Rebels Go Prospecting

Even though I’ll only be around for the first day, I’m quite looking forward to this year’s edition of the Red Deer Rebels annual prospects camp.

34 players will hit the ice at the Penhold Multiplex Friday (3-5pm), Saturday (3:45-5:45pm) and Sunday (9-11am) with all three sessions open to the public.

If 34 seems like a high of players number that’s because, compared to past years, it is. Usually, somewhere around two dozen players come to town for this annual camp. The increased camp roster will provide a new and interesting dynamic.

“We’ll have enough players that we can have 17 on each team, so we’ll scrimmage more than we did in the past,” Rebels GM / Head Coach Brent Sutter told Greg Meachem (@GregMeachem) of the Red Deer Advocate.

It makes sense. It can only help these up and coming players to put them head to head and see what they’re made of. Let them measure themselves against each other so see where they are now and where they need to be in order to someday make this team.

Rebels and Hitmen Renew Rivalry

It just seems wrong that the Red Deer Rebels and Calgary Hitmen have gone nearly a full decade without meeting in the playoffs. (not nearly as bad as the Oilers / Flames playoff drought, but still…)

During the Rebels “glory days” a yearly postseason date with the Hitmen was pretty much set in stone. In the six seasons between 1999 and 2004 they met in the playoffs four times…

1999 – Hitmen swept the Rebels 4-0 in the second round on their way to winning the WHL Championship
2001 – Rebels beat the Hitmen four games to two in second round in their way to winning the Memorial Cup
2003 – Rebels beat the Hitmen four games to one in the opening round on their way to winning the Eastern Conference
2004 – Rebels beat the Hitmen four games to three in the opening round

Rebels Gone Wild

Sometimes, as a broadcaster, you get lucky.



Prior to last night’s game at the Enmax Centrium between the Rebels and Regina Pats, Cam Moon and I were saying “How cool would it be if Paul Charles came to the game tonight?  He’d be a PERFECT intermission guest.”



Most of you probably don’t know who Paul Charles is… he is a scout with the Minnesota Wild.  And, as we’ve all seen, there’s no shortage of Rebels-Wild activity to chat about these days.



Sure enough, about 10 minutes later, Paul walked into the media lounge while Mooner and I were still chatting.  Perfect.



Paul is a big reason why Minnesota drafted Mathew Dumba 7th overall in last year’s NHL Entry Draft.  Before that, he was a big advocate for drafting Darcy Kuemper, which the Wild did in the sixth round (161st overall) of the 2009 draft.



That particular selection is turning out to be quite a steal for the Wild, and Charles couldn’t be happier.

Rebels: Searching For Consistency

I had a chance to spend some time at the rink yesterday to catch up with a few of the Rebels following their three game Saskatchewan road trip… and to film another episode of Southside Dodge Rebels This Week (yup, shameless plug).

In looking back a trip on which they earned three of a possible six points, the Rebels (as they should) are taking the “good, but not good enough” approach.

“In Swift Current, we had a rough game, didn’t do our best,” noted Captain Turner Elson. “We need our work ethic all the time, every sixty minute game, and we didn’t do that for the whole trip.”

Audio Blog (x2): Bill Ranford / Shane Bendera

Cam Moon can rest easy knowing he's paid his dues for his lifetime membership in the 'Goalie Guild'.

The former WHL netminder did a bang up job of snagging two other prominent former WHL goalies to be our intermission guest for Friday's Rebels/Rockets broadcast on 106.7 The Drive.

Our 1st intermission guest, Bill Ranford.  The former Conn Smythe winner with the Oilers is a goaltending consultant with the Los Angeles Kings nowadays.  Yup, he's a Stanley Cup champion again.  Bill and I chatted about a few things ranging from his thoughts on current Rebels goalies Patrik Bartosak and Bolton Pouliot.  We also talked about his rare chance to spend some time back in Red Deer and check out some of his favorite locales.  LISTEN HERE

On any normal night, having one great guest in a broadcast would be fun enough.  Not this time around.  Mooner dipped into the goalie pool a second time to arrange a visit from Shane Bendera, the man who backstopped the Red Deer Rebels to their Memorial Cup title in 2001.  Friday marked the first time Bendera had been in the Enmax Centrium for a game since his playing days ended.  The game just happened to feature the two teams he used to play for (he was traded from Red Deer to Kelowna midway through the 2001-02 season).  Shane was a fun guy to chat with and definitely enjoyed his night at the rink with his family.  LISTEN HERE

COMING UP ON THE BLOG... Last Saturday, I chatted with Jamie Hislop who is a scout with the Minnesota Wild.  Of course, we talked about Mathew Dumba. Hislop also gave us an update on former Rebels netminder Darcy Kuemper.  Sounds like things are going pretty well for Kemps.  I'll try to get Jamie's comments posted in the next day or so.

ALSO... be sure to check out today's brand new episode of REBELS THIS WEEK featuring Brady Gaudet's "goal from the parking lot"

TG

Two Game Suspension: Lesson Learned For Dumba?

Amongst his long list of impressive attributes, Mathew Dumba's maturity goes somewhat unnoticed.

His booming shot, offensive prowess, and thunderous hitting power are what steal the headlines most often.  But between the ears, he is just as impressive.  Case in point, his handling of his bit of controversy.

Dumba has been suspended two games by the Western Hockey League for the checking to the head major penalty and game misconduct he incurred Friday night versus the Calgary Hitmen.  (If you haven't seen the hit yet, CLICK HERE!  Dumba sat out Sunday's game in Edmonton and will also sit out Friday's home game versus Medicine Hat.  He will return to the Rebels lineup Saturday night in Calgary.

Not only is he taking things in stride, Dumba also realizes there is a lesson to be learned here.

Rebels: It's Show Time!

I have just one bit of advice for this year's edition of the Red Deer Rebels...

Win... and win often!

Easy to say, I know.  I say it not because I have the power to do anything if they don't... but because their General Manager does.

In an exclusive interview for our next episode of 'Southside Dodge Rebels This Week', Brent Sutter told be he isn't about to sit idly by the sidelines if this current assembled group struggles early.

Rebels Shuffle Their Deck

Just when we thought we had it all figured out, the Red Deer Rebels shook things up in a somewhat substantial way on Wednesday.

First, they announced that both Vukie Mpofu ('96) and Dexter Bricker ('95) had both been reassigned, reducing the Rebels training camp roster to 24.

But then they added another forward, 18 year old Wetaskiwin native Ryley Bennefield, on a tryout basis.  Bennefield had two goals in preseason action this month with the Calgary Hitmen.

And then the Rebels announced the addition of yet another forward, 17 year old Wyatt Johnson, also on a tryout basis.  Johnson was second in team scoring for the midget AAA Saskatoon Blazers last season (45 points in 42 games) and was recently cut by the Vancouver Giants.

The battle for forward positions on this Rebels club, with only two preseason games remaining, has just become a whole lot more interesting.

'REBELS THIS WEEK' Returns for Season 2

REBELS THIS WEEK & SOUTHSIDE DODGE RE-NEW SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT

For Immediate Release
Monday, July 23, 2012

RED DEER, AB – Following a successful first season, Rebels This Week (RTW) has announced a renewed sponsorship agreement with Southside Dodge Chrysler Jeep for the upcoming 2012-2013 season.

The agreement will showcase Southside Dodge as the exclusive title sponsor for a second consecutive year, which also marks the return of Rebels This Week for another season of the television and internet based program.