Tigers bring veteran-heavy roster to training camp starting Friday

By JAMES TUBB on August 28, 2024.

After a longer than expected offseason, the Medicine Hat Tigers are getting back on the ice for training camp.

The Tigers will open the 2024 camp on Friday with 56 players and six goalies in attendance, giving them four teams to scrimmage with over the weekend.

Head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins says it’s an exciting weekend for both the prospects and those trying to make the WHL roster.

“For the young guys coming into our camp, they’re coming here because they want to see what Gavin McKenna is like, they want to see what an Andrew Bash is like,” Desjardins said. “They want to see those guys and see where they match up with these guys. So it’s good for us to have a camp like that.

“We have lots and lots of good players, I can’t believe the talented young players anymore, it’s amazing how talented they are. So it’s exciting and it’ll be good to see the young guys in camp.”

The Tigers enter camp off a first-round exit to the Red Deer Rebels in April, falling in five games. They made a flurry of moves over the offseason, acquiring 18-year-old defencemen Jonas Woo and Bryce Pickford from the Wenatchee Wild and Seattle Thunderbirds, respectfully. They also traded for 20-year-old forward Mat Ward from the Swift Current Broncos. They enter the week fresh off a blockbuster move, acquiring forward Ryder Ritchie from the Prince Albert Raiders for forward Tomas Mrsic.

Those four new players join a group of all returning forwards as well as two freshly signed 18-year-old Finnish defencemen Niilopekka Muhonen and VeetiÂ VÃ¤isÃ¤nen. Desjardins was excited to sign both NHL drafted defencemen and says they’ll play important roles. He cautions they’ll need an adjustment period as well coming from European hockey.

“It takes a while for players to come over and adjust to our level and, you just have to give them time,” Desjardins said.

Of the 56 skaters in camp, 26 are eligible to play full time in the WHL. Three of the six goalies are also vying for roster spots.

With all the players looking for spots, Desjardins says they have a tough couple of weeks ahead that will only be made easier by how everyone shows up and shows out before opening night.

“We have some really, really hard decisions to make still and they’re going to be tough decisions,” Desjardins said. “But we have to see where everybody fits in. We have to give everybody a chance. The summers is a great time. You can think whatever you want, players come out of the summer different than you think.

“Some guys that maybe were ahead last year, at the end of the year, they’re not ahead now. So I’m excited to see guys. I’ve already seen some guys and went, ‘Holy that guy’s better than I thought he’d be,’ and that’s a good sign.”

A notable omission from the weekend will be forward Cayden Lindstrom, who will not be in attendance. The fourth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft will remain in Columbus with the Blue Jackets while he rehabs from the back injury that largely held him to four playoff games in the second half of the season.

He is expected to be returned to the Tigers for the WHL season.

Camp gets underway Friday and Saturday with ice times from 9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. before a break, and back on for scrimmages from 6-9:15 p.m.

The weekend wraps up with an intra-squad game Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Tigers’ preseason kicks off Sept. 3 when they head to Lethbridge to face the Hurricanes. Their first home preseason game is Sept. 7 against the Calgary Hitmen.

The full training camp roster can be found on the Tigers’ website.

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