The Estevan Bruins have made two significant moves on Saturday morning to shake up their forward group for the remainder of the 2021/22 campaign and run to the 2022 Centennial Cup.
The Bruins have signed forward Eric Pearce (’01) after the 20-year-old was released from the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings. With the signing of Pearce, the Bruins’ were over the maximum of dressing eight 20-year-old players on a gameday roster. To make room for Pearce, the Bruins swung a trade sending forward Griffin Asham-Moroz (’01) to the Drumheller Dragons (AJHL) in exchange for Kasey Hiemstra (’02).
ASHAM-MOROZ for HIEMSTRA
Griffin Asham-Moroz had been playing in his third consecutive season for the Bruins since joining Estevan as a rookie for the 2019/20 season. In his only full season with the Bruins in 19/20, Asham-Moroz was third on the teams in points (47 PTS in 55 GP), was chosen as the Viterra Division’s Rookie-of-the-Year and made the SJHL All-Rookie team. While Asham-Moroz did not play in a game during the COVID-shortened 2020/21 season, he got off to a great start with the Bruins as a 20-year-old this season racking up 11 PTS (6G, 5A) in his first 12 GP. Asham-Moroz will be heading to a Dragons team in Drumheller that currently sits 3rd in the South Division with a (10-6-2) record. 
In return, the Bruins acquire 19-year-old Kasey Hiemstra (Big Valley, AB). Hiemstra (6’1, 175 lbs) has suited up in 10 GP this season for Drumheller tallying 7 PTS (4G, 3A) and is in the middle of his 3rd season at the Junior A level. As a 17-year-old rookie in 2019/20, Hiemstra tallied 17 PTS (9G, 8A) in 47 GP and added 1G in 3 playoff games. During last year’s shortened season, Hiemstra put up 7 PTS (2G, 5A) in 10 GP.
PEARCE RETURNS TO ESTEVAN
Pearce played 5 games with Brandon (4 assists) after being traded to the Wheat Kings by the Prince Albert Raiders where Pearce had previously spent his entire WHL career. Pearce played two games this year for Prince Albert, in addition to the four previous seasons since 2017-18. In total, Pearce played 202 games in the WHL and added 23 playoff games including being a member of the Raiders’ 2018-19 WHL Championship team. Pearce will reunite with Bruins’ goaltender Boston Bilous who was the backup goaltender on that championship squad.
Pearce (6’1, 200 lbs) joined the Bruins during the COVID-shortened 2020/21 season on loan from Prince Albert. In 5 games with Estevan, Pearce put up 3 PTS (2G, 1A) before re-joining Prince Albert in the WHL Hub. Pearce will wear number 16 for the Bruins and will suit up for the games this weekend against the Humboldt Broncos.