Raiders captain Kaiden Guhle is on the move, traded this afternoon to the Edmonton Oil Kings. (Keith Hershmiller/WHL)

By Rob Mahon

Blockbuster Trade

Raiders trade captain Guhle to Oil Kings for haul of players, picks

Dec 1, 2021 | 1:39 PM

On the very same day he found out he was going to Team Canada’s selection camp for the World Junior Championship, Kaiden Guhle was at the centre of another huge piece of news for the Prince Albert Raiders.

Guhle, the team’s captain and one of just two remaining players from the championship team in 2018-19, has been traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings. The move was made official at 1:30 p.m., following Guhle’s inclusion on the WJC camp roster.

In exchange, the Raiders have received an impressive haul from the Oil Kings, as befits a trade for the best defenceman in junior hockey. As far as immediate help goes, the Raiders have received forward Carson Latimer and defenceman Eric Johnston.

The Raiders have also received a first-round pick in the upcoming draft, which will be 13^th overall, and a first-round pick in the prospects draft in 2023. They’ll receive a sixth round pick in the 2022 prospect’s draft and a conditional third round pick in 2025 as well.

The 19-year-old Guhle was the Raiders captain and leading scorer on the season with 15 points in 17 games. Known as much for his punishing physical style and fearless shot-blocking as his offense, he produced 75 points in 156 games with the Raiders while being a force at both ends of the ice. His strong play led him to be a first-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens and a member of Team Canada at last year’s WJC.

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Kaiden Guhle celebrating one of his goals with the Raiders. (Lucas Chudleigh/Apollo Multimedia)

Latimer, a 2003-born forward, was a fourth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in the 2021 NHL draft. He’s posted six goals and eight points along with a plus-five rating in 18 games this season. Last year he put up 16 points in 22 games en route to being drafted.

Johnston, a 2004-born defenseman and Regina native, was in his rookie season with the Oil Kings after playing his U18 AAA hockey with the Regina Pats Canadians. In 19 games with Edmonton, he’s posted four assists. He’s also put up 11 penalty minutes. Ironically, five of those penalty minutes came against the Raiders when he and Raiders rookie Zachary Wilson got into their first career fights against each other.

The first-round pick in the 2021 prospects draft originally belonged to the Kelowna Rockets and is 13^th overall, so the Raiders will have the 13^th and 14^th picks in the draft.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP