The former Kenora Midget AAA Thistles leading scorer of two seasons ago was traded Nov. 29 from the Waywayseecappo Wolverines of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League to the Fort Frances Lakers in the Superior International Junior Hockey League. Withers could make his debut in the Lakers lineup tonight (Dec. 1) when they take on the first-place Thief River Falls Norskies.
The 19 year old won’t be the only former Thistle on the Lakers’ roster as Jack Bernie, Skylar Lentz, Hunter Buzzi and Ian Tookenay are all playing for the fifth place team who sat at 6-13-1-1 prior to Friday’s game.
In two seasons of junior A hockey, Withers has accumulated 13 goals and 33 points playing for the Wolverines and the Selkirk Steelers.
Jeff Venzon, a 1997-born forward was traded from the Lakers, along with future considerations, to the Wolverines for Withers’ rights. As of Dec. 1, the Wolverines were 3-24-2-1 and on their second coach of the season, having hired Taylor Harnett of Edmonton on Nov. 28.