Tigers overage graduates Cole Clayton (left), Ryan Chyzowski (middle) and Brett Kemp (right) in their final WHL game on May 6, 2021 against Edmonton (Photo courtesy of Colton McKee)

By Scott Roblin

Season Over

VIDEO: Tigers graduates reflect on conclusion of unique WHL season

May 7, 2021 | 6:25 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Even on locker clean out day Friday for the Medicine Hat Tigers, the emotions of the previous night’s season finale still were felt.

For Ryan Chyzowski, Cole Clayton and Brett Kemp, it was a bittersweet farewell to the black and orange jersey writing the final chapter together in their WHL journey.

“A lot of emotions hit and it all just kind of came to an end,” said Chyzowski on Friday. “Skating off the ice for that one last time was pretty sad and everything flew through my mind over the five years that I’ve been here.”

Chyzowski finished off five full seasons with the Tigers crest on his chest, finishing his career with 280 games played which puts him 18^th all-time in franchise history.

Over that span, the Kamloops, B.C. product became one of the team’s most consistent players with 98 goals and 217 points with most of that time being spent in Medicine Hat’s top-six forward group.

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“A lot of emotions hit and it all just kind of came to an end,” said Chyzowski on Friday. “Skating off the ice for that one last time was pretty sad and everything flew through my mind over the five years that I’ve been here.”

He flourished for most of his early years on a line with Ryan Jevne and Tyler Preziuso, before forming new chemistry with players like Cole Sillinger and Lukas Svejkovsky.

“I cherished every single moment of it and I wish it could have been longer, but it was awesome while it lasted,” said Chyzowski.

Clayton ended his time in Medicine Hat as another career Tiger, skating for four seasons in the ‘Gas City’ with 214 games in his tenure.

His journey up the depth chart is something that inspires other depth players on the Tigers, starting as the team’s seventh defenceman and rising up the roster to a top-pairing blueliner.

A physical presence on the back end for Medicine Hat, Clayton’s game jumped by leaps and bounds in 2021 by netting 30 points in 23 games to lead all WHL defencemen.

“I wanted to have that opportunity to play pro next year and I think I was able to show the scouts that I can do that,” said Clayton.

As for Kemp, his time in Medicine Hat was shorter with two and a half seasons under his belt as a Tiger after being brought over in a monster trade with the Edmonton Oil Kings.

He was able to score at over a point-per-game pace for Medicine Hat in that span though, recording 129 points in 109 games with the Bengals.

And despite being on his third WHL club, there’s nowhere else he’d rather take his final shift.

“It’s always such a close knit group, this year’s is probably the closest team I’ve ever played on,” said Kemp. “So, it’s definitely an honour to end my career here.”

It wasn’t necessarily the end to their junior careers, however the trio are taking Thursday’s emotional exit as a positive with all three pursuing professional contracts.

Their legacy is etched in Tigers lore however, as is their impact on this year’s large crop of rookies who have been able to learn from the trio.

“I wanted to be a good leader for these young guys this year,” said Chyzowski. “They got a lot going for them and just to be able to be a part of the next generation is something special, so it’s something I’ll never forget.”