WHL Trade Trees: Michael Ferland to Saskatoon
Welcome back to WHL Trade Trees, a brand new recurring article series looking back at several trades in recent WHL history that have made a major impact on the league. The idea for this article series comes from Steve Dangle and the NHL trade tree videos he used to do during his time with Sportsnet. If you have an idea of a WHL trade to be revisited, please leave a comment below.
Last week was a look at the 2018 deal that saw Cameron Hebig dealt from the Saskatoon Blades to the Regina Pats. This week, we are staying with the Saskatoon Blades and revisiting a trade they made with the Brandon Wheat Kings on deadline day in 2013 as they prepared to host the Memorial Cup that spring.
Here’s the full details of the trade: Saskatoon acquires 20-year-old forward Michael Ferland from the Brandon Wheat Kings in exchange for a first-round pick in 2013.
Starting with the Blades side of the trade tree:
Michael Ferland:
Down the stretch, Ferland was phenomenal for Saskatoon. In 26 games, he posted eight goals and 21 assists with a plus-25 rating. Unfortunately for the Blades, the playoffs in 2013 didn’t go to plan as they were swept in the first round by the Medicine Hat Tigers. During the Memorial Cup, Ferland recorded two assists in four games played.
Ferland was never traded by Saskatoon within the WHL, ending their side of the trade tree.
Now onto the Brandon Wheat Kings side of the deal:
2013 First-Round Pick:
The Wheat Kings would utilize this pick on draft day in a deal to move up in the first round.
Brandon packaged the 17th overall selection with netminder Corbin Boes in a trade with the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for the sixth overall selection. The Hurricanes would use the 17th overall selection on goaltender Stuart Skinner.
With the sixth overall pick, the Wheat Kings would select defenceman Kale Clague. During his time in a Wheat King sweater, Clague would skate in 169 regular-season games, registering 25 goals and 118 assists. Clague was a member of the Wheat Kings team that won the WHL championship in 2016.
On deadline day in 2019, the Wheat Kings would ship Clague to the Moose Jaw Warriors in exchange for Luka Burzan, Chase Hartje, first round picks in 2019 and 2021 along with a second rounder in 2018.
Now to break down each asset from the Clague trade individually.
Luka Burzan:
Following the trade, Burzan would spend parts of three seasons with the Wheat Kings. In 161 regular season games, he potted 84 goals and 77 assists. Burzan was a 40 goal scorer for Brandon in 2018-19 and added 35 in 2019-20. The Wheat Kings never traded him within the WHL, ending this branch of the tree.
Chase Hartje:
Hartje skated in 62 games for Brandon after the trade registering seven goals and 13 assists. He found himself on the move again a year later as the Kootenay ICE acquired his services in exchange for a third round selection in 2019.
With the 53rd selection in 2019, Brandon selected rearguard Owen Harris. In parts of two seasons with the Wheat Kings, Harris appeared in 66 games, notching one goal and three assists. He was never traded in the WHL by Brandon, ending this branch.
2018 Second-Round Pick:
With the 24th overall selection, Brandon selected forward Brett Hyland, who was a lifer in a Wheat King uniform. In 195 games, Hyland tallied 75 goals and 70 helpers, including scoring 32 goals in his final WHL season in 2023-24. Because Brandon never traded Hyland, this branch ends here.
2019 First-Round Pick:
With the 16th overall selection, the Wheat Kings selected forward Rylen Roersma. In 215 career games as a Wheat King, he tallied 60 goals and 66 assists.
At the beginning of his 20-year-old season, Roersma was traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings in exchange for a second-round pick in 2026 and a fifth-rounder in 2027. At the time of publishing, the Wheat Kings have not traded either selection they acquired for Roersma.
2021 First-Round Pick:
With the fourth overall pick in 2021, Brandon selected forward Roger McQueen. In 127 games as a member of the Wheat Kings, he tallied 35 goals and 51 points. The Wheat Kings never traded McQueen in the WHL, ending this branch of the trade tree.
Last summer, McQueen committed to Providence College, where he is suiting up this season. In 16 games played, he has scored five goals while adding eight assists.
Verdict:
While Saskatoon got a key piece for their Memorial Cup team, Brandon has gotten assets that have played a major impact on their team, with pieces still to come from the Roersma deal.
As a side note in this ordeal, Skinner ended up becoming a franchise netminder for the Hurricanes. The trade tree from dealing Corbin Boes the following season led to a pair of assets that Lethbridge dealt to Moose Jaw as part of the Brayden Yager trade last season. Another trade tree for another day.
Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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