NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers prospect Koray Bozkaya scans the play in-front of him during a scrimmage at Tigers' training camp Friday at Co-op Place.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Koray Bozkaya has been living on clouds the last couple weeks.
The 15-year-old defenceman took part in the Medicine Hat Tigers training camp over the weekend, a couple of weeks removed from signing his WHL scholarship and development agreement with the club.
He was all smiles Sunday talking about getting to compete at camp and officially join the orange and black.
“It was really good, an awesome experience, was really fast paced, so I needed some time to get used to, it but it’s really fun,” Bozkaya said. ” I love the facility, the gym, the ice is amazing. It’s great to know all of the guys, too.”
Bozkaya was selected 53rd overall by the Tigers in the 2023 WHL draft after he put up 10 goals and 20 points in 24 games played with the U15 Yale Academy Lions. Bozkaya had just left school and was in the car when his friends texted him that he had been drafted by the Tigers. Looking back at the selection, Bozkaya says he’s looking forward to being part of the local franchise.
“Medicine Hat’s organization is just incredible and some great history,” Bozkaya said. “Willie (Desjardins) is a great coach, it’s just amazing to be part of it.”
Bozkaya was one of eight members of the Tigers’ 2023 draft class who were in attendance at training camp. He says there were multiple aspects of the camp he looks to bring back to his fall season.
“It’s a little faster, so have to adapt to the fast pace more, less stick handles and just move the puck faster,” Bozkaya said.
He describes his game on the blue line as an offensive approach with a focus on transitioning the puck.
“I move the puck and jump on the offence and join the rush,” Bozkaya said. “I like to use my stick a lot when forwards are coming down, I’ll use just a quick poke check and move up the ice with my forwards.”
The Maple Ridge, B.C. product was one of five Tigers’ 2008-born prospects in the lineup Tuesday night when they kicked off the WHL’s preseason action at Lethbridge against the Hurricanes. The other four prospects were forwards Liam and Markus Ruck, Avery Watson and defenceman Riley Steen.
Tigers Sign Watson
Medicine Hat put pen to paper with a fifth member of their 2023 WHL draft class.
The Tigers signed forward Avery Watson to a WHL scholarship and development agreement. He was selected 159th overall by the Tigers after putting up 24 goals and 52 points in 34 games for the Knights of Columbus Squires U15 AAA program in the Alberta Elite Hockey League.
In a team release, Tigers director of player personnel Bobby Fox says Watson’s development from spring Camp to this season’s fall Camp has seen plenty of progression and he has earned a spot in the Tigers’ prospect pool.
“Avery is an intelligent and skilled forward,” Fox says. “He has great hands, vision and touch around the net.”
Watson made his Tigers debut Tuesday night at Lethbridge.
