Barlage excited for pro hockey opportunity

By JAMES TUBB on September 10, 2022.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

Logan Barlage had his mind set on making a hockey decision this summer and he did just that.

The 21-year-old signed a deal with the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL and is ready to get the next step of his hockey career underway.

“I’m really looking forward to it, I think Fort Wayne is going to be a good opportunity for me and I’m just excited to get my pro career going and hopefully do good right away there,” Barlage said.

The former Lethbridge Hurricanes and Medicine Hat Tigers forward has spent the first part of the summer in Wainwright, Sask. skating with his brother and a group of guys before returning home to Humboldt where he’s been skating with his brother and the Jr. A Broncos.

Fort Wayne will be the furthest he’s played from home, with the home of the Komets a 22 hour drive from Humboldt. Barlage said it’ll be quite the drive but is excited to join a team he thinks will compliment the type of player he is.

“Just talking to the Komets, it sounds like they really like the type of player I am and they’ve watched clips of me playing and thought that I would fit on their team really well,” Barlage said. “That was really exciting for me and they’re a good team every year, they’ve won championships. So I think being on a good team and having team success will also give me personal success, so I think going there is a good opportunity for me.”

The Komets won the ECHL’s Kelly Cup in 2021. They are affiliated with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors and the Edmonton Oilers.

Barlage finished his WHL career with 292 games played, the highest amount of any active players in the 2021-22 season. He had 64 goals and 170 points in his career with the Swift Current Broncos, Hurricanes and Tigers.

He said he took and learned a lot from his time in the Western Hockey League with the biggest take away being getting better every day and enjoying his time at the rink alongside him teammates. Barlage said he knows his younger self would be proud to hear that he is going to be a professional hockey player.

“The goal is to make it as high as I can and I want to do that and I’ve been pushing myself this summer to get ready to get the call, be ready if it happens and just be ready to have a really good year,” Barlage said. “I’m really looking forward to playing pro hockey.”

Tigers head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins spoke with a smile as he talked about hearing the news of Barlage signing his pro deal.

“It was good, he came in with a great attitude for us last year and it’s tough being in one place for a long time and coming to us he had a really good attitude and played hard,” Desjardins said. “He did it because he wanted to get a contract, so it’s great to see that happen.”

He’s also excited that the Komets also have the colours of orange and black, like the Tigers. He said he fell in love with the Tigers jersey and will be proud to wear orange and black again.

“I can’t say enough about how much the Tigers helped me and how much Willie and the coaches helped me here to improve myself as a player and know what I have to do to play at the next level,” Barlage said. “I’m excited for Tigers this year and it should be an exciting year for them and I’ll be watching.”

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