Chatham Maroons trade David Brown and Brenden McKay for London Nationals

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Chatham Maroons head coach and general manager Richard Santos chuckles ruefully when he says he only expects four to six players next season.

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That’s a lot of turnover, especially since all 21 players on last season’s roster are eligible to return.

Santos sees a bright side. Most players move up to higher levels. That means coaches are doing a good job, he said.

“From the beginning of the season to the end of the season, you saw these players develop and grow into some really good hockey players and now have the opportunity to continue their careers,” he said. “As an organization that is great.

“Of course, as a coach you would like to gain some experience where it doesn’t start over every year. It seems that in recent years, especially the last four or five years, we have lost a lot of players because we don’t have the universities here that the big clubs have.”

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Forward David Brown and defenseman Brenden McKay are the last to attend school. The Western University students have been traded to rival London Nationals.

“We don’t want them traveling on the 401,” Santos said. “They didn’t want to travel on the 401, especially the short route between London and Chatham is always difficult and because the drivers don’t have the most experienced drivers, it was more of a personal matter.

“Obviously, David Brown and Brenden McKay would love to still remain in Chatham, but being accepted into their programs was a pretty big deal for them and they couldn’t turn down the opportunity.”

Santos does not want to say which players will go to Chatham in the exchange. He plans to announce details soon, along with news of other transactions.

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Brown, 19, was one of the top scorers in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League during his three Maroons seasons with 141 points in 112 games. He added 32 points in 33 playoff games.

Last season, the Blenheim native had 15-25-40 totals in 30 games and ranked eighth in the GOJHL with 1.33 points per game. The Maroons were 19-9-2 with him in the lineup and 8-11-1 without him.

“Leader on and off the ice, a good kid for the community, a very good hockey player,” Santos said.

McKay, 19, was limited to 33 games last season by injuries, including one in the playoffs. He had two goals, nine assists and 64 penalty minutes.

The Chatham native played two seasons with his hometown team and was also an affiliate player for the 2021-2022 Western Conference champions.

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“Both Chatham boys have been very good for our locker room and for the development of the younger players,” Santos said. “We will miss them, but student-athlete, student comes first. They are starting their careers and going to Western University is important to them, so I wish them all the best.

“It is clear that as an organization it is difficult to get those guys moving, but it is the right decision. Sometimes the right decision does not always mean the best for your hockey club, but it does mean the best for the children. That is what we are here for.”

Santos has also added goaltender Kaleb Papineau, defenseman Graydon Jones and forward Jacob Cloutier to the Saginaw Spirit’s lineup. They spent the Ontario Hockey League playoffs with the Memorial Cup champions, who are affiliated with the Maroons.

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Another Spirit draft pick, defenseman Tyler McGuire, could join them.

“A big 6-foot-4, 200-pound defenseman who plays solid D, they don’t always grow on trees,” Santos said of McGuire. “Saginaw has one in their backyard, so hopefully he makes the team. (That) would be great for him.”

Forwards Josh Cleary and Braeden Burke have already committed to the Canmore Eagles of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. More players are heading to the Ontario Junior Hockey League, although their signings have not yet been announced.

“Hopefully some of the kids we bring in are as capable of doing the job as these kids have done,” Santos said.

The Maroons must continue to develop young players and hope some stay, he said.

“We are building something good here,” Santos said. “We build players. Hopefully we continue to have Saginaw as a partner and continue to grow the game and Chatham and grow these players.”

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