2013 UNH Recruit Matias Cleland Traded to Omaha Lancers

18-year-old defenseman Matias Cleland (shown here in an August interview at the JCWC in Russia) has been traded from the Waterloo Black Hawks to the Omaha Lancers. The Black Hawks, who made it to the USHL Championship Series last season before falling to the Green Bay Gamblers, are off to another strong start this year. They've won 2 and lost 1 and have scored a lot of goals (18). However, they have also given up 16 goals in three games. In these games, Matias Cleland has 2 power play assists. Last season, as a 17-year-old rookie in the USHL, Cleland scored a goal and 9 assists in 41 games. Cleland has a target date of Fall 2013 to enroll at UNH.

In exchange for Cleland, Waterloo received 2013 Harvard recruit Victor Newell from the Omaha Lancers. Newell, also a defenseman, is one year older but smaller than Cleland. He has one assist in 4 games so far this season. Last season, Newell scored 6 goals and 14 assists. 10 of his points came on the Lancers' power play. This season, Omaha has scored half as many goals as Waterloo and have only won once in 4 games.