Volume 2: Puck Drop, at last. We’re back this week with a few tales from Medicine Hat and some other Western Hockey League musings…
1. The opening weekend sweep of the Red Deer Rebels will be very satisfying in the Gas City. The Tigers surprising third-period comeback from a 4-1 deficit with nine minutes to play at the Westerner Park Centrium led to a 5-4 overtime win that surely would have made for an upbeat bus ride home. And full marks to the Tigers for its 7-2 win the following night at Co-Op Place in Medicine Hat. It came on a night where so many associated with the organization were a little nervous, hoping to post a victory in veteran play-by-pay man Bob Ridley’s 4,000th career broadcast. A home-and-home set with the Edmonton Oil Kings is next up for the Tigers this weekend. Edmonton hammered the Lethbridge Hurricanes 7-1 and 7-2 to open the season.
2. While the Tigers have spent the past few weeks planning for the upcoming regular season, there was juggling among the coaching staff as well. Gone is the Ryan Smith, who moved over to the Spokane Chiefs during the off-season. And while preparations have kicked into high gear lately, assistant coach Joe Frazer has just recently returned after quarantining in Medicine Hat upon returning from his home in Minnesota. Frazer was not available to assist this past weekend in games against the Red Deer Rebels but should be back some time this week. In the meantime, Director of Player Personnel Bobby Fox has chipped in behind the bench.
3. For a good portion of last season, the Tigers employed an efficient and entertaining power play unit consisting of five forwards. I asked head coach Willie Desjardins if it’s a plan dependent upon having certain athletes in the mix and if we’ll see it again this season. “Well, I think you always look at your personnel and do what’s best. We would never be opposed to going with five forwards. You know, I’d probably rather go with four (forwards) and one (d-man). It depends on what kind of power play you’re running as well, but we’re always open to whatever will work.” Over the weekend, it was glaringly obvious the Tigers possess a veteran-laden top power play unit. Desjardins “four and one” composition will create some headaches for opponents.
4. The Tigers announced Ryan Chyzowski will wear the “C” as team captain. The organization selected Chyzowski in the first round, 18th overall, at the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft. When asked about the honour, bestowed through a team vote, Chyzowski reflected on his career in Medicine Hat. “Time sure travels fast. I always remember when I was young and all the older guys saying it goes by pretty quick. And here I am in my fifth year. Five years does happen fast especially when it’s so fun here. It’s kind of sad to think about that coming to an end.” Cole Clayton and Brett Kemp have been named assistant captains, while Corson Hopwo and Lukas Svejkovsky will alternate wearing the third “A”.
5. We confirmed last week during an interview with Fox that the Tigers roster will include a total of five players from the organization’s 2019 WHL Draft class. With the focus on development during the shortened 2020-21 campaign, the youngsters are going to have plenty of opportunity to strut their stuff. Forwards Oasiz Wiesblatt (1st round), Cayden Glover (2nd), Brayden Boehm (2nd), Oren Shtrom (3rd) and Tyler MacKenzie (6th) will suit up this season. Saturday at Co-op Place in the Tigers 7-2 win over Red Deer, Wiesblatt and Boehm tallied their first WHL goals. Boehm also added an assist.
6. Fox also confirmed that defenceman Reid Andresen has received permission to come over from Saskatchewan to join the Tigers. Selected in the first round, 11th overall, at the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft, Andresen was the Saskatoon Generals team captain last season. He was slated to skate with the Saskatoon Blazers of the SMAAAHL this season. “Reid is a smooth, mobile, puck moving defenceman,” said Fox. “He thinks the game extremely well and he can control the game from the back end.” The Tigers signed Andresen to a WHL Standard Player Agreement on May 4.
7. WHL commissioner Ron Robison was in Medicine Hat this past weekend to unveil the new Bob Ridley Media Excellence Award. It’s the second league award named for a long-time media personality with ties to the circuit. The Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy is presented annually to the WHL Executive of the Year. A few snippets about Saunders’ career as a broadcaster can be found in the WHL Awards section at WHL.ca. Moving forward, a committee will select a print, radio or television personality annually to honour for their distinguished service and will present the recipient with the new Bob Ridley Award. It’s a terrific idea! In fairness, it’s also waaaayyyy overdue. So many sporting personalities have plied their trade in various disciplines over the years, providing WHL coverage in so many different markets. I remember the guys in the booth when I was a youngster, back when radio seemed to really matter. They performed with such polish. When I traveled across Saskatchewan and Alberta years ago while working in the hotel business, I always tried to tune into a broadcast whenever I could – CHAB 800 radio seemed to have such a strong signal and incredible reach! We’d also clamor for the daily newspaper in our home, back in the day when so many outstanding writers and columnists provided WHL coverage that was consistent, comprehensive and indeed, a priority for the publications! When I suggest the new Award is overdue, I say it because there is a very, very long list of deserving personalities I believe should have already been honoured in some way, shape or form.
8. I was priviledged to be allowed into the building Saturday night when Bob Ridley called his 4,000th WHL game. Like many others, I had my earbuds in and enjoyed his call. The video messages of congratulations played during stoppages in play were such a nice touch. The list of contributors would read like a hockey “who’s who”. It became easy to stroll down memory lane Saturday night and while doing so, it occurred to me that I was in the Saskatoon Arena back in the spring of 1973 as a 10-year-old punk kid when Bob would have been calling the WCHL final series games between the Tigers and Blades. That was the series where the late Tom Lysiak ran roughshod over the Blades, doling out a pair of the most vicious stick fouls in DUB history. Russ Walker was opened up early in the series and took about 40 stiches in and around his nose and mouth. The late Ralph Klassen was knocked unconscious during the Sunday matinee series clincher at the old Arena Convention Centre in Medicine Hat. What a day that must have been for the hockey community in the Gas City, watching Lanny MacDonald complete his hat trick in the finale with a goal on a third-period penalty shot! And “Sudden” Sam Clegg stoning the high-powered Blades offence in that series? Wow! It all really bothered me as a young Blades fan, but my inner snowflake melted away many years ago. I’ve grown to prefer the win-at-all-costs approach. Bring it on! For the record, the Tigers have won five WHL championships. The Blades, an original WHL franchise, has never won the title. Trust me, “never” is a really long time.
9. WHL LIVE pricing was announced last week and there looks to be some very good value for WHL supporters. Pick any game you like for $6.99 or purchase an “All Access Pass” for $59.99 to watch every WHL game during the 2020-21 season. Sure, right out of the gate there were some technical issues on the opening weekend as the service provider worked to fine tune productions. It should be noted these games were provided free of charge, although that doesn’t completely take the provider off the hook. I think my arithmetic is correct: if I buy the All Access Pass and watch only my favourite team’s 24 games, that’s $2.49 per game. Suppose I choose to watch a dozen other matchups – that nets the price down to $1.67 per game for 36 contests. I get that everybody defines “value” differently, but I won’t be jumping on to the woe-is-me bandwagon to scream high and low about how I’ve been hard done by due to technical difficulties. I’m confident the productions will improve and provide exactly what we want as subscribers. Of course, we might be able to save the toonie by turning on a radio.
10. It was announced on The Rod Pedersen Show Monday that DUBNetwork has begun a new working relationship. The arrangement has been in the works for awhile and it’s exciting to be associated with Dupont Media. It’s apparent Darren Dupont is building an innovative and forward-thinking team, crucial attributes these days as the media landscape is changing. “This is less of an acquisition and more of a partnership for us,” said Dupont in a press release on March 1. “Paul and his dedicated team of writers have built a tremendous brand and reputation throughout Western Canada and we hope that we can lend our resources and experience to continue to build a great product.” The roster of DUBNetwork contributors has changed since Paul Figler and his colleagues initiated the platform in August of 2016. I suppose at this point I fall into the category of elder statesman among the crew. For those interested in contributing at DUBNetwork.ca, it can be a nifty opportunity to collaborate on ways to promote and cover WHL news throughout the year.
(Glen Erickson is a long-time freelance writer with ties to the WHL over the past 35 years. He covered the WHL extensively in Kelowna between 2005 and 2019, in addition to four CHL Top Prospects Games and a pair of IIHF World Junior Championships. Erickson provided coverage of Rockets home games for the Kelowna Daily Courier during the 2018-19 season, before relocating to Medicine Hat.)
