With a heavy heart, Seattle Thunderbirds general manager Russ Farwell told the press that Lane Pederson would no longer be with the team in August. The T-Birds traded Pederson for new goaltender Taz Burman of the Red Deer Rebels in an attempt at securing a stronger defense for the team.

Farwell made it clear that the trade was not on Pederson’s shoulders. He said it was a very difficult decision to make and that he strongly believes that Pederson will someday “become a top player in the NHL.” He also wished the player luck in not only playing with the Rebels but also in playing in the Memorial Cup.

The T-Birds didn’t just get Burman in the trade, but also a conditional pick in the fifth round of the 2017 Bantam Draft. With too many forwards and not enough goalie competition, the T-Birds felt as if they needed to shift the balance a bit in the roster.

In his last season with the T-Birds, Pederson played in 63 games. During that time, he scored a total of eight goals and made 12 assists, giving him a total of 20 points. Although not an incredible record for a forward, it did indicate to the promise the young man had for further improvements and, as Farwell offered, potential in playing in the big leagues someday.

Pederson is already making strides in his first season with the Rebels. So far, he has played in 21 games, in which he has scored three goals. He has also made five assists, totaling eight points with the team so far. His career stats, which include two seasons with the T-Birds and a partial season with the Rebels, include a total of 86 games played, 11 goals scored and 17 assists made, giving him 28 points. He also has 32 penalty minutes, nearly half of which were acquired during the current season with the Rebels. He also played in nine playoff games with the Thunderbirds, but did not score any goals or make any assists during these.

Prior to playing for the Thunderbirds, Pederson played for the Saskatoon Blazers in the Saskatchewan Midget Hockey League. During his time with the Blazers, he appeared in 38 games, scoring 14 goals and making 21 assists. Pederson was born on August 4, 1997 and comes from Saskatoon, SK. He shoots right. He weighs 190 pounds and stands at 6’0 tall.

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