NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Rhett Parsons carries the puck out of the Tigers end in the first period of the Tigers 6-3 loss against the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Jan. 15.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Rhett Parsons is enjoying his role on the team’s top defensive pairing.
The 18-year-old patrols the blue line alongside Tigers captain Daniel Baker. Parsons says he loves playing with Baker as they work to shut down other teams.
“I love playing with Bakes, he’s really good to play with. Every night we just try to shut down the team’s top line, it’s been good,” Parsons said.
Parsons is in his second full year with the Tigers after being drafted 99th overall in 2018 from the Edge School prep team. He appeared in 20 games in the Western Hockey League’s developmental season last year and had one assist.
He’s grown offensively this season, picking up six assists and notching two goals in 32 games donning the orange and black. The Cremona product has also brought an element of physicality to the Tigers back end that he says has long been a part of his game.
“I think everyone kind of knows me as a physical guy, try to get to the dirty areas after whistles,” Parsons said. “I just try and do whatever it takes to win so if that’s laying a hit, blocking a shot, doing whatever.”
Baker, 20, said his D partner has improved significantly since he’s joined the club and has gotten better this year as well.
“He’s taken so many steps, he sells out every night and does whatever it takes to win. Whenever you’ve got a guy like that it’s huge,” Baker said.
Parsons was donning an ‘A’ on his jersey in Medicine Hat’s 6-4 win last Saturday on the road against the Prince Albert Raiders. He said there are many leaders in the locker room but it was an honour to wear the letter.
Tigers head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins said the team’s alternate captains will probably change for home and away games as the season progresses.
Desjardins also said Parsons has improved as the year has gone on, but said there’s some inconsistencies to work through in seasons to come.
“He’s another guy that whenever you’re young it seems that there’s inconsistency and as you get older you try to work that out of your game and I think that’s still there with him a little bit,” Desjardins said. “But we’re really happy with how he’s progressed and what he’s doing.”
With a younger roster like the Tigers have, Parsons said right from camp he’s tried to bring a leadership voice to the team and help with whatever he can.
“Right when I came to camp at the start of the year I just tried to get better from last year and bring my knowledge to the younger guys that this is their first year,” Parsons said. “Just try to do whatever I can to help the younger guys.”
The defenceman said he is excited to be a part of the Tigers’ future.
“I think we have a lot of young guys with a lot of potential,” Parsons said. “This is not the season we anticipated, but the future is bright so it’s going to be good.”
