SUBSCRIBE: Missing news on social media? Subscribe to CHAT News Today's DAILY newsletter and stay up to date with your city.

Hockey Hounds Bantam Tournament begins Thursday

Nov 15, 2017 | 4:36 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Some of the top bantam hockey players in Western Canada are descending on Medicine Hat this weekend, as the 45th annual Hockey Hounds Bantam Tournament gets underway starting on Thursday.

A total of 16 teams from across Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia are taking part in what’s the longest running bantam hockey tournament in the province. Of the 16 teams, nine are from Alberta, including the local SEAC Tigers.

George Hamel, president of Medicine Hat Hockey Hounds, says the tournament is a popular place for scouts to get a glimpse of players who may make an impact in the junior and professional ranks, noting Chris Osgood and Jarome Iginla both played in the tournament when they were bantam age.

“It’s the chance of a lifetime for these kids,” he said. “All of the WHL scouts are here. If they play good, have a good game, they’re sought after. This tournament is very, very sought after.”

Hamel says the organization is proud whenever they see a player who participated in the tournament make the WHL.

The tournament will take place at the Hockey Hounds Arena, the Moose Rec Centre, and both rinks at the Kinplex beginning at 5 p.m. on Thursday. The SEAC Tigers take on the Pursuit of Excellence, a hockey academy out of Kelowna who are the defending tournament champions, at 8:30 p.m. at the Kinplex.

The gold medal game is set for 12:30 p.m., also at the Kinplex.

The full tournament draw can be found here.