Welcome to this edition of The Hockey News’ WHL 2025-26 preview series. Leading up to opening night of the 2025-26 season, THN’s WHL team will preview each Western Hockey League organization and provide a prediction on how each team will perform during the campaign. Today’s edition is a stop in the Gas City to look at the defending Ed Chynoweth Cup champions, the Medicine Hat Tigers.
It was a storybook season in 2024-25 for Medicine Hat. The Tigers finished first in the Eastern Conference and lost only two playoff games on route to winning their sixth championship in franchise history. Medicine Hat has lost a lot of key names entering the 2025-26 season, but the Tigers will remain competitive with several returning faces from last year’s team looking to take bigger roles.
Key Departures:
F Gavin McKenna, F Ryder Ritchie, F Cayden Lindstrom, F Oasiz Wiesblatt, F Hunter St. Martin, F Mat Ward, D Tanner Molendyk, G Harrison Meneghin
Gavin McKenna, Ryder Ritchie and Cayden Lindstrom are all off to the NCAA ranks after helping the Tigers to the Ed Chynoweth Cup last season. Tanner Molendyk was a key contributor for Medicine Hat after coming in via trade from Saskatoon at the trade deadline, he should get an opportunity with the Nashville Predators either in the NHL or AHL. Hunter St. Martin is off to the pro ranks with the Florida Panthers organization. Mat Ward, Oasiz Wiesblatt and Harrison Meneghin have all aged out of the WHL.
Key Additions:
F Noah Davidson, D Kyle Heger, F Gavin Kor, F Kade Stengrim
The Tigers went south of the border to add four new names. Heger, Kor and Stengrim all hail from the state of Minnesota. Heger is a Western Michigan commit. Davidson was the Tigers second round U.S. Priority selection in 2023 and is committed to Boston College.
2025-26 X-Factor:
F Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll is a candidate to have a breakout campaign for the Tigers. As a 16-year-old, Gordon-Carroll registered six goals and 19 assists in 55 regular season games and added two goals and three helpers in 17 playoff games. The Salt Lake City, Utah product will look to take a more prominent role in the Tiger lineup in 2025-26. Gordon-Carroll is not eligible for the NHL Draft until 2027.
2025-26 Prediction:
While the Tigers have lost several high end players in the offseason, Willie Desjardins and company have done a good job at keeping the competitive window open in Medicine Hat with the moves they made. The Tigers should be the first reigning champion to punch their ticket back to the playoffs since the Prince Albert Raiders in 2019-20.
-Fourth in Eastern Conference, second in Central Division
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