Medicine Hat Tigers 2022 draft pick Matt Paranych appeared in 30 games for the U15 OHA Edmonton Prep team this season and had 13 goals and 39 points. -- PHOTO COURTESY MATT PARANYCH
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Matt Paranych fell in love with the Medicine Hat Tigers before they called his name in the WHL draft.
The Edmonton product said it was while watching them roll into town to take on the local Edmonton Oil Kings that they became the team he wanted to play for in the WHL.
“I fell in love with the jersey colours and Medicine Hat is probably my favorite team. It was my number one choice to go there,” Paranych said.
The 15-year-old’s dream came true during the WHL’s prospect draft May 19 when the Tigers called his name with their third round, 45th overall pick. He was able to celebrate the moment with his parents.
“I was staying at home just on the couch and I saw my name pop up and I just jumped out and hugged my dad and my mom,” Paranych said.
Draft day worked out in his favour, but Paranych said he was feeling down for a bit as he was hoping to go a little bit higher. In the end, he said he’s happy with where he ended up.
“I’m a smaller defenceman and I honestly didn’t really care where I get drafted. It’s just a number,” Paranych said. “I was a little bit down during the day, I thought I might have went a little bit higher, but looking at the bright side, Medicine Hat took me first pick in the third round and I’m really excited to be a part of the Tigers.”
The 5-foot-7, left shot defenceman with U15 OHA Edmonton joined a Tigers prospect pool that quickly became well stocked with first overall pick Gavin McKenna.
Paranych said he’s close with a lot of his fellow 2022 Tigers draft picks, having played with or against McKenna, Jack Kachkowski (89th overall pick), Hayden Harsanyi (16th), Jordan Switzer (111th) and Brody Green (133rd).
He said he’s had dreams about playing with McKenna before they joined the same team.
“I was dreaming about playing with Gavin, I’ve played with him before. He’s always been a generational guy,” Paranych said. “I think playing with him, giving him an outlet pass or giving him a one-timer, it’s going to be awesome.”
Paranych will be in Medicine Hat for Tigers spring camp running June 10-12. Last season with OHA Edmonton, Paranych put up 13 goals and 52 points in 30 games, breaking WHL star and Montreal Canadiens draft pick Kaiden Guhle’s team record of 40 points, set in 2016-17.
Paranych said he’s always looked up to Guhle and wears No. 4 because of him. He said he didn’t even realize he broke the record.
” I was on the bench and I was like, ‘Oh, I just beat Guhle’s record and I was just kind of crazy,'” Paranych said.
The last Tiger to wear No. 4 was captain Daniel Baker, who aged out of the WHL this season. Paranych, who was captain of his team last season, said it would be an honour to wear that number and someday have a letter on his jersey.
“It would be an honour to be the captain or have an assistant captain on the Tigers, wear No. 4 and just follow in the footsteps of the players that came through there,” Paranych said.
He describes himself as a small, fast, skilled, agile and mobile offensive defenceman who resembles NHL stars Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes.
Paranych has one more season of development before he can potentially join the Tigers and don No. 4. He said he’s not planning on returning to OHA next season and is trying to choose between Yale Prep and South Alberta Hockey Academy.
He said he will use the Tigers rookie camp as an opportunity to see what SAHA is all about.
Paranych does not lack confidence and is not only excited to be a Tiger and some day play for the club he’s loved for a long time, but has lofty goals for when he achieves that dream.
“I want to come in, have a big impact on the Tigers, get my name out there, play the right way and try to get drafted to the NHL one day.”
