Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League

Two Defencemen the Newest Red Wings

Courtesy of Austin Arvay, discoverweyburn.com

As the search for a new head coach continues, the Weyburn Red Wings have announced two more committed players for the 2019/2020 season. Defenceman Ross Duthie and Riley Little will join the red and white for camp in the fall.

Duthie is a 6’3, 175-pound d-man who has spent the past four seasons in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. He spent four seasons at the Edge School in Calgary and played his final year of midget hockey at the International Hockey Academy in the same league.

This past year was his best statistically, putting up two goals and 12 points in 31 games. He also registered 102 penalty minutes. The large frame of Duthie will help him move into a spot on the backend to help fill the void left by the graduations of Eric Soar and Tristan Petrie.

General Manager Tanner McCall is excited to have him join the fold.

“He skates very well for a big guy and can contribute at both ends of the rink. His mobility and foot speed allow him to play an aggressive style,” McCall noted.

Duthie also suited up for three games last year for the Calgary Colts in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

Another young defenceman coming to Weyburn is Riley Little. He was the captain of the Saskatoon Blazers this past season, who made it all the way to the SMAAAHL league final.

He is anything but little, standing at 6’2 and 180-pounds.

Little was a 3rd round pick of the Wings back in 2016. The Saskatoon native played two seasons for the Blazers and in 95 career games, he tallied three goals and 15 assists. He also racked up 142 penalty minutes over the course of two seasons.

“Little played a significant role on his Blazers team that went all the way to the league final. Riley brings a solid defensive game to the table with a long reach, good mobility and the ability to move the puck up the ice very well,” GM Tanner McCall said.

Little played one game as a Red Wing affiliate back in 2017 but did not find the scoresheet. Little was also a Regina Pats selection in the 2016 WHL Draft, going 231st overall.

Both 2001-born defencemen will join a younger group on the blue line and look to have immediate impacts.