Team Black finishes up their first on-ice practice of training camp. (Photo Courtesy Ross Lavigne)

By Gates Guarin

‘Prove people wrong’: Tigers hit the reset button as training camp officially begins

Sep 2, 2022 | 3:44 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The atmosphere at Co-Op Place had no shortage of excitement and a bit of nerves Friday morning. Players laced up their skates, taped their sticks and took to the ice for the first time to officially kick off Tigers training camp.

The morning was divided up into two skates; one for Team Black and one for Team Orange, and the three-day camp started off with high energy and quick pace, something goaltender Beckett Langkow noticed during his on-ice session.

“Guys are excited to be back here and even the young guys coming in want to push the pace, and they’re just trying to make the best impression they can, and then the older guys are just trying to create the pace for themselves too, and yeah it’s been good, really quick out there,” Langkow says.

One of the young players coming in is Tigers first rounder Gavin McKenna, who was drafted first overall by Medicine Hat in the 2022 WHL prospects draft. The Whitehorse product says he is excited to get to know the city, and the players have already given him a warm welcome.

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““It’s been good, they’re all really nice guys, they’ve all been treating me well, showing me around the place, telling me what to do. It’s been awesome.” McKenna says.

The highly touted forward describes himself as a playmaker with high speed and a high hockey IQ.

[I]t’s coming in with an open mind…_{-Dru Krebs, Tigers defenseman}

McKenna is joining a team which finished in the basement of the WHL last season, only managing 11 wins over a 68-game season. Associate coach Joe Frazer says it’s important for the coaching staff to lay the ground work for success, and for the team to regain its identity after a crushing year.

“We’ve prided ourselves for years being the hardest working team and the fastest team in the league, so those are two points of emphasis in camp here, and obviously the compete level stems from that too.” says Frazer.

Returning Tigers defenseman Dru Krebs is using last season as motivation to get the team back to its competitive nature.

“I think it’s coming in with an open mind, and then also a bit of hunger into the season, trying to prove people wrong and being the player that I know I am and the team that we know we are.” Krebs says.

Training camp continues tonight when Team Black takes on Team Orange. The weekend concludes with an intra-squad game on Sunday.

Players won’t have too much time to catch their breath, as the Tigers travel to Lethbridge on Sept. 9 to take on the Hurricanes in preseason action. The Tigers first home preseason game goes Saturday, Sept. 10, with puck drop at 7 p.m.