First overall pick Chambers dealt to Chiefs

Jordan Bray
bothwellmenshockey.com

BOTHWELL - Bothwellmenshockey.com has learned that Lucas Chambers - last night's top pick in the 2014 BMHL draft - has been dealt to the Chiefs in exchange for 2013-2014 scoring champion Kyle Gillier.

The move comes less than 24 hours after Flyers captain Colin Jackson selected Chambers with the top pick in the draft. The veteran Chambers is coming off one of his more productive seasons last year as a member of the Warriors, where he posted 27 points (17G 10A) in just 20 games. He now joins a youthful Chiefs squad which will be led by captain Brodie McDonald, who happens to be one of Chambers' closest friends off the ice.

The other piece of the deal is last season's scoring champion Kyle Giller. In his first full year in the BMHL, Gillier broke the single season scoring record, amassing 77 points (33G 44A) in just 21 games. As a rookie, Gillier played just 4 games, but managed 8 points (6G 2A) in that short time. He will be reunited with Jackson, his linemate from a year ago, where the two combined to be one of the most potent offensive tandems in league history.

Gillier had originally been selected by the Chiefs with the 9th pick. Although he could likely have been a consensus first overall choice, he was ineligable to be taken in the first round as a result of rule 42.1, sometimes referred to as "the Norm Logan rule", which states that:

"A player finishing among the top-8 scorers who voluntarily elects not to become a captain the following season cannot be selected in the first round of the draft in that year."

Although the rule itself has been met with some mixed reactions amongst players, the BMHL executive enacted the rule in 2013 to better reflect the league's founding principles written the 1972 BMHL Charter. The Charter itself outlines a mission of spreading out the talent in the league each season by crowning the top 8 scorers as the next season's captains. This is turn ensures that rosters are shaken up each season and builds toward the BMHL's ultimate goal of creating many lasting friendships through sport.

Although neither captain commented on the trade, the league office did confirm that both Chambers and Gillier had passed their physicals prior to the trade being processed.