Medicine Hat Tigers

Medicine Hat was granted a team in the Western Canada Hockey League ahead of its fifth season, and the Tigers began play in 1970–71.{{Cite web |title=WHL History |url=https://whl.ca/history |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731211503/https://whl.ca/history |archive-date=July 31, 2023 |access-date=July 31, 2023 |website=Western Hockey League}}{{cite news |date=January 15, 1970 |title=New entry for WCHL |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-jan-15-1970-1690847/ |newspaper=Brandon Sun |location=Brandon, Manitoba |page=1}}{{free access}} Although the team struggled in its inaugural season, the Tigers rapidly improved, led by the scoring exploits of Tom Lysiak—who won league scoring titles in 1972 and 1973—Lanny McDonald.{{Cite news |date=May 30, 2016 |title=Former NHL all-star Tom Lysiak dead at 63 |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/former-nhl-star-tom-lysiak-dead-63/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617095031/https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/former-nhl-star-tom-lysiak-dead-63/ |archive-date=June 17, 2016 |access-date=May 14, 2024 |work=Sportsnet |agency=Canadian Press}}{{Cite news |date=March 10, 2022 |title=Lanny McDonald named to order of Hockey in Canada |url=https://www.pressreader.com/canada/medicine-hat-news/20220310/281797107464773 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240514221503/https://www.pressreader.com/canada/medicine-hat-news/20220310/281797107464773 |archive-date=May 14, 2024 |access-date=March 14, 2024 |work=Medicine Hat News |via=pressreader.com}} The team made the playoffs in its second season, and in its third made it to the championship final. In the final, they defeated the Saskatoon Blades to win their first title.{{Cite book |last=Lapp |first=Richard M. |url=https://archive.org/details/localheroeshisto0000lapp/page/n3/mode/2up |title=Local Heroes: A History of the Western Hockey League |last2=White |first2=Silas |publisher=Harbour Publishing |year=1993 |isbn=1-55017-080-5 |location=Madeira Park, British Columbia |pages=101 |language=en-CA |url-access=registration}}{{Cite web |last=Eremondi |first=Tom |date=2004 |title=Saskatoon Blades celebrate long success as junior franchise |url=https://saskatoonblades.com/History |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731211505/https://saskatoonblades.com/History |archive-date=July 31, 2023 |access-date=July 31, 2023 |website=Saskatoon Blades |publisher=StarPhoenix Creative Services}}

The Tigers' next significant run of success came in the latter half of the 1980s. In 1986, the team secured its first regular season title and advanced to its first of three consecutive league finals. Led by the likes of Trevor Linden, Wayne McBean, and Mark Pederson, the Tigers would capture back-to-back championships and Memorial Cup titles in 1987 and 1988.{{Cite book |last=Lapp |first=Richard |url=https://archive.org/details/memorialcupcanad0000lapp/page/152/mode/2up |title=The Memorial Cup: Canada's National Junior Hockey Championship |last2=Macaulay |first2=Alec |publisher=Harbour Publishing |year=1997 |isbn=1-55017-170-4 |location=Madeira Park, B.C. |pages=233–235 |language=en-CA |url-access=registration}}{{Cite news |last=Zacharias |first=Yvonne |date=December 15, 2008 |title=Linden 'an ambassador for the game' |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/linden-an-ambassador-for-the-game |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240514222851/https://vancouversun.com/news/linden-an-ambassador-for-the-game |archive-date=May 14, 2024 |access-date=May 14, 2024 |work=Vancouver Sun}} Because of their success, the championship Tigers' teams were inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |title=Medicine Hat Tigers Hockey Teams 86–87, 87–88 |url=https://www.albertasportshallmembers.ca/profiles/18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240514222524/https://www.albertasportshallmembers.ca/profiles/18 |archive-date=May 14, 2024 |access-date=May 14, 2024 |website=Alberta Sports Hall of Fame}}

The Tigers won two more league titles in a four-year span between 2004 and 2007. In 2004, Medicine Hat put together the best record in the Eastern Conference and advanced to the final, where they swept the expansion Everett Silvertips.{{Cite news |last=Riley |first=Jim |date=May 12, 2004 |title=Silvertips: An 'unbelievable' season |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20040512&slug=silvertips12n |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240514223905/https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20040512&slug=silvertips12n |archive-date=May 14, 2024 |access-date=May 14, 2024 |work=The Seattle Times}} In 2005–06, the Tigers secured their second regular season title, before losing the Conference Final against the Moose Jaw Warriors. The following season, they would return to the championship series, where they faced the Vancouver Giants. Backstopped by goaltender Matt Keetley, the Tigers defeated the Giants in double-overtime of game seven to win the title.{{Cite news |date=May 24, 2007 |title=Dorsett sends Tigers to Memorial Cup final |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/dorsett-sends-tigers-to-memorial-cup-final-1.633522 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240514224440/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/dorsett-sends-tigers-to-memorial-cup-final-1.633522 |archive-date=May 14, 2024 |access-date=May 14, 2024 |work=CBC Sports}} Because Vancouver was hosting the 2007 Memorial Cup, both teams advanced to the tournament. The Tigers again defeated the Giants in overtime during the preliminary round in order to advance directly to the final, which wound up being a re-match between the two rivals. In the final, the host Giants avenged their earlier losses, defeating the Tigers 3–1 at Pacific Coliseum.{{Cite news |date=May 27, 2007 |title=Giants capture franchise's first Memorial Cup |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/giants-capture-franchise-s-first-memorial-cup-1.680739 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513222333/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/giants-capture-franchise-s-first-memorial-cup-1.680739 |archive-date=May 13, 2024 |access-date=May 13, 2024 |work=CBC Sports}}

Since their last title run in 2007, the Tigers have missed the playoffs only twice, but have failed to advance past the second round of the playoffs, even despite securing division titles in 2016–17 and 2017–18. In 2015, the team moved from the old Arena to the new Co-op Place.{{Cite web |last=Jordan |first=Kevin |date=February 9, 2023 |title=Medicine Hat Tigers |url=https://whlarenaguide.com/tigers.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607055701/https://whlarenaguide.com/tigers.htm |archive-date=June 7, 2023 |access-date=May 14, 2024 |website=WHL Arena Guide}} In 2024, Gavin McKenna became the fourth Tiger and the first since Neil Brady in 1986 to be named the winner of the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as WHL rookie of the year.{{Cite news |last=Kierszenblat |first=Adam |date=May 7, 2024 |title=Gavin McKenna Named WHL's Rookie Of The Year For 2023-24 |url=https://thehockeynews.com/whl/latest-news/gavin-mckenna-named-whls-rookie-of-the-year-for-2023-24 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240514225818/https://thehockeynews.com/whl/latest-news/gavin-mckenna-named-whls-rookie-of-the-year-for-2023-24 |archive-date=May 14, 2024 |access-date=May 14, 2024|work=The Hockey News}}

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

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• Memorial Cups: 1987, 1988
• President's Cups: 1972–73, 1986–87, 1987–88, 2003–04, 2006–07
• Scotty Munro Memorial Trophies: 1985–86, 2005–06

• 1972–73: Win, 3–0–2 vs Saskatoon Blades
• 1985–86: Loss, 1–4 vs Kamloops Blazers
• 1986–87: Win, 4–3 vs Portland Winter Hawks
• 1987–88: Win, 4–2 vs Kamloops Blazers
• 2003–04: Win, 4–0 vs Everett Silvertips
• 2006–07: Win, 4–3 vs Vancouver Giants

• 1987: Win, 6–2 vs Oshawa Generals
• 1988: Win, 7–6 vs Windsor Spitfires
• 2007: Loss, 1–3 vs Vancouver Giants

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{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|

• Johnathan Aitken
• Ron Areshenkoff
• Cam Barker
• Doug Barkley
• Bob Bassen
• Hank Bassen
• Craig Berube
• Tim Bothwell
• Derek Boogaard
• Jay Bouwmeester
• Neil Brady
• Rod Buskas
• Brian Carlin
• Greg Carroll
• Jason Chimera
• Shane Churla
• Dean Chynoweth
• Martin Cibak
• Al Conroy
• David Cooper
• Murray Craven
• Barry Dean
• Rob DiMaio
• Derek Dorsett
• Rocky Dundas
• Tyler Ennis
• Emerson Etem
• Vernon Fiddler
• Mark Fitzpatrick
• Ron Flockhart
• Val Fonteyne
• Troy Gamble
• Bob Gassoff
• Brad Gassoff
• Josh Green
• Travis Green
• Bruce Greig
• Kevan Guy
• Len Haley
• James Hamblin
• Darren Helm
• Brian Hill
• John Hilworth
• Justin Hocking
• Ken Holland
• Ryan Hollweg
• Doug Houda
• Kelly Hrudey
• Jamie Huscroft
• Gord Hynes
• Eddie Johnstone
• Matt Keetley
• Dan Kordic
• Dale Kushner
• Mark Lamb
• Jamie Linden
• Trevor Linden
• Morris Lukowich
• Joffrey Lupul
• Ron Lyons
• Tom Lysiak
• Clarke MacArthur
• David Mackey
• Mike MacWilliam
• Merlin Malinowski
• Milan Marcetta
• Bryan Maxwell
• Alan May
• Wayne McBean
• Bryan McCabe
• Jim McCrimmon
• Lanny McDonald
• Ryan McGill
• John McKenzie
• Tom McMurchy
• Barry Melrose
• Stefan Meyer
• Jason Miller
• Don Murdoch
• Rob Niedermayer
• Jim Nill
• Jaroslav Obsut
• Chris Osgood
• Allen Pedersen
• Mark Pederson
• Pete Peeters
• Mike Rathje
• Stacy Roest
• Kris Russell
• Paxton Schafer
• David Schlemko
• Cole Sillinger
• Don Smith
• Mads Sogaard
• Ken Solheim
• Brent Thompson
• Rocky Thompson
• Rocky Trottier
• Greg Vaydik
• Stan Weir
• Neil Wilkinson
• Mike Zanier
• Richard Zemlak

}}

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{{Clear left}}

• List of ice hockey teams in Alberta

• [https://chl.ca/whl-tigers/ Official site]

{{Medicine Hat Tigers}}

{{WHL}}

{{Alberta Sports}}

Category:Ice hockey teams in Alberta

Category:Sport in Medicine Hat

Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 1970

Category:Western Hockey League teams

Category:1970 establishments in Alberta