Content Provided By: Steinbach Online
The Steinbach Pistons have moved out a goaltender and have brought a familiar name back to the MJHL in a pair of moves ahead of the January 10th trade deadline.
19-year-old goalie Zach Burleigh has been traded to the French River Rapids of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.
“It should provide (Zach) with an opportunity to play a lot more and continue to develop as a 19-year-old”, Head Coach and GM Paul Dyck said early Friday afternoon. “Zach is a good character guy, he was an excellent teammate and we wish him all the best.”
In 9 games with Steinbach, Burleigh was 6-1-1 with a 2.02 goals against and a .904 save percentage, on top of 3 shutouts.
In a corresponding move, the Pistons have brought in another 2005 born goalie, River Leslie-Toogood. “We were very familiar with him from his time in the MJHL the previous season with the Winnipeg Blues” Dyck said about the new man in the crease. “He’s always played very well against us.”
Leslie-Toogood was with the Watertown Shamrocks of the NAHL to start the year. He’s played 48 MJHL games over parts of 3 seasons with the Blues. In 2021-22, he was with St. Paul’s High 1 of CAHS, he went 11-0 with a 1.54 goals against average plus 2 shutouts in the regular season and then 4-0 with another shutout in the playoffs.
With the CJHL trade deadline on January 10th, teams across the MJHL could be busy in the next few days leading up. “There’s been limited movement to this point” said the veteran general manager. “But, with a week left before the roster freeze, I do anticipate some more activity within the league this week.”
The Pistons would like to thank Zach for his contributions and wish him all the best as he continues on his hockey career.