Six Nations Chiefs bolster roster with addition of Dhane Smith, Dillon Ward and Jay Thorimbert in trade for Evan Kirk

Dhane Smith will be on the other side this year if there is a
third straight Six Nations/Victoria Mann Cup final.
(Photo: Tim Prothero)

The Six Nations Chiefs have announced that they have acquired a trio of standout players from the Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks in exchange for goalie Evan Kirk, righty forward Garrett Billings, defender Anthony Patterson, first-round draft pick in 2018 and other considerations.

Six Nations adds righty forward Dhane Smith, goalie Dillon Ward and transition man and faceoff specialist Jay Thorimbert. With the additions, the Chiefs have to be pencilled in as early favourites to earn their third straight Mann Cup championship.

The Kodiaks

For the full story, go to the Chiefs web site.

Rock and Kodiaks swing four-player trade

Brett Hickey joins the Oakville Rock.

The Oakville Rock continue to populate their roster with players who suit up for the Toronto Rock in the winter. They brought in Toronto players Brett Hickey and Glen Bryan in a trade with the Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks that also nets the Rock a second-round pick in the 2016 MSL draft. In return, KW gets righty forward Jacob Ruest, defender Aaron Brown and other considerations from the Rock.

Hickey is an Ontario boy who has spent all three of his Sr A seasons out in the Western Lacrosse Association split between Langley and Coquitlam. The righty forward has been in the top 10 of WLA scoring each of the last two years and is enjoying a breakout season with Toronto. He's currently tied for second in the NLL with 33 goals.

Bryan played his first full MSL season last year for the Kodiaks. He's a product of Orangeville, where he won a pair of Minto Cups and was named top defender in the OLA Jr A series in 2010, his final season of junior.

Ruest three times scored 37 or more goals for Burlington in Jr A and put up 31 points in 15 games as a rookie for Oakville last summer. Brown is a big, athletic defender who has spent three seasons with the Rock and is a solid presence for the Durham Turfdogs in CLax.