Marshall Heading to Humboldt Too

Well the Humboldt Broncos are turning into the "GX94 Broncos!"

One day after announcing that Clarke Breitkreuz and Robbie Ciolfi are going from Yorkton to Humboldt to complete the deal for Justin Buzzeo and Jeremy Boyer, the Swan Valley Stampeders are also paying off a trade, sending forward Ryan Marshall to Humboldt.

The Stampeders were put in a tough spot, when they acquired Nick Keller from Humboldt, for the rights to Ryan Marshall in 2011-2012. Keller reported immediately, had 2 points in two games, and then asked for a trade back to the SJHL, his home province. With little time before the out-of-province deadline (8pm), he was shipped to La Ronge for futures.

Things worked out for Keller, as he won a championship (his 2nd career) in La Ronge, and they'll work out for Marshall, who'll play for an RBC Cup in Humboldt... but the Stamps, in my opinion, were left with the raw end of the deal. Had Keller rejected the trade right away, maybe Humboldt sends him elsewhere, or at the very least, Guy Vestby and the Stampeders would have had more time to flip him to another team. Instead, they were basically forced to eat a card, and the trade is Ryan Marshall for a year, for Nick Keller for 2 games, and whatever the futures from La Ronge ends up being.

Playing four seasons in one place is rare, so there's a chance that Ryan Marshall, who was a full time junior at 17, would have found another home this season regardless... whether he asked for a trade out of province, as 20 year olds sometimes do, explored the USHL like another former Stampeder Stephan Vigier, or landed an NCAA scholarship a year early. I think if not for an injury that hampered him last year, he might be playing college hockey next season. The trade to Humboldt will give him plenty of opportunity to show his stuff during a National tournament, along with the usual 58 game schedule and SJHL Showcase, etc.

I think Ryan Marshall's one of the most complete players I've had the chance to watch semi-regularly. He traveled with the team as a 16-year-old during the 2008 playoffs, after the Ste. Rose product completed a two-year stint with the Parkland Rangers. From there, he put up 158 points in 165 career games in three seasons as a Stampeder, his best year coming in 2009/10 as an 18-year-old, when he compiled 38-goals and 76-points.

He's also one of the best penalty-killers in the MJHL, and like Breitkreuz and Ciolfi, was usually good for a handful of SHG's per season.

Marshall and Breitkreuz played together at the last two World Junior 'A' Challenges, in Penticton in 2010, and in Summerside in 2009.

Marshall was drafted by the Saskatoon Blades, and traded to the Tri-City Americans, but never pursued the WHL, to keep his NCAA eligibility intact.

Ryan Marshall as a Stampeder
2008/09: 60 GP (14g-19a-33p)
2009/10: 59 GP (38g-38a-76p)
2010/11: 46 GP (17g-32a-49p)

Marshall Comments



Stampeders' GM Guy Vestby