TRADE: Rockets deal Nicholas Cristiano’s rights to Victoria
The Kelowna Rockets announced today that they have traded goaltender Nicholas Cristiano‘s WHL playing rights to the Victoria Royals in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.
Cristiano, 18, was 0-1-0-0 with a 2.61 goals-against average and .879 save percentage in three games (one start) for Kelowna this season before he was reassigned to the West Kelowna Warriors of the BCHL on October 22, 2022.
With the Warriors, the 6’1, 175-pound netminder was 1-2-0 with a 4.42 goals-against average and .867 save percentage in four games (3 starts).
The Langley, BC product was originally listed by the Rockets, joining the team as an affiliate goaltender during the 2020-21 Hub Season where he appeared in one game. Last season he remained on the Rockets protected list playing for the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds of the BCEHL U18.