NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers defenseman Reid Andresen carries the puck out of the Tigers end in the first period of Medicine Hat's 4-0 loss to the Saskatoon Blades on April 5.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Reid Andresen thinks the game of hockey at a high level.
That’s what Tigers associate coach Joe Frazer said is one of the reasons the 16-year-old has gotten better this season.
“He’s gotten stronger throughout the season, he’s always thought the game so well,” Frazer said. “He’s got high hockey IQ. So he can make great plays, he’s a great passer, one of our best passers and I think the more he matures and continues to grow, he’s gonna take off.”
Andresen was drafted 11th overall by the Tigers in the 2020 draft and has only 74 games under his best in his two WHL seasons. Through more game experience while thinking the game as well as he does, Frazer sees potential in the young defenceman.
“Once he gets bigger and stronger and that’ll just come with with getting older too, and putting the work in the summer, I think he could even be a really good defenceman,” Frazer said.
Andresen put that skill on display this weekend as he had a career offensive night Friday against the Brandon Wheat Kings with a goal and two assists in a 6-3 loss. It was a tough weekend for the Tabbies as they dropped their back-to-back set with the Winnipeg Ice, losing 6-1 Saturday and 8-2 Sunday.
Andresen told the News Tuesday before the Tigers took on the Saskatoon Blades, that he’s enjoyed the bigger role he’s received with the club.
“It’s fun being on the power play and the penalty kill but I have to keep playing good to get the ice time and I just got to keep doing the best of my ability and hopefully keep getting the ice,” Andresen said.
After starting the season on the penalty kill, Andresen has been getting more and more power play time in the past two months. He says he enjoys the power play because there’s more scoring but also enjoys the role of being a penalty killer.
“It’s obviously nice shutting down the top guys, so you feel pretty good about yourself,” Andresen said.
The Tigers have rotated through their defensive pairings due to injuries which has led to a lot of different combos. As the season winds down with their final game Friday at Co-op Place against the Edmonton Oil Kings, Andresen has been slotted alongside former Blade Pasha Bocharov.
The Saskatoon product said he and Bocharov play well together and have good chemistry.
“He improves my game, we just play so well together,” Andresen said. “We have good chemistry and he gives you the puck lots which helps and he’s good at communicating all around the ice. So that helps a lot and we’re finding each other pretty good lately.”
As his sophomore season in the WHL winds up, Andresen characterized his second year as pretty good but said he has to still get better.
“I have to contribute more offensively, but it’s been good I’ve learned a lot so far and hopefully the next couple games and the next year I can contribute more offensively,” Andresen said.
