FLINT, Mich. – The Flint Firebirds announced on Monday that they have acquired defensemen Artem Frolov and Urban Podrekar, the rights to forward Hayden Reid, two second round draft picks and three third round draft picks from the Niagara IceDogs in exchange for defenseman Tristan Bertucci and three draft picks. In a subsequent transaction, the IceDogs have traded Bertucci to the Barrie Colts.
“Moving Tristan is not something we wanted to do, nor did he want to leave the Firebirds. But there is a family health situation that he is dealing with and because of that, his wish was to be able to play close to home,” Firebirds General Manager Dave McParlan said. “Tristan has been a fantastic Firebird and we’re pleased that we were able to accommodate him and his family while also getting tremendous value back for our club.”
Podrekar was selected by the IceDogs with the fourth overall selection in the 2023 CHL Import Draft. A native of Slovenia, he appeared in 62 games for Niagara in the 2023-24 season and recorded three goals and 19 assists. The 2005-born blueliner has represented his country on an international level in each of the last three years.
Frolov played 67 games as a rookie for the IceDogs in the 2023-24 season and finished with a goal and 11 assists. The 2007-born defenseman was originally selected in the second round of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection and was tied for the third-most games played among rookies during his first OHL season.
Reid played the 2023-24 season in the USHL for the Sioux Falls Stampede where he totaled six goals and 16 assists in 16 games. He was selected by the IceDogs in the third round of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection.
Bertucci was originally drafted by the Firebirds in the first round of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection. Over 186 career games with Flint he put up 22 goals and 85 assists. The Vaughan, Ontario native is the franchise record holder for assists by a defenseman, is tied with Riley McCourt for the most ever points by a Firebirds defenseman and holds the highest plus/minus in franchise history at +46. A second-round pick of the Dallas Stars at the 2023 NHL Draft, Bertucci signed an NHL entry-level contract with Dallas in March. He will be eligible to play for any of Dallas’ minor league affiliates following the 2024-25 OHL season.
The Firebirds will receive the Oshawa Generals’ 2025 second round draft pick, the Peterborough Petes’ 2026 second round draft pick, the North Bay Battalion’s 2026 third round draft pick, the Sudbury Wolves’ 2027 third round draft pick and the Owen Sound Attack’s 2027 third round draft pick. Flint in sending its 2025 eighth and 14th round draft picks to Niagara along with a conditional third round pick in 2028.
SCOUTING REPORTS FROM HEAD SCOUT MIKE OLIVERIO:
ARTEM FROLOV
“Frolov is a highly-skilled puck-moving defenseman with a high ceiling of potential. Whether with a first pass or skating, he has the ability to move the puck north. He is a very good skater with good mobility. We expect him to activate often to add offensively.”
URBAN PODREKAR
“Podrekar is a good skater with good mobility. He battles hard and takes away time and space effectively. We expect he will activate from the back end to add to the team’s layers of offense.”
HAYDEN REID
“We have followed Hayden the last few years and wanted to select him in the draft last season. He possesses a high skill level with the compete to match. He plays a very strong, 200-foot game. We think he would fit in really well with the way we are trying to play.”
Flint kicks off its season on the road on Friday, September 27 at 7 p.m. in London against the defending OHL champion Knights. The Firebirds return to the Dort Financial Center for their home opener the next day, Saturday, September 28, also at 7 p.m. against London.
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