The Sarnia Legionnaires announced last week that they have sent three players to the Chatham Maroons in exchange for cash. The trade, Legionnaires General Manager Paul Hurtibise says, will allow the players to be closer to home.
“The trade itself was brought up by the boys themselves,” says Hurtibise. “They wanted to be closer to home because of school.”
Colton and Cameron Graham, along with Ethan Waddick, have been sent to the Chatham Maroons.
Cameron Graham, who had played with the Maroons before dawning a Legionnaires jersey, was the third-leading scorer for Sarnia last season. In 49 games the Chatham native scored 17 goals and finished the season with 39 points. The 6’3” forward had 59 points with the Legionnaires since coming to Sarnia from Chatham in the 2022-2023 season.
Colton Graham will be joining his brother in heading home. The younger Graham brother chipped in three goals and five assists this past season in 39 games. In 84 games over two seasons, Colton scored 14 goals and amassed 32 points.
“We enjoyed having the Graham Brothers with us,” Hurtibise told the Journal. “Cam was, on our squad, the guy with the most GOJHL experience and had a Sutherland Cup run.”
Also included in the deal is defenseman Ethan Waddick. The 5’11” rearguard scored five goals and added 21 assists in his first full season in the GOJHL. Waddick had previously played nine games with the Maroons in 2022-2023, where he had a goal and two assists.
“The other two,” Hurtibise continued, “Waddick was a rookie and Colton was a second year guy and we enjoyed having them.”
Hurtibise said that in this league, schooling and after-hockey life is more important than hockey in a lot of ways, so he and Richard Santos of the Chatham Maroons got the deal done.
The trade will serve as a homecoming for all three players, and free up space for the Legionnaires to sign players this offseason. It is expected that the Legionnaires will start announcing players that signed later this month.
Also announced last week, the GOJHL has realigned the conferences.
The league was made up of three conferences – the Western, Midwestern and Golden Horseshoe – until last week when the league decided to go to a two conference system.
The move promises to not only allow fans to see teams they haven't seen much of in the past, but also will provide a competitive spark as well, as making the playoffs has become a tougher job, especially for those teams who were in the Golden Horseshoe conference, where no one missed the playoffs.
Fans in Sarnia will expect to see Kitchener-Waterloo, Elmira, Listowel and Stratford now as they have been added to the Western Conference.
“Good for our league, good for our team,” says Hurtibise on the realignment. “Good for all the teams in my view, it was something that was discussed over the last few years.”
The Legionnaires general manager says a vote was held, and they were among the teams to support the move.
“Better for the fans as well. They will get to see four teams that they normally wouldn’t get to see,” said Hurtibise.
Pre-season action is just a month away, as the Legionnaires look towards a new season, one that will be a celebration of 75 years of Jr B hockey in Sarnia. The team plans to celebrate the past throughout the year and is offering a special price for a season this year, just $75 in celebration of 75 years.
Pick up your season pass at McFarlane Rolands Insurance, Aqua Pools or contact the Sarnia Legionnaires.