The Cowichan Valley Capitals turned a player who hadn't skated for them since 2013 into what promises to be a key contributor for the upcoming season.
At the B.C. Hockey League trade deadline last January, the Caps shipped the rights to defenceman Ryan Coghlan back to his hometown Nanaimo Clippers. Coghlan hadn't played for the Caps since 2012/13, having moved to the Western Hockey League after that, where he skated for the Saskatoon Blades and Prince Albert Raiders.
He returned to the BCHL partway through the 2014/15 campaign, but the Caps sent him to Nanaimo before he got into a game.
To complete the deadline deal, the Caps acquired forward Nicolas Carrier, a 1995-born player who scored 21 goals and added 26 assists for 47 points in 57 games with Nanaimo last season, good for eighth among BCHL rookies. The product of Delson, Quebec added another 10 points on five goals and five assists in 23 postseason games as the Clippers reached the league final.
"Nicolas is an excellent allaround forward that can add offence and maintain a presence in the defensive zone," Capitals head coach and general manager Bob Beatty said. "He is a tremendous penalty killer and his biggest asset is his compete level which he continuously displayed in games against us and throughout the playoffs in key situations."