Tigers’ Williams cracks Canadian roster

By Ryan McCracken on August 2, 2018.

Medicine Hat News

Medicine Hat Tigers forward Josh Williams will represent Canada at the Gretzy Hlinka Cup next week in Edmonton and Red Deer.

The 17-year-old Langley product was one of 11 Western Hockey League players selected to Team Canada for the eight-country tournament after a strong rookie season in the Gas City and an impressive showing at Hockey Canada’s selection camp in Calgary.

Williams potted 11 goals and added nine assists in 47 Western Hockey League games as a rookie last season after being selected fifth overall in the 2016 bantam draft. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound winger went on to add two goals in six playoff games before bowing out to the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Eastern Conference quarter-finals.

Canada opens the Gretzky Hlinka Cup Monday against Switzerland at 7 p.m.

Bjorklund battling for U17 spot

Williams isn’t the only young Tiger looking to make his mark on the international stage, as 16-year-old goaltender Garin Bjorklund just finished a strong stint with Canada Blue at the Hockey Canada U17 camp with the hope of attending the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in New Brunswick, Nov. 3-10.

Bjorklund stopped 10 of 12 shots in last Tuesday’s 5-4 win over Canada Gold.

Tigers alumni hired as AJHL coaches

Former Tigers Chris St. Jacques and Darren Reid were both hired as assistant coaches by separate Alberta Junior Hockey League teams last week.

St. Jacques will join on with the Lloydminster Bobcats while Reid will step in behind the bench of the Drayton Valley Thunder.

Reid —who also played two games for the Thunder back in 1999-2000 —played in 167 games with the Tigers from 2001 to 2004, logging 55 goals and 87 in the span.

St. Jacques joined up with the Tigers two seasons earlier, spending five years with the Tigers — including three with Reid — from 1999 to 2004. St. Jacques scored 152 goals and added 216 assists in 310 career games with Medicine Hat.

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