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Medicine Hat Tigers

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Medicine Hat Tigers
CityMedicine Hat, Alberta
LeagueWestern Hockey League
ConferenceEastern
DivisionCentral
Founded1970
Home arenaCo-op Place
ColoursOrange and Black
   
General managerWillie Desjardins[1]
Head coachWillie Desjardins
Websitechl.ca/whl-tigers
Championships
Regular season titles2 (1985–86, 2005–06)
Playoff championshipsEd Chynoweth Cup
5 (1973, 1987, 1988, 2004, 2007)
Memorial Cup
2 (1987, 1988)
Conference Championships
2 (2003–04, 2006–07)
Current uniform
Travis Dunstall playing for the Tigers in 2007.

The Medicine Hat Tigers are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL) based in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Established in 1970, the team has won the second most Ed Chynoweth Cups as league champion with five, and has gone on to win two Memorial Cup titles. The Tigers also have seven Division titles. Since 2015, the Tigers play at Co-op Place after forty-five seasons at the Medicine Hat Arena.

History

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Medicine Hat was granted a team in the Western Canada Hockey League ahead of its fifth season, and the Tigers began play in 1970–71.[2][3] Although the team struggled in its inaugural season, the Tigers rapidly improved, led by the scoring exploits of Tom Lysiak—who won league scoring titles in 1972 and 1973—Lanny McDonald.[4][5] The team made the playoffs in its second season, and in its third made it to the championship final. In the final, they defeated the Saskatoon Blades to win their first title.[6][7]

The Tigers' next significant run of success came in the latter half of the 1980s. In 1986, the team secured its first regular season title and advanced to its first of three consecutive league finals. Led by the likes of Trevor Linden, Wayne McBean, and Mark Pederson, the Tigers would capture back-to-back championships and Memorial Cup titles in 1987 and 1988.[8][9] Because of their success, the championship Tigers' teams were inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.[10]

The Tigers won two more league titles in a four-year span between 2004 and 2007. In 2004, Medicine Hat put together the best record in the Eastern Conference and advanced to the final, where they swept the expansion Everett Silvertips.[11] In 2005–06, the Tigers secured their second regular season title, before losing the Conference Final against the Moose Jaw Warriors. The following season, they would return to the championship series, where they faced the Vancouver Giants. Backstopped by goaltender Matt Keetley, the Tigers defeated the Giants in double-overtime of game seven to win the title.[12] Because Vancouver was hosting the 2007 Memorial Cup, both teams advanced to the tournament. The Tigers again defeated the Giants in overtime during the preliminary round in order to advance directly to the final, which wound up being a re-match between the two rivals.[12] In the final, the host Giants avenged their earlier losses, defeating the Tigers 3–1 at Pacific Coliseum.[13]

Since their last title run in 2007, the Tigers have missed the playoffs only twice, but have failed to advance past the second round of the playoffs, even despite securing division titles in 2016–17 and 2017–18. In 2015, the team moved from the old Arena to the new Co-op Place.[14] In 2024, Gavin McKenna became the fourth Tiger and the first since Neil Brady in 1986 to be named the winner of the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as WHL rookie of the year.[15]

Season-by-season record

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Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs
1970–71 66 22 43 1 - 271 351 45 5th West Did not qualify
1971–72 68 35 30 3 - 351 312 73 4th West Lost in quarterfinal
1972–73 68 39 20 9 - 348 254 87 2nd West Won Championship
1973–74 68 29 31 8 - 305 314 66 3rd West Lost in quarterfinal
1974–75 70 40 22 8 - 380 291 88 2nd West Lost in quarterfinal
1975–76 72 38 24 10 - 379 306 86 3rd West Lost in quarterfinal
1976–77 72 32 28 12 - 330 304 76 1st Central Lost in preliminary round
1977–78 72 22 41 9 - 293 365 53 3rd Central Lost in Central Division final
1978–79 72 15 50 7 - 270 479 37 4th Central Did not qualify
1979–80 72 37 30 5 - 344 315 79 3rd East Lost in East Division final
1980–81 72 40 29 3 - 358 302 83 3rd East Lost in East Division quarterfinal
1981–82 72 25 46 1 - 308 446 51 7th East Did not qualify
1982–83 72 37 34 1 - 345 338 75 6th East Lost in East Division quarterfinal
1983–84 72 45 26 1 - 404 288 91 2nd East Lost in East Division final
1984–85 72 53 17 2 - 355 224 108 2nd East Lost in East Division final
1985–86 72 54 17 1 - 384 245 109 1st East Lost in final
1986–87 72 48 19 5 - 383 264 101 1st East Won Championship and Memorial Cup
1987–88 72 44 22 6 - 353 261 94 2nd East Won Championship and Memorial Cup
1988–89 72 41 27 4 - 359 326 86 3rd East Lost in East Division quarterfinal
1989–90 72 32 38 2 - 298 331 66 5th East Lost in East Division quarterfinal
1990–91 72 40 27 5 - 366 296 85 2nd East Lost in East Division final
1991–92 72 48 24 0 - 336 264 96 2nd East Lost in East Division quarterfinal
1992–93 72 29 38 5 - 285 343 63 7th East Lost in East Division semifinal
1993–94 72 33 33 6 - 263 264 72 5th East Lost in East Division quarterfinal
1994–95 72 38 32 2 - 244 229 78 5th East Lost in East Division quarterfinal
1995–96 72 30 37 5 - 243 288 65 3rd Central Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
1996–97 72 39 32 1 - 270 278 79 3rd Central Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
1997–98 72 16 50 6 - 188 340 38 5th Central Did not qualify
1998–99 72 15 56 1 - 185 323 31 5th Central Did not qualify
1999–00 72 21 39 6 6 222 295 54 5th Central Did not qualify
2000–01 72 24 40 5 3 271 316 56 5th Central Did not qualify
2001–02 72 30 36 4 2 277 316 66 5th Central Did not qualify
2002–03 72 29 34 2 7 278 314 67 3rd Central Lost in Eastern Conference semifinal
2003–04 72 40 20 9 3 277 216 92 1st Central Won Championship
2004–05 72 45 21 4 2 234 143 96 1st Central Lost in Eastern Conference semifinal
Season GP W L OTL SOL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs
2005–06 72 47 16 1 8 257 171 103 1st Central Lost in Eastern Conference final
2006–07 72 52 17 3 0 264 175 107 1st Central Won Championship; Lost Memorial Cup final
2007–08 72 43 22 5 2 234 191 93 3rd Central Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2008–09 72 36 29 4 3 249 242 79 2nd Central Lost in Eastern Conference semifinal
2009–10 72 41 23 3 5 276 232 90 3rd Central Lost in Eastern Conference semifinal
2010–11 72 46 18 4 4 265 196 100 2nd Central Lost in Eastern Conference final
2011–12 72 42 24 2 4 255 209 90 3rd Central Lost in Eastern Conference semifinal
2012–13 72 36 33 2 1 243 244 75 4th Central Lost in Eastern Conference semifinal
2013–14 72 44 24 3 1 260 196 92 3rd Central Lost in Eastern Conference final
2014–15 72 45 23 2 2 268 213 94 2nd Central Lost in Eastern Conference semifinal
2015–16 72 30 37 3 2 223 287 65 5th Central Lost tiebreaker game vs Edmonton
2016–17 72 51 20 1 0 350 248 103 1st Central Lost in Eastern Conference semifinal
2017–18 72 36 28 8 0 260 252 80 1st Central Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2018–19 68 35 27 4 2 217 222 76 4th Central Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2019–20 63 41 19 2 1 265 182 85 2nd Central Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 23 14 8 0 1 87 69 29 2nd Central No playoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22 68 11 53 3 1 154 315 26 6th Central Did not qualify
2022–23 68 30 29 8 1 248 224 69 4th Central Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2023-24 68 37 23 6 2 280 231 82 2nd Central Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal

WHL Championship history

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WHL Championships

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Memorial Cup finals

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NHL alumni

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Team records

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Team records for a single season
Statistic Total Season
Most points 109 1985–86
Most wins 54 1985–86
Most goals for 404 1983–84
Fewest goals for 185 1998–99
Fewest goals against 143 2004–05
Most goals against 479 1978–79
Individual player records for a single season
Statistic Player Total Season
Most goals Don Murdoch 88 1975–76
Most assists Greg Carroll 111 1975–76
Most points Greg Carroll 171 1975–76
Most points, rookie Don Murdoch 141 1974–75
Most points, defenceman Cliff Lane 82 1975–76
Best GAA (goalie) Matt Keetley 1.66 2004–05
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Willie Desjardins Named GM & Head Coach". OurSports Central. May 31, 2019.
  2. ^ "WHL History". Western Hockey League. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  3. ^ "New entry for WCHL". Brandon Sun. Brandon, Manitoba. January 15, 1970. p. 1.Free access icon
  4. ^ "Former NHL all-star Tom Lysiak dead at 63". Sportsnet. Canadian Press. May 30, 2016. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  5. ^ "Lanny McDonald named to order of Hockey in Canada". Medicine Hat News. March 10, 2022. Archived from the original on May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024 – via pressreader.com.
  6. ^ Lapp, Richard M.; White, Silas (1993). Local Heroes: A History of the Western Hockey League. Madeira Park, British Columbia: Harbour Publishing. p. 101. ISBN 1-55017-080-5.
  7. ^ Eremondi, Tom (2004). "Saskatoon Blades celebrate long success as junior franchise". Saskatoon Blades. StarPhoenix Creative Services. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  8. ^ Lapp, Richard; Macaulay, Alec (1997). The Memorial Cup: Canada's National Junior Hockey Championship. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Publishing. pp. 233–235. ISBN 1-55017-170-4.
  9. ^ Zacharias, Yvonne (December 15, 2008). "Linden 'an ambassador for the game'". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  10. ^ "Medicine Hat Tigers Hockey Teams 86–87, 87–88". Alberta Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  11. ^ Riley, Jim (May 12, 2004). "Silvertips: An 'unbelievable' season". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Dorsett sends Tigers to Memorial Cup final". CBC Sports. May 24, 2007. Archived from the original on May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  13. ^ "Giants capture franchise's first Memorial Cup". CBC Sports. May 27, 2007. Archived from the original on May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  14. ^ Jordan, Kevin (February 9, 2023). "Medicine Hat Tigers". WHL Arena Guide. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  15. ^ Kierszenblat, Adam (May 7, 2024). "Gavin McKenna Named WHL's Rookie Of The Year For 2023-24". The Hockey News. Archived from the original on May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
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