Warriors GM Alan Millar, right, speaks with Steve Yzerman during a game at Mosaic Place.

Twitter rumours may have had the Moose Jaw Warriors making moves, but the team decided to stay idle on Friday’s WHL Trade Deadline.

The Warriors were busy in the lead up to the deadline, acquiring 18-year-old defenceman Spenser Jensen last week and trading away 19-year-old star blue liner Travis Brown for 15-year-old prospect Noah Gregor on Monday.

After making those moves to get younger, the team felt that they were set up in a nice position for the rest of this season, while also positioning themselves to improve going into next season.

The key to that was keeping some older pieces in place, mainly the team’s three 19-year-old forwards.  Teams had inquired into the availability of Tanner Eberle, Jack Rodewald and Scott Cooke, but the Warriors weren’t planning on moving those three as they’re happy with them heading into next season as their overage players.

“We like what Cooke, Rodewald and Eberle bring in terms of grit, size, character, toughness and chipping in offensively,” explained Alan Millar, Warriors general manager.

For the past two seasons, the Warriors have had to search to fill their overage spots without much success, like Todd Fiddler, who under performed in his brief time with the tribe, and Erik Benoit, who also didn’t last long in a Warriors uniform.

“For the first time in a couple years, we can sit back and go, we don't have one 20-year-old, we don’t have to do some deals or give up good assets, so now at least we’ve got some structure at the top with our older guys,” said Millar.

Having their overagers in place heading into next season is big for the team as they can now focus on the development of the young roster.

“I like where we’re going, not where we are, but I like where we’re going,” said Millar.  “I like the young pieces that we have, we’ve got some good depth in the draft, we’ve got two first round picks in 2015.  It is a little bit of a jigsaw puzzle right now, but at least we’re looking ahead.”

Coming into this season, the Warriors felt they were in a spot to compete for a playoff spot, but struggles during the first half forced them to reevaluate the direction the team was heading.  Millar feels with the moves they’ve made their working towards being a team that compete.

“When you’re in a rebuild, you can’t hide from that, that’s what we’re doing,” said Alan Millar, Warriors general manager.  “We may have more work to do and a bit tougher rebuild than maybe I thought a year.

“As of today, we’re not good enough to compete to win in this league and we have to make difficult decisions,” added Millar.  “We have to be realistic about where we are in terms of making those decision that are going to benefit us and make sure that we’re better in the future and better starting next year.”

It wasn’t a blockbuster WHL Trade Deadline day, but it was busy on Friday and throughout the week in the lead up to the deadline.

There were eight trades in total on Friday with 13 players and seven draft picks changing hands.  In the week leading up to the deadline, Monday to Thursday, there were 16 deals with 28 players and 27 draft picks moved.