The trade was requested weeks ago, and on Wednesday Montreal Canadiens 2016 third-rounder Will Bitten got what he wanted.
The details are Bitten and Flint’s 12th-round pick in 2017 in exchange for goaltender Connor Hicks, blueliner Fedor Gordeev and second-rounders in 2019 (Owen Sound) and 2020 (Niagara).
In a press release, Hamilton GM Steve Staios said: “We are excited to welcome William to the Bulldogs family. He will provide us with speed, skill and work ethic. He will be an integral piece of our hockey club moving forward.”
No doubt.
Bitten was the seventh-overall of the 2014 OHL Priority Selection and has 45 goals and 96 points in two seasons playing for teams that went a combined 43-80-9-4. And, of course, he had to spend his NHL Draft season in Flint last year, skating through a season marred by franchise turmoil.
Bitten has also played at the world under-17’s in 2014 and represented Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in 2015 and the IIHF World Under 18 Championship in 2016. He had yet to play for Flint this season.
“Our team is significantly better today with the addition of Connor who is an established No. 1 OHL goaltender and Fedor, a top young defenceman that brings a combination of size, skill and skating to our club,” said Flint GM George Burnett in a statement.
Hicks, 19, has 58 games played in goal over the past two seasons with Belleville/Hamilton and posted a 2.92 GAA and a .916 save percentage through his final 15 contests last season. Gordeev got into eight games with Hamilton in 2015–16, netting two assists.
