By: Ken Oda, minotauroshockey.com
Minot, ND – The Minotauros have traded defenseman Colton Berg and a third round pick in the 2017 North American Hockey League (NAHL) Draft to the Minnesota Wilderness for the rights to defenseman Erik Holmstrom. The Minnesota Wilderness held Holmstrom’s NAHL rights while he was playing the United States Hockey League for the Des Moines Buccaneers. Holmstrom will report to the Minotauros tonight in Aberdeen, SD, where he is expected to join the lineup for tonight’s game against the Aberdeen Wings.
Holmstrom, 19, played 23 games for the Buccaneers this season posting two goals and a +1 rating. At 6’1” and 183 lbs. Holmstrom brings decent size to the Tauros back end. He posted 25 goals and 83 assists in 121 games for Farmington High School in Farmington, MN, where he was a teammate of Austin Martinsen from 2013-2015.
Berg posted 18 points (5g 13a) in 62 games as a Tauro. The 20 year-old defenseman will join the Minnesota Wilderness this weekend and then face his former teammates next weekend in Cloquet, MN. More roster moves will be in order for the Tauros who still have 24 players in town since Martinsen’s return from the USHL. The roster must be down to 23 players by the NAHL trade deadline February 6th.
Tauros Head Coach and G.M. Marty Murray said of the trade; “we’ve been on the lookout for a defenseman who could join our top 4 down the stretch, we recruited him last summer but he went to the USHL, we’re excited to have him now in Minot.” Regarding the departing Berg Murray continued, “Bergy is a great kid, played good hockey for us, and we wish him luck with the Wilderness.”
Fans first chance to catch the new look Tauros back at home is February 10th against the Brookings Blizzard. Get the Tauro 10 Pack of season tickets for the final 10 home games of the season for just $100 and get all the benefits of being a full season ticket holder including a reserved seat and the first chance to buy playoff tickets. For more info call the Minotauros office at (701)852-0101 or email koda@minotauroshockey.com