WHL Trade Deadline Looming, Ams Make Another Move

With the WHL trade deadline looming the Americans have shored up their 20-year-old situation by trading for Kelowna Rockets Forward Jadon Joseph on Thursday.

Joseph, who broke into the WHL with Lethbridge, has played for five different clubs during his tenure, and has extensive playoff experience in 2018-19 with Vancouver when they went to the WHL finals.

GM-Governor Bob Tory said this about the acquisition:

“Jadon is a skilled player with excellent speed. He has played over 200 games in the WHL and has significant playoff experience from going to the league final with Vancouver last season,He will add depth, scoring, and leadership to our group."

The Americans sent a conditional sixth round pick in the 2022 WHL draft to the Rockets in return. Joseph is expected to be in uniform Friday when the Americans face Seattle, or at least by Saturday when they take on Regina, both games at home.  The trade comes less than one week after Joseph helped the Rockets dump the Americans 7-3 at the Toyota Center.

Joseph has accumulated 42 goals and 77 assists in 226 games during his four WHL campaigns. The Americans now have two 20-year-olds, teams are allowed 3 such 'overage' players.  With the trades of Beck Warm and Kyle Olson, Krystoff Hrabik (who signed with NHL San Jose last year) was the only overage player left  on the roster.