PHOTO COURTESY Scott Paulus Milwaukee Admirals
Former Medicine Hat Tigers captain Oasiz Wiesblatt has found success in his first professional hockey season with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals.
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Oasiz Wiesblatt has always tried to keep his feet in one place, taking whatever is thrown at him one day at a time.
It was his strategy in Medicine Hat as he entrenched himself among the top captains in Tigers’ history, and it’s how he’s managing each new day at the professional level.
The former Tigers captain has found success in his first AHL season with the Milwaukee Admirals. He’s putting up points and, in typical Oasiz Wiesblatt fashion, endearing himself to the home crowd.
“I feel really honoured to wear the Admirals jersey, I take a lot of pride with it, the same I did with Medicine Hat,” Wiesblatt said. “It’s been interesting, the guys have been great to me and the coaches have been great with me.
“It’s been a good start, it’s been really new with a lot of highs and lows but it’s been good.”
The 21-year-old went from being one of the oldest players in the Tigers locker room, the last remaining player from pre-COVID affected seasons, to one of the youngest in Milwaukee, getting to know teammates and their families. Wiesblatt has enjoyed getting to know his new group and hanging around with their kids at the rink while also getting acclimated with the pro game.
Entering play Tuesday he’s tallied eight goals and 17 points in 26 AHL games, also dropping the gloves five times.
“I’ve realized just how bad everyone wants it every night and how important compete is, it’s a lot of one-on-one battles,” Wiesblatt said about the pro game. “I think Willie (Desjardins) did a really good job teaching me through those when I was there, all of the coaching staff did. The one thing I’ve picked up was the compete level is a lot different.”
Wiesblatt’s enjoyed learning from head coach Karl Taylor and his staff, thankful for getting the opportunities he’s had for success. He admits he misses seeing Desjardins and Tigers associate coach Joe Frazer at the rink every day.
“I don’t think you’re going to get a better person or better coach than Willie, he was such a player’s coach and I could speak for days about Willie and how great he was to me, the team and the city, that’s nothing against my coach here, he’s a great coach, but Willie really holds a special place in my heart,” Wiesblatt said. “Joe doe, too. Those two were like a father figure for me. They helped me when I was 15 to 21, so they did a great job.”
Wiesblatt gives all credit for his offensive success to his late brother Orca, who died suddenly on Sept. 14. Oasiz has been wearing Orca’s No. 88 in memory of his brother.
“I feel like Orca is giving me the points,” Wiesblatt said. “Just getting the opportunity to wear his number and represent his name and number, I thank him after every game for giving me that.”
The Wiesblatt family received a flood of support from the hockey world following the tragic news, something Wiesblatt says was a special feeling that represented the impact his brother had on the game.
“A lot of people are thinking of you and especially now, the hockey community has been really good to me, even the players on other teams in the pro levels have come up to me and offered their condolences,” Wiesblatt said. “Everyone who got to know Orca knew he was a special person.”
He’s been able to lean on his family, including older brother Ozzy, who has spent the full season with the Nashville Predators, and family friend Jake Neighbours of the St. Louis Blues. Both have offered him advice about the pro level.
He’s also gotten to share the year alongside fellow former Tiger Tanner Molendyk, who is also in his first season at the pro level. The pair live in an apartment together alongside rookie Andrew Gibson. Wiesblatt says living with those two is the only way he could survive.
“I for sure knew I couldn’t live by myself, not just because of learning stuff or cooking stuff, but just living wise, I wasn’t sure if I could do it just yet,” Wiesblatt said. “Having two other guys right around my age, obviously in the first year of pro, is
a good experience for us.”
He says they have a market near their apartment allowing them to get fresh food, cooking a lot of steaks or sausages. They also play a lot of video games, any game they can face off one on one.
It’s a continuation of constant competition that he feels on a daily basis, looking to prove he belongs with each shift and each rep in the gym. That’s his focus for the rest of the year, the first of a three-year deal with the Admirals – show he deserves the opportunity.
“Just show that I can compete hard … I’ve been taking everything just kind of one day at a time and that’s what I think just helps me is not looking too far ahead,” Wiesblatt said. “I just want to be competing every day and getting better every day to get that opportunity.”
