Cedar Rapids and Madison both added forwards to their roster on Wednesday in a pair of early-October trades
The USHL saw a pair of trades Wednesday morning as forwards Egor Barabanov and Nick Romeo both found themselves on the move.
The Hockey News takes a look at both trades and what each player will add to their respective club.
Capitols add experience with Barabanov
Barabanov was dealt from Sioux Falls to Madison in exchange for a 2025 Phase II second-round pick and future considerations.
The Penn State commit has one goal through three games with the Stampede this season but did not play last Saturday in Sioux Falls’ home opener. He’s expected to debut with the Capitols this weekend as Madison hosts Green Bay on Saturday.
"We are excited to get Egor to Madison," Madison head coach / GM Andy Brandt told The Hockey News. "From what we’ve seen and through our conversations with his coaches, Egor has an unbelievable skill set, a high compete level, and he’s a great young man. When you combine those traits along with his willingness to learn, we feel Egor will excel with us."
The left-shot forward brings 73 career USHL games to Madison and is listed at 6-foot and 166 pounds.
He made his USHL debut during the 2022-23 season and played 10 games as an affiliate player, followed by 60 last season. Barabanov put up 17 points (4-13-17) last winter but also finished the year a minus-17.
Barabanov gives Madison another option up front and his 73 career regular-season games only trail Finn Brink (74) among Madison’s forwards. The Capitols lost their top seven goal scorers from last season too – who combined for 141 of Madison’s 218 tallies.
Madison released forward Aron Jessli in a corresponding move.
Dubuque sends Romeo to Cedar Rapids for pair of draft picks
As for Romeo, the UMass-Lowell commit will have to make the 80-minute trek southwest from Dubuque to Cedar Rapids.
Dubuque acquired Romeo last November from the Maine Nordiques after he scored 13 goals over 17 NAHL games and was Maine’s captain.
Romeo finished last season with 21 points (10-11-21) over 45 USHL games and played in five playoff games as Dubuque advanced to the Clark Cup Final. However, he had zero points through five games this season and was limited to a fourth-line role in Dubuque’s last game against Waterloo.
The New York native is listed at 6-foot and 180 pounds and will turn 20 next May.
Cedar Rapids sends a pair of 2025 draft picks – Phase I fifth-round and Phase II fourth-round – to Dubuque in the deal while the RoughRiders receive a 2025 Phase I sixth-round pick along with Romeo.
Romeo will have the chance to see plenty of his now-former squad, as Cedar Rapids and Dubuque play eight times this season. The first matchup is scheduled for Nov. 22 in Cedar Rapids.