By Mitch Bach

Preparing for 2019/20

‘It’s important they get a chance’: Desjardins on local players at training camp

Aug 30, 2019 | 4:43 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — It was a long off-season.

Five months, actually. Much longer than the Medicine Hat Tigers had envisioned, given their first round playoff exit to Edmonton in March.

Finally, after 152 days, and an off-season which brought back one of the greatest coaches in the franchise’s 50 year history, Tigers hockey has returned to the Gas City.

Day one of training camp began bright and early Friday morning with the goaltenders taking the ice at 8:00 a.m. 67 players have been broken into four teams — Black, Orange, White, and Green — and will compete in a series of games over two days.

The weekend will wrap up with a pair of intra-squad matches on Sunday, beginning at 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. from the Canalta Centre.

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Newly hired head coach and GM Willie Desjardins is in the early stages of dotting i’s and crossing t’s on his opening night roster. He has a deep talent pool to choose from, including 11 local products to evaluate. Nine members of last year’s SEAC Bantam AAA Tigers are lacing up in hopes of staying on beyond this weekend.

That includes Vann Yuhas, the captain for the bantam squad last year, who says it’s been his goal his entire life to reach the WHL.

Many members of last year’s squad are returning, including captain James Hamblin, and alternate captains Ryan Chyzowski, Bryan Lockner, and Tyler Preziuso. Preziuso is entering his final year of eligibility in the WHL, and has been given a letter for the first time.

While many members are already well-versed in junior hockey, one player is looking to crack a full-time position for the first time.

16-year-old Cole Sillinger is on pace to not only begin his first year in the league, but potentially contend for the WHL’s top rookie scoring award.

The Regina-product tore up the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League last year, scoring a league-leading 38 goals and 91 poiints in 48 games. He notched his first WHL tally as a call-up in the playoffs last spring, scoring the game-winning goal in Game 3 against Edmonton.

Mitch Bach of CHAT Sports caught up with Sillinger to hear more about his off-season training regime and his confidence-level as he looks to engrave his name as a full-timer in the league. Plus, Desjardins gives his thoughts on the young, speedy forward.

More information on Medicine Hat Tigers training camp can be found here.