NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers rookie forward Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll stretches out ahead of a 3-0 win on Oct. 9 at Co-op Place over the Red Deer Rebels.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Medicine Hat Tigers fans have been spoiled the last few seasons when it comes to watching rookies flourish in the orange and black.
From Gavin McKenna’s four-point debut to Liam and Markus Ruck putting on a display of twin magic, there’s been a lot to be excited about. The youngest Tiger is no different, bringing excitement across all 200-feet of the ice surface.
Forward Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll has settled nicely into the centre position for Medicine Hat, working his way up through the lineup in his first season donning the orange and black.
The 15-year-old, turning 16 on Nov. 26, started the season lower in the lineup and has worked his way up through his own play, now alongside Andrew Basha and Mat Ward. Head coach Willie Desjardins says the Salt Lake City, Utah product is skilled enough to play in the top six.
“He’s fast enough too and he has enough skill to play with some more offensive guys,” Desjardins said. “With Hayden Harsanyi and Ryder Ritchie out, we’re just down numbers up there, so somebody had to step up. It’s not that other guys haven’t played really well, (Kadon) McCann has played with the Rucks and been good, as have the Rucks. We looked for someone else and Shaeffer was the guy.”
Gordon-Carroll just smiled when asked about facing the extra pressure of playing up in the lineup.
“Pressure brings opportunity and having the responsibilities out there, it gives me the opportunity so I can play my game and show how I can compete against all the other boys,” Gordon-Carroll said.
The centreman has suited up in 10 games with two goals and five points entering play Wednesday at Co-op Place against the Calgary Hitmen. His point total has him tied for 15th in rookie scoring. Where he’s stood out among his rookie counterparts is in the face-off circle, attempting the fifth-most face offs (88) with the highest winning percentage among those with more than 60 attempts (58 per cent).
His work in the dot is something he prides himself on and a skill he spent hours working on in the garage with his dad Clint. They didn’t do anything special or innovative, Gordon-Carroll says,
“I’ve just had to go up against a grown man since I was 12.”
The young forward is up for any kind of challenge, relishing the opportunity to go against the best. After being selected ninth overall by the Tigers in the 2024 U.S. Draft, he had options for the next step, play for the U.S. National program, or with the Tigers.
He saw the challenge the WHL provided and is still trying to take it with a head-on approach.
“I’m feeling a little bit more confident holding the puck now,” Gordon-Carroll said. “I can make some plays a little bit more, use my speed, trust my skating a little bit more, but I still got more work to do so I’ll keep working.”
His efforts haven’t gone unnoticed in the locker room. Captain Oasiz Wiesblatt says Gordon-Carroll reminds him of a younger version of himself many moons ago.
“He’s obviously showing a lot more skill, he’s been really good,” Wiesblatt said. “I’m really proud of how (far) he’s come and kind of developed the last 10 games. He’s come a long way.”
While he’s not practising with his dad in the garage anymore, Gordon-Carroll is facing grown men with the same NHL contracts and pedigree he hopes to achieve. To get there he says he has to get better at creating offence for himself, getting shots on net and making plays.
Desjardins’ ask of his youngest player is to add some strength and consistency to an early impressive showing.
“Getting harder to play against, being able to battle through every day, instead of being really good every second day. It’s every day,” Desjardins said.
While he feels settled in on the ice, Gordon-Carroll is also enjoying Medicine Hat more and more as he explores the city he’ll play in for at least two more years. It reminds him of Utah, just with fewer mountains, a lack of peaks he’s had to become accustomed to. He’s found an early love for Tim Horton’s iced coffee, still yet to try the infamous Iced Capp.
He’ll continue to find more spots in the city he enjoys as he grows up off the ice and as he does when he laces up, he’s going to rely on his teammates to show him the way.
“All the older guys, I’m trying to learn from them, trying to see how they play, see what I can do on the ice, what they do off ice, how they act,” Gordon-Carroll said. “Just trying to learn from it. It’s a tight group here, everybody expects a lot from each other.”
