The Kootenay Ice were hoping to add an experienced forward by yesterday's Western Hockey League trade deadline.

Instead, they wound up deleting a rookie defenceman.

Czech national Petr Senkerik was the only player involved in a trade in or out of Cranbrook yesterday. In the 18-year-old's case, it meant joining the Prince George Cougars.

"Our goal coming into it was two-fold: we wanted to get down to 22 players, preferably with seven defencemen, and if we could upgrade our team by getting a top-six older forward we would do that," said Kootenay GM Jeff Chynoweth. "Unfortunately, we fell short on that (second) part."

Kootenay got a fifth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft in exchange for Senkerik.

Chynoweth said they made the move to create more defensive ice time for young blueliners Luke Paulsen and Jagger Dirk.

He said Senkerik fit in well during his first season in North America.

"Unfortunately, the way our defence has played, he was going to be in that No. 6 position, and in that you're going to be in and out of the lineup," said Chynoweth. "I don't think that's something Petr would feel comfortable with as an 18-year-old player. That's no shot at his play; that's just a reflection of the play of the other players, both young and older."

Chynoweth said he had quite a few other lines in the trade water, but no bites.

"We made some significant offers (Sunday) for some older forwards that just came up a little bit short," he said. "Unfortunately, we couldn't get it done but as an organization we did whatever we could to make our team better. When you make a trade, you have to have two sides agree and we just couldn't get both sides on the same page."

Local fans had been hoping the Ice would be able to repatriate Marysville forward Carter Bancks, but he wasn't moved. The Hurricanes' captain will finish the year — and his career — in Lethbridge.

Although hosting the Memorial Cup in the WHL usually leads to higher prices at the trade deadline, Chynoweth said he didn't feel demands were exorbitant.

"I think the problem is when you've got so many teams tightly bunched together, it's tough to make deals," he said.

In the Eastern Conference, for example, one point separates sixth place from ninth.

Kootenay (25-15-1-2) is five points clear of that pack, in fifth place.

"We like our hockey club," said Chynoweth. "We've won nine games in a row, the chemistry is outstanding with the group. You've always got to be careful not to mix that up too much, but having said all that, if we could have added the right forward we definitely would have."

Even without that added depth, Chynoweth is optimistic.

"You've heard me say it many times: we want to compete, and compete on a nightly basis," he said.

"Are we in the same level as the Brandon Wheat Kings and Saskatoon Blades? I don't know, but we've played very well against all the top teams in the Eastern Conference this year.

"We know that there's a lot of hockey left to be played, and hopefully we can continue on our roll, and keep improving. Come playoffs, you never know what will happen."