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.

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.

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.

REBELS: Doetzel Provides Spark, Volek Gets World Juniors Invite

Red Deer Rebels fans, who were kept away from last night’s game due to this not-so-lovely blast of winter weather, or for whatever other reasons, are today all probably all thinking the same thing.

Doetzel did that? You gotta be kidding?!

It’s true, honest. The game changing offensive play was last night made by a stay-at-home defenseman who had not scored a single goal all season long.

REBELS: Big Weekend Ahead

With the spectacle that was the Subway Super Series now in the books, the focus for junior hockey fans in Central Alberta returns squarely on the exploits of the Red Deer Rebels.

The Rebels are coming off of what was perhaps their best home effort of the season thus far, definitely their best since their return from November’s ArgiTrade induced road trip.  My question for Lukas Sutter on Thursday, what was the key to success that night?

The Hard Hitting Topic of Body Checking

Hey gang.

I am fortunate enough to have been invited by Hockey Alberta to serve as moderator for an interesting, and quite possibly emotional, forum discussion taking place tomorrow night as part of their Annual General Meeting.

The topic of discussion… body checking. There has been no shortage of opinions voiced both for and against Hockey Alberta’s, followed by Hockey Canada’s, decision to eliminate body checking from pee wee hockey.

The bottom line is there’s no turning back. The decision has been made and the focus of tomorrow night’s forum will be on “what’s next.” Now that this change is being made, how do we (coaches, managers, officials, players, parents, etc.) move forward while also improving the game of hockey?

Midget Chiefs: Best In Canada, Again

Here's is today's Hockey Canada media release re: Red Deer Optimist Chiefs Telus Cup victory...

RED DEER CHIEFS WIN 2013 TELUS CUP

SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. – The Red Deer Chiefs (Pacific) have won the 2013 TELUS Cup, claiming Canada’s 40th National Midget Championship with a 5-0 win over the Ottawa Jr. 67’s (Central) in Sunday night’s gold medal game at the Essar Centre.



The victory makes the Chiefs just the fourth team in the history of Canada’s National Midget Championship to win back-to-back gold medals, joining the Couillard/Gouverneurs de Ste-Foy (1978, 1979), Prince Albert Mintos (2006, 2007) and Notre Dame Hounds (2009 and 2010).

Generals: Oh, What a Relief It Is

2013 Allan Cup Champions

Jubilation.  Celebration.  Satisfaction.  These are words that usually come to mind when a team wins a championship.

But for the Bentley Generals, who won their second Allan Cup title on Saturday with a 3-0 win over the Clarenville Caribous, there are another words which are perhaps more fitting.

Relief.

You would be hard pressed to find another team facing as much pressure to win as this year's Bentley Generals.  They already knew they'd be playing in the 2013 Allan Cup as the host team.  But the Generals shocked the senior hockey world when they fired coach Brian Sutter. 

Bentley and Clarenville Battle for Allan Cup (again)

Here's a look at Hockey Canada's media release for today's Allan Cup final between the Bentley Generals and Clarenville Caribous...

(visit my soundcloud page for some audio from Generals coach Brandin Cote and captain Sean Robertson)

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RED DEER, Alta. – After semifinal victories on Friday, the Bentley Generals and Clarenville Caribous will meet for the 105th Allan Cup, Canada’s National Senior Championship, on Saturday at the Red Deer Arena. The championship game can be seen on TSN beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT. Check your local listings for broadcast times in your area.

Bentley defeated the Kenora Thistles 3-2 in Friday’s late semifinal, while Clarenville topped the Rosetown Redwings 6-2 in the early game.

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

Great Words From The Great One / Sutter Talks Iggy

Wayne Gretzky and Yours Truly

I can’t lie to you.  Even as a lifelong Calgary Flames fan I was really, really looking forward to today.



After all, it’s not every day that The Great One visits your city… especially when your city is Red Deer.



Wayne Gretzky had the crowd in the palm of his hand this morning at the 10th annual RDC Kings and Queens Scholarship Breakfast.  Over 1,400 people came out to Westerner Park to hear Wayne share stories on stage with his former St. Louis Blues teammate, Kelly Chase [who is very entertaining in his own right].



"Bling" For Bartosak / Prospects Update

Honoured.  Excited.  Focused.



That’s pretty much how Patrik Bartosak felt yesterday afternoon when we chatted about his double honours from the Western Hockey League.



After receiving the Red Deer Rebels MVP Award last week, the 19 year old Czech netminder was named as an Eastern Conference 1st-team All Star on Wednesday.  He is also the Eastern Conference nominee for WHL Goaltender of the Year.



He appreciates the honours but, as you would expect, isn’t taking any time to celebrate as he prepares for his WHL playoff debut.

Rebels Players Awards - Who's Gonna Win?

Contrary to popular belief, I have no insider info whatsoever as to who will win the 2012-2013 Red Deer Rebels Player Awards tonight.

But... as a guy who follows the team closely all season long... I should probably offer up my thoughts on the awards in the form of some predictions (which never ever work out well for me in the end).

Thankfully, at least one of this year's awards is an absolute slam dunk...

Allan Cup - One Month Away

allancup2013.ca

Yesterday at the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, the 2013 ATB Financial Allan Cup organizing committee gave an update to the local media.

With the tournament now just one month away, excitement for the Senior AAA national championship tournament is starting to pick up. 

Ticket sales are a clear indicator of that excitement as the tournament is already more than 80% sold out.  Tournament Chair Dave Mousseau expects that number to reach 100% by the time the tournament starts on April 15th.

"With our choice of venue being the [Red Deer] Arena, I think the atmosphere there is second to none, especially for championship calibre," Mousseau proclaimed.  "But unfortunately there's only a certain amount of seats in that venue.  With the following that senior hockey has now, it is going to be a sellout."

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.

Jeff Truitt: The New Deputy

When Brent Sutter announced that he was stepping back behind the Rebels bench, he also announced that he was bringing another veteran coach with him.

Jeff Truitt brings to Red Deer a long and impressive hockey resume... [ via whl.ca]... Assistant Coach with the Lethbridge Hurricanes 1993-96... Head Coach of the Camrose Kodiaks of the AJHL 1997-2000... Kelowna Rockets Assistant Coach 2000-03 and Associate Coach in their Memorial Cup winning season of 2003-04... Rockets Head Coach from 2004-2007.  The Rockets won the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL Champions in 2003 and 2005.... Assistant Coach with Springfield in the AHL in 2007-08, and then became the team’s Head Coach in 2008-09.  He was an Assistant Coach with San Antonio of the AHL in 2010-11, and held the same role with Texas (AHL) in 2011-12. Additionally, Truitt was the Moose Jaw Warriors Director of Hockey Operations in 2009-10.

Truitt has experience with Hockey Canada; in 2004 he was an Assistant Coach with the Canadian National Junior Team, where they won a silver medal.  Truitt was also an Assistant Coach with the Canadian National Under-18 Team at the 2007 World Under-18 Championship.

I had a chance to speak with Truitt following his first practice with the Rebels on Thursday afternoon...

The Day After - Wallin Stands Tall

"I'm still a Red Deer Rebel, I always will be."

No hard feelings.

It would have been quite easy for Jesse Wallin to ride off quietly and leave us all wondering he was thinking. 

Instead, the now former head coach of the Red Deer Rebels invited the local media out for one last chat as his way of saying "thanks" and to share his thoughts on his dismissal.

Rebels: Sutter Makes His Biggest Move Yet

If you thought the winds of chance had already reached gale force levels with the Red Deer Rebels this season... today's events turned things up a couple more notches.

Gone are Jesse Wallin and Charles Inglis.  In comes Jeff Truitt.

The reaction since the news came down at lunch time today has been both large and varied.  I'm not much of a gambler, but I'd be quite confident in wagering that today's events set a new Twitter record for use of the #Rebelshockey hashtag.

Here the "coles notes" version of how the Rebels coaching situation has played itself out...

Long Weekend Look Back

Good Tuesday, everyone.  Hope you all had a fun and safe Canada Day long weekend!

The personal highlight for me was being able to watch all four CFL games from start to finish (two of which I watched on TV, the other two I attended in person).  Sadly, I was 1/4 with my predictions (BC was my only correct pick).  Here's how my initial power rankings look...

1.  BC (1-0)
2.  Saskatchewan (1-0)
3.  Calgary (1-0)
4.  Edmonton (1-0)
5.  Toronto (0-1)
6.  Winnipeg (0-1)
7.  Montreal (0-1)
8.  Hamilton (0-1)

CFL Chalk Talk

nationalpost.com

Today is a big day for me as it marks the start of the 2012 CFL season.

As a lifelong fan of the league, it’s pretty darn easy to get excited about this. But the subplots heading into this brand new campaign make for more intrigue than an Agatha Christie novel…