MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - A local hockey player has joined the Edmonton Oil Kings for the second part of the season.
Andrew Fyten, a 20-year-old forward in his last year of eligibility, grew up near Sundre and played his minor hockey there before moving on to Cochrane.
Fyten was traded on Dec. 13 from the Swift Current Broncos to the Oil Kings in exchange for a conditional fifth round pick in the 2020 Western Hockey League (WHL) bantam draft.
Fyten said playing for Edmonton, who are in first place in the WHL's Central Division, has been great so far.
"It's been awesome," said Fyten. "The guys have been super welcoming. I've got six games in now, I believe. It's been nothing but good. I've been enjoying my time here."
The 6-1 forward was second in scoring for the Broncos earlier this season with eight goals and nine assists for 17 points before being traded. Last season, Fyten was one of the key players for Swift Current as they won the WHL Championship.
"It was quite a surreal moment," he said. "You couldn't have asked for anything better. It was a great experience. I was pretty blessed to have the opportunity to do that."
Fyten said it's always tough being traded but he's happy to be moving on to a contender for his final year with Swift Current rebuilding.
"I had mixed emotions," he said. "I definitely was sad to leave Swift Current. I made a lot of good relationships there. I had a lot of friends. I had good connections but I was definitely excited to come to Edmonton."
Prior to playing for the Broncos, Fyten played for two and a half seasons with the Calgary Hitmen. He was dealt from Calgary to Swift Current in the middle of the 2017-18 season.
In a recent press release, Oil Kings general manager Kirt Hill said that Fyten will add leadership and experience to the team as they head towards the stretch run to the playoffs.
"As a recent WHL champion, Andrew will bring a wealth of experience to our line-up," said Oil Kings general manager Kirt Hill in a recent press release. "Andrew is a veteran and will provide another element of leadership to our core group of players."
Fyten was home schooled until Grade 11 when he went to Calgary to attend the Edge School Prep program.
"I grew up 20 minutes straight south of Sundre," he said. "I was on a ranch out there with my family. I played in Sundre when I was little. When I got to peewee I went to Bow Valley, which is Cochrane for AA. For bantam and midget I went to Airdrie."
Fyten still has family in this area and spends time in the county during the summer.
Fyten is hoping to help the Oil Kings get deep into the playoffs. After the season he will weigh his options before deciding on what to do in the future.
"I have the option to either go Canadian Interuniversity Sport or try to earn a spot on a pro team," he said. "I'll try to make that decision after this season winds up."
