Who’s going to release the teddy bears Saturday?

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on December 5, 2025.

sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

Who will have the honour of unleashing the teddy bears Saturday night?

The News anonymously polled Medicine Hat Tigers players and coaches for their predictions of who will score the fateful first goal at the Medicine Hat News Teddy Bear Toss game at Co-op Place against the Wenatchee Wild.

A total of 15 players were named in the predictions, with nine receiving two or more votes.

Defenceman Niilopekka Muhonen received the most votes with four nominations. The 19-year-old Finnish product has yet to score this season, notching four goals last year. He’s also been out of the lineup since Oct. 27 but is nearing a return.

Defenceman Bryce Pickford received the second-most votes with three, he’s tied for the team lead in goals alongside defence partner Jonas Woo, both lead WHL defenceman in goals scored.

Woo, alongside forwards Kadon McCann, Misha Volotovskii, Cam Parr, Kade Stengrim, Markus Ruck and Dayton Reschny received two votes each.

Six skaters received one vote, Veeti Väisänen, Josh Van Mulligen, Tyson Moss, Kyle Heger, Yaroslav Bryzgalov and Carter Cunningham.

One un-named coach, not wanting to single out any player, says the goal will come on a power play. The last ‘Teddy Bear goal’ scored on the man advantage came in 2019 when Brett Kemp unleashed the bears, scoring 22 seconds into a first-period power play in a 5-3 win over the Saskatoon Blades.

Forward Liam Ruck scored the Tigers’ 2024 ‘Teddy Bear goal’, finding the back of the net with 5:53 left in the first period of a 7-4 loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Fans attending Saturday’s game are encouraged to bring new stuffed animals or winter gear to be thrown onto the ice after the first Tiger goal. All items should be bagged to keep moisture out.

All donations will be split between the Medicine Hat News Santa Claus Fund, Medicine Hat & District Health Foundation, the Salvation Army and the Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter.

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