Forward thinking saw the Okotoks Oilers add to its ranks up-front on deadline day.
The Canadian Junior Hockey League’s Jan. 10 deadline brought a pair of new faces to the Oilers as winger Colby Livingstone was acquired from the Canmore Eagles in exchange for defenceman Travis Verveda while forward Shane Allan was added from a WHL stint.
A two-year Oiler, Verveda put up four goals and 25 points in 69 games with the Oilers. The Alix native brought a steadying presence as a smooth skating, responsible defenceman on an Oilers squad blessed with an abundance of blueliner as eight of them who’ve patrolled the blueline this season.
The affable defenceman made an immediate impact in Canmore scoring and adding an assist during the Eagles’ victory over the Calgary Mustangs on the day of the trade.
Coming the other way in the transaction is an experienced winger.
A product of the Creston, B.C., Livingstone spent the season skating on the league’s most prolific line alongside Okotokian and Eagles captain Matt Forchuk and winger Logan Ferguson – who are one and two in the province in scoring.
The 20-year-old winger put up 12 goals and 34 points in 37 games with Canmore.
Livingstone suited up in two games for Okotoks last week, but was sidelined with a hit to the head from Camrose Kodiaks defenceman Ashton Oakes on Jan. 14 which yielded the blueliner a five game suspension.
Coming back to a place he’s been before, Allan isn’t a completely new figure in Oilers circles.
The Calgarian suited up in three games as an affiliate player during the 2013-14 season and has ties to the club as older brother Taylor Allan skated with the green-and-gold during the early stages of the same campaign.
The six-foot-two, 190 pound forward registered six points in 66 games over parts of two seasons with the Kootenay Ice before being re-assigned by the Western Hockey League team.
Both forwards should help to bolster Okotoks’ scoring output.
The Oilers, one of the top defensive teams in the provincial loop, have been offensively starved for much of the season and rank 10th out of 16 in goals for.
Allan, a Calgary Royals AAA product, is known for his prowess without the puck and took home the Alberta Midget Hockey League’s Top Defensive Forward honours in 2014-15.
For more information go to okotoksoilers.ca
