Medicine Hat Tigers

By Gino De Paoli/Medicine Hat Tigers

Four alternate captains

Tigers name Owen MacNeil captain

Oct 26, 2022 | 2:54 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Medicine Hat Tigers are proud to announce their leadership group for the 2022-23 WHL Season.

After a process of rotating alternate captaincies, the organization has announced via long-time broadcaster Bob Ridley, Owen MacNeil will be the 39th captain in franchise history.

MacNeil was acquired via trade during the 2021-22 season from the Spokane Chiefs, during his tenure with the Tigers, the Calgarian has played 74 games scoring 11 goals, 20 assists for 31 points, including 3 power play goals and one game-winning goal. In his career, MacNeil has played in 141 WHL games, scoring 14 goals and 28 assists.

MacNeil says he’s honoured to carry on the team’s rich history of captains.

“It’s pretty special and it’s something kind of dream to be as a kid playing hockey, I’m looking forward to the group we have here this season,” he says. ”We’ve got a lot of work to do with the leadership group we have, we’ve got plenty of work ahead to getting back to a winning legacy here in Medicine Hat.”

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Tigers head coach and GM Willie Desjardins says MacNeil has the tools to lead the locker room.

“You win with your leaders, your leaders have to set the tempo, the drive for the team and there’s the good times and bad times and they have to be there for each other and the team,” he says. “We are honoured to have Owen represent the rich history the Tigers have when it comes to our captains.”

The Tigers also announced their alternate captains this week. Joining MacNeil is veteran defenceman Rhett Parsons, Washington Capitals’ draft pick and third-year Tiger Dru Krebs, third-year forward Tyler MacKenzie and WHL stalwart Dallon Melin.

Parsons, 19, was drafted in the 5th round, 99th overall by the orange and black in the 2018 WHL Draft, where he currently leads the team in plus-minus this season with 1 goal and 6 assists in 10 games so far this season and has a career 93 games played where he’s scored 7 goals and 16 assists.

Krebs, 19, has played in 153 games all with the Tigers after being drafted in the 2nd round of the 2018 WHL Draft and was selected in the 6th Round by the Washington Capitals in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, 176th overall. Krebs has 7 goals and 44 assists in his time with the Tigers.

MacKenzie, 19, was a 6th Round Pick of Medicine Hat in the 2019 WHL Draft, playing in 81 career WHL games all with the Tigers, accumulating 9 goals and 25 assists including one game-winning goal and a shorthanded tally.

You can see the new Tigers captains starting Friday night at Co-op Place when Medicine Hat welcomes the Saskatoon Blades for the first of four meetings this season. Tickets are available on tixx.ca puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m.