Victoria Cougars orchestrated one of the craziest trades in sports history by trading a bus

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The WHL trade deadline came and went yesterday.

On Wednesday January 9th, there was little activity from the Victoria Royals, as the team had already made significant roster adjustments in the days leading up to the deadline.

This week’s only roster change saw Royals goaltender Spencer Michnik sign with the BCHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders. The move follows the team’s decision to add 2005-born goaltender Johnny Hicks to their active roster.

“We are excited to welcome Spencer to our roster and improve our depth at the goaltending position,” said Crusaders general manager Adam Sergerie.

“Spencer brings a competitive nature that embodies what the Sherwood Park Crusaders are all about. We look forward to having him in the lineup this coming weekend.”

Hicks, who hails from Kamloops, served as the backup goalie during the Royals’ recent road victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds on Tuesday. In that game, the Royals scored three unanswered goals in the third to secure a 4-1 victory.

Hicks, a 5’11”, 154-lb goaltender, brings an impressive resume to the Royals. He spent four seasons in the BCHL with the Merritt Centennials and Brooks Bandits, where he led the league this season with a 1.37 GAA and .943 SV%. His stellar play earned him a spot on the 2024-25 BCHL All-Star Team.

While quiet at the deadline, the Royals bolstered their lineup last week by acquiring 20-year-old forward Kenta Isogai from the Wenatchee Wild in exchange for two prospects and draft picks. The Nagano, Japan native tallied 15 goals and 23 assists in 28 games this season before joining the team.

In another blockbuster move, the Royals acquired Brandon Lisowsky from the Saskatoon Blades. Lisowsky, a Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick and consistent WHL scorer, had already tallied 22 goals and 20 assists in 29 games this season. The trade sent fan-favourite Tanner Scott and several draft picks to Saskatoon.

These key additions position the Royals well as they currently sit fourth in the Western Conference, just four points behind the second-place Prince George Cougars.

Speaking of the Cougars, their historical connection to Victoria sets the stage for a look back at one of the WHL’s most outrageous trades. The Prince George Cougars were once the Victoria Cougars, and in January 1983, the team orchestrated what has been hailed as one of the craziest trades in sports history.

On January 19th, 1983, the Seattle Breakers (now the Seattle Thunderbirds) traded the rights to left wing Tom Martin to the Victoria Cougars—in exchange for a used bus. Yes, a bus.

The Breakers’ bus had blown its engine eight days prior, leaving the team desperate for transportation. Meanwhile, Martin, a Victoria native, had refused to play for Seattle.

The solution? A deal involving $35,000 and a bus that would allow Seattle to continue travelling for games, while Victoria secured Martin’s rights. The transaction earned Martin the nickname “Bussey” and remains an unforgettable chapter in WHL lore.

While trade deadlines today are far less colourful than in the 1980s, they continue to shape teams’ futures. Last week’s acquisitions of Isogai and Lisowsky will bring offensive prowess to the lineup as the Royals vie for the playoffs.

The Royals are currently on a four game road trip and will wrap that up in Wenatchee tonight and Tri City on Saturday before returning home next Wednesday to take on the Brandon Wheat Kings.