Rybinski releases statement through agent

Henrik Rybinski wanted minutes the Medicine Hat Tigers were unable to provide.

The 17-year-old Medicine Hat Tigers forward released a statement through his agent, Daren Hermiston of PointsWest Sports and Entertainment, Friday after he and the Tigers came to the mutual decision to pursue a trade away from the club earlier this week.

“After many discussions with Shaun Clouston over the past couple days, the Rybinski family and I came to the decision that the opportunity for increased ice time with the Medicine Hat Tigers would not be there now or in subsequent years,” Hermiston said in an email to the News, adding Medicine Hat’s depth up front could not be ignored. “The organization has done a very good job building depth up front, and as a result of this we decided to pursue a trade so Henry can get a fresh start elsewhere with a team that has more need in the top-six looking forward. At the end of our discussions it was a simple case of a young man looking for more ice time and a team not having the room to provide it.

Rybinski leaves the Tigers after recording four goals and 13 assists in 77 career Western Hockey League games with the team. The 6-foot-1, 176pound Vancouver product put up a goal and four assists in five games this season before getting sidelined with an upper-body injury. While he will no longer be playing the Tigers, he was listed as dayto-day in Tuesday’s WHL report.

“Henry would sincerely like to thank the entire Tigers organization and fanbase for their support over the last (two) years,” said Hermiston. “He truly enjoyed calling Medicine Hat home.”

The Tigers return to the Canalta Centre Sunday to host the Calgary Hitmen at 6 p.m.