raiders with the maximum three 20-year-olds on the club in defenceman Remy Aquilon, and forwards Reece Vitelli and Michael Horon.

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This is already the sixth trade to start the season for the Raiders, putting them in a four-way tie for second place in the WHL so far this year along with the Victoria Royals, the Lethbridge Hurricanes, and the Red Deer Rebels. Only the Seattle Thunderbirds have made more trades to start this year with eight.

Through their deals, the Raiders have acquired forward Keaton Sorensen, goaltender Jackson Berry (not on the Raiders’ roster), goaltender Ronin Geraghty, forward Hayden Pakkala, forward Sloan Stanick, and a sixth-round pick. They’ve traded away a conditional ninth rounder in 2022, a conditional eight-rounder in 2022, prospect Ivan Kedrov, a ninth-round pick in 2021, defenceman Adam McNutt and overage forward Eric Pearce.

The Raiders started the season with an 0-4 record before snapping the skid with a 3-2 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors on Wednesday. The Raiders will be back in action on Friday at the Art Hauser Centre with a rematch against the Warriors.

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Jeff.dandrea@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW