CHL on CBC: One on One with Jayden Grubbe
Jayden Grubbe is a natural leader.
Named captain of the Red Deer Rebels a year ago, the third-year forward is a coach’s dream, bringing plenty of on-ice awareness mixed with an intriguing offensive skill set. Through the early goings of 2021-22, Grubbe and his Rebels teammates are off to a solid start, and now have the chance to put on a show on the national stage Saturday on CBC.
Prior to puck drop at 3 p.m. Eastern, the Rebels captain sat down with CHL.ca to touch on his club’s rivalry with the opposing Calgary Hitmen, his approach to leading his squad, the chance to play before a national audience on CBC, an an exciting summer that saw him selected by the New York Rangers as part of the 2021 NHL Draft class:
Q: What is it like when you play against rivals like Calgary?
A: It’s always a high compete game, everyone knows each other, you play them eight times a year, and it can get a bit rough and full of scrums. You are going to get an entertaining game and it’s a big one since they are in our division.
Q: You were named captain last year. What did it mean to you to be the leader for the Red Deer Rebels?
A: It was a huge honour for me. It shows that the staff believes in how hard I work and the leadership qualities I have on and off the ice. I think for me, I just need to focus on those qualities and continue to lead by example. Being a part of the Rebels’ organization, and to have someone like Brent Sutter name you the captain, especially with all his history, it’s quite a humbling thing.
Q: With a big game upcoming, what do you say to the group beforehand?
A: You have three games in three days coming up, so this weekend is pretty big for us, so as a group we have to realize how good of a team we have and take advantage of this weekend, we can’t wait 20-30 games down the schedule, it has to start right now. That is the biggest thing for us.
Q: Does the trade of Luke Prokop to Edmonton change the way you prepare for the weekend?
A: We’re not really thinking about that too much. They got two good defencemen in return so that fills up that void. For us, we are not worried about that. We need to focus on things we can control. We just have to go out there and play as hard as we can, no matter who is lining up in front of us.
Q: What do you guys have to do to shut down Sean Tschigerl?
A: He has speed and can finish, so you have to be aware when he is on the ice. He likes to sneak behind the ‘D’, blowing the zone a bit looking for offense. So I think our ‘D’ and the high forwards just have to be aware of that and make sure we are laying the body on him and slowing him down.
Q: How exciting is it to be on the national stage on CBC?
A: Obviously the guys are pretty pumped up to be on national television. It’s something we don’t normally get so everyone will be jacked up and have a little extra step in everyone’s game. I think everyone is looking forward to competing. You never want to back down when you are on live TV, so you want to come out and have a good start and put out a good effort.
Q: Is there anything you tell the room to calm the nerves of the guys who might be playing in front of friends and family on CBC for the first time?
A: You just make sure they are aware it is just another game. You can’t overthink that too much. Having family and friends watching is nice, but it’s just another game. We are just playing the Hitmen again, just like normal, so just prepare the same way and bring the compete level.
Q: This summer you were drafted by the New York Rangers. What was that moment like for you?
A: It was pretty awesome, especially being with my friends and family. It was also relieving to know where you are going to play, and to be picked by New York, obviously it’s one of the top places you can go, so it was really exciting for me and my friends.
Q: What do the Rangers want you to work on this year?
A: For me, it was to get back to where I was before COVID. They know it will take some time, but once I am back they want me to be a hard player to play against, move my feet, use my size, be physical and No. 1 is to get healthy, and that is where I am at now.
Q: Why should fans tune in on Saturday?
A: For us, the Rebels team we bring is a high compete, fast game, and that is something we want to bring all year. We are a hard team to play against, we are finishing checks and playing hard, and we bring skill along with that. It should be a good game against Calgary on Saturday.