Heading into the second day of main training camp, there were 12 defensemen listed on the two teams’ rosters as divided by team staff. Each team was given three returnees and three rookies. Last season, the Rebels carried eight players from the blue line on the roster, and it would be expected that 2019-2020 would not be much different.
From the outside, it would appear that there are just two roster spots open for incoming rookie defensemen. You might be mistaken, though, as the competition is thick, and the Red Deer Rebels are looking for the best players to fill out their defensive pairings.
“With our team,” Rebels assistant general manager Shaun Sutter opined, “it seems like there is competition everywhere, whether it’s players moving up and down the lineup that are returning; everything with us is you get what you earn.”
Last season certainly had its share of camp surprises, and Sutter recalled one such example.
“Chase Leslie is a great example last year that, you know, where everyone thinks that there’s always this preconceived plan with things and we have a long camp for a reason. Give every player an opportunity to show what they can do. And you know, then you get into exhibition and guys have to do it again there too. There’s going to be good competition there and no different than up front. And you know there’s a lot of you players that want one opportunity, and also a lot of older players that want to increase their roles. So there is good competition there, and you know all these guys are capable of playing and that’s why they are here.”
As has been the theme throughout the early stages of training camp, and even before that in the off-season, head coach and general manager Brent Sutter discussed the fact that the Rebels will be a young team in 2019-2020.
It won’t come without headaches, but the young team will fight for their opportunities.
“We’re gonna have to know our defense will be young too,” added Sutter, after the second team completed the on-ice portion of the day’s activities. “You know we’re gonna have some young guys. You know (Kyle) Masters will push to play here, as will (Blake) Gustafson, and (Chase) Leslie is a young kid — he’s going to be a 17-year-old this year. So there are three kids right there that are either 17 years or younger. Then our young Finnish boy (Christoffer Sidoff) — he’s only 17 too. So our defense is going to be young, but you know we need our older guys to be better players than they were last year. We need the Sakowichs, the Barteauxs, the Hearaufs, the Donohoes — you know all those guys too have got to be better. Gottfried has to be better than last year.”
Sutter was happy with the shape all the players were in coming back from the off-season as well.
“The kids came all, everyone to a man, were all in really good shape, and the pace was a little better today than it was yesterday, and as you go along here, it’ll get better and better.”
Beyond the defense, the last line of defense has been the tandem of Ethan Anders and Byron Fancy. Sutter felt confident that the goaltending should be alright in 2019-2020, but it still comes down to how training camp and the preseason play out.
“Our goaltending should be alright,” quipped Sutter, “but again it comes down to play. They’ll decide, and the Ward boy is here, and he’ll be pushing one of them for one of the two spots, too; we’ll just see. I’m not jumping to any conclusions. It’s a long way to the first of the regular season, and you don’t get too excited the first two days of camp.”
Time will tell which of the 12 defensemen and four goaltenders in camp will be with the team following Saturday’s Black & White game.
