2026 WHL Graduates - Medicine Hat Tigers
WHL Medicine Hat Tigers

2026 WHL Graduates - Medicine Hat Tigers

Published on May 4, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Medicine Hat Tigers News Release


Medicine Hat, AB - The Tigers would like to congratulate their 2026 graduating players, Andrew Basha, Josh Van Mulligen, and Ethan Neutens on their respective WHL careers. The Tigers would like to thank all three players for their contributions to the franchise and the city of Medicine Hat.

All three players were part of the 2025 WHL Championship team and all played 100+ games with the Tigers.

Andrew Basha (F)

Hometown: Calgary, AB

WHL Career Stats: 233 GP - 82 G - 152 A - 234 PTS - 132 PIM

WHL Draft: MH (2020) Round: 5 (# 105)

NHL Draft: CGY (2024) Round: 2 (# 41)

Basha spent all five season of his WHL career in the orange and black, and even longer in Southern Alberta, splitting his first season with the Tigers and the SAHA U18 Prep team in the CSSHL. The Calgary, Alberta native experienced it all throughout his career from an 11 win season in 2012-22, to a WHL Championship in 2025. The 6-foot forward was drafted by his hometown team, the Calgary Flames, in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft. The Flames signed Basha to a three-year entry-level contract on September 29, 2024. During his career high season in 2023-24, Basha recorded 30 goals and 55 assists for 85 points in 63 games. After re-joining the Tigers in January of the 2025-26 season, Basha finished his 20-year-old season with a 1.56 points per game average. He carried on his dominant play into the 2026 WHL Playoffs where he averaged 1.4 points per game. Basha is slated to join the report to the Flames' AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers for the 2026-27 season.

Josh Van Mulligen (D)

Hometown: Medicine Hat, AB

WHL Career Stats: 250 GP - 14 G - 72 A - 86 PTS - 123 PIM

WHL Draft: MH (2020) Round: 2 (# 39)

After a five-season WHL career that spanned exactly 250 games, all in the orange and black, Van Mulligen leaves behind a legacy that almost seemed to be destiny for him. Born and raised in Medicine Hat, Van Mulligen grew up as a season ticket holder for the Tigers, as well as helping out as a stick boy. Just like his fellow 2026 graduating teammate Basha, Van Mulligen was drafted in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft and split his first season between SAHA and the Tigers.

"When we all got drafted here that's what we talked about... winning a championship" said Van Mulligen. "To be able to do that was really special."

The hometown hero accomplished everything he set out to do and brought a WHL championship to his hometown team that he grew up watching. Having completed his WHL career, JVM is taking his talents to the NCAA's Niagara University Purple Eagles for the 2026-27 season.

Ethan Neutens (F)

Hometown: Cochrane, AB

WHL Career Stats: 235 GP - 27 G - 32 A - 59 PTS

WHL Draft: KEL (2020) Round: 9 (# 180)

He may not have started as a Tiger, but Ethan Neutens will forever be remembered for his time in the orange and black. Acquired from the Kelowna Rockets via trade on November 14, 2024, Neutens embraced Tigers hockey from the start. A hard hitting, big hearted player that always left it all on the ice, Neutens was a workhorse for the Tabbies that always brought energy when the team needed it most, including his electric goal against the London Knights in the 2025 Memorial Cup Round Robin. After being dubbed by Medicine Hat Tigers play-by-play announcer Will Bryant as "Everybody's Favourite Tiger" during the 2025-26 season, the nickname quickly stuck. The WHL Champion has committed to the NCAA's University of Alaska-Anchorage for the 2026-27 season.

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