Tigers in no rush to replace Smith

By RYAN MCCRACKEN on September 30, 2020.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken

Willie Desjardins is in no hurry to fill the void left by outgoing assistant coach Ryan Smith.

The Medicine Hat Tigers head coach and general manager told the News on Tuesday that with so much still to be determined before a potential Western Hockey League season can begin, he won’t be rushing through resumes just yet.

“Until we figure out when we’re going to play, I think once we kind of settle a few of those issues, then we’ll figure out what we’re going to do as far as filling the position,” said Desjardins, adding the hope is still for a Dec. 4 start. “Everybody’s hoping for that date. It all depends on the government and health authorities, when we can go. Nothing has changed as far as the organization. Our first concern is still our players and our fans – their safety is most important. And you have to rely on the health authorities, they’ll tell us what we can and can’t do.”

Smith spent two years as an assistant coach with the Tigers – focusing on special teams – before opting to take on an associate coaching position with the Spokane Chiefs on Monday. In his two seasons with the Tigers, the team managed a 76-46-6-3 record.

“Ryan was a good part of our organization for sure,” said Desjardins, adding the team understood it was a promising opportunity that Smith needed to follow. “They were certainly understanding that if this was a better fit for him that it would be the way to go.”

Smith says he will always fondly remember his years in the Gas City, for his time behind the bench and with the team’s staff behind the scenes.

“I really enjoyed my time in Medicine Hat,” said Smith. “We had a really good team last year. Working with Willie and working with Joe (Frazer) day-in and day-out, and Sumeet (Wareh, video coach), and Matt Wong, and all the guys, it’s a really good crew. Mikki (Lanuk, trainer) and Bobby (Fox, director of player personnel) and the scouts.”

For the time being, Desjardins is left with assistant coach Joe Frazer, who is entering his 11th season behind the bench after putting in two years as a right winger with the Tigers from 2008-10.

“Joe is outstanding,” said Desjardins. “He’s a big, big part of the organization. I’m really confident he knows the players well, he knows the organization really well – what we’re doing, what we need to do. He’s in touch with the players all the time. He’s a key feature for us and it’s always good to know that he’s here.”

Anderson a Clipper

Tigers forward Baxter Anderson has moved on from the Western Hockey League and began his next chapter with the British Columbia Hockey League’s Nanaimo Clippers this weekend.

The 20-year-old Fort Langley, B.C. product made his debut with the Clippers on Sept. 26, helping his new squad secure a 4-3 victory over the rival Victoria Grizzlies.

“We’re happy that he’s getting a chance to play and I know he’ll do a good job,” said Desjardins. “He brought a lot of energy and certainly made a difference late in the year when we got him centering one of the lines. He was a great part of our team and that’s always a tough part with the 20s – you’re only allowed so many so you can’t keep them. It’s not that you don’t want to keep them, you just can’t.”

Anderson put in 172 games with the Tigers over parts of four campaigns, largely filling an energy role but recording 13 goals and 14 assists in the span – including 14 points in 63 games this season.

The 5-foot-9, 172-pound forward was one of eight impending overage players alongside goaltender Mads Søgaard, defenceman Cole Clayton and forwards Ryan Chyzowski, Brett Kemp, Bryan Lockner, Cyle McNabb and Elijah Brown. That number will need to be trimmed to three when the WHL returns for another season.

Desjardins says none of the team’s seven remaining overagers have decided to compete elsewhere as of yet, but plenty remains up in the air with COVID-19 threatening to push the WHL’s start date back even further.

“It’s really hard to say what’s going to happen with the league. Everybody is looking to try to figure that out,” he said. “Until we get that settled it’s kind of a bit of an unknown.”

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