Red Deer Rebels Take Two Players in CHL Import Draft

June 28, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels News Release

RED DEER, AB - Brent Sutter, General Manager/Head Coach of the Red Deer Rebels Hockey Club, announced the selection of forwards Oleg Zaitsev and Ivan Drozdov in today's Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.

Zaitsev is a 17-year old from Russia and played for MHK Dynamo Moskva in the MHL (Russian Junior) last year. He was taken in the 1st round of the CHL Import Draft, 17th overall.

Drozdov will be a 19-year old this season (Nov. 15/99), and played with Yunost Minsk in Belarus. He represented Belarus in the 2018 World Junior Championships. Drozdov was selected in the 2nd round of the CHL Import Draft, 77th overall.

Each team in the Canadian Hockey League (Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League) is allowed two import (non-North American) players. However, because the Rebels returning import player Alexander Alexeyev is a National Hockey League 1st round selection (Washington Capitals), they were permitted to take two players in today's draft.

The CHL Import Draft can be followed on www.chl.ca

Oleg Zaitsev

Last year's Team: MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)

DOB: January 7, 2001

Position: Forward

HT: 6'1"

WT: 185lbs

Ivan Drozdov

Last year's Team: Yunost Minsk (Belarus)

DOB: November 15, 1999

Position: Forward

HT: 6'0"

WT: 174lbs

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