NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Dallon Melin stretches ahead of a 6-1 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings on Nov. 23 at Co-op Place.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Dallon Melin is thankful for the different experiences he got while playing in the Western Hockey League.
The 21-year-old spent five seasons in the WHL, amassing 254 games with 38 goals and 91 points, spending four years of his career in Red Deer as a Rebel. He joined the Medicine Hat Tigers for his overage season and had his best offensive numbers, putting up 16 goals and 41 points in 67 games.
Whether it was playing through the COVID-19 seasons or switching teams in his final year, Melin says he’s thankful for the ups and downs he had to navigate in his career.
“Those things just make you stronger all around,” Melin said. “The ups and downs in this are nothing compared to the ups and downs a lot of people have to deal with. I’m really privileged to have gotten this opportunity.”
The forward from Czar, Alta. always enjoyed getting on the road with his teammates and getting to enjoy what the league had to offer. His favourite spot to eat is The Mad Greek in Moose Jaw.
“It’s getting on the bus with the boys and just going out for a couple of weeks, all you have is what’s in your bag and you just play hockey,” Melin said. “You get to see all the different places, all the different buildings where people have played in years past, NHL players, things like that.
“In Brandon I always felt like I played good. I like Prince Albert, those old barns, Swift (Current) too, just the old rinks where lots of people played. Obviously playing in NHL rinks is cool but P.A., Brandon are ones that just stick out to me, you really have to get in the trenches in those barns.”
Melin was a 32nd overall pick of the Victoria Royals in 2017 before being traded to Red Deer as a 16-year-old. He enjoyed playing for both the Rebels and Tigers and is thankful for each giving him different opportunities.
“It’s nothing but positives, I was able to come into the league young and played with a lot of good players coming up,” Melin said. “I learned a lot from everybody and then learned a lot from all of the coaches and all the different situations I played in. I had different roles on every team, different roles in different seasons. Just as far as both organizations go, I couldn’t say enough good things.”
Heading into the summer working on the farm Melin says he isn’t sure what is next for his hockey career but sees a lot of options ahead with school in the consideration. Melin says he’s extremely thankful for his family for their unwavering support throughout his career.
“They did everything for me to get to this level, they supported me all the way through my parents, my grandparents, my sister and obviously all the coaches I met along the way,” Melin said. “But most importantly, my family has been with me through it all. They drove me to the gym every day, 40 minutes from my house growing up, drove me to practice and did everything.”
He’s also thankful for all of his teammates who made coming to the rink every day nothing but fun and a sense of pride.
“It comes down to missing the guys, every second day you’re going to battle with the guys and I feel like there’s a lot of hockey left for me to play wherever that happens,” Melin said. “But for now it’s just kind of the same, getting on the road with the guys, hanging out, playing games in the old rinks, playing against other WHL teams. The things I dreamed about doing as a kid and I got to do for five years.”
He says a 14-year-old Dallon Melin would see one thing in his WHL career:
“A complete badass.”
