The Medicine Hat Tigers regular season went quite well as they lead the WHL’s Central Division for the better part of the year. In the playoffs they were not so lucky as they ran into a hot Lethbridge Hurricanes team who was coming off of a major high from winning their series in seven games after trailing the series 3-1.
That didn’t mean the Tigers would be hanging their heads though, as three players were selected at this season’s NHL entry draft.
Mason Shaw was the first Tiger player drafted after his solid 3rd season. While leading the team to the Central Division title Shaw put up career numbers, including 27 goals and 67 assists. This was good for a tie for 7th overall with Cody Glass. Shaw was selected in the 4th round by the Minnesota Wild.
Here is a great look at @MasonShaw18 moments after being drafted by @mnwild Photo: Aaron Bell
WATCH: https://t.co/RAMYovcjxO pic.twitter.com/twq4bunKh9
— Medicine Hat Tigers (@tigershockey) June 27, 2017
Following up his teammate, Zach Fischer was drafted in the 5th round to the Calgary Flames. Fischer scored 34 goals and added 29 assists in just 62 games for the Tiger. His playoff showing was quite good adding 7 goals and 3 assists in 11 games. He was not drafted in to the WHL and was a walk on with the Tigers in 2014-15.
See kids, Zach Fischer of the @tigershockey went undrafted into the #WHL and was drafted today in the 5th round to the #NHL. Keep working!
— DUBNetwork (@dub_network) June 25, 2017
A third Tiger heard his name called at the NHL draft and it was the player with the least amount of time in Medicine Hat. On May 22nd, Jordan Hollett became a Tiger in a deal that saw overager Matt Bradley, a 2nd round pick in 2018, a 5th round pick in 2019, and a conditional 3rd round pick in 2018 go to Regina. Jordan Hollett is expected to be the starter for the Tigers this season. Hollett was drafted in the 6th round by the Ottawa Senators.
Tigers news and notes
-Added to the Tigers haul of players drafted by NHL teams was the invitation to attend the Arizona Coyotes development camp for Max Gerlach.
-The Tigers open the season on September 22nd in Lethbridge against the Hurricanes. They will do it all over again the following night at the Canalta Centre in Medicine Hat. An early five game home stand is their longest of the season, beginning on October 6th and ending on October 20th. Four times the team has four game road trips, that being the longest of their season.
-None of the players participating in Development Camps have been signed to a contract.
-John Dahlstrom has committed to Almtuna IS of the Allsvenskan league in Sweden. This will mean that Medicine Hat will take at least one player in the Import Draft tomorrow. They will draft at #59 and #119.
