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Regina Pats lose captain Tanner Howe for 'weeks' in second game back from NHL's Penguins

Tanner Howe will be out week-to-week with an upper body injury, according to the Regina Pats. (Photo: Keith Hershmiller Photography) Tanner Howe will be out week-to-week with an upper body injury, according to the Regina Pats. (Photo: Keith Hershmiller Photography)
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The Regina Pats will have to be without their captain and arguably best player Tanner Howe for a little while longer as the team announced Saturday he is listed as “week-to-week” with an upper body injury.

Howe was injured early in the second period of Sept. 29’s 4-3 overtime win at home against the Moose Jaw Warriors.

The 18-year-old from Prince Albert was playing in just his second game with the Pats in the 2024-25 season since being sent back to the Western Hockey League (WHL) by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Howe was drafted 46th overall by the Penguins in June and played in one pre-season game this fall for the club, recording three shots and four penalty minutes.

Howe returned to the Pats’ lineup on Sept. 27 and scored a third period power-play goal in a 4-2 loss in Moose Jaw.

He played in all 68 games for the Pats last season recording 77 points, and missed just one game the year before that picking up a career high 85 points.  

Until Howe’s return the Pats will have three alternate captains on the ice.

The team announced it’s leadership group for the season this past week.

Howe will wear the captain “C” for a second straight season with Braxton Whitehead, John Babcock, Tye Spencer and Jaxsin Vaughan wearing the alternate “A”.

The team said Babcock and Whitehead will be full-time alternates and Spencer and Vaughan will split home and away games.

“I am really excited about our leadership group, as the core has grown up as Regina Pats. I believe this group players lead in different ways and those diverse leadership styles will benefit our team,” Pats head coach Brad Herauf said in a news release.

Howe and Whitehead are in their fourth full seasons with the Pats while Spencer and Vaughan are in their third campaigns with Regina.

Babcock, a 20-year-old defenceman played most of his WHL career with the Kelowna Rockets but was traded to the Saskatoon Blades last season where he helped the team to game seven of the Eastern Conference Final.

The Pats (2-2-0-0) are back in action Saturday night when the host the Edmonton Oil Kings (1-3-0-0) at the Brandt Centre at 6 p.m. They’ll also host the Everett Silvertips on Wednesday, Swift Current Broncos on Friday and Spokane Chiefs on Oct. 13. 

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