PHOTO COURTESY MEDICINE HAT TIGERS
The Medicine Hat Tigers named their leadership group on Saturday for the 2025-26 season. Defenceman Bryce Pickford (middle) was named the franchise's 42nd captain. The five other members of the leadership group are forward Misha Volotovksii (alternate), defenceman Josh Van Mulligen (assistant), Ethan Neutens (alternate), Jonas Woo (alternate) and Kadon McCann (not pictured, alternate).
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com
With the help of an old friend, the Medicine Hat Tigers announced their leadership group Saturday ahead of the season opener.
Graduating captain Oasiz Wiesblatt told the team via video conference ahead of morning skate that defenceman Bryce Pickford would don the ‘C’ as the 42nd captain in franchise history.
“To have it announced by Oasiz was pretty special, I almost got emotional there,” Pickford said. “It means a lot, I’m honoured to wear the ‘C’ for the Tigers organization and for this town. So I’m lost for words, but I’m really excited.”
The 19-year-old joined the Tigers last season via trade and led from the back end, scoring 20 goals and 47 points in 48 games while serving as an alternate captain. He had 13 goals and 24 points in 18 playoff games en route to the Tigers’ sixth Ed Chynoweth Cup championship, his second title in the WHL. Pickford won a championship with the Seattle Thunderbirds in 2023 and he was rewarded for his efforts last season as the 81st selection in the 2o25 NHL Draft by the Montreal Canadiens in June.
He says he learned from Wiesblatt last year and he hopes to replicate how the former captain led the Tigers throughout their championship season.
“He was the best captain I’ve ever played for in my life, so I definitely learned a couple things,” Pickford said. “Just how calm he is under stress environments in rinks and how he was with the guys in the group off ice. He was a great guy to be around and I miss him every day. So just try and learn from him and bring it to my leading this year.”
Associate coach Joe Frazer says Pickford changed the Tigers’ culture last season with how hard he worked off the ice and he says the Habs’ prospect has the respect of the room. He expects Pickford and the rest of the leadership group to carry the same culture Wiesblatt helped to develop during his time with the club.
“Oasiz was one of the best captains we’ve ever had here, heart and soul guy, he cared immensely about each one of his teammates and really bought into the community and doing community events, he’s beloved in this city,” Frazer said. “His lasting impression is just how much he cared about each one of his teammates, and I think our leadership group this year can learn from him and I expect them to carry that on.”
Pickford will be joined by five others in the leadership group, with overage defenceman Josh Van Mulligen serving as a full-time assistant captain. The Tigers will have alternates rotate on home and away basis, as they have in years past, with forwards Ethan Neutens, Misha Volotovskii, Kadon McCann and defenceman Jonas Woo all donning ‘A’s.
“I’m just looking forward to the opportunity to be a leader again,” Van Mulligen said. “I think we have a really good group here and obviously really happy for Pickford, I think he’ll be a great captain and that was great choice. He’ll do a good job leading us and the leadership group as a whole is going to be really good.”
Neutens and Woo will serve as alternates at home, McCann and Volotovskii on the road. With Neutens out of the lineup tonight for the season opener at Co-op Place against the Regina Pats, Volotovskii will don an ‘A’.
“They’re all veteran guys, they were with us last year, some of them were in the leadership group,” Frazer said. “Josh Van Mulligen, a career Tiger who grew up being a stick boy for us wearing an A, Misha Volotovskii, Ethan Neutens, Jonas Woo, Kadon McCann, there can’t just be one leader, you need that group.
“Even when you don’t have a letter, we expect you to be a leader. We always talk about whose team this is and we want each guy to take charge and know that it’s their team but you win with your leaders and I think we have a great group.”
It’s the first time Pickford will serve as a captain in his young hockey career. He says having the ‘C’ on his chest won’t change anything, he’ll just continue playing and working as he did previously.
“If it went to somebody else, I would still try and be the way I am, I don’t really want to change anything too much,” Pickford said. “But I think anybody can also be a leader, you don’t need a ‘C’ or an ‘A’. I think this whole team is built with leaders and that’s why we win and have success.”
Pickford will get his first game as captain tonight when the Tigers open their 56th season, hosting the Pats at Co-op Place. Before puck drop, the Tigers will raise their sixth WHL Championship banner, a moment Frazer says will be special but has to be followed with a winning effort.
“It’s the home opener, lot’s of excitement, so let’s enjoy it while it’s going on,” Frazer said. “Then as soon as that’s over, we have a huge game against Regina. These are two points in September, just as important as March, so you want to start off the right way.”
