Tony Saxon, Guelph Mercury
The Guelph Storm checked an item of its shopping list Monday when it acquired 19-year-old defenceman Daniel Maggio from the Sudbury Wolves.
In return the Storm sends a two second round draft picks, a fifth round draft pick and the rights to unsigned goaltender Joel Vienneau to the Wolves.
“We’ve targeted Daniel for a long time. We tried getting him in the Ben Chiarot trade last season and it didn’t work out,” Storm coach/general manager Jason Brooks said.
The two second round picks the Storm is sending to Sudbury, in 2011 and 2012, are the two the Wolves sent to Guelph last season in exchange for Chiarot.
Maggio is a big (6-foot-3, 202 pound), mean defenceman that who automatically becomes a fixture in the top four blueline rotation.
Brooks said he has liked Maggio since he coached him on the provincial under-17 team a couple of years ago.
“I’ve had a pretty good feeling for this kid right from the start,” Brooks said.
“I like that he’s big, I like that he plays with an edge, I like that he plays both offence and defence, I like his character and I like his leadership capabilities.”
Last season the Windsor native had nine goals and 22 assists in 66 games. He also recorded 121 penalty minutes.
He was a sixth-round pick of the New York Rangers in the 2008 National Hockey League draft but has yet to sign with the team.
“That can be a positive,” Brooks said of Maggio’s unsigned status. “He’s got a lot to play for and he’s got a new opportunity and a chance to develop his game in a new environment.”
Maggio was the seventh overall pick by the Wolves in the 2007 OHL draft, one pick after Michael Latta and one pick before Joey Hishon.
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