NEWS PHOTO RYAN MCCRACKEN - Medicine Hat Tigers forward Brett Kemp looks for an open man in the offensive zone during a Western Hockey League game against the Prince Albert Raiders on Nov. 23, 2019 at Canalta Centre.
It wasn’t much of a week in the WHL, but Medicine Hat Tigers centre Brett Kemp can at least say he had a better one than most.
Kemp, now at home in Yorkton after the Tigers let their players go during the paused season Sunday, was named WHL player of the week Monday.
“I think it’s definitely pretty cool, an honour to do that,” said the 19-year-old.
Kemp had three assists in last Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime win against Red Deer at Canalta Centre, bringing his season total to 77 points. It was one of six WHL games played during the week before the COVID-19 situation changed so dramatically that every hockey league in the country was shut down.
With only five games left in their regular season, the Tigers had won their sixth straight and were feeling pretty good about themselves with playoffs around the corner. Their first-round opponent looked to be the rival Lethbridge Hurricanes, play-by-play voice Bob Ridley was two games away from his 4,000th and excitement was on the rise.
Now, the players are stuck waiting like everyone else.
“We’ve been keeping in touch with each other, obviously everyone wants to come back and see what we can do with the rest of the season because we kind of ended on a hot streak there and we are very confident in our game,” said Kemp, who turns 20 next week. “We obviously want to come back, but it’s nice to have some down time too, just rest and regroup so we’re ready to go.”
Kemp is optimistic the season will resume. But Canadian junior A leagues have all cancelled the remainder of their seasons. The only hockey games Tigers are playing together right now are on video game consoles.
The Brandon Wheat Kings actually live-streamed a video game version of their originally-scheduled contest against Regina Friday night.
“It’s fun to play with the boys like that, we play ourselves on there so it’s pretty cool that way,” said Kemp. “We’re just keeping in touch, keeping things light that way too.”
He does get to see his family, including two sisters – one a teacher, the other an elementary school student. Saskatchewan announced its schools will close at the end of this week.
There are also fellow WHL friends who have returned to Yorkton, notably Kelowna Rockets defenceman Kaedan Korczak. The Rockets are supposed to host the Memorial Cup starting May 22.
No doubt Kemp and the Tigers would like to be there too.
“It’ll be interesting to see how it all unfolds,” said Kemp. “It all comes down to safety in that part of it. If we have to (stop the season), we will for sure.”
