Patton won’t forget tough Tigers season
By JAMES TUBB on May 18, 2022.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com
Teague Patton isn’t ready to forget the 2021-22 season.
The 18-year-old Medicine Hat Tigers forward said the worst season in team history is going to be in the back of his mind every time he is training this summer.
“We can’t go through that again next year, we can’t be at the bottom. We have to be winning games and be better,” Patton said. “I’m just taking that into every workout I do this summer, every ice time I have, to come back next year just ready to go.”
Patton finished his first full season in the WHL with 10 goals and 21 points in 59 games. He missed a couple of stretches in the season with injuries, including missing the last nine games of the campaign.
The Kelowna product seemed to find his stride this season when slotted alongside Oasiz Wiesblatt and rookie Andrew Basha. That line stayed intact, unless injury interfered, from the beginning of February until the end of the season. Patton said he wants to build off that end of the season for next year.
“I thought I had confidence at the start of the year and then it kind of got away from me as the year went on,” Patton said. “At the Christmas break, I dialed it back in and started playing with more confidence and found those players to play with. I just want to build on that for next year, that ending of the season and just get better.”
Patton said he sees the trio having big summers of training and being role players for the Tigers next season.
“I’m excited to see what they’re looking like in the fall and how we can come play together better next year,” Patton said.
“We can have a bigger part in this team, lead this team with other guys at forward and at defence, so I’m excited for next year.”
Tigers associate coach Joe Frazer said Patton had a strong second half and his line was a big part of the Tigers offence.
“He had a real good second half,” Frazer said. “That line with Basha and Wiesblatt found some chemistry, created a lot of scoring chances for us and you have to believe if they put the work in this summer, we have to get quicker, those chances will go in for us next year.”
Patton said he’s focusing on his strength and speed this summer to help win puck battles and beat defenders 1-on-1 down low. When he’s not training or on the ice, Patton said he likes to hit the beach.
“My dad has a boat, so I’ll go on that quite a bit in the summer,” Patton said. “Lots of my friends go boating in Kelowna, that’s a big thing but just hanging out with friends, family and going on camping trips.”
He wouldn’t take the title of ‘Captain Patton’ on the boat but said he drives it here and there.
Despite being injured to end the season, Patton was able to get on the bus for the team’s Manitoba road trip and enjoy the final trip with his teammates. He said it meant a lot to be with his friends one last time for the year, especially those that are moving on.
“Those 20-year-old’s, they’ve all had great careers and are such great guys, I love everyone on the team,” Patton said. “That last road trip was a lot of fun, just bonding with the guys again before not not seeing each other for a while. We spent a lot of time with each other this year and it was pretty special to get through that with them.”
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