Rebels Select Puck-Moving Finnish Defenceman in CHL Import Draft
June 27, 2019 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release
The Red Deer Rebels are confident they landed a potential future NHL player in Thursday's CHL import draft.
With the 25th overall pick, the Rebels took 17-year-old Christoffer Sedoff, a six-foot, 184-pound Finnish defenceman who has extensive international experience with his country's national teams.
"He's someone that we kind of keyed in on," said Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter, who relied on the knowledge of assistant GM Shaun Sutter and his overseas connections to make the pick.
"NHL scouts think very highly of him," the Rebels boss continued. "He's a really good skater and a competitive kid who can move the puck.
"Some teams have him ranked to go in the first round (of the 2020 NHL entry draft) and some have him going in the second round."
Whatever, there's no denying Sedoff's talent, considering he represented his country - as an underage player - in the Hlinka Gretzky tournament last summer in Red Deer and Edmonton as well as the 2018 world U17 championship.
"Shaun really likes the player and everyone he knows - and he has a lot of connections over in Europe - speaks very highly about him as a player," said Sutter.
Sedoff picked up three assists in 32 games with the HIFK Helsinki junior A team this past season. He also suited up with the HIFK junior A and B squads in the previous season, scoring four goals and collecting 10 points in 29 games, then adding a goal and two assists in seven playoff contests.
Sedoff will arrive in Red Deer in August, to begin preparations for the Rebels' training camp opening later in the month.
"From everything we know, he's coming," said Sutter. "Unless some unforeseen thing comes about, as far as we know he'll be here."
The Swift Current Broncos took Finnish forward Kasper Puutio with the first overall pick in the import draft.
° The Rebels open their Western Hockey League preseason schedule Sept. 3 when they take on the host Edmonton Oil Kings.
From there, Red Deer will visit the Lethbridge Hurricanes Sept. 6 and will host the 'Canes the following evening.
In addition, the Rebels will play host to the Medicine Hat Tigers Sept. 13 and will be in Calgary to face the Hitmen on the 15th.
The Rebels will open their regular-season slate Sept. 21 at home to the Oil Kings and will face their Central Division rivals the next night in Edmonton.
Red Deer will host each of the U.S. Division teams in the 2019-20 season. The Portland Winter Hawks will be at the Centrium Oct. 11, with the Seattle Thunderbirds (Oct. 25), Everett Silvertips (Dec. 30), Tri-City Americans (Feb. 22) and Spokane Chiefs (March 6) to follow.
Western Hockey League Stories from June 27, 2019
- Silvertips Select Center Michal Gut of the Czech Republic in the 2019 CHL Import Draft at 57th Overall - Everett Silvertips
- Americans Take Two in CHL Import Draft - Tri-City Americans
- Rebels Select Puck-Moving Finnish Defenceman in CHL Import Draft - Red Deer Rebels
- Pats Ink Goaltender Matthew Kieper - Regina Pats
- Season Tickets on Sale Now - Medicine Hat Tigers
- WHL Clubs Select 30 Players from Eight Nations in 2019 CHL Import Draft - WHL
- Jarvis Invited to Hockey Canada Selection Camp - Portland Winterhawks
- Winterhawks Pick up Two at Import Draft - Portland Winterhawks
- Blazers Sign Dylan Ernst and Tye Spencer - Kamloops Blazers
- Hitmen Select Two Players in 2019 CHL Import Draft - Calgary Hitmen
- Blades Make Two Selections in 2019 Import Draft - Saskatoon Blades
- Rockets select Novak and Gutik at 2019 CHL Import Draft - Kelowna Rockets
- T-Birds Select Right Wing Tim Stutzle in CHL Import Draft - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Wheat Kings Select Two at 2019 CHL Import Draft - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Hurricanes Select Okuliar in CHL Import Draft - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Spokane Takes Russian Defenseman Startsev with 103rd Overall Import Pick - Spokane Chiefs
- Winnipeg ICE Select Michal Teply, Nino Kinder Fourth and 64th Overall Respectively in 2019 CHL Import Draft - Winnipeg Ice
- Giants Select 2002-Born Defenceman Samuel Knazko in CHL Import Draft - Vancouver Giants
- Oil Kings Select Seppala in 2019 CHL Import Draft - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Cougars Select Czech Forward in CHL Import Draft - Prince George Cougars
- Raiders Select Kechkin in CHL Import Draft - Prince Albert Raiders
- Tigers Select Brinkman Andersen in CHL Import Draft - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Chiefs Pick Los Angeles Kings Prospect Lukas Parik in Import Draft - Spokane Chiefs
- Swift Current Broncos Select Finnish Defenceman Kasper Puutio with 1st Pick in CHL Draft - Swift Current Broncos
- Dave Chyzowski to Join Delta Hockey Academy - Kamloops Blazers
- Blazers Select Defenseman Inaki Baragano in the CHL Import Draft - Kamloops Blazers
- Royals Select Keanu Derungs in CHL Import Draft - Victoria Royals
- Pats Take Daniil Gushchin Seventh Overall in 2019 CHL Import Draft - Regina Pats
- We Have an Early Bird Grand Prize Winner - Brandon Wheat Kings
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