SAHA connection paying off

Five players make jump from SAHA to Tigers for WHL’s 24-game season

The Medicine Hat Tigers boast one of their youngest rosters in recent memory — but five of the team’s 10 rookies have entered the Western Hockey League with some chemistry and familiarity after opening their season at South Alberta Hockey Academy in Dunmore.

Oasiz Wiesblatt, Cayden Glover, Tyler MacKenzie, Oren Shtrom and Teague Patton all spent the first part of their season competing together on the Canadian Sport School Hockey League’s newest U18 male prep squad. Although they only managed to get in a few games under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tigers director of player personnel Bobby Fox says the experience seems to have helped prepare them for the considerable jump to major junior.

“I think it was a big help,” said Fox. “It was a great transition for those guys. I’m really happy with that process.”

On top of getting to build chemistry with future Medicine

Hat teammates, competing with SAHA allowed the group to play under head coach Brayden Desjardins — son of Tabby head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins — who employed many of the same tactics the Tigers see in practices.

“Brayden did a great job getting them ready and they knew what to expect coming in,” said Fox. “Brayden was obviously using similar tactics and even the same kind of drills, so for these guys, it wasn’t all new to them and it allowed them to gain confidence and be comfortable when they stepped on the ice with us as a Tiger.”

Glover says his time at SAHA flew by due to the amount of fun they were having as a team, and it ultimately helped ease most of the nerves associated with entering training camp in his first year of full-time eligibility.

“A year ago, I wouldn’t have known anybody and I would have felt so out of place and uncomfortable,” said Glover. “Being with those four guys for those four months, it felt like such a short time because we hung out all day, every day. It was so much fun, and building that bond on the ice just got us ready to play together. So, when we played those six games with (SAHA) we already had that connection. Moving here, I think it’s just grown even more.”

MacKenzie says the experience allowed the teammates to grow as individuals and as a unit, while learning first hand what it would take to crack the next level and thrive in the WHL.

“I think it was great for us to get our feet wet, be in the city and get introduced to what hockey means here,” said MacKenzie. “It was a good chance for all of us to kind of grow and keep maturing as we go on, and just realize how much it actually takes to get to this level and how different the levels are.”

Willie Desjardins says having some familiarity with a similar system — as well as a few future teammates and the city of Medicine Hat in general — helped expedite their transition. But the only thing that can truly prepare someone for playing in the WHL is experiencing it for themselves.

“My son Brayden and myself run a similar type of system so I think they got to be pretty familiar with what I expect and what I would run. I think they came in knowing that, so I think it did save us a little bit of time,” he said. “But saying that, it’s a totally different league and there will be lots of adjustments for them. They’re not going to be their best the first games, but we just want to make sure they try, and do everything they can to be successful.”

Wiesblatt scored the first goal of his WHL career in a 7-2 win over the Rebels on Saturday — forever linking him to Bob

Ridley’s 4,000th Tigers broadcast — while Shtrom chipped in with his first assist in Friday’s 5-4 overtime win in Red Deer.

SAHA’s roster also featured two other Tigers prospects on the blue line in Medicine Hatter Josh Van Mulligen and Calgary’s Ryan Nolan. Van Mulligen will be eligible to compete for a full-time spot on the Tigers next season.

B.C. Division a go

The WHL’s B.C. Division has been granted approval to host hub centres in Kelowna and Kamloops, the league announced Tuesday.

The Kamloops Blazers, Prince George Cougars and Vancouver Giants will be based out of Kamloops, while the Kelowna Rockets and Victoria Royals will be based out of Kelowna.

The B.C. Division is scheduled to open its 24-game season on March 26.