NEWS PHOTO RYAN MCCRACKEN
Medicine Hat Tigers Elijah Brown and Gary Haden (17) celebrate after scoring a goal in a Western Hockey League game against the Swift Current Broncos on Feb. 17, 2018 at the Canalta Centre.
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken
Elijah Brown is right where he belongs.
The former first round bantam draft pick joined up with the Medicine Hat Tigers in a deal with the Seattle Thunderbirds at the January trade deadline. It was a welcome return to hockey after differences prompted Brown to part ways with the T-Birds earlier in the season, and the 18-year-old centre has been making the most of his second chance in the Western Hockey League.
“Lots of people took it as a Prima donna type thing, like ‘I’m not getting my ice.’ I know some eyes might see it like that, but there was a lot of stuff going on there,” Brown said of his decision to request a trade from the Thunderbirds. “When I came here, obviously it was a little bit of a fresh start. I wasn’t looking for anything over anybody, but I’m getting lots of opportunity and the coaches do have some trust in me, which is all I want. I want the coaches to trust me on and off the ice.”
Brown made an impact with his new team quicker than anyone could have imagined — notching an assist in his first shift with the Tigers after driving to meet them on the road in Saskatoon the day following the trade.
“It was cool just to get three months of not playing hockey out of the way in that one shift,” said Brown. “When you take the hockey side out of it all the guys were so awesome. Right when I got in the room it was like I had been on the team for a couple months. They were all introducing themselves like you should, but there was just something to it.”
The 5-foot-10, 169-pound Edmonton product went on to finish his first stint in Medicine Hat with seven goals and 11 assists in 30 games — both of which bested last year’s numbers in 64 games with Seattle.
Tigers head coach and general manager Shaun Clouston — who sent a 2018 second-round pick and a conditional pick for the 2019 draft to Seattle in exchange for Brown, a 15th overall selection — says he was thrilled to take on Brown last season and hopes to see him fill an even larger role with the club this year.
“He’s got some great wheels, I think he’s going to back some teams off, and I think he’s a great puck handler and has real good vision,” said Clouston. “He’s able to find his linemates, he’s a great passer — we’d like to see him shoot a little bit more. We’ve talked about that and he’s aware of that. I think if he can add a few more shots and a little bit more of a shot mentality at the right time it’ll help his game.”
What’s more, Brown brings an essential type of energy to the team’s dressing room. With the overage departure of former captain Mark Rassell in the off-season, Clouston says Brown’s upbeat attitude will certainly help to fill the void.
“He’s got great energy. He’s got a smile on his face,” said Clouston. “The guys welcomed him in and he’s really embraced what we’re doing. He’s another player who appears ready to go, appears focused and excited about the season. I think there’s always high hopes for lots of guys at the beginning of the year and we do have high hopes for Elijah.”
Brown added he’s more than happy to bring that role to the room, especially since he likes to think of himself as one of the team’s funnier characters — even if just among the rookies.
“Rassell’s a funny guy, and I like to think of myself as a funny guy. I’m really good with the young guys. I’ll be the one talking all the time, but they’ll laugh and listen to my stories,” said Brown. “I am 18 now so I’m getting on the older side of the league, but you’ve always got to be a leader no matter if you’re 16 or 20.”
