Medicine Hat Tigers forward Lukas Svejkovsky (right) was traded Monday to the Seattle Thunderbirds (Photo courtesy Randy Feere / Medicine Hat Tigers)

By Scott Roblin

Svejkovsky Traded

Tigers ship star centre Svejkovsky stateside to Seattle

Dec 27, 2021 | 1:25 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – With the WHL’s trade deadline on the horizon, the Medicine Hat Tigers labelled themselves as sellers on Monday sending Lukas Svejkovsky south of the border.

Tigers head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins shipped off the speedy and skilled forward to the Seattle Thunderbirds in exchange for a 2022 first round pick and conditional picks in the 2023 and 2025 WHL Prospects Drafts.

Svejkovsky, an overager with Medicine Hat, led the team in scoring with 13 goals and 30 points in 24 games at the Christmas break for the Tabbies.

Acquired in a blockbuster trade from the Vancouver Giants in December 2019, Svejkovsky became one of Medicine Hat’s most relied upon forwards in his 78 games in black and orange with 38 goals and 80 points over that span.

Hailing from Point Roberts, Washington, the move will bring the Pittsburgh Penguins prospect a bit closer to home.

WHAT'S ON

Here is what's on this weekend in Medicine Hat and area: Dec. 13-15

15m ago

IN THE COMMUNITY

Medicine Hat's Mustard Seed adding new shelter spaces at Alberta government's request

20h ago

HOLIDAYS

Medicine Hat Kiwanis hosting Christmas dinner, applications due Friday

Dec 12, 2024

The move had been speculated for weeks for the slumping Tigers, who sit last in the Western Hockey League with a record of 5-18-3-1.

To make room for Svejkovsky, the Thunderbirds also traded former Tigers defender Eric Van Impe on Monday to the Swift Current Broncos.

Medicine Hat now holds two picks in the first round of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, just weeks after selecting forward Tomas Mrsic eighth overall in the 2021 draft.

The Tigers will begin the unofficial second half of the WHL season without Svejkovsky on Tuesday, as they head to the Scotiabank Saddledome to battle the Calgary Hitmen at 7:00 pm.