Tiger Trauma
06-06-2007, 04:56 AM
Tigers lose one of the family
By COLLIN GALLANT
Jun 6, 2007, 23:43
Willie Desjardins said that it would be tough no matter which Medicine Hat Tiger was lost in Tuesday’s expansion draft, but the loss took on a painful dimension when former Tigers scout Bob Green used his intimate knowledge of the Tabbies players to pluck a somewhat hidden gem on Tuesday.
The current Edmonton Oil Kings general manager selected prospect Shayne Neigum during the WHL expansion draft from Medicine Hat’s non-protected players, a list set up to guard against losing veteran talent.
Neigum, the 17-year-old cousin of Medicine Hat fan favourite Derek Dorsett, took the news with mixed emotions.
“My cousin’s been there for so long and I feel so comfortable there that it’s a hard thing to swallow,” said Neigum. “At the same time going to a new organization is going to be a good opportunity for me.
“It’s not so much a shock — it’s a good thing — but being so comfortable in the Hat, I just wasn’t sure.
“We know Bob (Green) really well. He’s a genuine guy and it’s going to be good hopefully playing for him.”
As head scout in Medicine Hat, Green drafted the Kindersley native in the fourth round of the 2005 bantam draft. Now Green has selected him twice, this time to help form the premier edition of the Oil Kings, the WHL’s 22nd franchise which will begin play next September at 16,000-seat Rexall Place in Edmonton.
The 5-foot-11, 178-pound left-winger appeared in four WHL games this past year while skating most of the year with the Swift Current midget AAA Legionnaires (23 goals, 56 points and 195 penalty minutes in 39 games).
The Tigers described Neigum as “a really good player with lots of heart and who’s proven he can score.”
“That’s a pretty good combination right there,” said Desjardins. “It’s tough because we thought he’d be a big part of our organization.
“It’s a little tougher because that family has meant so much to our organization in the last while.”
The strong ties are there, especially considering that Neigum’s uncle Dean Dorsett, Derek’s father, closed the team’s recent awards banquet with a long and heartfelt thank you to the Tigers organization.
After a championship season, Desjardins faced a dilemma heading into the draft of having to trying to protect four potential overaged players — Kevin Undershute, Jerrid Sauer, Daine Todd and David Schlemko — in three 20-year-old spots while leaving extra prospects unguarded.
“We thought he’d go in that direction (of taking an older player),” said Desjardins. “No matter who we lost it was going to be tough.”
In the end Green filled his allotted five 20-year-old spots from elsewhere either through selections or side deals. They include a trio of veteran defenceman: Beaumont, Alta native Bretton Stamler (Seattle), Matt Swaby (Tri-City) and Michael Hengen (Moose Jaw), plus former Red Deer forward Karey Pieper.
The Oil Kings also acquired overaged goaltender Alex Archibald from the Chilliwack Bruins — making it back-to-back expansion clubs for the former Prince Albert goaltender. Later in the day, Green flipped forward Kenton Dulle (a selection from the Saskatoon Blades) to Kamloops for netminder Dalyn Flette, 17.
A side deal between the Vancouver Giants and the Oil Kings ended speculation that former Tiger current Vancouver Giant Blaine Neufeld would work the net for the Oil Kings. Instead Edmonton acquired the rights to prospect Cam Reid, 15, for taking a pass on the Giants protected list.
Another notable selection is import forward Robin Figren, 19 (Calgary Hitmen). The Oil Kings, who can dress two import players, will have the first overall pick in the Canadian Hockey League import draft on June 27 and the first choice in round No. 2, meaning that more trades are forthcoming.
-Medicine Hat News
http://www.medicinehatnews.com/article_5995.php
By COLLIN GALLANT
Jun 6, 2007, 23:43
Willie Desjardins said that it would be tough no matter which Medicine Hat Tiger was lost in Tuesday’s expansion draft, but the loss took on a painful dimension when former Tigers scout Bob Green used his intimate knowledge of the Tabbies players to pluck a somewhat hidden gem on Tuesday.
The current Edmonton Oil Kings general manager selected prospect Shayne Neigum during the WHL expansion draft from Medicine Hat’s non-protected players, a list set up to guard against losing veteran talent.
Neigum, the 17-year-old cousin of Medicine Hat fan favourite Derek Dorsett, took the news with mixed emotions.
“My cousin’s been there for so long and I feel so comfortable there that it’s a hard thing to swallow,” said Neigum. “At the same time going to a new organization is going to be a good opportunity for me.
“It’s not so much a shock — it’s a good thing — but being so comfortable in the Hat, I just wasn’t sure.
“We know Bob (Green) really well. He’s a genuine guy and it’s going to be good hopefully playing for him.”
As head scout in Medicine Hat, Green drafted the Kindersley native in the fourth round of the 2005 bantam draft. Now Green has selected him twice, this time to help form the premier edition of the Oil Kings, the WHL’s 22nd franchise which will begin play next September at 16,000-seat Rexall Place in Edmonton.
The 5-foot-11, 178-pound left-winger appeared in four WHL games this past year while skating most of the year with the Swift Current midget AAA Legionnaires (23 goals, 56 points and 195 penalty minutes in 39 games).
The Tigers described Neigum as “a really good player with lots of heart and who’s proven he can score.”
“That’s a pretty good combination right there,” said Desjardins. “It’s tough because we thought he’d be a big part of our organization.
“It’s a little tougher because that family has meant so much to our organization in the last while.”
The strong ties are there, especially considering that Neigum’s uncle Dean Dorsett, Derek’s father, closed the team’s recent awards banquet with a long and heartfelt thank you to the Tigers organization.
After a championship season, Desjardins faced a dilemma heading into the draft of having to trying to protect four potential overaged players — Kevin Undershute, Jerrid Sauer, Daine Todd and David Schlemko — in three 20-year-old spots while leaving extra prospects unguarded.
“We thought he’d go in that direction (of taking an older player),” said Desjardins. “No matter who we lost it was going to be tough.”
In the end Green filled his allotted five 20-year-old spots from elsewhere either through selections or side deals. They include a trio of veteran defenceman: Beaumont, Alta native Bretton Stamler (Seattle), Matt Swaby (Tri-City) and Michael Hengen (Moose Jaw), plus former Red Deer forward Karey Pieper.
The Oil Kings also acquired overaged goaltender Alex Archibald from the Chilliwack Bruins — making it back-to-back expansion clubs for the former Prince Albert goaltender. Later in the day, Green flipped forward Kenton Dulle (a selection from the Saskatoon Blades) to Kamloops for netminder Dalyn Flette, 17.
A side deal between the Vancouver Giants and the Oil Kings ended speculation that former Tiger current Vancouver Giant Blaine Neufeld would work the net for the Oil Kings. Instead Edmonton acquired the rights to prospect Cam Reid, 15, for taking a pass on the Giants protected list.
Another notable selection is import forward Robin Figren, 19 (Calgary Hitmen). The Oil Kings, who can dress two import players, will have the first overall pick in the Canadian Hockey League import draft on June 27 and the first choice in round No. 2, meaning that more trades are forthcoming.
-Medicine Hat News
http://www.medicinehatnews.com/article_5995.php