Steinbach Pistons tweak goalie line-up via trades

Steinbach Pistons head coach and general manager Paul Dyck clearly wasn’t suffering the effects of a late night on New Year’s Day, completing the first of two trades which saw Zach Burleigh sent out in exchange for the Winnipeg Blues’ River Leslie-Toogood.

Burleigh started nine games for Steinbach this season, racking up a 6-1-1 record with a 0.904 save percentage. He was moved to the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s French River Rapids in exchange for a player development fee (PDF).

Dyck said Burleigh had played well for Steinbach.

“It’s an opportunity for him to get a few more starts in this year and really focus on furthing his development,” Dyck said.

A few days later, the Pistons completed the swap, sending a PDF of their own alongside 2008-born forward prospect Mason Bernier to the Blues for Leslie-Toogood, who has played this season with the Watertown Shamrocks in the North American Hockey League after suiting up for the Blues the past few years.

“It seems like every time we played (Leslie-Toogood), he was very frustrating for us,” Dyck said, adding Steinbach had looked into adding the goalie during the off-season, but backed off when they realized he was going to start the season in the NAHL.

“We feel like we have a really solid tandem. That is always really important down the stretch.”

Leslie-Toogood was spectacular for the St Paul’s Crusaders in the 2021/2022 season before joining the Blues, going a perfect 15-0 during the season, including a 4-0 record in the playoffs.

The Canadian junior hockey roster freeze begins Jan. 10.