Cougars move up to get their man

In a stunning move for a franchise not known to do many transactions, on Friday night the Cougars did a last minute trade to move up in the draft order of the 1st round of RHL20 entry draft. While the Calgary Browns where on the clock, with the 7th overall pick, they indicated to the league their willingness to move down in the draft order.  The Cougars then entered into negotiations with them and a hour later both teams had switched 1st round picks:  the Browns' pick in the 7th slot, and Cougars' pick in 12th.  In addition to this swap of 1st rounder, the Cougars sent to Calgary their 3rd round pick in next year draft, and prospects Brandon Mashinter and Anssi Salmela.

The Cougars then took front stage and announced the selection of Brayden Schenn as the newest Cougar. Schenn, a centerman with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL, is known to be the complete package at center:  good offensively, good defensively,  a leader on the ice.  Some scouts have compared him to a younger Pat Verbeek or Brendan Shanahan.  He is also the younger brother of Luke Schenn, a RHL prospects who is expected to make his RHL debut this season.  Brayden is no expected in the RHL for another couple of seasons as he continues to mature in the WHL.  Sources within the Cougars organization has indicated that while they had a few prospects they wanted to draft in the 12th slot, they felt that the chance to acquire a player of the skill level of Schenn in the 7th spot was worth the price to pay to move up 5 spots in the draft order.

As for the departing prospects going to Calgary, both were highly regarded by the Cougars.  Mashinter is a sleeper prospect not really on anyone's radar.  But he continues to accumulate good offensive stats with all the teams he plays for in very robust style of play.  Once his skating improve, as area he has been working on,  he could very well become a regular fixture in the RHL as a power forward or as a checking winger role. As for Salmela, the Cougars have been following him ever since he left Europe.  With the right team the mobile defenseman could become a reliable blueliner in the league.

And with the drafting of Brayden Scheen now a done deal, the team is now expected to be done for the rest of the draft.  Without any picks left, and recent talks to acquire additional late-round picks not resulting in any actual transactions, the team is expected to fold its tent, and go home to wait for the start of the free-agent auction.