Huskies deal backstop to rival Lumber Barons

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A strong goaltender for the Fort St. John Huskies is moving to play for another team.

The log jam the Strike Group North West Junior Hockey League (NWJHL) club had in net to start the year was cleared up on Wednesday, November 19th, with the club sending goaltender Ethan Fechter to the La Crete Lumber Barons for cash considerations.

The Huskies posted the trade announcement to Facebook afterward, with the Lumber Barons welcoming their new goalie in a post on the team’s page.

After various stops in both the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) and the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL), the 21-year-old Fechter shone bright for the Pups in the 2024-25 season.

He finished with a regular season record of 16 wins without a single defeat, with a ‘goals against average’ (GAA) of 2.38 and shutouts in 18 games played. He also had a save percentage of .912.

Fechter continued his strong play in the playoffs, with a record of seven wins and two losses in the postseason as the Huskies captured their fifth NWJHL title in six seasons.

Goaltenders Evan Baker and Evan Umbach will split goaltending duties for the remainder of the year for the Huskies. 

Currently, the team sits on top of the NWJHL’s East/West Division in the 2025-26 season with a record of 15 wins, four losses and one overtime loss for 31 points.