OHL trades are starting to happen more frequently. The Brantford Bulldogs, well of course, acquired one of the top available players on the market in Jett Luchanko earlier in the week. Now, the Peterborough Petes have made a rather bizarre move of their own. 

On Thursday, the Petes announced that they have traded away centerman Colin Fitzgerald to the Soo Greyhounds in exchange for six draft picks. 

Trade Details:

Soo Greyhounds Receive:
C, Colin Fitzgerald (2008) - 24gp, 6g, 7a, 13pts

Peterborough Petes Receive:

2028 second-round pick (NB)
2029 second-round pick (OSH)
2027 third-round pick (OSH)
2029 third-round pick (OSH
2028 fourth-round pick (NB)
2029 sixth-round pick 

Moving on from a 17-year-old hometown talent, whom they drafted third overall just a few years ago, was a shocking move to make. However, as per the Peterborough Examiner, Fitzgerald had asked the Petes organization for a trade request, and reportedly turned down two other potential trade destinations before ending up in the Soo. 

Although Fitzgerald has not had a good start to his NHL draft campaign, having collected only 13 points in 24 games, and was a team-worst -17, his combination of size and skill offered up an abundance of potential to become a top-of-the-lineup player for Peterborough. 

Petes’ management viewed this move as a strategic decision that could benefit the team in the long run. Peterborough currently sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. GM Michael Oke now has two seconds and two third-round draft picks he can use as capital to acquire a veteran piece to bolster their forward group. 

For the Greyhounds, they are getting a promising young forward, who some scouts saw as a potential late first-rounder at the start of the season. Fitzgerald was given a “B” grade by NHL Central Scouting in their preliminary rankings list, but you know, there are many NHL teams that are eyeing down the 6-foot-3, 211-pound forward. 

“Colin has always been an elite player entering the league and has shown the potential to be an elite player for us, making him a perfect fit moving forward. His combination of speed, skill, size, and ability to read the game is what every top player in this league is built on. The ability to play with high-end skill while also bringing a heavy, physical element down the middle is rare, and we’re excited to see what working with our staff in a development-driven, high-intensity environment every day can bring out in him,” said Greyhounds GM Kyle Raftis.

Captain and number-one centerman for Sault Ste. Marie Brady Martin was injured last weekend and most likely will be leaving shortly for Team Canada’s camp for the 2026 World Juniors. While this move certainly was more beneficial long-term, the Greyhounds received a significant boost in the short-term. 

Having to trade Colin Fitzgerald had to have been a tough pill to swallow for Petes GM Michael Oke, but now we wait to see what kind of magic he can pull off with his new trade capital. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's OHL site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

Latest OHL News:

Philadelphia Flyers Prospect Jett Luchanko Joins The Unstoppable Brantford Bulldogs In Major OHL Trade Flyers prospect Jett Luchanko joins the undefeated (in regulation) Brantford Bulldogs, bolstering their already dominant forward group.

Tallest Hockey Player In The World Alexander Karmanov Joins North Bay Battalion Seven-foot-tall defenseman Alexander Karmanov has joined the North Bay Battalion OHL organization.

Sudbury Wolves Acquire Former 1st Round Pick From Sarnia Sudbury Wolves gamble on former first-round talent, hoping to reignite Carter Kostuch's potential after a significant injury has impacted his development.