Tigers facing injury struggles a week into season

By JAMES TUBB on September 24, 2025.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

Just one game into the WHL season and the Medicine Hat Tigers are dealing with the injury bug.

The Tigers have four skaters on the injured list, three marked week to week, as they head into the second week of the season. Forwards Ethan Neutens and Gavin Kor are out with lower-body and upper-body injuries, respectively.

Forward Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll is listed day to day with an upper-body injury, while defenceman Josh Van Mulligen is out week to week with an upper-body injury suffered in Saturday’s 5-2 win at Co-op Place over the Regina Pats.

Head coach Willie Desjardins says there’s no reinforcements coming right away.

“Guys get a little bit more ice time where they might not have got a chance before,” Desjardins said. “So we’ll see where guys are at. These are going to be hard games. So it’s a good opportunity for guys to show what they can do.”

The Tigers are on the road Friday at Swift Current against the Broncos before hosting the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday at Co-op Place. They’ll also be without forward Carter Cunningham, suspended two games for a cross check major in the third period of Saturday’s win.

Desjardins says there’s some frustration with the suspension after Van Mulligen’s injury, a hit from behind into the boards, going uncalled.

“I thought there should have been a call on it, it’s disappointing there’s not but that’s what happens,” Desjardins said.

Monday’s acquisition of 19-year-old Cam Parr from the Spokane Chiefs gives them just enough forwards for the weekend ahead. Bringing Parr in wasn’t related to the weekend or the injuries, Desjardins says, they would’ve made it happen before the Regina game if possible. He’s looking forward to Parr’s style of play, adding some grit to the lineup.

“He’s a pretty natural fit for our group, we’re looking forward to him being here and know he’s going to add to our roster,” Desjardins said.

The La Salle, Man. product says he’s past the weirdness of joining the team he lost to in the WHL finals and he’s excited for the opportunity.

“I kind of got that through my head by now, all of us want to run that back again and hopefully I’m on the winning side this time,” Parr said.

“There’s lots of guys that are still here from last year that know how to (win) and I got there last year to go all the way, but understand how to win and the right habits and details to do that. So that’s everyone’s main goal here is to get back to the spot.”

Desjardins says Parr’s three years of experience help them bridge the injury gap now and also as the season progresses with fresh faces at forward.

“We’re young up front and it’s OK, we’re really good with young guys,’ Desjardins said. “I guess I’m kind of getting greedy, we had a good run last year and I’d like a good run this year, too. So we want to build a team that we think could take another good run at it. And I think he can be part of that.”

The second trade Monday, sending goaltender Cruz Chase to the Portland Winterhawks, leaves the Tigers with Jordan Switzer and Carter Casey, two 2007-born net minders to tend the crease.

Desjardins says they respected Casey’s move from Minnesota and a starting job in the USHL and wanted to give Chase an opportunity in the league.

“Cruz had a really good camp, he played well and I was really happy with him, but it’s hard to carry three goalies, all 07s,” Desjardins said. “So that would have been tough. So we knew we had to get down to two somewhere along the line and we just decided, might as well be now, that way we can kind of get going with things. But Cruz was good and it’s good for him to get a place to play.”

The Tigers received some benefit on the blue line with Niilopekka Muhonen returning from Dallas Stars’ camp. With Van Mulligen’s injury and Veeti Väisänen still with the Utah Mammoth, they’re running with 2006-borns Jonas Woo and captain Bryce Pickford, 2007-borns Tyson Moss and Kyle Heger and 2008 and 2009-born Riley Steen and Luke Warrener, respectively.

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