NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Team CHL poses for a team photo before morning skate Tuesday at Calgary's Scotiabank Saddledome ahead of the first game of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge against the U.S. U18 National team.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com
CALGARY
Team CHL got a surprise visit from one of the NHL’s most recognizable alumni ahead of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge opener.
Medicine Hats Tigers alumni and Hockey Hall of Famer Lanny McDonald visited the CHL team before morning skate today ahead of the opening game of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge against the U.S. U18 national team. The Calgary Flames legend presented the team with white cowboy hats and left them with a message, savour the moment.
“He said to enjoy it as much as you can,” Spokane Chiefs forward Mathis Preston recalled. “We’re not here for too long, it’s a pretty short event, so just enjoy as much you can and get to know the guys from the QMJHL and the OHL as much as you can, enjoy it and ultimately win both games.”
Tigers’ head coach Willie Desjardins, serving as head coach of Team CHL, was all smiles speaking about the visit from McDonald.
“He’s so great in Alberta, he’s accomplished so many things on the ice, in our arena he’s one of three in the rafters so that’s pretty impressive,” Desjardins said. “It’s great that he took time, when we went to the Memorial Cup last year, he took time to send us a text and that’s the guy that you know is looking at what’s going on in hockey, not just the NHL.
“That’s what is so great about him is how much he gives back after the game. I think that’s something all of us can learn from and it’s important that we all do that.”
The 1989 Stanley Cup champion, who sports the most recognizable moustache in hockey, even offered some advice to Desjardins who has earned the moniker of “the moustache man” by some of his former players.
“He gave me some hassle on it, he was good though,” Desjardins said. “He says I’m trying but that I’ve got a ways to go.”
Tuesday morning’s skate was just the second practice for the CHL team ahead of the two game set against the U.S. team. Getting another look at the group, Preston says it’s the best of the best for a reason.
“That’s why everyone’s here, they’ve proven themselves in their respective leagues and come together and we have two games to prove ourselves and why we’re the best three leagues,” Preston said.
Desjardins says it’s a challenge for the coaching staff to know what they have with each player and he says they’ll learn as the games go on who fits in what spot best.
“That’s something (the players) have to realize too, maybe there aren’t on a power play, maybe they deserve to be, but it’s more that we don’t know them,” Desjardins said. “So that’s something that we’ll learn as we go along.”
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Liam Ruck took morning skate line rushes alongside JP Hurlbert of the Kamloops Blazers and Peterborough Petes’ Adam Novotny. He says they’ve found some chemistry early and Ruck says having some familiarity with the Saddledome eases some early nerves.
“I’ve got some good line mates there, it’s been fun so far and I can’t wait for tonight,” Ruck said.
“You know your way around the place, you’ve been on the ice and you know your way around, so it’s kind of nice.”
The CHL won both games at the inaugural event last year, beating the U.S. U18 team 6-1 and 3-2. Preston expects their opponents will play with desperation looking for that first win, a goal they hope to squash.
“They haven’t won yet, so they’re going to give us their best game,” Preston said. “We know as a CHL, we’re going to get everyone’s best. So we’re excited for the challenge and it’s going to be a good game.”
Puck drop on the opening game of the CHL USA Prospects Challenge gets underway at 6 p.m. MST. The game can be watched on TSN in Canada and on Victory+ for U.S. viewers.
