NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Winnipeg Ice and former Medicine Hat Tigers forward Steven Arp skates through warmups in the Tigers and Ice contest Oct 1. at Co-op Place. Winnipeg beat the Tigers 5-2.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Steven Arp is excited for the new opportunity in his hockey career.
The 18-year-old Swan River, Man. product was traded from the Medicine Hat Tigers on Sept. 20 to the Winnipeg Ice for a 2025 conditional ninth round selection. He had appeared in 50 games for the Tigers in the 2021-22 season where he had three goals and nine points after signing with the club ahead of training camp that fall.
Arp has had a strong start to his season with the Ice, picking up two goals and an assist through his first four games, including a 5-2 win over the Tigers on Oct. 1 at Co-op Place.
Arp spoke with the News after the Ice’s win against Medicine Hat and said it’s good to get a change, and he is enjoying playing alongside Winnipeg’s talented roster.
“There’s so many good players, it just makes you play better and it makes you want to work harder, practice and get better and more skilled,” Arp said.
The change of teams brought Arp close to home; instead of playing two provinces away, Winnipeg’s rink is only five hours from his hometown and his sister lives in Winnipeg. He said his parents travelled to Brandon for the Ice’s season opener, a 4-3 overtime road win against the Wheat Kings.
The move brought Arp even closer to his home and family as Monday the Ice reassigned the forward to the Swan Valley Stampeders of the Manitoba Junior Hockey Leagues. The Stampeders play out of Arp’s hometown of Swan River.
As excited as Arp is for the change he says he will always love the city and organization where he started his WHL career.
“The saying is, ‘once a Tiger always a Tiger,” Arp said. “I love the Tigers, I love the organization. I’m glad for the time I had in Medicine Hat, I love the city, I love the people, it’s awesome.”
