Tim Ruhnke – Recorder.ca
The Brockville Braves are making moves as the CCHL pre-season continues.
The Jr. A club recently traded forwards Jonathan Heise and Tyler Bono as well as a player development fee to the Cornwall Colts for defencemen Jackson Hay and Justin Taylor and forward Isaac Testani. The transaction marks the return of Hay, who played with the Braves and Jr. B Brockville Tikis in 2018-2019.
“Thrilled to have Jackson Hay back,” stated Brockville GM and co-owner Dustin Traylen. “We were extremely aggressive in our pursuit of his services. He’s one of the best defencemen in our league and adds to an already elite D-core.”
Taylor, 19, played 45 games with the Colts in 2019-2020.
Testani, who hails from Ogdensburg and is in his final year in junior hockey, racked up 30 points with the Jr. B Char-Lan Rebels two season ago.
Heise, 19, was with the Braves last season when CCHL teams were limited to two series of developmental scrimmages with “nearby” opponents. Brockville’s first series was against Cornwall in the fall.
“Sad to see Jonathan Heise go, as he was one of the classiest hockey players that the Braves have ever had,” Traylen said.
“But in any trade you have to give something up to get something. He’s a an excellent leader, and the Colts were smart to target him.”
Bono, 19, played with the U18 Braves and Tikis the past two seasons.
“This was truly a trade where everyone won,” declared the Brockville GM.
The Braves play an exhibition home-and-home with the Colts this week. Game one is in Cornwall Saturday afternoon; game two is at the Brockville Memorial Centre on Sunday at 3:30.
The Braves roster is expected to be finalized early next week, according to Traylen.
Brockville’s regular season home-opener is against Nepean two weeks from tonight (Friday, Sept. 24).
