Monday, December 29, 2014

Rebels: December Deals Have Memorial Cup In Mind



The WHL Trade Deadline does not arrive for another two weeks (January 10).
Brent Sutter isn’t waiting that long to make what he hopes are drastic improvements to his Red Deer Rebels club.
Four new names have been added to the Rebels roster since December 1…

  • Riley Sheen, F, 20, acquired from Lethbridge along with a conditional 5th round selection in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft in exchange for 20-year old Devan Fafard and 17-year old forward Brayden Burke

  • Nelson Nogier, 18, D, and Austin Adamson, F, 18, acquired from Saskatoon in exchange for in exchange for 17-year old forward Mason McCarty, the Rebels 1st round selection in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft, and a 2nd round pick in 2015

  • Colton Bobyk, D, 18, acquired from Spokane along with a 4th round selection in 2016 in exchange for 19-year old defenceman Nick Charif, a 2nd round pick in 2015 and a conditional 6th round selection in 2016

Clearly, the Rebels have paid high prices to bring these players in. It is also clear that Sutter believes these players are the right fit for his club.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Fleury Working To Rock It Like A Hurricane



[Here goes my latest attempt at blogging, based on some good interviews we've had on recent Rebels broadcasts]

Haydn Fleury hasn’t exactly been piling up the points this season with the Red Deer Rebels. But, that doesn’t mean his play isn’t trending in the right direction.


Last weekend, the Carolina Hurricanes, sent a familiar face to Red Deer to get a firsthand look at the progress of their first round draft pick.


Glen Wesley is the Director of Defencemen Development for the Hurricanes. The Red Deer native knows a thing or two about patrolling NHL blue lines, having done so for 1457 games joining Carolina’s hockey staff.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

WHL Coaching Carousel

As I start getting some things ready for Rebels broadcasts this season, I put together a quick list of all of the offseason coaching changes in the WHL.  I figured I might as well share it with you...



TEAM
2013-14
2014-15
Calgary
Mike Williamson
Mark French
Edmonton
Derek Laxdall
Steve Hamilton
Kamloops
Dave Hunchak
Don Hay
Kelowna
Ryan Hunka
Dan Lambert
Moose Jaw
Mike Stothers
Tim Hunter
Portland
Mike Johnston
Jamie Kompon
Regina
Malcolm Cameron
John Paddock
Saskatoon
Dave Struch
Bob Woods
Tri City
Jim Hiller
Mike Williamson
Vancouver
Don Hay
Troy Ward

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

TRAINING CAMP: THE ROOKIES

Here's is the rookies roster for the opening day of Rebels Training Camp (Thursday).  They hit the ice at 10 a.m.

Of note, Jeff de Wit is not with the rookie group.  He'll skate with the veterans group once he's healthy enough to do so.  


Tuesday, August 19, 2014

REBELS: IT'S TIME


‘Twas the night before training camp and all through the rink…

Nah, who am I kidding. I suck at poetry. Some think I also suck at writing, for that matter, but here it comes anyway.

Welcome to the 2014-15 season, Red Deer Rebels fans. After another much longer than hoped for off-season, the boys are back in town and ready to hit the ice starting Thursday.

While the off-season was indeed a long one, it was not completely uneventful for the Rebels. Here is a recap of some of the bigger happenings…

Friday, August 15, 2014

BACK IN BLACK (AND WHITE)

Enjoy the final weekend of the off-season, folks.

Starting Thursday, your local hockey heroes hit the ice as they work toward the ultimate major junior hockey goal of winning the Memorial Cup.

You can find a rundown of the Red Deer Rebels 2014 Training Camp schedule at their website.

On Wednesday, GM and Head Coach Brent Sutter will be chatting with us in the local media to offer up a camp preview and his (lofty, no doubt) expectations for the 2014-15 season.  We'll also probably as him for an update on the 2016 Memorial Cup bid (you're damn right it should come to Red Deer!)

We definitely look forward to bringing you all the action once again as 106.7 The Drive will carry each Rebels regular season and playoff game live.

Enjoy golf, or whatever it is you like doing when the weather is nice, because life at the rink is about to resume. 

See you there!

TG

Thursday, May 1, 2014

REBELS: Draft Day 2014


Once again, the Red Deer Rebels tapped into some NHL bloodlines in the first round of the WHL Bantam Draft.

There was Brandon Sutter in 2004, Adam Musil in 2012, and today Jake Leschyshyn whose father, Curtis, patrolled the blue line in both the NHL and WHL and was an Assistant Coach with the Saskatoon Blades last season.

Leschyshyn, the 6th overall selection in today’s draft, headlines the group of 11 players selected by the Rebels. The group of 11 also includes a local product and a pair of very intriguing American players.

Overall, Rebels Assistant GM Sutter feels the club was able to address the needs they had identified heading into today’s draft.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

REBELS: The Final Curtain

Just like that… it’s all over.

After a frantic finish to the regular season that centred on an ultra-tight race for a playoff spot, the finality of the Red Deer Rebels’ tiebreaker game loss to the Prince Albert Raiders is tough to stomach, real tough.

Many observers had high hopes for the 2013-14 Red Deer Rebels, and it was with good reason that they did. They brought back a large chunk of the roster that last season rallied to finish 4th in the WHL Eastern Conference and swept the Prince Albert Raiders in the opening round of playoffs. They had the reigning WHL and CHL Goaltender of the Year, a stud defenceman to build around, a promising group of forwards, and a solid coaching group with a ton of pedigree. Seemingly, the ingredients were there for a recipe for success this season.

In the end, those ingredients didn’t mix as well as many had expected and the Rebels are on the outside looking in for this year’s playoffs. It certainly wasn’t a boring season, no season ever is in my opinion, and here some of the highs and lows, as I saw them, from the campaign that was…

Monday, February 24, 2014

LOCAL RECAP: Kings and Queens Volleyball Win Gold, Rebels Split Pair

Both the RDC Kings and Queens Volleyball squads lived up to expectations over the weekend in winning their respective ACAC Championships.

The Kings, playing on their home court at RDC, swept Grant MacEwan in Sunday's final by hard fought set scores of 25-22, 25-21 and 26-24. Kings Setter Sam Brisbane was named Tournament MVP while Tim Finnigan and Braden O'Toole were named as Tournament All-Stars. Prior to the tournament, Finnigan was named ACAC Player of the Year and Aaron Schulha was named Coach of the Year.

The Queens, playing at Grande Prairie, also swept their final match at provincials by set scores of 25-17, 25-12 and 25-19 over the host Wolves. Queens Power Hitter Amber Adolf was named Tournament MVP while Brooke Sutter and Bronwyn Hawkes were named as Tournament All-Stars.

MORE BELOW...

Thursday, February 20, 2014

RDC Kings, Queens Ranked #1 Heading Into Volleyball Provincials

ACAC Men’s Volleyball Championship - Hosted by Red Deer College

Edmonton, February 18, 2014 – Red Deer College is honoured to host the 2013-14 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Men’s Volleyball Championships on February 21-23, 2014. The top teams from Northern and Southern Alberta will converge on Red Deer College to determine who this year's top volleyball team will be. It's going to be a weekend tournament filled with tough competition!

Friday, February 21
1:00 PM Game 1 GPRC (#6) vs. SAIT (#3)
3:00 PM Game 2 NAIT (#7) vs. GMU (#2)
6:00 PM Game 3 BC (#8) vs. RDC (#1)
8:00 PM Game 4 UAA (#5) vs. MHC (#4)

Saturday, February 22
1:00 PM Game 5 LG2 vs. LG1
3:00 PM Game 6 LG4 vs. LG3
6:00 PM Game 7 WG1 vs. WG2
8:00 PM Game 8 WG3 vs. WG4

Sunday, February 23
11:00 AM Game 9 WG5 vs. WG6
1:00 PM Game 10 LG 7 vs. LG8
3:30 PM Game 11 WG7 vs. WG8

ALL GAMES AT RDC MAIN GYM


ACAC Women’s Volleyball Championship - Hosted by Grande Prairie Regional College

Friday, February 21
1:00 PM Game 1 King’s (#5) vs. BC (#4)
3:00 PM Game 2 LAKE (#8) vs. RDC (#1)
6:00 PM Game 3 OC (#6) vs. GPRC (#3)
8:00 PM Game 4 NAIT (#7) vs. GMU (#2)

Saturday, February 22
1:00 PM Game 5 LG2 vs. LG1
3:00 PM Game 6 LG4 vs. LG3
6:00 PM Game 7 WG1 vs. WG2
8:00 PM Game 8 WG3 vs. WG4

Sunday, February 23
11:00 AM Game 9 WG5 vs. WG6
1:00 PM Game 10 LG 7 vs. LG8
3:30 PM Game 11 WG7 vs. WG8

www.acac.ab.ca

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Local Sports: February 18

The Red Deer Rebels solid grip on a WHL playoff spot is now rather tenuous.

The Rebels sit just two points ahead of Prince Albert for 8th in the Eastern Conference after a 7-1 drubbing in Calgary on Monday. The Rebels also fell 4-1 at home to Saskatoon on Saturday, one night after their 3-2 overtime win in Edmonton.

The Rebels host the Oil Kings for their first of five straight games at the Enmax Centrium.
---

Senior AAA Provincials

The Bentley Generals beat the Stony Plain Eagles 3-2 in overtime on Monday at the Red Deer Arena. The Generals have a 3-0 lead in the provincial semi-final series with game four coming this Saturday at Stony Plain.

The Innisfail Eagles and Fort Saskatchewan Chiefs are tied 1-1 in the other semi-final series, game three goes Friday night in Innisfail.

--- MORE BELOW ---

Monday, February 10, 2014

Feb 10: Local Sports Recap

The Red Deer Rebels finished off their 4 games in 5 nights road trip with a 7-1 loss in Prince George on Saturday. The Rebels picked up just 1 one a possible 8 points on the trip. They return home this week for games on Wednesday (Medicine Hat) and Saturday (Saskatoon) sitting in 8th place in the WHL Eastern Conference standings.

---


Regular season play wrapped up in the Chinook Hockey League over the weekend...

Friday
Innisfail Eagles 1, Fort Saskatchewan 0









Saturday
Bentley Generals 6, Stony Plain 3



 







Final Regular Season Standings
1. Bentley 42 points
2. Innisfail 32 points
3. Fort Saskatchewan 31 points
4. Okotoks 15 points (not taking part in AAA Provincials)
5. Stony Plain 14 points

(PLAYOFFS INFO BELOW...)

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Local Athletes Head To Alberta Winter Games

logo



The 2014 Alberta Winter Games get underway on Thursday in Banff and Canmore.

The 2014 Alberta Winter Games run from February 6-9th young athletes from eight zones will participate in 22 sporting competitions in both locations.

Below is the list of athletes representing Zone 4 from Red Deer and Red Deer County.  For a list of the rest of our local Zone 4 athletes visit www. albertagames.com.


Aasman Jayda Volleyball Female Red Deer
Adkins Ryan Archery Red Deer
Allin Erin Ringette Red Deer
Beaudoin Spencer Ringette Red Deer
Biletsky Parker Volleyball Male Red Deer
Bilodeau Shaelynne Hockey Female Red Deer
Boorse Mikayla Curling Red Deer
Brown Wade Cross Country Skiing Red Deer
Bussard Jade Hockey Female Red Deer
Butler Ruby Artistic Gymnastics Red Deer
Carriere Tye Hockey Male Red Deer
Colonna Skylar Hockey Female Red Deer
CouttsTyraHockey Female Red Deer
CudilloLesterBoxing Red Deer
CudilloLowieBoxing Red Deer
CundictElizabethRingette Red Deer
DeMaleShaeHockey Female Red Deer
DomoneyKayleeRingette Red Deer
EvansTraceyArchery Red Deer
FairbrotherKeeshaRingette Red Deer
FargusonWilliamJudo Red Deer
FitzsimonsMandiHockey Female Red Deer
FlanaganAnthonyJudo Red Deer
FreemanMyaSynchronized Swimming Red Deer
FrenetteNatalieVolleyball Female Red Deer
FuerbringerJoshuaSpeed Skating Red Deer
GarbeJanayaRingette Red Deer
GrahamChristopherVolleyball Male Red Deer
GrayKierenSpeed Skating Red Deer


Gray Nolan Speed Skating Red Deer
Green Owen Alpine Skiing Red Deer
Guthrie Adam Squash Red Deer
Halford Claire Synchronized Swimming Red Deer
Hayes Nina Synchronized Swimming Red Deer
Heron Matthew Volleyball Male Red Deer
Hovdestad Amy Synchronized Swimming Red Deer
Huddleston Mackenzie Volleyball Female Red Deer
Hurry Devyn Fencing Red Deer
Jewkes Lauren Ringette Red Deer
Johnson Bailey Cross Country Skiing Red Deer
Junck Adam Volleyball Male Red Deer
Kopec Bryce Badminton Red Deer


       
KosackZacharyCross Country Skiing Red Deer
KrauseLiamVolleyball Male Red Deer
LamontKameronFencing Red Deer
LayeSierraVolleyball Female Red Deer
LeeDanielJudo Red Deer
Love HollmanErynCurling Red Deer
Love HollmanMasonCurling Red Deer
MacleodLoganSquash Red Deer
MarshallLukeHockey Male Red Deer
MastCodyCross Country Skiing Red Deer
MecklingAbbyVolleyball Female Red Deer
MetcalfeJanelleVolleyball Female Red Deer
MorlockJustinCurling Red Deer
MulderAmyRingette Red Deer


Nadon Evan Badminton Red Deer
Nasewich Maegan Figure Skating Red Deer
O'Connell Brandon Speed Skating Red Deer
Oakes Jared Alpine Skiing Red Deer
Ostrikoff Megan Fencing Red Deer
Paarup Jace Hockey Male Red Deer
Packard Kallan Synchronized Swimming Red Deer
Patrick Mercedes Synchronized Swimming Red Deer
Pimm Owen Cross Country Skiing Red Deer
Rodger Logan Judo Red Deer
Sandquist Chantelle Hockey Female Red Deer
Saunders Brad Biathlon Red Deer


Saunders Brad Biathlon Red Deer
Saunders Brielle Biathlon Red Deer
Saunders Devin Biathlon Red Deer
Schlachter Alison Ringette Red Deer
Sikora Genevieve Freestyle Skiing Red Deer
Sikora Sydney Freestyle Skiing Red Deer
Sorokan Hope Synchronized Swimming Red Deer
Sosnowski Gina Hockey Female Red Deer
Spicer Lauren Speed Skating Red Deer
Spicer Stefanie Speed Skating Red Deer


St. Pierre Isabel Ringette Red Deer
St.Pierre Jenna Hockey Female Red Deer
Starratt Bailey Archery Red Deer
Stecyk Cale Hockey Male Red Deer
Suhalj Anna Volleyball Female Red Deer
Tieken-Maerz Kendra Ringette Red Deer
Towers Talyn Archery Red Deer
Very Jason Hockey Male Red Deer
Wiebe Dahlin Cross Country Skiing Red Deer
Wiley Kaitlyn Archery Red Deer
Wlad Carley Hockey Female Red Deer
Doyon Joshua Cross Country Skiing Red Deer County
Flewell Journey Volleyball Female Red Deer County
Janssen Kendall Volleyball Female Red Deer County
Linnell Kaitlan Hockey Female Red Deer County


MacDougall Bryndelle Speed Skating Red Deer County
MacDougall Connor Speed Skating Red Deer County
Sinnamon Connor Volleyball Male Red Deer County
Weberg Ethan Hockey Male Red Deer County
Wood Adam Freestyle Skiing Red Deer County

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Lacombe's Hodgson Ready To Rock At Home

Final preparations at the Lacombe Arena
(photo from twitter @C_hodgy)
The Lacombe Arena will be rocking this week. (Sorry, I just had to haha)

A field of twelve teams, highlighted by two former world champions, hits the ice for the 2014 Albert a Boston Pizza Cup men’s provincial curling championship starting Wednesday.



And while the Kevin Martin and Kevin Koe rinks are the overwhelming favorites heading in, there is another team that will have the support of plenty of hometown Lacombe fans behind it.


Thursday, January 30, 2014

Faze Times Pretty Good These Days, Polei Express Send Shockwaves

Truth being told… I meant to write about Scott Feser on Tuesday but, as luck would have it, I simply didn’t get the time.

Thankfully, for me, this write up is timelier following Feser’s two point performance in the Rebels 4-3 shootout win last night over the Brandon Wheat Kings [GAME STORY] for which he was named as the game’s 1st star.

Feser worked a perfect give-and-go to set up Presten Kopeck for the game’s opening goal then later banged home a slick pass from Haydn Fleury for his 6th goal of the season (in his 24th game played).

It’s quickly developing into a great story. A hometown Red Deer kid comes back after being sent down to Junior A for the second time in as many seasons and makes the best of his opportunity.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Tommy Gun's Outdoor Winter Classic - A True Hockey Celebration


The Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks may be playing at the legendary hockey setting that is Dodger Stadium (nothing screams “Hockey” like palm trees). A true celebration of the game, however, takes place in Red Deer again this weekend.

The 4th annual Tommy Gun’s Outdoor Winter Classic [@TGWinterClassic] is on at the Bower Community Rink this weekend. Eight midget teams hit the outdoor ice for games starting Friday afternoon and running through Sunday afternoon.

This year, four Red Deer midget teams are joined this year by squads from Grande Prairie, Lloydminster, Claresholm and Kelowna.

“We just wanted to do a Midget ‘A’ tournament and there was never any ice to do it,” explains Tournament Organizer Al Sim. “We originally planned to do an indoor tournament but something got lost and we never got the indoor ice time. So we looked at the outdoor winter classic the NHL was doing and decided ‘Why don’t we do that too?’”

(more below)

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Lacombe Athletic Park Continues To Score Big


Central Alberta Buccaneers in action
at MEGlobal Athletic Park
2013 was a banner year for the Lacombe Athletic Park Association (LAPA).

The group, which operates and oversees events at MEGlobal Athletic Park, held its Annual General Meeting last night. They shared many of the facility's highlights from the past 12 months and set the stage for more exciting things to come.

If you're not familiar with the facility, check out this video from their new and improved website (It's a great video despite my cameo lol)

Among the event highlights from last year…

  • A number of improvements to the park were made including new sidewalks, landscaping, fencing and storage, new soccer nets, and improved access to the adjacent grass practice field
  • Two midget football teams called MEGlobal Athletic Park home for their 2013 seasons
  • In May, the park hosted a regional high school soccer tournament for the first time
  • The U of C Dinos hosted another successful camp for minor football players in June
  • The Central Alberta Buccaneers of the Alberta Football League used the park as their home for a second year
  • Central Alberta Field Lacrosse started up two teams that called MEGlobal Athletic Park “home”
  • “Football Day in Lacombe” in September was highlighted by generous donations from Richard Pioneer ($50,000), Lacombe Rotary Club ($15,000) and another $25,000 from the Gord Bamford Foundation, boosting their total donations to the park to $75,000
  • In November, the park was the setting as Lacombe residents gathered to set the new world record for the largest human Christmas tree

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Sutter Said What Many Are Thinking: Change Is Needed


Brent Sutter is right, absolutely 100% right.

His comments about grassroots hockey in our country, which were spat on by Don Cherry, are right on the mark.

Sutter’s contention is that our current focus when it comes to building hockey players is off the mark.