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WHL Red Deer Rebels

Smith Enjoys Productive Road Trip as he Continues to Develop as a First-Year, Full-Time Rebel

November 13, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
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It's conceivable that Zak Smith will look back on the Red Deer Rebels recent three-game road trip as a turning point for the 17-year-old forward.

The Austin, Man., native has looked right at home in his first full season in the Western Hockey League, but until last weekend hadn't been rewarded on an individual basis.

Smith scored once in a 6-3 loss to Brandon and had a goal and an assist in Sunday's 3-2 overtime win at Swift Current, where he was selected as the game's third star.

"It's always nice to put up points, but I think most importantly the four points out of six really helped us especially with how tight the standings are right now in our division," he said Tuesday, reflecting also on Saturday's 4-3 shootout victory at Moose Jaw.

The goals were his second and third of the season and raised his points total to five in 19 games.

Smith, who was held to one assist after joining the Rebels for the final 11 games of the 2017-18 season, has remained patient as he gradually becomes accustomed to the major junior game.

"Once you start playing in the WHL you just have to start working your way into it ," he said. "I think every game as the season has gone on I've been getting better and better and the Swift Current game was my best all around game.

"I was a lot more comfortable with the puck and making plays . . . I just felt more confident and I think that was really huge for me."

Smith was overlooked in the WHL bantam draft and was listed by the Rebels after an impressive 2016-17 midget AAA season with the Central Plains Capitals, with whom he notched 22 goals and collected 56 points in 44 games as a 15-year-old.

He suited up with the junior A Neepawa Natives last season and scored 11 goals and had an equal number of assists in 46 outings before being summoned to the Rebels.

Playing in the Manitoba Junior League helped him prepare for his current gig, he admitted, while conceding that there's still a major gap between the calibre of play at the junior A and major junior levels.

"Junior A is a lot better than midget, but it was still a huge jump to the WHL," he said.

"But playing junior A really helped me. You're playing against 20-year-olds and also against guys who could be in the Dub but are going to go on to (NCAA) Division 1 schools.

"Overall it helped me a lot with how I developed as a player. They played me a lot in Neepawa so I have to give them a lot of credit for how I developed. Coming up at the end of the year I was more prepared as a player and I kind of worked my way on to the team. I felt more confident with the team."

Earlier in the season Smith skated on the Rebels' second line with Reese Johnson and Josh Tarzwell and has been in and out of the top six in recent games. On Sunday his linemates were Alex Morozoff and Dallon Melin.

"It's always nice to know the coaches can trust you in our zone and the offensive zone," said the six-foot-two, 185-pound left winger. "It puts some weight on your shoulders when you're playing top six minutes because you have to produce for your team.

"I'm glad that the coaches believe I can be a top six player and hopefully as the year goes on I can work my way back into the top six."

The Rebels will host the Kelowna Rockets Friday in their first home game since Oct. 26. The Kootenay Ice will visit the Centrium 24 hours later.

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