McSweeney’s WHL Community Collective: Medicine Hat Tigers

Medicine Hat, Alta.- “You get a teddy! You get a teddy! Everybody gets a teddy!”

Medicine Hat Tigers play-by-play announcer Will Bryant’s call echoed over the airwaves as Tabbies rookie Liam Ruck redirected a shot from his twin brother, Markus, to ice Medicine Hat’s 2024 Teddy Bear Toss goal.

“It was exciting to do it as a first-year player,” Ruck recalled. “I didn’t really expect to score that, but it was so cool. I’m just happy I could do it.”

Ruck’s eighth goal of the season triggered a tidal wave of stuffed animals and warm winter supplies.

The packed crowd sent 2,620 bears and 2,258 toques and pairs of mittens and socks sailing down to the ice, where the WHL skaters and local SEAC U15AA Tigers bagged them up for organization and distribution.

Items were divied up between the Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter, the Santa Claus Fund, the local Salvation Army and, of course, the Medicine Hat Health Foundation.

Nine players, including Captain Oasiz Wiesblatt, who earned a secondary assist on the special goal, visited the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital to hand-deliver some teddies to people in need.

Some snaps from today’s visit to the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital!! 🧣🎄🧸

A HUGE thank you to the @MHDHFoundation for helping us spread some joy this holiday season! 🥰 pic.twitter.com/3Uzq2vYWF2

— Medicine Hat Tigers (@tigershockey) December 12, 2024

The Rucks, who would ordinarily be in school, got a special pass to join the team veterans on the trip.

“It was cool to do that for the people at the hospital,” Liam added. “Everyone’s super excited, just to see us smiling, coming in, bringing them teddies. It’s awesome… It obviously brings the community tighter with the team.”

The Rucks ended up finishing the season with a combined 70 points, a WHL Championship, and a trip to the Memorial Cup Final.

With a new season underway, the next big question is who will send the fluff flying in 2025?

The Western Hockey League strives to promote and foster a welcoming environment in communities close to our 22 clubs in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Every team has the creative freedom to allow their players and staff to work with the organizations and groups that they are most passionate about. The end goal is to create and maintain long-lasting relationships and ongoing partnerships within their community.

Through the McSweeney’s WHL Community Collective, we aim to highlight these outstanding initiatives done by each club throughout the season.