Barrie leaving Rockets

• Defenceman Tyson Barrie is off to Victoria. The Kelowna Rockets captain will spend a couple of days at home relaxing after spending three intense weeks with Team Canada. Barrie will return Thursday in time for the Rockets home game against the Portland Winterhawks Friday night. Oh, did you think I was suggesting Barrie was being traded? Mitchell Callahan will also head home for a few days.
  

• Rockets General Manager Bruce Hamilton does not trade away his best players, especially the ones that have had a long track record of playing in the organization from day one. Like Brandon McMillan last season, it's doubtful Hamilton would trade his captain.
  

• The only marquee player the Rockets have ever traded at the deadline was Brett McLean. McLean was sent to the Brandon Wheat Kings. McLean had 47 goals in 1998-99, but played just five playoff games with the Wheat Kings, who were upset in the opening round by Red Deer.

• Had Hamilton moved McMillan last season at the deadline, would the Rockets have been one of four teams out west playing in early April? The Rockets were a goal away from sending their second round playoff series with the eventual Western Conference champion Tri City Americans back to Kelowna for game six. Instead of trading away McMillan, Hamilton tweaked his team by adding overage defenceman Dallas Jackson.

• Of the 15 deals made at the WHL deadline last season, the Rockets were involved in four of them. The Rockets acquired Jackson from Prince George for a third round pick and 20 year-old forward Tyler Halliday; sent Curt Gogol to Saskatoon for the rights to Colton Sissons and a third round pick; acquired Shaun Aschim from Prince Albert for a 6th round pick and sent Kyle Verdino to Swift Current for a 5th round pick.

• Like you, I will be watching with interest as the trades are announced at 2 p.m local time. Much like last season, I don't anticipate trades being announced until after the deadline is over.