Caps Acquire Gavin Rocha in 5 Player Blockbuster with Surrey

Duncan, BC – The Cowichan Valley Capitals made some big changes, as they acquired three players from the Surrey Eagles in a blockbuster trade, Head Coach and General Manager Cam Keith announced Wednesday morning.

Cowichan has traded forwards Kole Keen and Owen Fitzgerald to the Surrey Eagles in exchange for forwards Gavin Rocha and Brendyn Van Oene, and defenceman Hunter Heisten.

Rocha, Surrey’s captain last season, is the big fish of the deal, as he comes to the Cowichan Valley after putting up 43 points (13 goals, 30 assists) in 40 games with the Eagles, before adding another 10 points in 10 games to start this season.

This will be the second time that the Capitals have traded for Brendyn Van Oene, as he was acquired from Chilliwack earlier this Summer, only to be packaged in the deal to Surrey that brought Massimo Fazio to Duncan during training camp back in September.  Van Oene, Island born and raised in Shawnigan Lake, will finally have the opportunity to suit up for a hometown club.

Finally, Hunter Heisten will round out the deal, as the Capitals once again add to their blueline.  Heisten, a defenceman originally from Anchorage, Alaska, comes to the Caps with 40 games of BCHL experience across the last two seasons with Surrey.

All three are expected to make their Capitals debuts this weekend, as Cowichan travels to The Q Centre in Victoria on Saturday to battle the Grizzlies, before returning home on Sunday afternoon to host the Vernon Vipers.

The Cowichan Capitals would like to thank Kole Keen and Owen Fitzgerald for their time in the Valley and their contributions to the Capitals, and wish them nothing but the best in their hockey futures.

PHOTO: Former Surrey Captain Gavin Rocha, who was acquired by the Cowichan Capitals early Wednesday. (PHOTO: Brandon David Images)