With the Western Hockey League鈥檚 (WHL) trade deadline just two days away, Vancouver Giants did a deal with the Wenatchee Wild, trading forwards in a swap announced Tuesday, Jan. 7, that sends Tyson Zimmer to the Wild in return for Maxim Muranov, both 20.

鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to welcome Maxim to our lineup. He鈥檚 a big, hard player with a knack for scoring and has the grit to make a real impact on the ice," Giants General Manager Barclay Parneta said. "We also want to express our gratitude to Tyson for his hard work and contributions to the Vancouver Giants and wish him every success in Wenatchee."

Muranov, 20, from Moscow, Russia, has registered 25 points this season in 34 games on eight goals and 17 assists. He was traded from Calgary to Wenatchee on January 2 as part of the Daniel Houser trade, but hadn鈥檛 played for them yet. Last season, he produced 50 points in 63 games with the Hitmen, on 22 goals and 28 assists.

The 6-foot-3, 185 lb. forward was originally selected in the first round by the Hitmen in the 2021 CHL Import Draft. He has 116 points in 210 career games (41G-75A).

EliteProspects 2022 NHL Draft Guide said Muranov鈥檚 hand speed stands out.

"He pushes pucks through and around defenders faster than they can react. Shoulder shakes and head fakes set up his best moves, making the defender freeze before he attacks his desired space," the guide said.

Zimmer is in his fifth season in the WHL, with 248 career appearances and 143 points to his name. The Russell, Manitoba native has notched 10 goals and 15 assists this season over 35 games, and posted 45 points a year ago in a career-high 67 games for the Giants and Lethbridge Hurricanes.

A first-round draft pick of the Brandon Wheat Kings, he spent 82 games with Brandon to start his WHL career, and also skated for the Waywayseecappo Wolverines of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) during the 2020-21 campaign. Last week, he announced an NCAA Division I commitment to Niagara University.