The North Bay Battalion heading into Friday’s OHL trade deadline sit tied for fifth place in the Eastern Conference. Outside of the big three — Ottawa, Brantford, and Barrie — there’s a drop off in the East. The first-round matchup between the No. 4 and No. 5 seed should turn out to be an entertaining, close series, and the Battalion may finish in that area. 

North Bay wasn’t viewed as potential buyers leading up to the deadline, but they have brought in two members from the Saginaw Spirit.

On Monday, in the plethora of trades, the Battalion announced that they have acquired overage forward Sebastien Gervais and 2007-born defenseman Hayden Barch in exchange for five draft picks. 

Below are the full details of the trade:

North Bay Battalion Receive:

C, Sebastien Gervais (2005) - 38GP, 12G, 13A, 25PTS
RHD, Hayden Barch (2007) - 34GP, 4A, 4PTS

Saginaw Spirit Receive:

2026 3rd round pick (BAR)
2028 3rd round pick
2029 3rd round pick
2027 5th round pick (LDN)
2028 5th round pick (OS)

Since the Western Conference is currently an arms race between Windsor, Flint, Kitchener, and Sault Ste. Marie, it makes sense for GM Dave Drinkill to pick up his phone and let the contending teams know that they are open for business. 

However, is this a transaction that opens up more moves?

The Battalion, I wouldn’t say they are “officially” buyers. Adding defenseman Barch gives them a player who adds to their depth on the backend and someone who will be on the team next season. He’s also the son of former NHLer and Niagara IceDogs Head Coach Krys Barch. 

“He’s a defenseman who plays a hard, honest game. He defends well, brings a physical presence, and understands his role. We’re excited about his upside and getting him into our daily routines,” said North Bay GM John Winstanley. 

The Gervais acquisition is what’s puzzling here. He was closing in on the all-time games played record in Saginaw Spirit history, six games in fact, from breaking Cole Coskey’s record of 302. The 12th-round pick from 2021 won a Memorial Cup with the franchise in 2024 and has been a heart-and-soul player for the team and its fanbase. 

Defenseman Bronson Ride was the only overage player on North Bay’s roster before this deal. So, did Saginaw make this deal to free up an OA spot for a specific reason? Additionally, do the Battalions think they could maybe play spoilers in the playoffs?

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