New faces settling in on Regina Pats as trade deadline passes

The Western Hockey League (WHL) trade deadline has come and gone as of 4 p.m. Saskatchewan time Wednesday and the Regina Pats were fairly quiet, having made their major trades at the end of December.

“We didn’t really engage in it (trade deadline day) too much since the three deals on New Year’s Eve,” Pats general manager Allan Millar said.

“We continued to have teams reaching out on a few guys, or what we may or may not do moving forward, but from my end I felt we did enough on having an eye on the future while at the same time balancing to remain competitive,” Millar added.

The new faces Millar is referring to on the Pats include defencemen Samuel Barcik, 18, Tyson Buczkowski, 17, and overager, Ty Gibson. As well as forwards Zach Moore, 17, and Harper Lolacher, 18.

Barcik has recorded one assist in two games with the Pats. Buczkowski has two assists in three games and Gibson also has two assists in three games.

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Lolacher has one points in four games with his new team and Moore has one goal in three games.

“I think it’s good for a couple of reasons,” Millar said. “One, if they’re getting points then we’re scoring goals. Secondly I think if you’re a new player and you can get into the lineup and you can contribute right away, it settles you down, and makes you feel good about your new environment, and gives you confidence in what you’re doing,” Millar said.

Moore’s first goal as a Pat came against his former team, the Saskatoon Blades.

“It was a great feeling to score against my former team and just get one out of the way. Hopefully, keep that going,” Moore said.

Moore is originally from Saskatoon, so moving away from his hometown and the team he grew up watching as been a bit of an adjustment.

“It’s different for sure, moving away for the first time. That was a little bit of a different experience. But it’s been awesome so far. They’ve [my teammates] have been nothing but nice to me and the new guys,” he said.

There are quite a few players on the Pats from Saskatoon in Tye Spencer, Corban Almen, and Buczkowski.

“I know some of the guys like Buczkowski and all of them. I used to play against them in Midget. There’s a bit of a rivalry there,” laughed Moore. “That kind of helps us bond a little more.”

One of the bigger adjustments to a new environment has been for Gibson. The Victoria B.C. product who spent his entire WHL career with the Everett Silvertips said he immediately went out and bought a jacket and boots once arriving in Saskatchewan and experiencing the different climate.

“The weather and kind of living in the new environment. I’m used to a bit of a warmer climate,” laughed Gibson. “But it’s been an easy adjustment. I didn’t know anybody here but I mean the guys have been awesome and been super welcoming.”

All three of the Pats’ overagers are defencemen. Gibson finds himself alongside Keagan Slaney and Carson Haynes. He says given the situation with teams only being allowed to have three 20-year-olds, he knew he was likely going to be traded and being on a new team has not stopped him from taking on a leadership role.

“I obviously seen a bit from my time in the league but just want to help the younger guys, even the guys that got traded, kind of adjust a little bit smoother,” said Gibson.

It was a different situation for Lolacher, who had to put on very few miles when he was traded from the Moose Jaw Warriors to the Pats. The Pilot Butte product is excited to be even closer to home and to be playing for the team he grew up watching.

“It’s been very good just feels good to be home. I’m very familiar with it. Been around the rink a lot here when I was younger. I always dreamed of playing here,” said Lolacher.

The Pats have a lot of work to do if they hope to make the playoffs this year as they sit at the bottom of the East Division but the team feels with the moves they have made recently they will be competitive in the next couple of years.

“I think when I look at our team over the next three years. Remain as competitive as we can this year. I think we’ll take a good step up next year with some you know good younger, players coming in. Then you know that year after we should be a pretty solid hockey club,” Millar said.

Captain Tanner Howe, is leading the team in goals and points right now, but Millar would not disclose if Howe was garnering any trade bait interest on Wednesday.

“The trade deadline’s passed. I’m not going to talk about players that are on our roster and if there were any trade discussions around those players. There’s no point,” said Millar.

Howe did give a nod to his former teammates Parker Berge and Borya Valis on Wednesday but says he is embracing the new faces.

“It’s been a little different obviously, losing those two key players. It’s pretty tough that first day. But obviously we’ve got a bunch of young guys coming in, they’ve been fitting in really well with our group. So it’s been good so far,” Howe said.

Meanwhile, the Moose Jaw Warriors added a new face in net. The Warriors acquired goaltender, Evan May, from the Medicine Hat Tigers.

The Saskatoon Blades added defenceman John Babcock in a three-team trade with the Kelowna Rockets and Edmonton Oil Kings.

Prince Albert sent 19-year-old Hayden Pakkala to Lethbridge for a 2027 3rd round pick.

The Swift Current Broncos landed Calgary Hitmen captain, Tyson Galloway for second and third round picks in 2026. The team also sent 20-year-old, Tyson Laventure, to the Victoria Royals for a fifth-round pick in 2026.