For the second time in a span of two months, the Estevan Bruins have traded defenceman Tyler Kauk.
The 20-year-old rearguard is off to the MJHL's Selkirk Steelers in exchange for 19-year-old defenceman Damian Wallack.
(UPDATE: This trade, too, has been called off. More to come.)
Kauk had originally been dealt to Flin Flon in July for prospect Connor Vermeulen, but Vermeulen's family moved to Alberta, which prevented him from playing here as a 17-year-old, and Kauk didn't report to Flin Flon, so the deal was voided.
Bruins head coach and GM Chris Lewgood spoke to Kauk the week of training camp to see if he was willing to come back, but he wasn't.
In Wallack, the Bruins get a player with two years of Junior A experience who has some size and offensive ability. The Stonewall, Man., native is listed at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds. He posted four goals and 22 points in 48 games with the Steelers last year.
Adding Wallack to the blue line is particularly important because the Bruins have found out Nick Egan is leaving the team to try out for an ECHL team. Egan was tremendous at training camp and looked like he would be an impact player this year, so it's a big loss - though it does get the team down to eight 20-year-olds (Gibney, Daae, Johnstone, Froese, Reich, Kosloski, Blatz, McLachlan).
I wouldn't be surprised if Egan is back sometime later in the season, but for now, it's a blow.
