Barry Wright/The Independent

A much rumoured deal involving Brenner Lammens is now a reality.

The former fourth overall pick in the 2025 OHL Priority Selection has been dealt to the Owen Sound Attack for veteran centre Jake Crawford and draft picks.

Lammens and a 15th round conditional pick in 2030 goes north. The late round conditional draft choice moves up to a sixth round selection if Crawford play his overage season with the Sting.

In additional to Crawford, Sarnia receives a second round pick in 2027, a second and third round pick in 2028, a second round pick in 2030 and a conditional 15th-round pick that becomes a fourth round pick in 2029 if Lammens plays in the 2028-29 season or scores 30 goals.

Crawford, a former minor hockey teammate of Logan Hawery in Barrie, is a left-short centre whose size, leadership and compete level will be an asset to the Sting, according to the team.

“This move is about putting our team in the best position for this year and beyond. We believe we have the talent and the depth to be a tough team to play against in the second half and into the playoffs, and Jake Crawford makes us even harder to play against”, said Sting General Manager Dylan Seca in a prepared statement.

“He’s a big, smart, 200-foot centre who has been a tough matchup for every team in this league for three years, including us. He wins faceoffs, he kills penalties, he answers the bell, and he makes the players around him better. Crawford could also return to the OHL as an OA in 27-28.”

Crawford, who played the past three season with the Attack, attended the LA Kings development camp over the summer.

Seca also hinted that the acquired draft capital will likely be used to continue to improve the Sting this season.

“We also know there are still a few areas we need to improve. These three second-round picks and the third-round pick give us the flexibility to address those needs and keep adding to this group before the deadline, as well as add significant draft capital to the organization. We’re in the race in the West, and we intend to stay in it”, said Seca.

The Sting are two points behind the Saginaw Spirit for the final playoff position in the Western Conference after getting wins over Owen Sound and London last weekend.

Crawford will make his debut tonight in North Bay playing on a line with Hawery and Simon Katolicky.

Sarnia is on its annual northern Ontario swings which concludes with games in Sudbury and the Soo on Friday night and Sunday afternoon.

The Attack says Lammens will make his Owen Sound debut against the Guelph Storm at the Bayshore Saturday.

Seca says Lammens wanted a bigger role and believes the deal to Owen Sound will satisfy that request by the pesky power forward.

“We’re very excited to add Brenner to our organization,” said Tyler Nother, Attack President and General Manager. “He’s a young player with a tremendous amount of potential, and we believe he has the ability to become an important piece of our hockey club moving forward.