Joey Payeur
Colton Spicer has just disproved a well-worn cliché.
You can, in fact, go home again.
The Fort Frances native will suit up for a second tour of duty with his hometown Lakers, who traded for the 18-year-old forward yesterday from the SIJHL’s newest team, the English River Miners, in exchange for forward Bryson Jasper and defenceman Ben Smaha.
“The opportunity presented itself to bring [Spicer] back and after a few days of talking about it with our staff, Colton, and the Miners, the trade was finalized [yesterday] afternoon,” said Lakers’ head coach and general manager Wayne Strachan.
“Colton brings the obvious scoring touch, he plays a physical game, and adds further depth to our forward corps,” added Strachan.
It’s the second time in a week that Spicer has been traded, after being sent from the Portage Terriers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League to the Miners on Sunday.
Spicer never suited up for the Miners, though, before getting word he was heading back to the Lakers, where he was a key member of last season’s squad.
The 6’1”, 185-pounder led the team in goals last year (24) and was second in points with 56 in 45 games, along with 49 penalty minutes.
Spicer’s efforts saw him recognized as the SIJHL’s Most Improved Player.
But his time with the Lakers abruptly ended on the eve of the playoffs, when he left the team following an undisclosed incident during a practice.
Spicer racked up 76 points in 84 games over two seasons with the Lakers before being traded to Portage, along with defenceman Jon Carlson and goaltender Talor Joseph, on July 3 for twin forwards Bryce and Lyndon Lipinski and a player development fee.
But Spicer had yet to play a game for the Terriers this season before being dealt to English River.
Jasper, in his first year with the Lakers, was second in team scoring with 11 points in nine games, as well as eight penalty minutes.
The 19-year-old product of Rainy River joined Fort Frances in the off-season after playing for the Breezy Point (Mn.) North Stars of the North American Tier III Hockey League last year.
Smaha, an 18-year-old from Winnipeg, had no points in four games with the Lakers this year, along with two penalty minutes.
The blueliner played last season for the Kenora Thistles Midget ‘AAA’ squad.
In related news, the Lakers’ six-game winning streak earned them honourable mention status in the latest Canadian Junior ‘A’ Hockey League top 20 rankings released Tuesday.
The Thunder Bay North Stars (6-0-0-1) moved up the rankings from No. 5 to No. 3—despite losing 3-2 in a shootout to the Lakers in their last meeting here Oct. 8.
The Stars sit in second place in the SIJHL standings, two points behind the Lakers (7-1-0-1), although Thunder Bay does hold two games in hand.
The two teams will square off this Saturday in Thunder Bay—one night after the Lakers head to Spooner to take on the Wisconsin Wilderness to close out a home-and-home series.
The Lakers next “home” game is set for next Wednesday (Oct. 23) at 7:30 p.m. at the new Couchiching arena, where they’ll face the Minnesota Iron Rangers.
