FILE PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Defenceman Kurtis Smythe finished his Western Hockey League career with the Medicine Hat Tigers after playing for the Portland Winterhawks for three seasons.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
If Kurtis Smythe were to write out thank-you cards for everyone who made an impact on his WHL career, the 20-year-old would need a lot of stamps.
The Cloverdale, B.C. defenceman totalled 178 games in his Western Hockey League career, with four goals and 44 points between three seasons in Portland as a Winterhawk and his final year in Medicine Hat as a Tiger where he played a predominant shutdown role.
He says he couldn’t ask for anything better when he reflects on his junior career.
“It was definitely a big learning curve, even off the ice, it is a whole different thing,” Smythe said. “I felt like since I came into the league to now I’ve grown a lot as a person and feeling like I’m becoming more of a man. I still have a lot to learn still, I’m only 20, but it’s been a cool ride.
“I’ve met a lot of great people along the way and played on some really good teams, played with some really great players and had great coaches.”
He played under Portland coaching legend Mike Johnston and the winningest coach in Tigers history, Willie Desjardins. Smythe says he enjoyed playing in both organizations and getting to learn from both staffs.
“I’ll always be a Winterhawk and I take good pride in that,” Smythe said. “The coaches there and the players there, when I came in when I was younger, really taught me how to do things the right way and how to come to the rink every day trying to be a pro. That’s the biggest thing I took out of the Portland organization, out of all the life lessons I learned was just to act like a pro, be like a pro. That comes not even with hockey but in life too, so I’m super grateful for that.
“It’s been a lot of fun just being a Tiger, a lot of same things in Portland, too. The coaching staff here has done a great job with me, showing me and teaching me new things.”
Smythe was originally drafted 42nd overall in 2017 by the Saskatoon Blades before his rights were traded to Portland. He hopes to be remembered in the league as a player who left it all out on the ice and was always a friend teammates could count on to listen.
Smythe says he’s going to miss the simple parts of playing junior hockey.
“I feel like playing in the WHL when you’re younger, you might take it for granted a little bit, but these two organizations, I couldn’t have had anything better – you get treated like a pro every day,” Smythe said. “It’s kind of hard not to be treated like that anymore. You have that feeling like that’s not going to be like that anymore but that’s just how it is. I’ll miss just coming to the rink and being around the guys, being on the road with the guys and those times on the bus and in the hotels, going out for dinner, those are the best times.”
Smythe wasn’t sure what’s next for his hockey career but says he’ll make that decision by the end of the summer. Until then, he’ll spend time with family and pass out as many thank-yous as he can.
“My mom and dad have been huge, my brother and my family, but especially those guys, they’ve helped me through a lot,” Smythe said. “They’ve been there for me when things aren’t going well, they’re there when things are going great. They’ve always been supportive, and I can’t thank them enough.
“All the coaches I had, I’ve had some great coaches and all the older guys when I came in when I was younger, I feel like I really took a lot from those guys and they taught me well.”
Growing up Smythe was a Vancouver Giants fan and always enjoyed every opportunity he got to go see a game and all the players. He was just as happy to fulfil the dream of that young kid and play in that same league years later.
“I would go to Giants games and always look up to the guys in the WHL, and look up the guys’ stats after games and watch players,” Smythe said. “If I was a fortunate enough to see myself play four years, play as a 20-year-old and play on some good teams, I think I’d be pretty proud of myself.
