Reading Trades Rob Kwiet To Stockton For 3 Players

[chilly666]

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder, proud ECHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League, and head coach Matt Thomas announced the team has acquired defenseman Rob Kwiet (kwit) and future considerations from the Reading Royals in exchange for center Chris Doyle, defenseman Colten Hayes and left wing Ian O'Connor.

Kwiet, 23, ranked second among Royals defensemen this season with 21 points (5g-16a) in 48 games along with 42 penalty minutes.

In 121 career ECHL games and three seasons (2009-12) with Reading, Kwiet has scored 58 points (13g-45a) and totaled 94 penalty minutes. He has also earned two stints in the American Hockey League with Providence and Bridgeport, scoring a goal in 42 games while notching 28 penalty minutes and a +1 rating.

The 6-foot-1 and 218 pound defenseman has collected nine points (3g-6a) in 19 career Kelly Cup Playoff games and helped guide Reading to the American Conference Final in 2009-10.

His 30 points (8g-22a) in 56 games last season ranked second among all Royals defensemen and he earned four points (1g-3a) in four playoff games.

Kwiet boasted 145 points (29g-116a) in 250 career junior games in the Ontario Hockey League with Windsor, Mississauga and Toronto, helping guide the Spitfires to a Memorial Cup championship in 2008-09. As a teammate of current Edmonton Oiler forward Taylor Hall (selected #1 overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft), Kwiet was second among Windsor defensemen in scoring with 67 points (12g-55a) in 2008-09 and also racked up 15 points (5g-10a) in 20 postseason games.

Doyle, 21, was signed by the Thunder as a free agent on Jan. 20, 2012 and has collected 28 points (17g-11a) in 32 games with Stockton and South Carolina.

Hayes, 22, was signed by the Thunder as a free agent on Sept. 28, 2011 and earned 21 points (3g-18a) and a +2 rating in 39 ECHL games.

O'Connor, 24, has scored 15 goals and totaled 26 points (15g-11a) in 49 games this season. He earned his first AHL recall on Feb. 18 to the Worcester Sharks on a professional tryout offer and suited up in two games for the Sharks.