The Cranbrook Bucks have traded another member of their inaugural season roster, as forward Zeth Kindrachuk is headed to the Okotoks Oilers of the Alberta Junior Hockey League in exchange for future considerations.
Kindrachuk had an interesting tenure in Cranbrook after being one of the original recruits in the spring of 2020. During the team’s first-ever exhibition game on Oct. 3, 2020, he showed a sign of things to come by scoring the Bucks first-ever goal.
The product of Calgary, AB then carried his productive play into the regular season, leading Cranbrook in assists and points during the 2020-21 pod season. He managed three goals and six assists for nine points through 14 contests in the Penticton pod, good enough for a 0.64 points-per-game clip that led Bucks players with seven or more games played.
Kindrachuk struggled to find the same consistency and production during his second season with the team, scoring two goals and adding five assists for seven points through 36 games in the 2021-22 regular season.
Once the playoffs rolled around, however, Kindrachuk showed his ability to produce when it matters most. He scored another two goals and added an assist in the Bucks six-game postseason series against the Prince George Spruce Kings.
In the team’s official news release announcing the trade, Cranbrook’s head coach and general manager Ryan Donald shared his thoughts on his now former player’s time with the Bucks.
“(Kindrachuk) has been an instrumental member of our organization since we got started two years ago,” said Donald. “He brought a great passion and energy for the game of hockey each day and worked to improve himself every time on the ice. We wish him nothing but the best in his future.”
The release also noted that “the Cranbrook Bucks would like to thank (Kindrachuk) for his contributions to the (organization) over the past two years and wish him the best in Okotoks.”
Kindrachuk will now suit up for the same junior team as his older brother Zane, who played 170 games over five season in an Oilers jersey between 2016-2021. Okotoks was also Cranbrook’s first-ever trading partner, when they acquired forward Michael Hagen in exchange for forward Cale Sanders in the franchise’s first trade back on Oct. 1, 2020.
The Bucks and Oilers will face each other in an exhibition game on Sept. 11 in Okotoks.
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