Cougars acquire two players, Draft Selections from the Winnipeg ICE

The Prince George Cougars will be rolling out the welcome mat for a pair of new acquisitions.

The club acquired forward Holden Kodak, defenceman Marco Creta, two third-round WHL Bantam Draft selections, and a conditional fifth-round selection from the Winnipeg ICE.

In exchange, the Cougars have sent forward Jackson Leppard to the ICE.

“It’s a good move for our organization right now and moving forward. We’re getting two players that will step into our lineup and make an impact,” said General Manager & Head Coach Mark Lamb. “This is a good fit for Jackson too, as he’s going to a great organization and we wish him all the best in his future in Winnipeg.”

The two third-round selections acquired by the Cougars are for the 2021 and 2022 WHL Bantam Drafts. The fifth-round conditional draft pick is for the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft.

Creta, 19, has two assists in seven games with the ICE this season. The Oak Bluff, MB product has split his WHL career between the ICE and Regina Pats. Between the ICE and Pats last season, Creta had four goals and 14 assists for 18 points in 61 regular season games. In 101 career regular season games, the defenceman has amassed five goals, and 20 assists for 25 points.

Kodak, 18, is in his sophomore year in the WHL and was pointless in six games with the ICE this season. The Cloverdale product had three goals, and seven assists for 10 points in 49 regular season games a year ago. Kodak was originally drafted by the Portland Winterhawks in the 11^th round in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft.

Leppard was in his fourth season with the Cougars and was the team’s first-round selection, eighth overall, in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft. The North Vancouver product played in 177 regular season games for the Cougars, where he collected 28 goals, and 42 assists for 70 points. Leppard had one goal in five games this season for Prince George.

Creta and Kodak are expected to make their Cougars’ debut on Tuesday when the Cougars face the Swift Current Broncos at the CN Centre.

In another move this weekend, defenceman Cole Beamin (’01) has joined the Nipawin Hawks in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The roster now sits at 24: two goaltenders, eight defencemen, and 14 forwards.