NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Cru Hanas acknowledges the crowd ahead of the Tigers 9-1 home opener win against the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Sept. 24.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com
As the Medicine Hat Tigers return to Co-op Place, it’s Cru Hanas’ time to shine.
The 17-year-old forward has yet to dress for the WHL club this season but has been practising and travelling with them since the start of training camp in September.
With the Tigers’ trades this week it’s likely Hanas will get into the lineup either in Friday’s game against the Red Deer Rebels, or Saturday against the Brandon Wheat Kings, both at Co-op Place.
Hanas says the coaching staff has told him to keep a good attitude, working hard every day, and his chance will come. The Highland Village, Tex. product has enjoyed being with the club and is excited to get a lineup chance.
“It’s been good, I haven’t gotten in a game yet but it’s been good practising here, getting some speed and just getting used to it,” Hanas said. “I am so excited to get into lineup again, I just can’t wait.”
Hanas signed with the Tigers in Nov. 2021 and suited up in three regular season games last season, picking up an assist in the process. This campaign he played in two of the Tigers’ preseason games and has been a part of the team since.
Last season he spent the majority of the year with the Dallas Stars Elite 16U AAA team, where he had 22 goals and 53 points in 52 games.
He was with the Tigers on their U.S. road trip, which meant he was able to visit Portland where his brother Cross spent five seasons as a Winterhawk before joining the AHL’s Grand Rapid Griffins this year.
Hanas said he had visited Portland before to watch his brother but was happy to be back to see where his sibling made his name.
Tigers associate coach Joe Frazer says they like how Hanas has performed in practice and is excited to see how he can fill in after the moves made.
“He has ability and we like him so it made these moves a little bit easier because we think Cru is going to be a really good player for us,” Frazer said. “We know we have to get him some games and we get developing him. What he is showing at practice, we’re really comfortable with him moving forward.”
