(In our on-going series on team previews for the 2017-18 WHL Season, we have reached the last team to host the Memorial Cup from the WHL, the Red Deer Rebels)
Red Deer Rebels (2016-17 season: 30-29-9-4 73 points, lost to the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the opening round of the playoffs 4-3)
After hosting the Memorial Cup following the 2015-16 season, the Rebels were poised to be a steady as she goes kind of team in 2016-17. There would be bumps and bruises along the way though and the team did have to make some deals to stay competitive. A mid-season blockbuster deal with the Regina Pats would bring in Lane Zablocki and Dawson Barteaux, as well as some draft picks in exchange for Jeff de Wit and Josh Mahura. This deal as well as a few other smaller deals, set the Rebels on a course to recover from the usual Memorial Cup hangover.
This season will see the departure of former captain Adam Musil (signed with the St. Louis blues), Michael Spacek (signed with the Winnipeg Jets), as well as Austin Glover (aged out – University of British Columbia), Colton Bobyk (aged out – University of Calgary) and fan favorite Evan Polei (aged out- signed with Bakersfield Condors of the AHL). Also traded were Cameron Hausinger (KTN for a pick) and Jared Freadrich (VIC for Jared Dmytriw)
The Red Deer Rebels return Alexander Alexeyev to the lineup this year. The product of Russia was injured halfway through the season last year and was still voted as the top defenseman on the team at their annual awards. He will be looking to enter the NHL Draft as a potential first round selection. Added to the team at the CHL Import draft was Czech Republic native Kristian Reichel. He had a very impressive two games this pre-season, scoring a hat-trick in his first game.
Watch for the aforementioned Dawson Barteaux to break out for the Rebels this season. The 2000-born defencemen was a key piece in the deal with the Regina Pats and Head Coach Brent Sutter has had high hopes for his game to grow with the team. Austin Pratt will look to improve on his less-than-stellar NHL draft year. He will be looked upon to add some playmaking to his physical game. He will also step into somewhat of a leadership role with the team as he enters his third year. Chase Lowry is a 2000-born player who has yet to make the team but will look to step into a bottom-six role and use his speed and finesse to keep up with the high paced game of the WHL.
Brent Sutter has had the three overage player limit in camp from the get go. Forward Mason McCarty was brought in over the summer from the Blades for a 2nd round pick in this past spring’s WHL Bantam Draft. While he was injured for a large portion of the season last year, forward Grayson Pawlenchuk knows this team and will be looked at as a leader amongst his peers. In maybe the most interesting piece of the overage puzzle, Lasse Petersen has stuck around as a back-up goalie. If Sutter is to make a move involving this group, look for Petersen to be replaced by another overage player right around the deadline on October 10.
Away at NHL camps for the Rebels this season were Grayson Pawlenchuk (EDM), Ethan Sakowich (BOS) and Kristian Reichel (WPG). All have been returned to the team. Lane Zablocki (DET) and Brandon Hagel (BUF) remain at main camps for their respective clubs.
The fans in Red Deer are hungry for a competitive team, and Brent Sutter has provided them with one. With only two players remaining away at NHL camps, this team will be ready to gel quickly and provide a quick start. The only real question mark with this team is if it will look the same come trade deadline. If the team is competing for the division title, look for Sutter to bring in a couple of pieces in advance of the trade deadline so that his team can be a cohesive unit. It is expected that the Rebels will be in a position to make a playoff run in a weaker central division than is normally the case.
