The Barrie Colts have started the trade wheels in motion by shipping veteran Jacob Frasca to the Soo Greyhounds ahead of Wednesday's Ontario Hockey League deadline in a swap of overage forwards. The Colts also receive picks in the deal.
Barrie has traded Frasca and an eight-round pick in 2024, originally belonging to Kingston, to Sault Ste. Marie in exchange for 20-year-old forward Brenden Sirizzotti, a second-round pick in 2024 (Saginaw), a fourth-round pick in 2025 (KIngston) and a third-round pick in 2026 (Kingston).
“Anytime you move a player like Jacob, who has spent his entire career here in Barrie, is tough," Colts general manager and head coach Marty Williamson said on the team's website. "Jacob has been a great member of our organization since we first drafted him in the third round of the OHL draft in 2019.
"We’re proud of how he has continued to grow his game and developed as a person," Williamson added. "We look forward to watching him continue his hockey career and wish him all the best with the Greyhounds.”
Frasca, a 20-year-old Caledon native, has played his entire junior career with the Colts, beginning in the 2019-20 season. In 144 games, he had 104 points (44 goals and 62 assists).
In an injury-plagued season this year, the six-foot-five, 216-pound forward has seven goals and five assists in 17 games. In 13 playoff games last season, he had six goals and four assists for 10 points before the Colts bowed out in the second round.
Coming back to the Colts is Sirizzotti, a right-winger hailing from Whitby who had 14 goals and 14 assists in 38 games this season with the Hounds. He is listed at six feet tall and weighing 193 pounds.
He was originally drafted by the Ottawa 67's in the second round of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. He has also played for the Niagara IceDogs.
Sirizzotti has 53 goals and 85 assists for 138 points in 182 OHL games. Undrafted by an NHL team, he has also attended the Montreal Canadiens rookie camp.
“By bringing in Brenden, we’re adding a strong, offensive-minded forward who has proven himself in this league as someone who can contribute on the scoresheet," Williamson said. "We’re looking forward to having his skill set and veteran presence to our group."
Meanwhile, Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis said he's looking forward to adding Frasca into the lineup.
“What he brings for us is that great Swiss Army knife player that he can play centre, can take a hard draw whether it’s on the PK or maybe on the power play,” Raftis told SooToday. “He can cause a lot of issues playing net front on that power play. He can play the wing if we need him to.”
The Greyhounds (25-11-2-1) sit in second place in the Western Conference standings, while the Colts (15-18-1-0) are ninth in the Eastern Conference and battling for a playoff spot. Barrie is three points back of the eighth-place Peterborough Petes, but with three games in hand.
