Missura making mark on Rebels blue line
By DANNY RODE
Jake Missura had a goal coming into the Red Deer Rebels camp this season.
“Obviously, my goal was to work and train hard to do my best and earn a spot,” he said.
And he definitely earned that spot.
The 16-year-old defenceman has not looked out of place as he’s drawn into the starting lineup from the start of the season playing alongside Derek Thurston.
“Now that I’m here it’s been awesome,” he added.
Missura was a second-round pick, 40th overall in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft and signed almost immediately.
He indicated that took some pressure off, plus he attended camp last season, playing one exhibition game. He was also called up for two regular season games when the Rebels fell into some midseason injury trouble.
“Getting that experience last year was great. Coming in this year I was a lot more comfortable,” he said.
Despite being listed at slightly less than five-foot-11 and 170-pounds, Missura liked to play a physical game. He came to the Rebels with the reputation of being the hardest hitting player in the 2023 draft.
“I like to be a physical player. I think physicality is part of the game and like to use (my body) as much as I can.”
Still Missura understands he still has some work ahead of him.
“The strength and speed in this league (in the regular season) is way higher than other levels, so I have to adapt to those. I have to watch my decision making for sure. I have to make sure I see something good before making those decisions.”
Jake has never been a high-scoring defenceman, connecting once in 38 games last season with the Saskatoon Blazers U18 AAA squad and then adding one goal in the playoffs. The playoff marker was special as it proved to be the winning goal in the provincial championship deciding game over Regina.
“That was awesome,” he said. “We had a great team, everyone was super close and to do as well as we did was awesome.”
The win gave the Blazers a berth in the Telus Cup Western Regionals where they lost in the final to Brandon.
“Disappointing, but still a great experience,” added Missura, who continues to work on the offensive side of his game.
“My goal has been to improve offensively… I’ve been looking to improve every day.”
Rebels head coach Dave Struch isn’t worried about that. He’s more than pleased with Missura.
“It’s exciting to see where he’s gotten to. Any time you have a 16-year-old, especially on defence, it’s really hard to play in this league… really hard,” offered Struch.
“From his attention to detail through training camp to where he’s at now it has grown and gotten so much better that the future for him at 17, 18, 19 is immense.
“He’s given himself such a standard to grow to every single day and he’s taken ownership of it so for us it’s a privilege to work with him … players like that who want more every single day.”
The fact Missura was always a defensive defenceman has allowed him to fit in that much quicker.
“He comes form a good program, The Blazers program developed a lot of good young players,” said Struch. “When you get players who come from those top end places and get them developed to a point where we can take over it’s important.
“But again, we talked a lot with our leadership group and how we battle and compete every day. If the player himself don’t take ownership of it, take responsibility, be accountable of their actions every day whether it’s at the rink of at home in the way they eat, rest, prepare they don’t get to where they want to be. Jake has done a great job on that side of his preparation.”
Struch added that Missura goes above and beyond on a daily basis.
“Even as much as we do with him, he does more. You watch our leaders and how they prepare themselves and our young guys are following suit.”
Missura agrees.
“My ultimate goal is to play pro, and I need to keep working on everything. I need to work on and stick to the system.”
While Missua is just starting his time with the Rebels, Quentin Bourne’s has come to an end.
The 18-year-old from California asked for and was granted his release to be able to return to the States and get more playing time.
He’s been added to the Youngstown Phantoms USHL roster.
“He was fine, we’re going to miss him,” said Struch. “He’s a wonderful kid and worked hard, battled and competed. But for him it was a matter of depth.
“Lots of guys are taking big steps, and he took big steps, but it comes down to where he wants to be in the lineup. He wanted more minutes, and we didn’t have them. It gets that way for a lot of guys. In fact, we want guys to play lower minutes. We hope the older guys get lower minutes, so they’re rested for the end of the game or overtime.
“Unfortunately, it’s the way for us and Quentin.”
The Rebels this week traded for the rights of 17-year-old Jack Bousquet from Spokane. They have signed him and added him to their roster.
The Rebels will see Medicine Hat for the third time in a week when they host the Tigers Friday at 7 p.m. at the Peavey Mart Centrium.
That’s the first of three games in five days at home as they face the Calgary Hitmen Saturday and the Vancouver Giants Tuesday. They visit the Tigers once again on Wednesday.
