NORTH BAY, Ont. — Defenceman Easton Poe has signed an education and development agreement with the North Bay Battalion, the Ontario Hockey League club announced Saturday.
Poe, a six-foot-five, 222-pound right shot from White Lake, Mich., attended the Battalion’s four-day training camp this week as a free-agent invitee who played last season with the Detroit HoneyBaked 16U team. He turned 17 on March 6.
Poe was recommended to the Troops by Ryan Ramsay, former general manager and head coach of the Haliburton County Huskies of the Ontario Junior Hockey League who now has joined the Peterborough Petes as their skills and development coach. He was a player development consultant for the Battalion for two seasons.
“It’s been quite some time since we’ve had a free agent come in and make an impression like Easton did this past week,” said Adam Dennis, director of hockey operations.
“He’s a hulking defenceman who plays with an edge and was able to show that he’s someone we needed to add to our program and invest in his development. He’ll get some experience through our preseason schedule before heading back to Haliburton, where he can receive ample ice time to work toward being a regular in our lineup down the road.”
The Battalion, with 26 skaters and four goaltenders still on the roster, opens a six-game exhibition slate against the Owen Sound Attack at 2 p.m. Sunday at Collingwood, Ont., before playing host to the Ottawa 67’s at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
