Giant Trade Sees Bellerive Join Rebels

Brent Sutter wasted little time in following up on his promise to make the changes he feels are needed to improve his hockey club.

He has pulled the trigger on a deal with the Vancouver Giants to acquire RW Matt Bellerive from the Vancouver Giants in exchange for the Rebels 3rd round pick in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft.

Bellerive has 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 98 career regular season games with the Giants.  He was their 2nd round selection in the 2009 bantam draft.  He had apparently requested a trade from Vancouver.  In their official release, Giants Executive VP and General Manager Scott Bonner said "Matt was a good kid whom wanted a fresh start with another team.  We wish Matt all the best with his hockey career and thank him for the contributions he's made to our franchise over the years.”

Matt Bellerive
Hometown - North Vancouver, BC
D.O.B. - December 7, 1994 (18 years old)
Height - 5'11"  Weight - 188lbs.

"He's still a younger guy that we think has lots of potential to break out," said Rebels Head Coach Jesse Wallin at today's media scrum.  "He's a guy that we hope can find his way a little bit with a fresh start and a new environment."

It's pretty clear as to why Bellerive is on his way to Red Deer (he will arrive here on Tuesday and will be in the lineup Friday night versus Medicine Hat).  Wallin and Sutter see the potential in him to kick start the Rebels apparent lack of depth when it comes to scoring.

"He was a good scorer at the bantam and midget level," noted Wallin.  "We're hoping that with a change of scenery here, and a fresh start, that he can start to produce and be a guy that can certainly be a top six forward for us and provide some offense."

Bellerive recorded 35 points (17 goals, 18 assists) in 35 games with the Vancouver NW Giants (Midget AAA) and was a member of bronze medal winning Team Pacific for the World U-17 Hockey Challenge in the 2010-11 season (recording 2 points in 6 games).