NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Jonas Woo settles the puck down during the second scrimmage on the opening day of training camp Friday at Co-op Place.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Medicine Hat Tigers staff now have their first look at the makeup of the 2024-25 team.
The Tigers kicked off training camp Friday with 56 skaters and six goalies split up into four teams, each playing in two games as they begin preparations for a hopeful long season.
Associate coach Joe Frazer says it’s a positive to be back in the rink and see how each player utilized their summers.
“It’s been a long summer, guys have put a ton of work in, now they’re all excited to show how much they’ve improved,” Frazer said. “Just like every team, I think we’re excited to get going here.”
The Tigers had many new faces at camp Friday, with four players acquired via trade and both Finnish import-drafted defencemen signing with the club ahead of camp breaking. With four of the six new players working the blue line, where Frazer coaches, he’s looking forward to the process of getting everyone up to speed and at the Tigers’ pace.
“Just getting everyone on the same page, teaching them how we want to do things, and it’s so important that it’s a five-man unit out on the ice and everyone is on the same page, playing together,” Frazer said. “There’s a certain way we want to play, it’ll take a little time to implement and get everyone playing the same way and how we want to do it.
“We still have a lot of guys who were here last year who know how the Tigers want to play, and we’re going to lean on those guys to help teach the new guys.”
Jonas Woo, acquired by the Tigers from the Wenatchee Wild on May 9, enjoyed his first skate in the orange and black and he’s enjoyed his first couple of days in the city.
“I’m super excited to be here, I know the talent here and I know some guys, so super excited to see that on display,” Woo said.
“It’s a bigger city than I thought, some good golf courses that I visited, I’m excited to live here.”
Woo says he played at Desert Blume Golf Course, Paradise Valley and Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club. He shot an 83 at the Blume, a score he’s looking to improve upon over his time in the city.
Like Frazer, Woo is looking forward to working alongside what has become a stacked defensive core with 10 D-men eligible to play opening night.
“Nothing better than being a part of a competitive group and earning your spot every day,” Woo said. “Being a part of a good backend like that makes me better and makes my teammates better.”
The Tigers will have competitions throughout the lineup, with the forward group returning 11 skaters from last year’s team, the additions of 20-year-old Mat Ward, recently acquired 18-year-old Ryder Ritchie and rookies in Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll and Liam and Markus Ruck adding to the mix.
With only so many spots and more than needed talent, Frazer says the work started early with players understanding their roles and what will be needed for success.
“It started this summer, talking to guys all summer over Zoom calls, the players just did a player Zoom call to get everyone on the same page, that was excellent by our leadership group taking charge,” Frazer said. “You need a certain amount of talent but a team wins.
“When you talk to every guy in there, we know that not one person can win a championship. It’s going to take all of us and we all have to be on the same page. We all have to do it for each other. That’s the most important thing, to become the family as quick as you can.”
The weekend of training camp also allows the recently drafted Tigers and those likely playing at the U18 level to experience what the WHL level is like and, more so, what is needed to be successful at that stage. Frazer hopes the Tigers’ prospects learn how hard they work every practice and every day.
“I know our vets are going to go show them how fast we want to play and how hard we work every shift, and that’s always the key,” Frazer said. “Making sure the leadership group sets the tone right away of what it means to be a Tiger and the certain way we want to play and conduct ourselves.
“It’s a great weekend for young guys to come in and watch our guys, play with them, be around them and just absorb everything they can. Similar to what we want for the guys going to NHL camps. It’s to play your best but also learn as much as you can from the guys playing in the NHL and at camp.”
The Tigers will have training camp games Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and 5-9:15 p.m. The weekend wraps up with an intra squad game Sunday starting at 10:30 a.m.
They kick off the preseason on Tuesday at Lethbridge against the Hurricanes.
