Sault native Drew Fata has been traded from Toronto St. Michael's to Kingston for Shane O'Brien is what is an exchange of first-rate Ontario Hockey League defencemen.
"It's quality for quality. Each player brings what the other team was looking for," offered Kingston general manager Larry Mavety, in his first trade since stepping down as the Frontenacs' head coach last week.
Fata is 19 and O'Brien is 18. Both are offensive-type defencemen -- Fata has six goals this season and O'Brien has eight -- but Fata is known throughout the OHL for his nasty streak.
St. Mike's coach/general manager Dave Cameron had been after O'Brien for some time, said Mavety.
"But Drew was the guy we wanted and we weren't going to trade O'Brien unless we got Fata." In his third OHL season, Fata was drafted in the third round of the National Hockey League lottery by the Pittsburgh Penguins two years ago.
Meanwhile, former Greyhound Malcolm MacMillan is on the move again.
The Guelph Storm traded the unhappy overage centre to the Barrie Colts yesterday for 18-year old defenceman Dan Girardi and import blueliner Leo Zhvachin.
MacMillan was 3-8-11 with 22 PIM in 13 games with Guelph this season. He left the team last week because of a dispute with coach Jeff Jackson over playing time.