The Barrie Colts have traded their captain, rugged rearguard Connor Punnett, to the Oshawa Generals for another veteran and pair of picks at the Ontario Hockey League's trade deadline for overage players.
In exchange for the 20-year-old defenceman, the Colts receive blue-liner Thomas Stewart as well as a third-round pick in 2025 (Sault Ste. Marie) and a sixth-round pick in 2027 (Peterborough).
Stewart, a 20-year-old Toronto native, has three goals and four assists in 36 games with the Generals this season. The six-foot-two, 189-pound right-shot defender also has 56 penalty minutes and a plus-13 rating.
With the deal, the Colts are reacquiring Stewart, who was an eighth-round pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, but his rights were later traded to Oshawa in 2021.
“Thomas has been a player that has really grown and developed his game in Oshawa," Colts general manager and head coach Marty Williamson said on the team's website. "Thomas has been logging a lot of key minutes for them and we feel he is a great addition to our group. He’s going to be able to play in a variety of situations for us and help our blue line."
Stewart is expected to be in the Colts lineup this week when they start the road trip in Erie on Wednesday.
Punnett, a native of Powassan in the North Bay area, came to the Colts at the 2020 trade deadline in the deal for Ryan Suzuki. That deal also included forward Ethan Cardwell, who's now in the San Jose Sharks system, and bevy of draft picks coming to Barrie.
In 190 games with the Colts, Punnett had 25 goals and 69 assists for 94 points.
“Having a player like Connor on your team is always great as a coach and isn’t an easy trade to make," Colts general manager and head coach Marty Williamson said on the team's website. "Connor demonstrated what it meant to be a Colt, he played the game hard and was always a player that I relied on to lead our group.
"Connor really grew as a person and was able to take his game to the next level here," added Williamson, who also thanked Punnett for his contributions to the community and the team.
In a separate deal announced Tuesday afternoon, the Colts traded the rights to overage goaltender Anson Thornton to the Niagara IceDogs. In the swap, the Colts also included a conditional pick in the 12th round pick of the 2024 OHL draft, while they receive a conditional 15th-round pick in 2024.
The Thornton trade allows the Colts to hang onto overage goalie Ben West, who's a Barrie native. Thornton, a 20-year-old prospect of the NHL's Arizona Coyotes, has not yet played for the Colts this season due to injuries. He has suited up in four games with the AHL's Tuscon Roadrunners.
“While only being on the team last season, Anson was a huge piece of the success we had and we wouldn’t have had that without him," Williamson said. "He always gave us a chance to win when he was in the net and he helped make our jobs easier."
Thornton will also remain forever etched in the memories of Colts fans for scoring a goal in last season's playoffs run.
"Scoring that goal last year in the playoffs will always be something I remember as a coach," Williamson added.
The Oshawa native played 44 games for the Colts last season, registering a .903 save percentage and a 3.13 goals-against average while posting 29 wins.
The Colts also traded overage forward Jacob Frasca on Monday to the Soo Greyhounds, receiving forward Brenden Sirizzotti and three draft picks in return.
The deadline to move overage players was Tuesday at noon. The deadline for all other players is Wednesday at noon.
