NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Carter Chorney blocks a shot from Red Deer's Kalan Lind in the first period of the Tigers 11-1 loss to the Rebels on Tuesday.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Carter Chorney is being relied upon for his veteran presence now more than ever.
The 20-year-old forward signed with the Medicine Hat Tigers in December after the club traded fellow overager Lukas Svejkovsky.
Tigers head coach Willie Desjardins said after the signing, Chorney was signed to bring experience to a young Tigers lineup. With last weekend’s season-ending injury to 20-year-old captain Daniel Baker, Chorney and centre Logan Barlage are the remaining active veterans.
Associate coach Joe Frazer said Chorney has been really good for the Tigers and credited how he’s worked with his younger teammates.
“(It) just speaks to Carter’s ability to be welcoming and bring young guys in,” Frazer said. “I can’t say enough how well he’s treated the young guys and relished the opportunity to lead them and try to help them as much as he can.”
Chorney said with his personal friend Baker going down, he would be taking his leadership role even more serious.
“Especially with Dan being out it’s just me and Bar’ in there, so I think taking a leadership role a little more serious is a big thing,” Chorney said.
On top of providing leadership, Chorney has played hard on the puck below the goal line and has won a majority of his puck battles. The Sherwood Park product said he’s found confidence over the last couple games.
Frazer said his compete level has helped his line in the game and practice.
“Last game we moved him to centre and I thought defensively his awareness and compete level, it really helped his line. He’s been great for us off the ice, great leader. Guys gravitate towards him and his energy. Then on the ice, you watch him at practice and he’s one of our hardest workers and he sets that tempo and compete level at practice.”
Chorney has also played a role on the Tigers penalty kill, taking draws and facing some of the league’s best power plays. Frazer said the Tigers knew he would be a great competitor when they signed him and it’s shown on the kill.
“Penalty kill is one of those things you have to compete at,” Frazer said. “He’s very willing to block shots and you need that on the penalty kill, especially with Baker going down. He’s stepped right up. But he’s been great on the kill and he’s quick enough to pressure when we need to.”
Chorney and the Tigers received good news in Friday’s practice when forward Tyler MacKenzie skated in a normal practice jersey. When asked if that was a positive sign for Saturday’s game against the Swift Current Broncos at Co-op Place, Frazer smiled.
“I think fans will be excited tomorrow,” Frazer said.
MacKenzie has been out of the lineup since Jan. 22 with an upper-body injury. He draws back into the lineup at a good time for the Tigers, who have been hit hard by injuries lately besides Baker. Forwards Noah Danielson and Brendan Lee and goalie Beckett Langkow have all hit the injury shelf.
