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WHL Red Deer Rebels

Homegrown Forward De Wit Flourishing in Second Stint with Rebels

November 29, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release


His second time around with the Red Deer Rebels has been a tremendous experience for Jeff de Wit.

The local product was selected by Red Deer in the first round of the 2013 WHL bantam draft and was dealt to the Regina Pats in January of 2017. He played for two more teams - the Kootenay Ice and Victoria Royals - before rejoining the Rebels this fall after being waived through the league as a 20-year-old.

Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter welcomed de Wit back into the fold under the premise that he get himself into proper physical shape for the current season. The six-foot-three forward lived up to his end of the deal and it's been a dream fit for both parties.

De Wit notched his 17th goal of the season - already a career season-high - in a 6-2 loss at Medicine Hat on Wednesday and is on pace for more than 40 this campaign.

"He's someone who we felt has the ability to do what he's doing," said Sutter, not overly surprised at what de Wit has accomplished this season.

"But he just had to find his way to want to get it done off the ice, and if he did it the right way and got mentally in the right place he could do it on the ice."

When de Wit was cut loose by the Royals during the off-season and the Rebels were in the market for a 20-year-old forward, Sutter didn't see a better option out there.

"We looked around and asked which player has the skills sets we were looking for. Jeff was certainly a skilled player with as good of hands as anybody that was available," said Sutter.

"And we knew Jeff, he was a fist-round pick of ours. He knows our program, it wasn't like we were bringing someone in who we had to train to do things the way we do them, someone who didn't know our culture."

The 207-pound centre/winger, who admits he's in his best physical shape of the past three years, is enjoying his status as a genuine sniper in his fifth year in the league. But he insists he didn't set any personal objectives in terms of goals and/or points coming into the season.

"My goal this season was to be a top-six forward on this team and a good leader . . . be a guy who's relied upon game in and game out," he said Thursday. "I think I've been pretty focused going into every game this year and I think that's helped me mentally.

I'm just going to keep staying focused and prepared for each game."

In terms of leading by example and being a voice of reason in the dressing room, de Wit has been a positive presence, said Sutter.

"The other thing Jeff has been awesome at is his leadership. He's a very well spoken kid, he's a very smart kid, and he comes from a great family," said the Rebels boss. "There are so many boxes checked there, but it all just came from what does Jeff want.

"He figured out this summer what he wanted. I worked with him on it and he is where he is today. He's been a really good fit for our team with where we're at today and he's really complemented the lines he plays on."

For the most part, de Wit has been a member of the club's top line with fellow overagers Brandon Hagel and Reese Johnson, and sometimes import Oleg Zaytsev.

The vast majority of his goals have been the result of his acceptance and ability to go to the net.

"He's a big body. Look at all his goals, outside of a few they've all come within 10 feet of the net," said Sutter. "And that's because of his hand-eye coordination and his good hands."

These are unusual times for the current version of the Rebels who are mired in their first three-game losing streak of the season.

"I think we just need to go back to playing a structured team game, get back to our systems that have been helping us win all year," said de Wit, who will be looking to add to his goal total when the Rebels host the Calgary Hitmen and Moose Jaw Warriors Friday and Saturday.

"We have a great team in here but we don't have a bunch of great individuals. As long as we play as a team we're going to be just fine every game, we're going to give ourselves a chance to win.

"We know we let it slip the last three games, especially the older group, myself included. I need to be better goIng into the next game and if the older group kind of leads the way everyone else will follow."

Scouting Report

Rebels vs. Calgary Hitmen

Friday, 7 p.m., Centrium

Calgary is fifth in the Central Division and ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 10-13-2-1 record and is coming off a 3-2 shootout loss to the host Tri-City Americans last Saturday. The Hitmen posted a 3-1-0-1 slate on their U.S. Division trip . . . The Rebels and Hitmen have met four times this season with Red Deer winning each game - 4-3 on Sept. 28 at home, 6-5 in overtime two days later on the road, 3-1 Oct. 23 at the Centrium and 1-0 Nov. 3 in Calgary . . . C Mark Kastelic leads all Hitmen scorers with 21 goals and 32 points. C Jake Kryski (11-16-27) and C James Malm (12-13-25), acquired from the Vancouver Giants on Oct. 31, are next in line . . . G Jack McNaughton has a 4-6-0 record with a 3.35 goals-against average and .890 save percentage. Crease mate Carl Stankowski, currently injured, is 6-6-2 with a 3.72 GAA and .879 save percentage.

Injuries: Calgary - G Carl Stankowski (lower body, indefinite). Red Deer - D Alex Alexeyev (upper body, day-to-day).

Special teams: Calgary - Power play 24.7 per cent, fifth overall; penalty kill 78.3 per cent, 10th. Red Deer - Power play 24.4 per cent, eighth overall; penalty kill 75.8 per cent, 15th.

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