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Barrie native included in blockbuster OHL deal

Barret Kirwin lands in Owen Sound following deal with Attack involving Nick Suzuki and Sean Durzi
2018-11-24 Guelph Barrie 2 RB
Barrie native Barret Kirwin, middle, is shown in this file photo from Nov. 24, 2018, after taking a faceoff against Barrie Colts forward Ryan Suzuki. Kirwin played his 'AAA' hockey in Barrie. Raymond Bowe/BarrieToday

As the Ontario Hockey League trade deadline approaches, the Guelph Storm has been loading up with some big names. 

Wednesday was no different as the Storm made a blockbuster deal with the Owen Sound Attack, which included Barrie native Barret Kirwin heading out of Guelph and up Highway 6 to his new city. 

The Storm sent Kirwin, an 18-year-old forward, along with Zach Poirier, Mark Woolley and several picks to Owen Sound in exchange for Montreal Canadiens prospect Nick Suzuki (who's brother is Barrie Colts forward Ryan Suzuki),  Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Sean Durzi and Stouffville native Zachary Roberts. 

The deal also include the Storm sending several picks to the Attack, including Guelph's fourth-rounder in 2019, their third-round choice in 2021, a second-rounder in 2022 and a conditional third-round pick in 2022. 

That makes six new players on the Storm since last Saturday.

Suzuki, 19, was one of the best players available heading toward Thursday’s trade deadline.

The NHL first-round pick has 22 goals and 23 assists in 30 games this season. Last year, he finished fourth in league scoring with 100 points.

He is the third member of Canada’s world junior team acquired in the past four days, joining former Markus Phillips and MacKenzie Entwistle in Guelph.

Durzi, 20, missed most of this season with an injury. Since coming back, he has 16 points in 18 games. Last year, he had 49 points in 40 games.

Roberts, 19, has six goals and two assists in 24 games this season.

Woolley, 17, is a stay-at-home defenceman who has six points in 29 games in his second season with Guelph.

Kirwin has nine goals and 12 assists in 36 games, while Poirier, 20, has seven goals and eight assists in 38 games.

Poirier was suspended by the league Tuesday for six games for a head check on Sunday.

In a separate deal which happened on Tuesday, Barrie native and former Colts defenceman Matt Brassard was traded to the Niagara IceDogs along with recent world junior forward Jack Studnicka in exchange for Lleyton Moore and several draft picks. 

-- With files from Tony Saxon, GuelphToday


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Raymond Bowe

About the Author: Raymond Bowe

Raymond is an award-winning journalist who has been reporting from Simcoe County since 2000
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