Whitby native and Oshawa Generals’ enforcer, Emerson Clark has just been dealt to the Windsor Spitfires, according to Clark’s Twitter feed. Thank you OshawaGenerals had a great time the past three years ! Couldn’t be more excited to finish my last year in windsor, was the parting comment

PHOTO CREDIT - DurhamRegion.com

Whitby - September 19, 2012 - I guess it was only a matter of time. Whitby native and Oshawa Generals’ enforcer, Emerson Clark has just been dealt to the Windsor Spitfires, according to Clark’s Twitter (@EmersonClark32) feed. “Thank you @OshawaGenerals had a great time the past 3 years ! Couldn’t be more excited to finish my last year in windsor #Spitfires”, was the parting comment from the Gennies’ fan favourite scrapper-turned-goal-scorer.

Generals’ General Manager Jeff Twohey has seemed to finally solve the club’s bottlenecking of overagers in the past 48 hours. On Monday, diminutive centreman J.P. Labardo was traded to the Erie Otters for a conditional 15th round draft pick in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection. It was believed that the Generals roster was then set for Thursday’s season opener in Peterborough against the Petes with the completion of the Labardo deal.

There had been much media discussion that one of overager Scott Sabourin or Emerson Clark would also be dealt. Both players bring grit and sandpaper to their game, but Clark’s tweet from Tuesday evening indicates that Generals’ management has opted to go with size. Sabourin stands 6’3? and weighs in at 181 pounds. while the truculent Clark conversely stood only 5’9? and weighed in at 187 pounds.

Clark was always able to get a silent Oshawa crowd cheering and standing on their feet whether it be the odd fisticuff or timely goal. Fans always had a special spot in their hearts for the fourth line winger who never backed down from the opposition. His determination was an admirable quality that seemed at times to rub off on some of his teammates over the past three seasons in Oshawa.

It was unknown at the time of this publication what (player or draft pick) the Oshawa Generals received in return from the Spitfires. A late round conditional draft pick would not be unexpected for the overager once this trade is finally confirmed by both organizations.

I wonder who will step in to fill Emerson Clark’s skates this season? Looking at the height of the respective players on the Generals roster heading into Thursday night’s contest, there will be a vast array of size and strength to choose from.

For the love of the game, I remain, Dean Eastman.