Plymouth Whalers Acquire Defenseman Sean Callaghan from Saginaw

Photo of Sean Callaghan by OHL Images

Plymouth Whalers General Manager Mark Craig announced today the acquisition of 20-year-old defenseman Sean Callaghan from the Saginaw Spirit in exchange for a fourth round draft choice in 2016.

Callaghan – 6-feet-4 and 220 pounds and from Strathroy, ON – fills the one remaining overage spot for the Whalers. Ontario Hockey League teams can carry three overage players (1994 birthdays) on their roster. Callaghan joins defenseman Gianluca Curcuruto and center Mathew Campagna as the Whalers’ overages.

Callaghan also fills a need for Plymouth. The Whalers are battling injuries, with defensemen Alex Peters and Curcuruto both out week-to-week with injuries and Yannick Rathgeb just returning from an injury. Rathgeb has been selected to play for Switzerland in the 2015 World Junior Championships and will be away from Plymouth soon for about three weeks.

“After we became aware that Alex Peters would be out for the remainder of the season, Sean was at the top of our list,” said Craig. “Sean - with his experience - eats up minutes for us on defense, plays hard every night and plays heavy.

“He will add leadership and experience to our core group. We are fortunate to bring in a player of Sean’s character and experience. We’re happy to have him.”

Callaghan was originally selected in the seventh round (134th overall) by the Ottawa 67’s in the 2010 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection and has enjoyed a productive OHL career. After playing two years with Ottawa, Callaghan was acquired by Saginaw at the beginning of the 2013-14 season.

A stay-at-home defenseman who has a hard shot from the point, Callaghan has scored four goals and four assists for eight points and 57 PIM’s in 23 games this season with Saginaw. In 215 games in his OHL career, Callaghan has 17 goals and 22 assists for 39 points with 372 PIM’s.

Callaghan had his best year in the OHL last season when he eight goals with 11 assists for 19 points and was +12 and 127 PIM’s in 66 games.

Find out more about Callaghan in this story from MLive.com.

In addition, forwards Connor Chatham, Victor Crus Rydberg, Bryce Yetman and Danny Vanderwiel remain out with various injuries and are considered week-to-week. Craig will continue to look for opportunities to acquire talent prior to the Jan. 9 Final Trading Deadline.

Callaghan will wear number 4 and is expected to join the Whalers for their game on Wednesday in Sault Ste. Marie (7 pm, 88.1FM WSDP). The Whalers remain on the road Friday in London (7:30 pm, 88.1FM WSDP) before returning home on Saturday to host Guelph at 7:05 pm at Compuware Arena (7 pm, CN-900, 88.1FM).