Soakin’ in the Tubb: Playing for the holidays

By JAMES TUBB on December 7, 2024.

Oh how close the holidays are.

The Western Hockey League enters the penultimate weekend of the unofficial first half of the season, with one week left between teams and a bit of a break before the dog days of winter rear their snowy head.

There will be lot’s of time for a breakdown of the first half of the season for the Medicine Hat Tigers, how they’ll approach the trade deadline and, more importantly, the second half with a push for the playoffs.

Medicine Hat has four games on the schedule for the final week, hosting the Saskatoon Blades on Tuesday before they kick off a three-in-three. They head to Moose Jaw on Friday to face a Braydon Yager-less Warriors squad. The Tigers then host the Braydon Yager-ful Lethbridge Hurricanes on Dec. 14 before heading down Highway 3 for a Sunday matinee rematch before the break begins.

Their first game back is Dec. 28 at Co-op Place against those same Hurricanes.

They’ll be without Yager, who will be alongside Gavin McKenna at Hockey Canada’s World Junior selection camp and, barring a shocker of a decision, both will be on the roster vying for gold in Ottawa.

Until the holiday break, bring out the egg nog and cookies and enjoy the week of hockey ahead.

Tub(b) Thoughts

â€¢ The Tigers were at Lethbridge on Friday for their Teddy Bear Toss game, the Medicine Hat News Teddy Bear Toss game is Saturday at Co-op Place. Very official prediction for the ‘Teddy Bear Toss’ goal, 16-year-old Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll.

â€¢ It will be interesting how the Tigers deploy their goaltending this week with four games in six nights. With Harrison Meneghin likely out until after the break, Jordan Switzer remains in the starter role and Cash Christie is along as an affiliate. There’s no perfect scenario for the 15-year-old to make his WHL debut. Friday at Moose Jaw gives a nice, long bus ride to overthink the start. Saturday and Sunday are rival nights, Sunday being on the road and the final of a three-in-three.

â€¢ Lethbridge’s add of Yager and 19-year-old goaltender Jackson Unger is a savvy pickup from general manager Peter Anholt. That move parlays the acquisition of defenceman Vojtech Port from Moose Jaw on Nov. 15. The Hurricanes lose out on the 2026 Memorial Cup and quickly signal an all-in approach to this season, I wonder if the other three teams who lost the bid (Medicine Hat, Brandon Wheat Kings and Spokane Chiefs) will follow.

â€¢ In the same breath, or keyboard click, one has to imagine the 2026 Memorial Cup hosting Kelowna Rockets are looking to acquire some assets to bolster their 2025-26 team, becoming worthy hosts. They enter the weekend tied for eighth place of the Western conference and will miss 18-year-old sniper Tij Iginla for the rest of the season due to hip surgery. They likely won’t see forward Andrew Cristall or defenceman Caden Price return next season, might as well cash in. Moving a 2.61 PPG player in Cristall won’t be easy for general manager Bruce Hamilton, but the 2026 Memorial Cup banners should ease any pain.

James Tubb is sports reporter with the Medicine Hat News. He can be reached at jtubb@medicinehatnews.com