Road to the WHL Draft: 2021
Medicine Hat, AB – It’s 2021, some days are better than others with the COVID-19 pandemic running roughshod through the world and into the WHL, with a bubble and limited game play with little to no crowds on any given night, Scouts and Staff soldiered on as the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft despite the number of picks the Medicine Hat Tigers made, some very memorable pieces have helped shape the current state of this team’s aspirations for the future.
The Tigers would have the 8th overall in the draft. The Top 3 picks would go as followed with Spokane Chiefs selecting centre Berkly Catton, the Tri City Americans with the second pick would take Jordan Gavin and the Brandon Wheat Kings would take Charlie Elick with the third overall selection.
When it came to the Medicine Hat Tigers they’d head to the Burnaby Winter Club U15 program and select Tomas Mrsic (Surrey, BC). completing his second tour of duty in the WHL in his draft year this season. It was a career year for Mrsic, notching 23 goals and 39 assists for 62 points in 61 games played. Mrsic suited up for Team Canada at the World U17’s in the 2022-2023 season in his native British Columbia.
In In round two the Tigers would select a goaltender at #39 as Ethan McCallum (Brandon, MB) would be selected. The 6’3 goaltender made strides in his first full season of development with the Tigers going 11-8-1 in 2023-2024.
When round three hit, the Tigers took a chance, and it paid off in a big way. Potential Top 5 pick in this year’s NHL Draft, Cayden Lindstrom (Chetwynd, BC) would be drafted and later sign with the organization. After a stellar rookie season, Lindstrom, carried that success over into year two. Where in 32 games he scored 27 goals and 19 assists for 46 points before having his regular season end due to injury. Despite the absence in 2024, he is still dubbed as a top pick for the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas in June.
One last pick from 201, as the Tigers may have picked the hardest working player from the class, selecting Nate Corbet (Calgary, AB) in third round as well at #60. Corbet scored three goals, and picked up the Team’s Hardest Working Player Award for the 2023-2024 season.
Stay tuned Tuesday, May 7, when we go back to the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft
For more
Rd | Pick | Name | Hometown | Position | 2021-22 Team | Ht | Wt |
1 | 8 | Tomas Mrsic | Surrey, BC | Centre | Delta Hockey Academy | 5’10 | 150 |
2 | 37 | Diego Buttazzoni | Langley, BC | Forward | BWC Academy | 5’10 | 170 |
2 | 39 | Ethan McCallum | Brandon, MB | Goaltender | Notre Dame Hounds | 6’2 | 180 |
3 | 54 | Cayden Lindstrom | Fort St. John, BC | Forward | Delta Hockey Academy | 6’5 | 190 |
3 | 60 | Nate Corbet | Calgary, AB | Defence | Calgary Flames | 5’10 | 130 |
4 | 76 | Simon Martin | Lumsden, SK | Defence | Tisdale Trojans | 5’9 | 131 |
5 | 110 | Nolan Dupont | Calgary, AB | Forward | Edge School Prep | 5’10 | 175 |