Tigers seeing results from import draft

By JAMES TUBB on November 3, 2021.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

The 2021 CHL import draft has already paid off for the Tigers and it appears it’s only going to get better.

Defenceman Bogdans Hodass, who the Tigers took 71st overall in the import draft, has emerged early this season as a power-play quarterback who isn’t afraid to lay the body. The 6-foot-3 Latvian has been one of Medicine Hat’s top point producers through the first 11 games with two goals and eight assists.

He could be joined on the blue line by another European as early as this week according to head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins.

Desjardins said Tuesday that the Tigers are hopeful Gleb Ivanov, who they picked 55th overall in the same import draft as Hodass, could be with the team as soon as today.

“We can’t say that until we see him but hopefully he will be here,” Desjardins said.

He added it was too early to tell if Ivanov would dress this weekend when the Tigers play in Swift Current Friday and against Moose Jaw at home Saturday. Ivanov is the most recent Russian selected by the Tigers since they took Vasily Podkolzin in 2018, however Podkolzin did not play a single game in Medicine Hat. The last Russian import to dress in more than two games for the Tigers was Alexi Provkin, who only played 16 games.

As for Hodass, the import who looks to play a big role for the Tigers this season, Desjardins said in a previous interview that Hodass has picked up the North American game very well so far.

“He’s been good but he’s going to get better. I think it does take awhile,” Desjardins said. “When I see him now, he’s better than he was two weeks ago so his upward limit, I don’t know where it is yet. We know he’s a good player. He’s got a heavy shot, he’s been doing a good job on the power play, so those are all good things for him.”

The 18-year-old Hodass says the biggest difference he’s noticed from European hockey to North American has been the close games.

“Here the biggest difference is that every game is a tied game,” Hodass said. “Every game against every team is not an easy game and it’s every game tied. I like that for games because it means mentality games, physical games and I like that.”

Hodass has quickly taken over the PP quarterback role with half of his points coming on the man advantage, including his two goals. He says he enjoys playing on the power play and the trust it shows from the coaching staff.

“For every player it feels good playing on the power play, it’s something we practice every day and I think we play good on the power play so we’ll just keep going and get results.”

Dan Baker, Medicine Hat’s veteran presence on the back end, says Hodass has one of the best shots in the WHL and it’s pretty special to see him succeed this early in the year. Hodass says he enjoys playing with Baker because it means the Tigers need them to produce offensively.

“He helps me so much. Sometimes we play together more towards the end of the period when the games tied we play together,” Hodass said. “We play more offensive and try to score and I like playing with him, he’s a good guy.”

Hodass doesn’t have any individual goals to reach but as most hockey players, he says he wants to make the playoffs in Medicine Hat.

“Of course we want to make the playoffs and every team wants to win the championship, it’s our goal and every team’s goal. We work hard every day, practice every day… of course we want to make playoffs and then we get results.”

18
-17