Tigers tab MacKenzie with team captaincy

The Medicine Hat Tigers have named forward Tyler MacKenzie the 40th team captain in Club history, in advance of the team’s regular-season opener Friday evening.

MacKenzie, 19, is entering his third full season with the Tigers, chalking up 40 points (18G-22A) during the 2022-23 campaign.

“We’re really excited to name Tyler our captain with all the leadership qualities he brings to the dressing room and on the ice,” said Tigers general manager / head coach Willie Desjardins. “When we signed Tyler after the draft, he was down in the dressing room with his father and I said to them both that today is a great day and I hope I’m never in a spot to lose Tyler and his father went up to me “well if that happens then it’s on Tyler.”

MacKenzie, who calls Red Deer, Alta. home, served as an alternate captain for Medicine Hat last season.

He was originally selected by the Tigers in the sixth round of the 2019 WHL Draft. In 129 career WHL regular season games, all with Medicine Hat, MacKenzie has tottalled 68 points (23G-45A).

He is joined in the Tigers’ leadership group by defencemen Dru Krebs and Rhett Parsons.