Soakin’ in the Tubb: Loads of young forwards, star-studded blue line make for fascinating situation at Tigers camp

By JAMES TUBB on September 2, 2025.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

Medicine Hat Tigers training camp brought more questions than answers as the 2025-26 season officially kicked off – good news for an organization that lost as much star power up front as the Tabbies have.

A large camp filled with young players looking to make an impact was but an appetizer for what should be a month or more of trying to whittle down options for the regular roster. From the front to the back end and in net, there are decisions to be made.

In net, a three-headed monster of 2007-born goaltenders is led by returnee Jordan Switzer, who won a pair of playoff games and held the crease for over a month last season when Harrison Meneghin went down with injury. Signed goaltender Carter Casey joins from the USHL looking to play, and Cruz Chase, acquired ahead of the deadline last season, wants to be an option. Over the weekend, Chase was the standout of the three, making the timely saves as well as the highlight ones. The goaltending question, one which likes to burn loud, will take some time to answer and will require patience.

Defensively, returning five of the six starters from last season, in theory leaves just one spot available for five players trying to get full-time ice. Of the returning five (Josh Van Mulligen, Jonas Woo, Bryce Pickford, Veeti Väisänen and Niilopekka Muhonen), all but the local product Van Mulligen are attending NHL camps to start the season, with the two Finnish blue liners and Pickford potentially in line to miss the Tigers’ season opener. That’ll give those trying for a spot (Kyle Heger, Tyson Moss, Riley Steen, Koray Bozkaya and Luke Warrener) some run way.

Heger impressed in camp, a smooth-skating option on the back end, and is the oldest of those five options at 17 (18 on Sept. 21). Steen and Moss were both with the team last season, with Moss getting more looks. It might come down to who is willing to take a lesser role this season with more room opening next year.

Up front, a lot of turnover creates intrigue and plenty of options offensively. Markus and Liam Ruck were the best skaters in camp, fresh off the Hlinka Gretzky and already in mid-season form with the twin-telepathy passes. They’re going to be relied upon heavily this season and look primed to carry that role. They also look bigger – something in the water in Osoyoos, B.C.?

They were joined with free agent invite Dayton Reschny, a first cousin of Calgary Flames prospect Cole Reschny, formerly of the Victoria Royals. Reschny excelled alongside the dynamic duo and found success on his own line later in camp. He’s expected to play tonight in Lethbridge as the Tigers open preseason against the Hurricanes, to see if the 19-year-old can work his way onto the roster.

Import draft pick Yaroslav Bryzgalov created a lot of chatter over the weekend. His 6-foot-3 frame plays heavy and he likes to have the puck on his stick. He’s going to score goals and generate some offence for the Tigers, still not yet signed but looking good in the jersey.

The first look at some of the Tigers’ U.S. signings up front were encouraging with Kade Stengrim and Gavin Kor impressing. Stengrim is 6-foot-4 and really leans into his shot, and could threaten for a pile of goals. Kor is on the opposite end of the height spectrum (5-foot-7) but also likes to drive play.

There are plenty of options at forward with seven returning forwards (Ethan Neutens, Kadon McCann, Misha Volotovksii, the Rucks, Carter Cunningham and Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll). Add in Stengrim and Kor, as well as Noah Davidson – slotted into the lineup but recovering from taking a stick to the face on day one of camp – and it’s down to two open spots.

None of this is to say every returnee is guaranteed a spot, especially with players like Reschny adding pressure.

There are also younger options fighting for spots, with familiar faces Brayden Ryan-MacKay (2008) and Luke Ruptash (2009) battling the likes of Jaxson Craig (2009), Owen Hayes (2009), Sam Auld (2008), Dub Eunice III (2008) and more.

It’s progressing to be a younger forward core than years past, no big name like Gavin McKenna, but the group could mix well together. And with an impressive defence behind them, there are wins ahead for this team once the puzzle is put together.

A lot has been made of the subtractions to the Tigers’ lineup, and no team can expect to remain at the same level losing so any highly skilled players, one of whom is the best junior hockey player in the world. But with the additions of the U.S. players and the steps taken from the younger players, don’t count out their championship expectations just yet.

The next 10 months will tell us all we need to know.

Tub(b) Thoughts

As much as the focus was on the ice all weekend, there was one large focus away from the play: “Is that Brock Lesnar?”

The former WWE and UFC star’s son Duke was drafted by the Tigers in May and took part in camp this weekend, bringing his celebrity parents into Co-op Place. He was easy to spot, a mountain of a man who induced fear into fellow wrestlers or combatants in the octagon.

In person, not inside the ropes, it appears he couldn’t be a nicer person. And as your author’s fingers are still able to type this column, his handshake isn’t quite as bone crushing as one could expect.

A burning question all weekend was, “When and where will the banners raise at Co-op Place?” The News has yet to receive a firm answer but opening night, Sept. 20 against the Regina Pats, seems likeliest, following most champions in most sports.

Potentially, up to six banners could be hung from last season’s success (regular season Central division champion, regular season Eastern Conference champion, Central division playoff champions, Eastern Conference playoff champions, WHL champion, as well as Memorial Cup finalist).

This scribe suggests hanging them between the U.S. and Canadian flags for this season. It puts them front and centre, showing them off and letting them shine before they’re moved to the carpeted wall in the offseason, enshrining them forever with the rest of the franchise’s history.

This year more than ever, it’s going to take some time to see who is who in the rest of the WHL. With the NCAA turnover, players leaving for school and others signing in the league, it’s hard to project who will run away in each division. It will sure make trade deadline time in January that much more interesting as teams decide whether to buy or sell, not to mention a WHL-hosted Memorial Cup that tends to alter trade prices.

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

26
-25