Rebels Training Camp Has Been All Up-Tempo, All the Time
Published on August 28, 2018 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release
The manner in which the Red Deer Rebels plan to execute this season has been mostly on display through training camp, which concludes with Wednesday's 7 p.m. Black and White game.
"The game has changed a lot over the years and you have to adjust to it," Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter said Tuesday, following the final main camp scrimmage. "From our perspective as coaches, there's a certain way we want to play and we need guys playing that way."
Accordingly, the main camp and rookie camp scrimmages were fast-paced, with added emphasis on offence.
"That's part of the game now, it's an up-tempo game," said Sutter. "It's about puck advancement and speed . . .trying to generate more offence than we have in the past.
"But at the same time it's also being responsible too, without the puck. If you want to have the puck, you have to learn how to play without the puck."
Sutter was pleased with the physical condition shown by basically each and every player in both main and rookie camps, a necessary factor for a team hoping to perform at a rapid pace in all areas of the ice.
"That's the key," he said. "Everyone understands that's how we want to play and it doesn't matter if you're a vet. If you don't want to play that way then a young kid will be here.
"It's very important that everyone buys into that and it's actually been a very good camp. From my perspective the rookie camp was good and main camp has been as good as we've had here in a long time."
While the vast majority of the returnees will almost certainly be in the regular-season opening night roster, a handful of rookie hopefuls have made their presence known. The players in question just might earn roster berths despite the fact the club will have to depend heavily on 17- and 18-year-old returning forwards.
Last year's top bantam pick, Ethan Rowland, is certainly in the running as is fellow 16-year-old forward Jordan Borysiuk, who actually appeared in six games with the Rebels last season and 17-year-old forward Blake Sydlowski. Defenceman Blake Gustafson, 16, is another who has impressed.
"These guys have been pushing to be on the team," said Sutter. "(Forward) Jaxsen Wiebe is another who's been good, but he's probably a year away and can still play a year of midget hockey.
"These kids have all been real good. A 15-year-old kid like (forward Jayden) Grubbe, since day one in main camp, has been good And then you bring these young kids in today (from rookie camp into the final main camp scrimmage) and none of them looked out of place. We had some defencemen play forward today and they played well."
The Black and White game will feature seven players out of rookie camp - defencemen Gustafson, Kyle Masters, Trey Patterson and Mason Ward, and forwards Nick de Beurs, Keaton Sorensen and Skyler Cameron.
"It was a really good camp, now we get to the Black and White game and look to see a little more from some guys," said Sutter. "But overall, between our returning guys and our younger players, it's been fun to watch and it's been very competitive.
"It's been up tempo and with the pace it's been as good a camp as we've ever had."
Black and White game rosters (x-denotes veteran)
Team Black
Goal - Carter Serhyenko, x-Ethan Anders.
Defence - x-Hunter Donohoe, x-Dawson Barteaux, x-Ethan Sakowich, Chase Leslie, Jace Isley, Trey Patterson, Ryan Gottfried, x-Sam Pouliot.
Forwards - x-Jeff de Wit, Josh Medernach, Jayden Grubbe, x-Justin Svenson, Blake Sydlowski, x-Reese Johnson, x-Josh Tarzwell, x-Arshdeep Bains, Keaton Sorensen, x-Austin Schellenberg, x-Alex Morozoff, Skyler Cameron.
Team White
Goal - Carter Serhyenko (might see minutes with both teams), Byron Fancy.
Defence - x-Colin Paradis, Nic Draffin, x-Alex Alexeyev, Kyle Masters, Garrett Valk, x-Carson Sass, x-Jacob Herauf, Blake Gustafson.
Forwards - x-River Fahey, x-Zak Smith, x-Chris Douglas, Jordan Borysiuk, Jayden McCarthy, Nick de Beurs, x-Brandon Cutler, Jaxsen Wiebe, x-Brandon Hagel, Oleg Zaytsev, Ethan Rowland, Mason Ward.
Western Hockey League Stories from August 28, 2018
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- Blades Trim Roster to 35 - Saskatoon Blades
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- Hurricanes Sign Trio of Players - Lethbridge Hurricanes
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- Royals Sign Keegan Maddocks - Victoria Royals
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