Royals Acquire Axel Blomqvist

ROYALS TRADE FOR AXEL BLOMQVIST

Victoria completes trade with Lethbridge for 1995-born import forward.

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Victoria, BC – The Victoria Royals are proud to announce that the club has acquired 1995-born Swedish forward Axel Blomqvist (bloom-qwist) and a conditional pick in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. In exchange, Victoria sends a fourth and an eighth round pick in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft to Lethbridge.

Blomqvist has recorded 13 points (8g-5a) for the Hurricanes in 19 games so far this year. The 6-6, 212 lb right winger hails from Osby, Sweden and will fill the Royals’ available second import player spot. Blomqvist attended training camp with the National Hockey League’s Winnipeg Jets earlier this year and was subsequently signed to an entry-level contract by the club. Blomqvist is expected to make his debut for the Royals in Victoria on Friday night versus the Kamloops Blazers.

“Axel is an offensively gifted player with very good vision,” General Manager Cameron Hope said. “His combination of size and skill is hard to come by at any level. Axel is an exciting addition to our roster and we feel that he can make an immediate contribution to our success this season.”

Currently in his second WHL season, Blomqvist appeared in 59 games for Lethbridge last year and notched 33 points (7g-26a) to go along with 66 penalty minutes as a rookie. Blomqvist was drafted by the Hurricanes with the 17^th overall pick in the 2012 CHL Import Draft.

Before coming to the WHL, Blomqvist played the 2011-12 season with Rögle J18 where he racked up 46 regular season points (27g-19a) in Sweden’s highest level of junior hockey for players under 18 years of age. Blomqvist posted one goal and two assists in seven playoff games as Rögle J18 went on to win a gold medal as league champions that season.

The Royals will complete a road trip tonight in Kelowna before returning to Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre for a two-game set with the Kamloops Blazers that begins on Friday, November 22^nd. Puck drop on Friday night is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.