SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS BRIAN LIESSE
Former Medicine Hat Tigers forward Lukas Svejkovsky celebrates one of his three goals for the Seattle Thunderbirds in their 6-2 win against the Vancouver Giants on Mar. 26.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
While the Medicine Hat Tigers rejoice at getting the first overall pick Thursday, a number of their former players are getting ready for the playoffs.
Five former Tigers traded this season will be taking part in the first Western Hockey League playoffs since the 2018-19 season.
Lethbridge Hurricanes forward Corson Hopwo was on that Tigers team, which lost in the first round to the Edmonton Oil Kings in six games.
Hopwo, in his final WHL year, will once again face the Oil Kings in the first round of the playoffs. The 20-year-old is excited for post season.
“Nervous as well, but excited to get things going,” Hopwo told the News ahead of Thursday night’s Game 1 of the series against Edmonton. “To start playoffs again, we haven’t had playoffs in a bit, so it’s pretty exciting.”
Since joining the Hurricanes at the Jan. 17 trade deadline, Hopwo has four goals and 10 points in 31 games for Lethbridge, which fought its way into the seventh seed. Gearing up for the Oil Kings, Hopwo said he thinks the ‘Canes will do big things if they embrace the underdog mentality.
“We’re kind of on the upswing and trending in the right direction, so I think it’s going to be a good playoffs for us,” Hopwo said.
Lukas Svejkovsky was not on the 2019 Tigers when they lost to Edmonton, but was a member of the Vancouver Giants, falling short in the WHL finals to the Prince Albert Raiders. He’s a part of the Seattle Thunderbirds who are gearing up to face the Kelowna Rockets in a first-round series.
Svejkovsky said that playoff run with Vancouver will help keep him confident in this year’s playoffs.
“I think that helped my confidence and I know what playoff hockey in this league is like, so I think everyone’s going to step their game up a notch, Svejkovsky said. “I’m excited, it’s going to be a battle.”
The 20-year-old was traded from the Tigers to Seattle on Dec. 27 and has caught fire ever since. In 33 games donning the green and blue, Svejkovsky had 22 goals and 46 points. His play garnered the attention of the NHL club which drafted him 108th in 2020, the Pittsburgh Penguins, signing him to an entry-level deal April 5. Svejkovsky said getting that deal was exciting as expected but that he hasn’t had a lot of time to reflect on it ahead of the playoffs.
“I’m thinking about other things right now; I want a ring here with Seattle,” Svejkovsky said. “I was super honoured to sign with an organization like Pittsburgh.”
Hopwo and Svejkovksy are joined by Saskatoon Blades defenceman Ryan Nolan and Prince George Cougars forwards Carlin Dezainde and Cayden Glover as Tigers forwards traded this year participating in the playoffs.
Nolan and the Blades are taking on the Moose Jaw Warriors while the Cougars are facing the Portland Winterhawks.
