Chiefs trade King to Ice for forward

The Spokane Chiefs announced Tuesday that they have acquired forward Hudson Elynuik from the Kootenay Ice in exchange for defenseman Tyler King. “The acquisition of Hudson Elyniuk strengthens our organization’s 1997-born group of forwards and gives us more size at the forward position,” Spokane general manager Tim Speltz said. “Hudson is a talented player with the potential to be a big, skilled forward in the WHL. We are excited about Hudson’s future in Spokane. “The trade also allows our 17-year-old defensemen the opportunity to play more, which we expect will expedite their development. We wish Tyler all the best in Kootenay and thank him for his time with the Chiefs.” Elynuik is a 16-year-old left wing from Calgary, Alberta. He was Kootenay’s third-round (60th overall) bantam draft selection in 2012. In his rookie season, Elynuik has played in 31 games, scoring a goal and an assist. Last year, as a 15-year-old, he played in four regular-season games as well as five playoff contests. Tyler King, a first-round (17th overall) 2010 bantam selection for the Chiefs, played in 132 games for Spokane, scoring eight goals and 27 points. This season, King has one goal and five points in 37 games played. Elynuik is expected to be available for the Chiefs this weekend, beginning at home on Friday. With the trade, the Chiefs are now carrying 15 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders on their roster.