In two trades Alaska Aces coach Rob Murray described as "value for value,'' the ECHL hockey club dealt two defensemen who played on its 2014 title team and received a defenseman and a forward in return.
The Aces announced Thursday that Murray engineered separate trades with the Florida Everblades and Elmira Jackals. He moved defenseman Corey Syvret to Florida for defenseman Gleason Fournier – statistically, the blueliners appear equals -- and traded defenseman Brad Richard, an ECHL All-Rookie pick in 2014, to Elmira for promising scoring forward Brodie Reid.
Syvret and Richard represented the last holdovers from Alaska's playoff roster in 2014, when it won the third Kelly Cup in franchise history.
Fournier owns 128 games of experience in the American Hockey League, the circuit one cut above the ECHL. Reid owns 198 games of AHL experience, including 43 last season.
"I tried to target guys who had American League experience, whether it was last year or over the course of their career,'' Murray said. "Guys who have been to the next level know what it takes to get there.''
Syvret and Fournier, as Murray noted, have "comparisons that are similar.''
For instance, Fournier has averaged .34 points per game in 128 ECHL games and Syvret has averaged .32 points per game in 192 ECHL games. Fournier, 24, is headed into his fifth pro season and Syvret, 26, is headed into his sixth pro season. Fournier was a third-round NHL draft pick, Syvret a sixth-round selection.
Fournier last season delivered 5-19—24 totals in 57 combined games for ECHL Orlando and Florida.
"He's a solid player, a good pro,'' Murray said. "He just wants to play hockey.''
Reid, 25, is an intriguing addition. He played just nine games for Elmira last season – those represented the only ECHL games in his career -- and generated 3-6—9 totals. He also put up 9-6—15 totals in 43 combined AHL games for three different teams.
Murray said Reid, a former Hockey East All-Rookie pick for Northeastern, still is looking for an AHL deal late in this offseason, when jobs are tough to land.
Should Reid remain with the Aces, he pencils in on one of the top two lines.
"If he ends up with us, I think he'll be a helluva player for us,'' Murray said.
The additions of Reid and Fournier bring to four the number of players the Aces have announced for the upcoming season. The team earlier this week revealed the singings of goaltenders Troy Redmann, a returner, and rookie Steven Summerhays of Anchorage, the former Notre Dame standout.
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com, check out his blog at adn.com/hockeyblog and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr