Peterborough Lakers Acquire Oakville Rock Forward Rob Hellyer For Two Defensemen

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers have acquired forward Rob Hellyer from the Oakville Rock in exchange for defensemen Thomas Whitty and Matt Wright in a trade made on Friday afternoon.

Photo courtesy of the NLL.

Hellyer was with the Toronto Rock since being drafted in 2010 of the NLL until being traded to the Las Vegas Desert Dogs last August. He scored 77 points in 18 games this season. 

“He’s going to compete at a very high level,” said Mike Hasen, Lakers’ head coach and general manager. “He’ll handle the ball for us a little more. He does a lot of great things with and without the ball but he’ll be a presence for us that will stabilize the ball on the right side. He’ll be in the right spots for our offense to flow and click together.”

Hellyer last played in the MSL in 2019, with the pandemic cancelling the 2020 and 2021 seasons. The Rock sat out the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Between stints with the Rock, he also spent the 2018 season out west with the Victoria Shamrocks. 

Hasen was not necessarily looking to trade two young defenders, according to a press release. However, the team says the opportunity presented itself. The two defensemen were what Oakville’s general manager, Steve Dietrich, liked.

After playing Sr. B in Quebec last season, Joe Resetarits is returning to the Lakers.

“(Resetarits is) 100 per cent committed to being here and helping us to compete for a Mann Cup again,” said Hasen.

Season tickets for the six-game home schedule are available at the box office with single-game on sale this Thursday. The team’s home opener is on June 13 against Brooklin L.C.

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