Redmen Complete 2 for 1 Trade
Tyler Gaulton got an unexpected birthday present on Thursday. Gaulton, who turned 23, was traded from the Peterborough Lakers to the Brooklin Redmen in a three-player deal. The Lakers also sent 22 year old Jake Fox to Brooklin.
In return, Peterborough acquired the rights to former Redmen star Kiel Matisz.
Gaulton played eight games for the Lakers in 2018 before he was left unprotected and joined the Ennismore James Gang Senior B squad. Gaulton was thrilled the Redmen traded for him, on his birthday no less. He’s hoping to become a Major Series Lacrosse regular this coming season with Brooklin. “I’m glad I get another opportunity to play in this league,” he said. “I’m looking forward to playing for Brooklin.” Gaulton is also currently on the practice roster of the Saskatchewan Rush, the defending National Lacrosse League champs.
Brooklin’s general manager Brad MacArthur was glad he was able to acquire Gaulton.
“He's a kid who grew up playing in one our local minor organizations in Clarington,” MacArthur said. “He has relationships with many of our young players, and earned a practice roster spot with Saskatchewan which is no easy feat. He's athletic, has good size and a bit of an edge to his game.”
MacArthur is also thrilled to add Fox to the Redmen roster. Fox, 22, appeared in eight games with the Lakers last season. He also suited up for seven matches with the Peterborough squad in 2017, when he was in his final season of junior eligibility.
“Jake is a young right shot that adds some size and dimension to our offense,” MacArthur said. “He's heading into his draft year for the NLL, and was looking for a chance to compete. We think this is going to be an opportunity for him to earn regular floor time, and a chance he may not have gotten in Peterborough.”
Fox is expected to join the Redmen after completing his senior year at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins University.
“I’m super excited,” he said of joining the Brooklin squad, adding he will have a better chance of seeing some more playing time now. “But I know I have to earn my spot with the Redmen.”
As for Matisz, 29, he played portions of seven seasons with the Redmen. But he hasn’t played a game with Brooklin since 2016.
Matisz was on Brooklin’s inactive roster but MacArthur felt the time was right now to part ways with him.
“Kiel hasn't been available to us the past two summers,” he said. “He's made excellent contributions to the Redmen in the past. But at some point we had to move on from that and see some return on an idle player. We think this trade accomplishes that, providing us with two excellent young players.”
It remains to be seen how much action Matisz will see with the Lakers in 2019 as he signed a contract with the Major League Lacrosse’s Ohio Machine this past fall.