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INTERVIEWS: Brown, Rassell shed light on Hamblin’s injury

Mar 21, 2018 | 5:18 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Same script, different characters.

The Medicine Hat Tigers have grown used to dealing with a number of key players out with injury.

It began well before opening day of the WHL season in September, with top-line forward Mason Shaw tearing his ACL, and newly acquired netminder Jordan Hollett’s diagnosis of mono, forcing him to miss Ottawa Senators training camp.

Now, as game one of their Eastern Conference Quarter Final series against the Brandon Wheat Kings looms, another key veteran has caught the injury bug.

Centreman James Hamblin will miss the entire post-season healing up multiple dislocations in his left wrist. It’s the result of taking a nasty check late in the Tigers 72nd game of the regular season against Lethbridge on Saturday.

While the Tigers agree replacing Hamblin’s role is next to impossible, one former first rounder will do his best to fill the void in the meantime. Elijah Brown, a former first-round draft pick acquired by the Tigers ahead of the WHL Trade Deadline, will slot into the top line between captain Mark Rassell and Bryan Lockner when playoff hockey kicks into high gear on Friday.

CHAT Sports caught up with Brown to hear his take on taking over Hamblin’s position and how he feels stepping away from his usual spot with Gary Haden and Jaeger White. Plus, Rassell discusses the prospect of playing with Brown, along with the critical nature of losing Hamblin.