The Steinbach Pistons added a defenseman and forward, but also subtracted a d-man off of their roster before the MJHL’s final roster freeze of the season 8:00 pm Tuesday night.
The Pistons signed 18 year-old forward Danny Pion. Pion was playing for the Nanaimo Buccaneers of the Vancouver Island Junior ‘B’ Hockey League. The same team current Pistons forward Will Koop played for last season.
Dion has been splitting time between the Buccaneers and the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers this season. The Gatineau, Quebec product has tallied 2 goals, 1 assist and 16 penalty minutes in 15 games with the Clippers and then 5 goals, 17 assists and 16 penalty minutes with the Buccaneers.
Steinbach will also be welcoming back 17 year-old Defenseman Riley Bruce. Pistons fans may remember the former Winnipeg Thrasher when he was called up as an alternate player on home ice versus the Dauphin Kings last season.
Bruce was playing for the WHL’s Regina Pats this year where he put up 1 goal, 2 assists and 13 penalty minutes in 18 games. While Bruce played in MMHL, he tallied 220 penalty minutes in 63 games. That physical edge in his game is one of the reasons why the Pistons drafted him in the first round of the MJHL’s bantam draft back in 2014.
Most notably for Pistons fans, Steinbach moved 18 year-old Defenseman Davis Beauchamp to the Thief River Falls Norskies of the SIJHL. Beauchamp played 15 games with the Pistons this season, tallying 4 assists and 10 penalty minutes.
The Steinbach Pistons want to thank Beauchamp for his diligent work in the community. Davis worked consistently at Elmdale Elementary School throughout the first half of the season, logging many hours in the classroom and on the ice helping kids learn how to skate. The organization wishes Beauchamp all the best as he continues to pursue his dreams on and off the ice.
The Pistons went into Tuesday with 22 players on their roster, one short of the league allowed 23 player limit. And now Wednesday morning the Pistons are at the 23 player mark, with their final roster for the remainder of the season.