Newest Pat thrilled about leaving WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers for Regina

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Matt Paranych got what he wanted: A trade away from one of the WHL’s top teams.

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“There was nothing wrong with the guys in The Hat,” said Paranych, the newest member of the WHL’s Regina Pats, after being acquired from the Medicine Hat Tigers this past weekend for two draft choices. “I loved the city. I loved my billets, the coaches, I really loved it.

“It’s just an opportunity. I felt like I deserved to be in the lineup every single game. And that wasn’t happening, unfortunately, in The Hat. There was nothing personal in The Hat. I just feel like I can play every night.”

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With the Tigers sitting atop the WHL’s Eastern Conference standings and expected to be contenders for a Memorial Cup berth, there wasn’t much room in their stacked lineup for a promising 17-year-old defender itching to prove his worth. So the rebuilding Pats, who are flush with draft choices but lacking undersized, puck-moving defenders, acquired Paranych for a third-rounder in 2025 and a fourth-rounder in the 2028 Prospects Draft.

“We’ve got a good defence,” Tigers general manager Willie Desjardins told the Medicine Hat News. “(Paranych is) playing good minutes but he’s a young guy who believes in himself and he wants to play more.”

Paranych, 5-foot-9 and 154 pounds, joined the Pats before Friday’s 4-3 victory against the visiting Saskatoon Blades. A left-handed shot who likes to shoot, Paranych got plenty of ice time at left and right defence, showed a deftness for moving the puck, excellent on-ice awareness and above-average speed, ending the night at plus one.

That changed Saturday, when Paranych had a minus-three rating in a 4-3 overtime loss to the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors. At plus one this season, he’s currently the only Pat on the good side of plus/minus statistics.

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“He was excellent,” said Pats head coach Brad Herauf after Paranych’s debut.

“Not his normal routine by any means, but sometimes that’s good for young guys because they don’t get to think too much. They’ve all been hockey players since they’ve been babies, so just go up there and play hockey.”

Paranych played 56 games last season and recorded 10 assists. In 20 games with Medicine Hat this season, he had three goals and three assists. Paranych had been a healthy scratch in Medicine Hat since Nov. 22, returning home to Edmonton to await his requested trade.

When he heard about the deal, he sprang into action.

“I didn’t know the trade was done until 6 a.m.,” said Paranych. “I had to book my own flight, flew in first class and had two seats. Got the complimentary snacks. It was a pretty hectic 24 hours. I didn’t really sleep … because I was so excited just to come here.

“I woke up at five in the morning, got here about 11, got to the rink, got all my stuff, got a little skate, met the guys and went to my billet’s for a little nap then came to the game. Meeting everybody, there are a lot of Zachs!”

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Indeed, the Pats’ lineup presently includes Zach Moore, Zach Pantelakis, Zackary Shantz and Zachary Lansard

Although the Pats sit 10th in the East with an 8-17-6 record — 17 points behind Medicine Hat — Paranych is thrilled with the opportunity to be on a team that’s building for the future. And don’t tell him the Pats are out of contention for this season, making numerous trades and looking to be well-positioned for an early draft choice.

“It doesn’t really matter where we are in the standings,” said Paranych. “We’re gonna win games one by one and I don’t think there’s a huge difference in this team. We’ve got a great group of guys in the dressing room and we can win a championship. I truly believe that.”

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