Photos courtesy of Vancouver Giants / Twitter

By Scott Roblin

Mammoth Trade

Tigers pull off blockbuster trade with Giants acquiring Plouffe, Svejkovsky

Dec 7, 2019 | 1:41 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The fabric of the Medicine Hat Tigers changed significantly on Saturday, pulling the trigger on one of their biggest trades in years.

Medicine Hat has shipped overage forward Tyler Preziuso, defenceman Trevor Longo, a 2020 first round pick and a conditional 2021 fifth round pick to the Vancouver Giants.

In exchange, the Tigers receive 20-year-old defenceman Dylan Plouffe, 18-year-old right winger Lukas Svejkovsky, a 2020 third round pick and a conditional third rounder in 2021.

The blockbuster adds one of the WHL’s top-producing blueliners to Medicine Hat, as Plouffe sits eighth in league scoring for defenders with 22 points in 28 games for the Giants.

Medicine Hat also picks up a diminutive, but emerging offensive weapon in Svejkovksy who has recorded five goals and 10 points in 18 games in his second season in the WHL.

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In a statement, Tigers head coach and GM Willie Desjardins said the team has been looking into the Giants pair for quite some time.

“We are excited for Dylan and Lukas to join the Tigers organization,” said Desjardins. “They are two players we were targeting and we think they will step in and be apart of our culture right away. They are both excellent offensive players who were key contributors on a team that went to the WHL finals last year. We are looking forward to working with them both.”

Heading to British Columbia will be one of Medicine Hat’s longest-serving players in Preziuso, who dressed for 293 games over five seasons with the Tigers.

Named assistant captain before the start of this season, the 20-year-old Preziuso has recorded nine goals and 22 points in 28 games on Medicine Hat’s top line.

Also heading to the Giants will be 19-year-old Longo, a veteran of 110 games over two and a half seasons in Medicine Hat and currently sits with 10 points in 27 games.

“We would like to thank Tyler and Trevor for their hard work and dedication to the Tigers organization,” said Desjardins in a statement. “Their parents should be proud of their work ethic and determination displayed. We didn’t want to move Tyler and Trevor but Vancouver was interested in both players.”

According to the Tigers, both Plouffe and Svejkovsky are expected to make their debuts with the club on Saturday night when Medicine Hat hosts the Everett Silvertips.

Going for their seventh consecutive victory, the Tigers will take to the Canalta Centre ice at 7:30 pm.