Chyzowski to captain Tigers

By RYAN MCCRACKEN on February 25, 2021.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken

With 257 games of Western Hockey League experience under his belt, Ryan Chyzowski is set to lead the Medicine Hat Tigers into a season like no other.

The 20-year-old centre was officially named captain of the Tigers on Wednesday, with his team’s 24-game season set to begin Friday in Red Deer. Fellow overagers Brett Kemp and Cole Clayton will serve as the team’s main alternate captains, while a third “A” will be rotated between 19-year-old forwards Corson Hopwo and Lukas Svejkovsky.

“They’re all great guys that I’m pretty close with,” Chyzowski said of his leadership group in a Wednesday Zoom conference with media. “It makes it a lot easier having a leadership group where we’re all pretty much captains, we’re all equal with each other. It’s fun to lead with them and it’s fun to work through adversity with them.”

It may only be for 24 games as opposed to the traditional 68, but Chyzowski – who is in his final season of WHL eligibility – says that fact doesn’t make the title of captain any less meaningful.

“Any time you can be established as a leader in this organization is pretty special, even if it’s 24 games – it really doesn’t matter,” he said. “It’s obviously an honour to be the captain of such a great franchise. It’s been somewhere I’ve been able to call home for five years, I love it here and it’s just great to be back playing here.”

Tigers head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins says the leadership group was chosen by a vote among players, and Chyzowski came out as the clear favourite for captain.

“The guys all wanted him. He was pretty well a unanimous pick,” said Desjardins. “That just reflects on his character, who he is and how he treats the old players and young players alike. It was good to see. He’s a quality individual, he’s a quality hockey player and we’re fortunate to have somebody like that leading us.”

After playing six games as a 15-year-old affiliate, Chyzowksi cracked a full-time spot on the 2016-17 roster and worked his way up the ranks, cementing his place as a leader last year with an alternate captaincy under James Hamblin.

“Five years does happen fast, especially when it’s so fun here. It’s kind of sad to think about too, that it’s coming to an end, but I’ve loved it here and I wouldn’t change any day of it,” said Chyzowski. “I remember when I was young, and all the older guys saying it goes by pretty quick – and here I am now in my fifth year. I look back at it and I remember by 16-year-old days like it was not too long ago. It’s special.”

Clayton says he’s thrilled to represent the team as an alternate for a second year, and believes the team made the right call in stitching the “C” onto Chyzowski’s chest.

“I think he’s a great leader for everyone. He can relate to everyone, he’s been through everything and I think he’s the perfect guy to wear the ‘C’ for us,” said Clayton. “There’s been lots of great leaders that have come through this organization and I think we’ve got a really good group here, so it’s good and I’m happy to be chosen for that role.”

Chyzowski collected 34 goals and 35 assists through 62 games before the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the cancellation of the 2019-20 season. Desjardins says he wasn’t completely expecting the 6-foot-1, 170-pound Kamloops product to return to the team this season, but he’s glad to have him leading the way.

“He’s a good hockey player and I thought he might get some pro interest, but fortunately for us he didn’t get it this year,” said Desjardins. “That’s not to say he won’t get it next year, because I think he’s that good of a player.”

Trade deadline today

The WHL’s trade deadline is scheduled for today, but after nearly a year to plan for the season, Desjardins says he doesn’t expect too much action on the wire.

“I think the trade deadline is just about the same as every other day right now,” said Desjardins. “We’ve had lots of time, so if we were going to make a trade we might as well have made it yesterday or the day before. It’s not like you’re looking to really make any moves. Maybe something comes up, but we’ve all had like 10 months to figure that out so I don’t expect there will be a lot of movement on the trade deadline.”

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