Blazers, Chiefs made a deal

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
It was perhaps only fitting that Brady Calla scored the Kamloops Blazers’ last goal Wednesday night in what turned out to be an 8-6 WHL victory over the Portland Winter Hawks at Interior Savings Centre.
It also was Calla’s 15th and final goal with the Blazers.
Not long after Calla pounded an Alex Rodgers rebound behind goaltender Kurtis Mucha for his fifth goal of the season, Calla was told he had been traded to the Spokane Chiefs.
The trade comes in advance of the WHL trade deadline, which arrives Saturday at 2 p.m.
Calla, a 20-year-old right winger from Kelowna, was dealt to the Chiefs for centre Seth Compton, 20, who is from West Richland, Wash., and a third-round selection in the 2010 bantam draft.
Calla is joining his fourth WHL team, having also played for the Everett Silvertips and Moose Jaw Warriors. The Blazers acquired him from Moose Jaw last season in a deal that had defenceman Keaton Ellerby go the other way.
Compton, one of the Chiefs’ alternate captains, had two assists last night in a 4-1 victory over the visiting Chilliwack Bruins. He is expected to make his Kamloops debut Friday here against those same Bruins.
In his fifth WHL season, Compton has 15 points, five of them goals, and 36 penalty minutes in 40 games this season. He has totaled 64 points in 266 games with the Chiefs. The 92nd pick in the 2003 bantam draft, Compton was part of Spokane’s Memorial Cup-winning team last spring.
Calla, a third-round selection of the Florida Panthers in the 2006 NHL draft, actually started this season with the AHL’s Rochester Americans. He was returned to the Blazers on Nov. 20 — he actually was driving to a Monday Night Football game in Buffalo, N.Y., when he received the news via a phone call — and had 13 points in 19 games. That includes three goals in a 5-2 victory over the host Tri-City Americans on Dec. 29.
In 71 games over two seasons with Kamloops, Calla had 43 points, including 15 goals.
Calla is scheduled to join the Chiefs today and play his first game for them Saturday against the visiting Everett Silvertips.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca