Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Vernon-Blackfalds Trade:

The Vernon Vipers have traded 18 year old forward Kurt Gurkan & 18

year old defenceman David Brandes to the Alberta Junior Hockey League Blackfalds Bulldogs for future considerations.

Here is the press release from the Vernon Vipers website,

Vipers Make Two Trades | Vernon Vipers

Kurt Gurkan's Player Profile:

Kurt Gurkan - Elite Prospects

David Brandes's Player Profile:

David Brandes - Elite Prospects

6 comments:

vipersdiehardfan said...

Wow 19 trades/roster moves this season! I can't ever recall a Vernon team making that many trades or roster moves in one season. The Vipers have been an average team that has struggled and not played well this season, so I get you need to make some changes to try and get better but with players coming and going continuously, how is the team suppose to gel and build/grow as a team? The Vipers roster has been a revolving door this season.

I liked Kurt Gurkan at the start of the season and thought he stood out and played well at times but hasn't been very noticeable lately.

I also really liked David Brandes and thought he started to come into his own and playing very well as of late. Very sad to see this kid go. I thought he did a great job at playing forward when called apon. I thought he played hard, was a good skater and good puck handler.

Here are two more recruited/committed players shipped out of Vernon. This season alone, David Brandes, Kurt Gurkan, Connor Chalmers, Justin Chaput, Max Seguin, Liam Cavan, Ludobik Tardif, Dane Weston & Revy Mack are all recruits/committed players gone. This is not good and will kill your future recruiting. If kids find out, why would you commit to the Vipers knowing your chances of being traded/released.

Now we don't know the situation behind the scenes. Did these kids want out? and ask for a trade or was it actually a numbers game before the BCHL Card Deadline?

With the Vipers having two great goaltenders and Roan Clarke off to school next season, should the Vipers use Clarke as trade bait? As Ethan David could easily take over and be the full time #1 netminder.

The Vipers have the lowest scoring team in the league and still yet to acquire a goal scorer.

I have said this many times before. If you do a better job at recruiting/scouting you will put together a stronger/competitive team at the start of the season. Instead the Vipers put together another average team that struggled early and now have to make 19 trades/roster moves to try and improve the team.

Walter Kovacs said...

19 trades. Are you kidding me? I've never in my life heard of a team making this many moves in a season. This essentially means we've seen an entire roster come and go in the past couple months.

Nobody is going to want to come here to play knowing you will probably just get traded.

How about coaching the team to gel and work on some systems instead of trying to bring in more of the same ol average players. These kids need to be coached, not just shuffled around together hoping for some magic formula.

This screams of piss poor recruiting. What an embarassment.

Crazytrain said...

Hey Johnny Boy, this isn't a used car lot. Give your head a shake. No give it a couple whacks with a helmet. Fire McKee or sell the team. The Vipers organization has become a complete disgrace. While you are at it please take the 6 time national champions off your website. YOU haven't won JACK *&!# !!!

Anonymous said...

Well said Walter, couldn't agree more!

Anonymous said...

The Brandes kid was the real deal who never got a fair shake.

Crazytrain said...

Best thing for the kid unfortunately. McKee and company absolutely ruin players. No wonder Trey Taylor left for the USHL. Pretty bad when nobody from around here wants to play for these clowns...