Cornwall River Kings Fan Favorite Chris Cloutier traded

Cornwall Ontario — It is a sad day for local hockey fans. Cornwall River Kings Fan Favorite Chris Cloutier was traded to Laval.

The River Kings, fresh off a four-point weekend, have completed a blockbuster trade with the Laval Predateurs.

General manager Rick Lalonde has acquired veteran enforcers Curtis Tidball and Manuel Frechette as well as big defenceman Mathieu Brisson from Laval along with a 7th round pick at the 2015 LNAH draft.

Cornwall sends Chris Cloutier, rookie defenceman Mathieu Leduc, Philippe Pepin and a 9th round draft pick to Laval.

“We made a promise to our fans in the off-season that we wouldn’t be pushed around in our own barn,” said Lalonde. “We’ve addressed that now with this blockbuster deal.”

“We’d like to than Chris for what he’s done four our hockey club and wish him the best in Laval,” said Lalonde. “But we believe we’re a much tougher team now.”

Tidball has 136 penalty minutes in 18 games for Laval and Thetford-Mines this season. Frechette has 79 penalty minutes in 17 games this season with the Predateurs.

Cloutier has been limited to 12 games this season due to injury. He has 78 penalty minutes.

The River Kings face off against the Thetford-Mines Isothermic on Saturday night at the Civic Complex. Game time is 7:30 p.m. Cornwall hosts Jonquiere on Sunday at 2 p.m.