The Victoria Royals made a deal for a familiar name when they acquired Jack Palmer from the Brandon Wheat Kings on Wednesday in exchange for a pair of 2014 fifth-round Western Hockey League bantam draft picks.
Palmer — who becomes the first Victoria native to play for the Royals since the franchise moved from Chilliwack — is the son of Duncan native Brad Palmer, a former Victoria Cougar and National Hockey Leaguer with the Minnesota North Stars and Boston Bruins.
Jack Palmer, 18, is a six-foot-two, 182-pound left-winger who previously played for the Saanich Braves of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League where he recorded 24 goals and 53 points in just 37 games and was named the VIJHL’s rookie of the year in 2012. Prior to that, Palmer played with the South Island Thunderbirds of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League.
“We’d had discussions with Brandon going back about five to six weeks,” said Royals general manager Cam Hope. “He’s a big player who we think has some skill. He’s been having trouble getting himself into position to show exactly what type of player he was in Brandon.”
The Wheat Kings had an abundance of 1995 and ’96-born forwards, said Hope. “We thought somebody might ultimately shake out.”
Brandon just made a trade for the rights to Peter Quenneville the day previous, which opened the door.
“I’m pretty excited,” said Palmer by phone before arriving in Victoria late Wednesday night.
He had been seeing some fourth-line ice time and he’s now looking forward to proving he’s a top six forward on a new club.
“I hope so. I’m sure I’ll have to wait my turn, but I’m pretty thrilled about playing in my hometown. I’m still young and I’m sure everyone thinks they can play a bigger role. I hope that I can and I think that I can,” he said.
As does his new general manager.
“The guy we had our eye on was Jack, not just because he’s a local that we have some familiarity with; we thought he would complement our guys who are 17 and 18,” said Hope, who admitted he wasn’t at first aware of the family tie.
“I had to use Al Gore’s Internet to find out his dad had been a Cougar,” Hope said with a chuckle. “It never hurts when a player comes home because it gives them a comfort level around family and friends.”
And it never hurts to add another big body up front.
“From my understanding he’s getting closer to 190 pounds and he’s a good skater,” said Hope. “He’s got good skills. We’ve got a few guys in our ’95s and ’96s who are just finding out what type of players they are, like Luke Harrison, Logan Fisher, Taylor Crunk and Brandon Fushimi, and I think Jack fits in there, too.
“He’s a guy who we think has some skill and he hasn’t been in a position to show what he can do in the Western league.”
Palmer — who had three goals and nine assists in 60 games in Brandon last year and one goal and two assists in 15 outings this season — will join the team for their road trip beginning Friday night in Seattle.
The second fifth-round pick the Royals dealt was made available through a previous trade with the Portland Winterhawks.
Palmer was originally drafted 175th overall by the Wheat Kings in 2010.
