The North York Rangers have acquired veteran defenceman Shawn Tessier from the Markham Royals, the club announced Friday.
Tessier, 19, played in 12 games for the Royals this season, posting three assists, but has 52 games of Ontario Hockey League experience with the North Bay Battalion and Kingston Frontenacs.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Scarborough native was picked in the 12th round by the Battalion in the 2012 OHL draft out of the Markham Majors minor midgets.
“We are getting a solid right-shot defenceman that has experience at the next level,” said North York head coach Brent Hughes of Tessier.
“He is an older guy, he’s been around various leagues and has seen what it’s like at that next level. We are looking for him to add more maturity in the room, and more stability on the back end.”
Tessier started his junior career with the Whitby Fury of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, and also played in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League with the Junior ‘A’ North Bay Trappers in the 2013-14 season.
In an unrelated deal, the also Rangers dealt defenceman Walker Hincenbergs to the Pickering Panthers Friday.
Hincenbergs, 19, was in his first year in the OJHL after joining the Rangers from Millbrook Prep School, and scored three points in 34 games for the club, often alongside his older brother Luke.
“Walker was a great kid for us,” Hughes said.
“I definitely had no issues, and there is nothing personal. Walker is a great kid, good player and he is going to help Pickering with their push to the playoffs. I wish him nothing but the best, and it was great having him. I know it it’s unfortunate with his brother here, but he is going to be in a situation where he is going to get a chance at a bigger role, and we wish him the best.”
