North Bay grabs an experienced overager for a mid-round draft choice.
With the summer trade window opening Tuesday, a few transactions continue to trickle in.
The North Bay Battalion have grabbed an overager now, acquiring Rene Van Bommel from the London Knights in exchange for Niagara's 2027 fifth-round pick.
Van Bommel, 20, has played the past three seasons in London after being made an 11th-round pick in the 2022 OHL draft. He's a hard-working, physical bottom-six forward in a mould Dale Hunter always appreciates.
Rene Van Bommel will be headed to North Bay for his overage season. (Photo: Luke Durda/OHL Images)Last season, the Strathroy, Ont., native recorded 21 (10+11) points in 66 games, to go alongside 80 penalty minutes. As a Knight, he's been part of two OHL championship teams and one Memorial Cup winning group.
But, now as an overager, he's deemed excess to parts in London, and has been shipped out to a North Bay team looking for some grit and experience in their forward group.
It's the second addition the Battalion have made from the Knights this summer, also adding Max Crete for an eighth-round pick before the draft.
Van Bommel is committed to Lake Superior State University of the NCAA for the 2027-28 season, once he officially ages out of the OHL.
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