Defenceman Delver Fudgeson currently finds himself preparing for the upcoming SHL season, which is nothing out of the ordinary. He is also coming into camp for his first full season with his new team, the Toronto North Stars, who had traded for him before the deadline of the previous season. This isn’t a new occurrence to Delver, either. He is playing in his 5th season as an SHL player, now with his 3rd team. He is getting along with his new teammates, and is looking forward to playing a top pairing role for his hometown team. If you ask him now, he’d tell you that he’s more than willing to stick around for the duration of his contract and even further, if the team were to want that. But he would also tell you it’s a business, and sometimes things don’t work out. Just ask New England or Baltimore, his two previous teams. Traded after his rookie season, then again during his 3rd season with Baltimore, he now finds himself in a new home.

“It’s a strange thing. To be traded, that is.” Delver Fudgeson answers while he sits, following an intense on-ice training session. He’s working hard to give his new team the best possible results, seeing as he’s become a top pairing d-man out of necessity. “If you’re a big star player, you probably know when you’re going to get moved. You sort of have a little control where you go. But for me, it’s pretty out of nowhere.”
This past expansion draft made things tricky for several teams. Baltimore didn’t feel Delver was going to play enough of a role in their future to make him worth using a protection slot for.
“I knew the draft was coming up, and there’s always the possibility of anything happening. I really had no idea I was being shopped though. Just goes to show how quick things can happen.”


Delver Fudgeson, following a successful 4 year stint in junior hockey was finally brought up to the SHL. The New England Wolf Pack had him playing bottom pairing minutes, and while he didn’t exactly falter, he didn’t do enough to make him an immovable player. After one short season, he was moved for scraps to West Kendall. The feeling of being traded for the first time was not so sad, but was quite unexpected.
“I couldn’t believe I got moved so fast. The team missed the playoffs by a single win, and didn’t live up to the hype they had around them going into the season. I had a good relationship with the GM, but I didn’t really make my mark on the team”.
Ace drafted Delver, as he and the player’s agent, Tony Flow, went way back. This old friendship wasn’t enough to keep the player around once a trade offer came in, though. Being shipped out stung at first, but Delver quickly got over it as he attempted to make his mark on another team. Pretty wild when that team gets relocated to Baltimore right off the bat. It’s almost like being traded a second time.
Speaking of getting traded a second time…


Delver lasted a little while on the Baltimore Platoon, finding himself playing meaningful minutes on a struggling team attempting a rebuild. He enjoyed his time there, and thought he had found a nice home for himself. His agent, Tony Flow, had enjoyed a nice career there as a utility player who kept coming back on team friendly deals. Delver was really blindsided when he was moved after two and a half brief seasons.
“Now this is the one that really caught me off guard. I had just been bumped up to the top pair to play with the best d-man in the whole league, Nat Emerson. I had a discussion with the coaching staff about the role I was going to play in the future, and I was really excited to finally be coming into my own in a good role. I had no idea I was being shopped until way later when I spoke with Toronto’s management.”
Being moved for lackluster picks and a throw in player hit hard for Delver. The expansion draft had been looming, and he was totally unaware of the possibility of being moved beforehand. He maintains gratitude for Toronto being willing to take him in and protect him from expansion, feeling he would be a decent piece moving forward.
“It would have sucked way more if I’d played terrible once I got there, but they’ve really trusted me to let me play my game, and I think it’s a good fit.”


Delver played well after the trade, and is following it up with possibly a career best year. He is contributing at both ends of the ice, just like he’d envisioned when he started his life as a pro hockey player. The Toronto North Stars are in a tricky spot. They have pieces moving up, and some good ones on the team right now, but they are in a tough division. They probably won’t be contending for another couple seasons, and Delver is in his prime right now.
“I know that I might not fit the team’s window. So another move is definitely possible. I hope not though, I love it here and want to play for these guys as long as I can. It’s not up to me though, I would have said the same thing about Baltimore, and maybe even New England if I’d stuck around long enough. That’s just the player I am. I really don’t like moving around teams, but it just sort of happens when you’re at my level.”
Another move may make sense once he starts regressing as an athlete, but the defender hopes to push himself to the limit and maintain a good playing career for as long as possible.
“We’ll see what happens. Hopefully I can get a good season or two in with this team once our window is open. I’d like to be able to win with these guys. I know they’re gonna be good, I just hope I’m part of that.”


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