NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Carter Cunningham carries the puck up the ice in the second period of a 5-1 win Oct. 26 at Co-op Place over the Regina Pats.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Medicine Hat Tigers have gotten an extended look at some of their youngest players.
With the plethora of injuries in the lineup, the Tigers’ affiliated players have had an early opportunity to get into more games than expected.
An easy example has been the trio of 16-year-old Brayden Ryan-MacKay, recently signed 18-year-old Carter Cunningham and 19-year-old Marcus Pacheco.
The three were on a line together over the weekend as the Tigers split with a 4-2 loss at Red Deer on Oct. 25 and beat the Regina Pats 5-1 on Oct 26. Avery Watson, another 16-year-old affiliate, joined Pacheco and Cunningham on a line Wednesday at Calgary against the Hitmen.
But it’s that trio that head coach Willie Desjardins has gone out of his way to showcase over the last week.
“Pacheco has been good, like he’s really stepped up his game,” Desjardins said following the Regina win. “He’s been really, really good for us, it’s made a big difference having him.”
The 19-year-old was acquired from the Kelowna Rockets on New Year Eve 2023 and played 23 games for the Tigers last season, putting up one goal and five points while dealing with injuries. Through 10 games and entering play Wednesday, he’s already matched last year’s offensive production in the orange and black.
He’s also been tasked with centring the younger line, a position he hadn’t played since minor hockey and a veteran role he’s embraced.
“In bantam and midget I played centre most of the time but now with different lineups, it’s been good, I really like it,” Pacheco said. “I’m able to keep my speed more and just be there for support down the middle.”
The Edmonton product has liked what he’s seen from his younger line mates and the pace they’ve brought to the lineup.
“They’ve came in recently and they’re flying, they’re working hard, so that’s all you can ask for and they’re doing what we’re supposed to.” Pacheco said.
Ryan-MacKay played in two games last season, spending most of the year with the South Alberta Hockey Academy. He’s been back and forth with SAHA and the Tigers this season, suiting up in eight WHL games, including Wednesday, this season. The Calgary product is enjoying getting a full-time look at the WHL, finding comfort from the early exposure last year.
“It took a while to get used to the level of pace, but I think now I’ve kind of got up there and I’m able to skate with the puck,” Ryan-MacKay said. “At the start I wasn’t able to, I didn’t have enough confidence, but now my confidence is lot better.”
Ryan-Mackay drew early notice from Desjardins with his work ethic.
“He works hard every shift, it’s good to see guys like that come in and make a difference,” Desjardins said after a 4-2 win Oct. 23 over the Calgary Hitmen.
“He just works so hard, he just works, we have to get everybody working like that. If we do, then we’ll have more success.”
He’s developed chemistry with Pacheco, both sharing a game focused on speed and the forecheck. He has carried over chemistry with Cunningham, with the duo sharing a line with SAHA last season. Ryan-MacKay has liked what he’s seen from Cunningham through his first two WHL games.
It’s been a whirlwind week for Cunningham, signing with the Tigers on Oct. 24 and immediately suiting up in a pair of games. The Sucker Creek First Nation product started this fall with the AJHL Calgary Canucks, notching four goals and 15 points in 13 games.
“It’s been an adjustment, it’s very surreal for me,” Cunningham said. “It’s been a goal of mine to play in the WHL for a long time, it’s crazy that’s happening now.”
Cunningham was undrafted in the league, listed by the Tigers. The 6-foot-3 forward played in Medicine Hat last season, suiting up for SAHA. He had 16 goals and 36 points in 30 games at the CSSHL U18 level, adding two goals and three points in three playoff games.
He says the biggest jump from the AJHL to the WHL has been the speed and who he now shares the ice with.
“It’s different because we have guys like Oasiz Wiesblatt as a leader, we have guys like Gavin McKenna, Hunter St. Martin, it’s just whole different story out here,” Cunningham said. “There’s nothing like it honestly.”
Desjardins says it’ll take some time for him to get adjusted, as it does for all new players to the league, but he’s liked what he’s seen so far.
“He surprised me how good he is, like he’s pretty good player,” Desjardins said. “He’s not up to speed, he’s not used to it yet. But I do think if he had a month, he could be pretty good.”
Cunningham should get ample opportunity with forwards Ryder Ritchie and Hayden Harsanyi out of the lineup and Cayden Lindstrom still rehabbing with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He’s not looking to carry the team in that time, just make the most of his ice time and earn some trust.
“I just want to be the guy that the coach can rely on,” Cunningham said. “He’ll throw me out there, I’ll do whatever he says. Play with some skill along the boards with the puck, I can make those plays for the team.”
