The Medicine Hat Tigers drafted Okanagan Hockey Academy Colorado forward Owen Hayes with the 16th pick in the first round of the WHL's 2024 U.S. Priority Draft on May 8, 2024. Hayes signed with the Tigers on Wednesday.--PHOTO COURTESY MADDY ACORN
@MedicineHatNews
The Medicine Hat Tigers announced a signing Wednesday morning.
The Tigers put pen to paper with 2024 U.S. Priority Draft pick Owen Hayes. They drafted the 16-year-old 16th overall in May 2024.
Hayes, a product of Littleton, Col., played for the Okanagan Hockey Academy Colorado U15AAA, leading the team in scoring with 21 goals and 76 points in 49 games.
In a press release Wednesday, Tigers director of player personnel Bobby Fox praised Hayes’ game.
“Owen is an offensive forward known for his exceptional two-way effort and habits,” Fox said. “He’s a skilled playmaker with tons of puck poise, he consistently delivers head’s-up plays, showcasing strong vision and game sense.”
Hayes attended the Tigers rookie camp in summer 2024 and training camp later that fall before returning to OHA Colorado. After drafting Hayes in 2024, Fox spoke with the News and touted Hayes as the go-to guy for OHA.
“He has high compete and is a high-skill two-way forward,” Fox told the News in 2024. “The things that had us attracted to him as a player was his two-way compete. He wasn’t one dimensional but he has high offensive ability as well.”
Hayes is just the third U.S. Priority Draft selection to sign with the Tigers sign the draft’s inception in 2020. They signed defenceman Kolby Gapter in 2022, trading him to the Vancouver Giants at the 2024 WHL trade deadline. Later that summer, the Tigers signed forward Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll who they selected in the 2023 U.S. Draft.
Gordon-Carroll has taken big strides in his rookie season in the orange and black, centring the Tigers’ youth line with Markus and Liam Ruck. In 55 regular season games he had six goals and 25 points, adding two goals and four points in 12 playoff games entering Game 4 Wednesday at Lethbridge against the Hurricanes.
The 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft will be May 8, a day after the Penticton Vees expansion draft and the first round of the WHL Prospect Draft take place. Following the U.S. Draft, the remaining rounds of the WHL Prospects Draft will take place.
