HOUNDS IN TRADE MODE

Soo Greyhounds' coach/director of hockey operations John Vanbiesbrouck has unofficially pulled the trigger on three separate Ontario Hockey League trades, SooToday.com has learned. Vanbiesbrouck has firm handshake deals with the Brampton Battalion, Ottawa 67s and Toronto St. Michael's Majors, according to information obtained by SooToday.com. *** BIASUCCI: A deal with Brampton will have the Hounds acquire local product Joey Biasucci, an 18-year old goalie. Biasucci won seven games last season as a rookie with Brampton, which missed the OHL playoffs. Brampton head coach/director of hockey operations Stan Butler wants a fourth-round pick in either 2003 or 2004 for Biasucci, and three other teams besides the Hounds were said to be prepared to pay the asking price. But Butler has decided to make the trade with the Hounds, allowing Biasucci the opportunity to play for Vanbiesbrouck, who has been the youngster's mentor since he began playing organized hockey as a six-year old. Biasucci is the no. 2 goalie on Brampton's depth chart behind fellow 18-year old Brad Topping. With the Soo, he will compete with holdovers Brock McGillis and Jeff Weber for the starter's job. *** CHAPMAN: The trade with Ottawa will send overage left winger Adam Chapman to the Greyhounds for the 67s' request of a fifth-round draft pick. Chapman was a 22-goal scorer for Ottawa last season. 67s' coach/general manager Brian Kilrea has a number of overagers to choose from and has made Chapman expendable now so he can settle in with a new team before the start of the season. Chapman would fill one of the Hounds' three overage spots. Tough guy Troy Iljow, who scored seven goals and had 93 PIM playing as a right winger for the Hounds last season, is a top candidate to be a second overage. *** NOLAN: Left winger Alan Nolan recently asked Vanbiesbrouck for a trade and a deal has been completed that will sent the 19-year old Garden River First Nation product to St. Mike's for a sixth-round draft pick. Nolan has tallied four goals and picked up 182 PIM in 117 games in two seasons as a fourth-line player with the Hounds. *** RUMOUR: There are unsubstantiated rumours circulating that the Hounds and Windsor are talking trade. It's no secret that the Hounds covet Spitfire right winger Craig Kennedy, a 19-year old from the Soo. Reports out of Windsor, however, suggest that Spitfire general manager Mike Kelly wants speedy 18-year old centre Rob Hisey and a third-round pick for Kennedy, a price that many in the OHL consider rather steep. The Hounds, in turn, have offered right winger Brett Trudell for local product Kennedy, SooToday.com has learned. *** EMBARGO: The OHL office has been shut down for holidays since July 1.No trades can be made official until the office re-opens on August 1 and an embargo on player exchanges is lifted.