NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Brendan Lee lines up for a face off alongside Dylan Guenther of the Edmonton Oil Kings in the first period of the Tigers 5-3 loss to Edmonton on Feb. 12.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Brendan Lee can’t seem to catch a break.
The 19-year-old Medicine Hat Tigers forward was out 19 days with a lower-body injury between Feb. 23 and Mar. 15 before returning for three games. The Seattle product then missed the team’s weekend games against Red Deer and Calgary.
Medicine Hat associate coach Joe Frazer said Tuesday that Lee will miss the remaining eight games of the schedule as he will be undergoing season-ending surgery for an upper-body injury.
Frazer said Lee returned home Sunday and had a consultation Tuesday.
“We’ve got lots of injuries lately and you feel for Brendan because he just got back from an injury and first game back scored two goals and helps us get that win,” Frazer said. “Obviously we are going to miss him, he’s got a lot of talent, can shoot the puck, great energy around the rink. Obviously a big loss, but again, other guys are going to have to step up and get more opportunity.”
Lee joined the Tigers from the Saskatoon Blades in their three-team trade with the Prince George Cougars on Dec. 28. In 22 games with the Tabbies he had five goals and 10 points.
Frazer said he hopes someone steps up and provides the vocal energy Lee brought to practice.
“It’s so fun to be out on the ice, practising with your buddies,” Frazer said. “You have to be grateful for what you get. So that energy has to be there and that has to be organic. Guys have to be excited to get better everyday and that’s something Brendan brought. He was vocal about it and that’s how you have fun getting better together, just hooting and hollering when you score and goalies are chirping when they are making saves, that’s how a team comes together.”
Lee joins Tigers captain Daniel Baker as the second player with a season-ending ailment after Baker’s final WHL season was cut short by an upper-body injury against the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Feb. 26.
The Tigers were also without forward Teague Patton over the weekend, who missed practice and according to Frazer, will also miss their three games this week. Medicine Hat is in Calgary tonight to face the Hitmen for the final time this season before a home-and-home series with the Lethbridge Hurricanes Friday and Saturday.
Forward Logan Barlage, who shared a billet home and got close with Lee, said it’s tough to see his friend go through the different injuries but it will be good for him to go home.
“It’s tough, for him to go through a lot of different injuries then ending up having to go home to get the surgery but I think it will be good for him to go home and get that done with so he can get recovered quicker and be more ready for next year,” Barlage said.
Tigers to honour Ridley
The Tigers announced Tuesday they will pay tribute to their longtime broadcaster Bob Ridley ahead of Saturday’s games.
The club will unveil a special banner in Ridley’s honour and hand out a limited number of commemorative cards before the Tigers host the Lethbridge Hurricanes Saturday night at Co-op Place.
Ridley called his 4,000th Tigers game in Feb. 2021 and stepped back from the mic at the start of the 2021-’22 season as he was undergoing radiation treatments in Lethbridge.
The doors open at 6 p.m. and the presentation will take place shortly before the 7 p.m. puck drop.
