SPRINGHILL – The Cumberland County Blues needed to bolster their roster with more bodies and they did that over the weekend by acquiring three forwards from the Maritime Hockey League and two defencemen from the St. Margarets Bay Ducks.
“It makes us stronger, that’s for sure. It gives us more bodies and makes us deeper,” Blues general manager, Ron Reynolds, said. “Two of the acquisitions are defencemen, which we really needed, so it shores us up on D as well.”
The three forwards are Josh Coleman, Cody Taker and Ryan Collicutt.
Coleman played with the Ramblers for four years, Collicutt played with Ramblers for six games this season, and Taker played 27 games this season with the Campbellton Tigers.
“We now have a more balanced attack up front and we don’t have to rely on one line as much,” Reynolds said.
Many Cumberland County hockey fans have seen Coleman in action playing with the Ramblers.
“You know what you’re going to get from Josh. He’s hard working and I think he’ll do well in our league,” Reynolds said. “He’ll give you 110 per cent every time he’s out there, so he’s a welcome addition, that’s for sure.”
The two defencemen the Blues acquired are JJ (Jean-Jacques) Poulin and Connor Marsh, who were brought from St. Margarets Bay to Cumberland County in a trade for Blues players Jesse Colborne and Garrett McArthur.
“Garrett was finding it hard to commit and he hadn’t played many games this year because he works down around Halifax,” Reynolds said. “And Jesse, he’s a local kid, (Amherst) but we needed defence, so it will be a good opportunity for him. He can come back next year. We’ll trade for his rights next year.”
Colborne’s first game with the Ducks was Monday night against the Sackville Blazers. He scored one goal and one assist in the game.
Reynolds said, “We’re still not done yet,”
“We’re still looking to shore up some areas,” he said. “I think we’ll be as strong as any team in the league.”
The Blues don’t have any more regular season games scheduled against the Bay Ducks on the 2011-2012 schedule.
dmathieson@amherstdaily.com
