TORONTO — The Ticats and Alouettes have swapped a pair of national linebackers in a trade that sees linebacker Frederic Plesius head to Montreal in exchange for Nick Shortill.

Plesius goes back to the province where he played his university ball as a member of the Laval Rouge et Or, while Shortill goes back to Hamilton where he played at McMaster.

“We are very pleased to have acquired Frédéric, an established and valuable player in this league,” said Alouettes General Manager Kavis Reed. “We believe he will be a nice addition to our team. He is a versatile and intelligent player and we have the feeling he can be a solid contributor on the field. We really look forward in integrating him to our team.”

Plesius was selected 10th overall by Hamilton in the 2012 CFL Draft and has played 66 games with the Tiger-Cats while posting 25 defensive tackles and 58 special teams tackles with 1 quarterback sack. The Lennoxville, QC native played a key role in the two Vanier Cup Championships he won with the Université Laval Rouge et Or in 2010 and 2012. Plesius collected 123.5 tackles during his four seasons with the Rouge et Or, being awarded several defensive honours along the way.

Well well well, @NickShortill back in the Hammer. Always a great move bringing a @McMasterSports to the @Ticats #shorty — Mike Daly (@DalyNews8) February 12, 2017

Shortill, 24, appeared in all 18 of Montreal’s games in 2016 (one start), posting five defensive tackles and 17 special teams tackles. The 6-2, 223-pound linebacker has played 35 career CFL games with the Alouettes since being drafted by the team 13th overall (second round) in the 2015 CFL Draft. He has accumulated 22 defensive tackles and 29 special teams tackles during his two-year CFL career.

A native of Nobleton, Ontario, Shortill attended McMaster University from 2011 to 2014, posting OUA All-Star Status twice (2012, 2014) with the Marauders. He was also a member of the CIS All-Canadian team and the OUA’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2014, and played in three Vanier Cups (2011, 2012, 2014), winning one in 2011.