Calgary Hitmen adding veterans and looking to make a run

Tanner Howe speaks with CTV News Calgary in an interview at the Saddledome. (CTV News)

The Calgary Hitmen made two trades last week to acquire veteran players – moves the team hopes will help them make a playoff run this season.

Tanner Howe was the captain of the Regina Pats. In his three-plus years there, he’s been a big-time player, scoring 240 points in 217 games.

Last week, he was dealt to the Calgary Hitmen for Keets Fawcett. Howe says he was shocked when he found out about the deal to the Hitmen.

“It was definitely shocking,” the 18 year old said.

“I mean, how it happened is I was pretty much going out for warmups and got called aside and I was told I was traded so I was pretty shocked. Once I heard it was Calgary I was pretty pumped and I was excited to get here.”

Howe is a second-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He made his debut with the Hitmen on Friday night and was playing on a line with Ben Kindel and Oliver Tulk.

Howe had an assist in the Hitmen’s 5-4 comeback overtime victory over the Victoria Royals. He’s hoping he can help the Hitmen win a lot more games.

“At the end of the day, I want to help the team win,” said Howe.

“I can do that by competing every day, being my best and being good in all areas of the ice and I think if I can do that I can contribute pretty good.”

A great message

Howe was the second big trade the Hitmen made last week. They also made a trade with Moose Jaw to acquire veteran defenseman Kalem Parker.

Captain Carson Wetsch says acquiring these two players is a great message to the players.

“I think it’s a really kind of big confidence boost for our team that the organization is telling us we’re going to go for it as a team,” he said.

“I think everyone in the room just gets excited for this opportunity.”

Hitmen general manager Garry Davidson says he likes the way his team has played this year and this was the right time to make these moves.

“It’s important that we establish a winning approach to the game,” said Davidson.

“We lost 21 one-goal games last year so I think that winning culture had to be grown or developed, and adding a couple of veteran players like we have, we really think it will help in the process.

“We want to have a playoff run here and these changes will hopefully help us accomplish that as well.”

The Hitmen may not be done with the wheeling and dealing.

“We’re going to kind of let the stew simmer, so to speak. We’ll see what we look like at the break and then from there decide whether we need to tweak some more things or not. But we’re really excited where we are today for sure.”

The Hitmen have a busy weekend ahead, at home against the Edmonton Oil Kings on Friday night, travelling to Medicine Hat on Saturday and then back home against the Moose Jaw Warriors for the Teddy Bear Toss game on Sunday afternoon.