Gordon-Carroll, Muhonen nearing return to Tigers lineup

By JAMES TUBB on December 4, 2025.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

The Medicine Hat Tigers are getting close to seeing their full lineup.

The Tigers have two skaters nearing a return after missing the month of November.

Forward Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll and defenceman Niilopekka Muhonen both missed all of the Tigers’ games in November and were also out of the lineup Wednesday when they hosted the Prince Albert Raiders at Co-op Place.

Head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins said Tuesday the pair were nearing a return but he didn’t provide an exact date.

“We’re getting real close,” Desjardins said.

Gordon-Carroll has been out since Oct. 22 with an upper-body injury he suffered during the Tigers’ B.C. division trip. The 17-year-old Salt Lake City, Utah product missed all of preseason and the start of the regular season with a separate upper-body injury, playing just eight games this year. He’s still tallied six goals and nine points.

Muhonen last played Oct. 27 in Penticton, out of the lineup with a lower-body injury that has lingered since he returned from the Dallas Stars training camp. Muhonen has also played just nine games, recording four assists.

The Tigers have yet to play with a full lineup this season due to injuries, missing forwards Ethan Neutens and Gavin Kor and defenceman Josh Van Mulligen at times.

It would be a welcomed sight for Desjardins.

“A lot of the guys who are in now are playing well, so it’s going to be hard to take guys out, but you’re going to have to do that because you don’t stay healthy all the time, so you have to have extra guys,” Desjardins said.

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