Blazers add Zellweger, Hofer in big trade with Silvertips

The Kamloops Blazers have pushed all their chips into the middle of the table in their quest for the Memorial Cup, which they will be hosting later this year.

Kamloops and Everett have combined on a massive trade Sunday (Jan. 8), with the Blazers acquiring 19-year-old star defenceman Olen Zellweger and 20-year-old forward Ryan Hofer from the Silvertips.

Going the other way are four players and a whopping ten future picks in the WHL Prospects Draft. Everett receives 20-year-old forward Drew Englot, 17-year-old defencemen Kaden Hammell and Rylan Pearce, and ’07-born forward prospect Jack Bakker. Among the ten picks going to the Silvertips are first-round selections in the next four drafts.

The move, ahead of Tuesday’s Western Hockey League trade deadline, sets the Blazers up as Kamloops hosts the Canadian junior hockey championship in May and June.

The Calgary-born Zellweger was drafted in the second round, 34th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He has 10 goals and 28 points in just 23 games for Everett this season. Zellweger was a teammate of Blazers Logan Stankoven and Caedan Bankier at the just-finished World Junior Hockey Championship in Halifax.

The Winnipeg-born Hofer is Washington Capitals property, having gone in the sixth round, 181th overall in the 2022 draft.