Defenceman Lukas Dragicevic (pictured) and goaltender Eric Kahl are the newest members of the Prince Albert Raiders after the club struck a deal with the Tri-City Americans on Wednesday afternoon. (Tri-City Americans)

By Logan Lehmann

Trade

Raiders acquire Dragicevic in massive deal with Tri-City

Jul 24, 2024 | 4:53 PM

The Prince Albert Raiders landed one of the league’s top defencemen in a blockbuster trade with the Tri-City Americans on Wednesday.

The Raiders acquired d-man Lukas Dragicevic, goaltender Eric Kahl, and a 2025 seventh round pick from the Americans in exchange for defenceman Terrell Goldsmith, forward Grady Martin, goalie Nathan Preston, and a 2025 third round pick.

Dragicevic, a Seattle Kraken prospect, spent the past three seasons in Tri-City while serving as an alternate captain in 2023-24. In his career, the 19-year-old has potted 35 goals and 122 assists over 212 contests, marking him the fifth-highest active scoring defenceman in the league. The Richmond, B.C. product was drafted fourth overall to the Americans in the 2020 WHL Draft and was selected by the Kraken in the second round (57th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft.

Kahl was the other part of the massive swap. The Saskatoon product appeared in just two games with Tri-City last season, posting a 6.19 GAA and a .844 SV%. The 18-year-old also suited up for 13 games in the SJHL, split between the Estevan Bruins, Weyburn Red Wings, and La Ronge Ice Wolves. In those contests, Kahl managed a 5.53 GAA and a .870 SV%.

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The main piece of the Raiders half of the deal saw the team send one of their fan favourite players south of the border. Goldsmith, 19, has donned the Raiders Green and Gold for all 185 career games since his first appearance with the team back in the 2020-21 season. He was drafted 15th overall by the Raiders in 2020 and over his time in Hockeytown North, the big body blueliner tallied 10 goals and 20 assists while adding 278 penalty minutes.

Also in the deal was Martin, who has appeared in all 114 career games with P.A. Over his time, the product of Oyen, A.B. managed three goals and 12 assists, and was a second round pick, 32nd overall, by the Raiders in the 2021. Meanwhile, netminder Preston as signed by the Raiders in December of this past season. In four outings last year, he chalked a 4.10 GAA and a .853 SV%. Before coming to P.A., the 18-year-old was a member of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s (KIJHL) Princeton Posse, appearing in 15 games and posting a 12-3-0-0 record, a 2.47 GAA, and a .920 SV%.

The Raiders are set to begin the upcoming season at home against the Regina Pats on Sept. 20.

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com