The OHL all-rookie defenseman heads out to Sarnia for a boatload of draft capital.
The OHL draft is over, and that means the trade window has opened back up again for the next couple of weeks.
The first move post-draft is an inter-conference one between Sarnia and Barrie, with defenseman Cole Emerton heading to the Sting in exchange for up to six picks, including a second (SAR-2028), third (BFD-2028), fourth (WSR-2028), 7th (SAR-2027), conditional second (SAR-2029) and conditional third (SOO-2029).
Emerton, 18, was a third-round pick in the 2024 OHL draft. He played his post-draft season with the Toronto Patriots of the OJHL before making the Colts out of camp this year, and becoming a contributor on their Bobby Orr Trophy winning team.
Cole Emerton will provide some puck moving and two-way play to Sarnia's blue line next season. (Photo: Terry Wilson/OHL Images)In 66 regular season games last season, the 5-foot-11 blueliner put up four goals and 27 assists, also adding eight more helpers in 20 games during Barrie's playoff run.
This statistical profile, combined with his hard-working defensive play and positive puck moving saw Emerton receive some plaudits from across the league, being voted to the OHL's first all-rookie team.
This move signals a shift towards a retool for Barrie following their successful run to the final. With stars like Cole Beaudoin and Emil Hemming likely turning pro this fall, it's time for the Colts to accumulate draft capital and start to build for the next generation.
For Sarnia, this is a team pushing to get back into the playoffs next season. They've made a few interesting additions, most notably signing big import pick Simon Katolicky, but have also suffered the loss of Beckham Edwards to the NCAA.
Emerton can help the team in the top-four on the blue line and on the power play, as the Sting look to make the postseason for the first time since 2023.
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