Dec. 03 / 07

 
By Guy Bertrand
Times Sports Editor

The Trail Smoke Eaters made the biggest splash when a trading frenzy hit the BCHL as November drew to a close.

Saturday, the Smokies dealt their leading scorer, David Arduin, to the Westside Warriors in exchange for forward Chris Santiago and future considerations.

"It all happened so fast," explained Smokies head coach and general manager Jim Ingram.

"They put together a great offer for us and we couldn't overlook it.

"Basically what it amounts to is we traded Arduin to Westside for Chris Santiago and future considerations which ended up being some cash and our future considerations back in the August Aiken deal."

The Smokies were on the hook for a player-to-be-named later when they acquired Aiken in early September.

With that slate wiped clean, the Smokies added an 18-year-old forward who has five goals and 11 points in 23 games this season.

The Langley native had five goals as a 16-year-old with the Langley Hornets. The club transferred to Westside and Santiago responded to the new location with 21 goals in 58 games last season.

"It brings us a younger player with very good speed and very competitive. Hopefully it'll put some enthusiasm back in our lineup," said Ingram.

Arduin's departure ends a stellar stint in a Smokies' jersey which had fallen on tough times lately.

Arduin, who came to Trail from Vernon, had a team-leading 66 points last season and was leading the club this year with 38 points in 30 games.

He had also landed a scholarship to Quinnipiac University but his production and intensity had fallen off in recent weeks.

"This is a great opportunity for David to find his scoring touch again," said Ingram. "He was very upset about the trade. He loved it here in Trail."

Ingram knows that trading Arduin to a team in his division could come back to haunt him.

"I hope for great things for Ardy. If he ends up doing great things against us I'll tip my hat to him."

Westside made yet another deal on Friday as well as several other teams.

The biggest additions were probably made by the Nanaimo Clippers which traded three players and future considerations to Drayton Valley of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

In return the Clippers received Andrew Cherniwchan and Chad Ziegler, both pivotal players on Team Canada West at the recent World Junior A Hockey Challenge in Trail.

Also on the move was former KIJHL sensation Evan Witt.

Witt jilted the Smokies in the off-season for the Vemon Vipers. However, last Thursday the Vipers shipped the former Spokane Brave to Alberni Valley as part of a multi-player deal that landed the Vipers 20-yearold defenceman Isaac Smeltzer.