Stan Butler says he is all ears as the OHL January 10th trade deadline approaches.
On Wednesday the Battalion Director of Hockey Ops pulled the trigger on a deal that shipped Brett McKenzie to Owen Sound for two picks and 1999 birth year forward Matthew Struthers.
See related story: McKenzie on the move
Now, the name Cam Dineen has become the Battalion trade target for teams loading up for a long playoff run.
Butler knows Dineen has been a model citizen since he joined the Troops in 2015, but he will only ship out the talented Arizona Coyotes prospect if the right offer comes along.
“We will do what’s best for the North Bay Battalion hockey organization,” stated Butler.
“We are all ears right now to people and if a trade makes sense for our hockey team and we feel it benefits our hockey team then we will do that. We make trades based on what is best for our hockey team.”
Dineen realizes there is a chance he will be moved before January 10th. Instead, the calm, soft-spoken defenceman says he is trying to focus on his game as the team prepares for Thursday night’s contest against the Oshawa Generals at Memorial Gardens.
“I have heard the rumours that are out there, seen them and stuff like that,” said Dineen.
“I have just been in talks with my agent and with Stan a little bit. I am not really thinking about it but if those guys thought something was best for the team here then maybe I would consider it but so far I haven’t been thinking about it at all.”
The Battalion sit tied for 8th in the Eastern Conference with a game in hand on the Mississauga Steelheads.
While Dineen is the focus, Butler is not ruling anyone out if the right offer comes around from trade deadline predators.
“It is not a matter of who you want to move, at this time of the year you listen to what the offers are, you do your analytics, you look at what other trades have been done with comparable players, and you know what their value is and if someone comes to you with a value that you think is fair which we found was the case in this recent Owen Sound trade then we will look at anything,” he said.
Butler is also watching the World Juniors closely. Filip Chytil, the Battalion 1st round import pick this summer will be in action tonight as Canada faces the Czech Republic in the World Junior semi-final in Buffalo. Chytil is currently playing in the AHL with the Hartford Wolfpack but was loaned in December to the Czech national team for the high profile event.
Butler would certainly welcome Chytil if the Rangers elect to have him finish the season in major junior hockey.
