NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Oren Shtrom heads back up ice for the Tigers during their 4-3 win against the Lethbridge Hurricanes Saturday night. Shtrom had a goal in that game and registered an assist in Medicine Hat's 3-2 loss Friday night to the Hurricanes. The 16-year-old is entering his first full season with the orange and black.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Going from being a rookie to filling a role in less than a year will be a quick transition for a couple of Tigers.
In last year’s shortened WHL season, Oren Shtrom and Carlin Dezainde were only rookies with Medicine Hat. Now as the team faces a full 68 game regular season, they will become role players on a potentially young team.
For Shtrom, this year provides him an opportunity to build off of his first season in Medicine Hat and help some of the younger guys coming into the lineup.
“We’ve got a mix this year of older guys and younger guys and with the guys last year, I think we all got a lot better, so I’m excited to see where we go,” Shtrom said.
The Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que. product suited up for 22 games with the Tigers last season, where he had five goals and 14 points. He also got into four games with the SAHA team and had two goals and three points at the U18 level. He plans to share some of his experiences in his rookie year with the new guys joining the team this season.
“Just the transition into the league with the stronger guys and the faster play and just how much more responsible your game has to be,” he said. “I think just being able to translate that to the younger kids will help.”
The 16-year-old had a goal and an assist through the Tigers’ first two pre-season games against Lethbridge. He says he is looking forward to growing with the team through this weekend’s action against the Swift Current Broncos and continuing the success they’ve had so far.
For Dezainde, he’s just glad to be working alongside his teammates again and getting back on the ice.
The Calgary product appeared in 13 games last season for Medicine Hat, he had one goal and four points in those contests. He is looking to bring some leadership qualities into this season from last year to help the new young players and the team as a whole.
“As a young guy, I want to be able to put my work that I spent this summer on and bring it back from last season to the team. I think learning the culture from the guys is probably the biggest thing for me,” Dezainde said.
The 16-year-old could be required to fill a top-six centre role for the Tigers after the team lost veterans at the position in Brett Kemp and Ryan Chyzowski this off-season. It’s a challenge Dezainde says he welcomes.
“That’s where I hope to be, that’s my goal. But put me where the coaches want me to play and I’m going to do my job to be the best where they put me,” he said.
Medicine Hat’s next action is another home-and-home series with the Broncos. First game of the series is in Swift Current Friday night with the Tigers playing host on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Any fans in attendance must be masked and provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within the last 72 hours.
