Kamas fitting in nicely with Rebels
By DANNY RODE – Leaving home when you’re 17 and moving halfway around the world is a big jump.
Jiri Kamas went through that this season when he left his home in Czechia to join the Penticton Vees.
Not only did Kamas have to leave home, but he also found himself on the road a second time when he was traded to the Rebels from the Vees at the January trade deadline.
“It’s been hard I think, but I’ve settled down and it’s going better,” said the six-foot-two, 200-pound defenceman.
Jiri indicated it was his goal to play in the WHL.
“I wanted to go to the best junior league in the world before jumping to the game with the men, and I think I’ve done the right thing.
“It’s been great and I think I’ve been improving.”
Kamas has impressed since arriving in Red Deer with his solid play in the defensive zone.
“I would say I’m a two-way defenceman who can defend well and also provide offence,” he added.
But it’s his defence that has stood out. He not only solid in his zone, is hard on the puck but reads the play and can move the puck.
“When I was younger it was all offence,” he said. “As I got older and older I had to play defence more and I think I’m improving on defence.”
Jiri was drafted in the second round of the 2025 CHL Prospects Draft and played 22 games with the Vees, scoring twice and adding seven assists.
But he felt he was under-used.
“I felt I needed a change and I got an amazing opportunity with the Rebels.”
The fact the Rebels also have forward Matej Mikes from Czechia on the roster made the transition a bit easier.
“A little easier as we knew each other a little bit, so that helped a lot.”
Kamas has played 13 games with the Rebels and is one of five players on defence who were born in 2008. A sixth – Matus Lisy – was born in 2007. The only older member of the defence is 20-year-old Aleksey Chichkin.
“We’re young but I think we can be a contender, it’s no excuse for being young,” he said.
Jiri likes the Canadian game.
“It’s faster since the ice is smaller,” he said. “You have to talk a lot and I learned to play faster and talk more and I like it.”
Kamas came to the WHL after spending the 2024-25 season with HC Plzen U17 and U20.
He also played with Team Czechia at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Previously he played for his home country at the U17 World Championship and the U18 Worlds.
His next goal is an obvious one.
“I would like to make the U20 National team for the World Junior Championships. That’s one of my goals.”
Jiri watched his country with pride at the latest World Juniors where Czechia upset Canada in the semifinals before losing to Sweden in the final.
He watched the Canada-Czechia game with his billets in Penticton.
“It was a bit awkward as I cheered when we scored they cheered when Canada scored,” he said with a smile.
The next World Juniors will be in Alberta with Red Deer hosting one of the pools. Pools have yet to be formally announced, but Czechia is slated to be in Canada at Rogers Place in Edmonton. The Red Deer pool is slated to feature Sweden, Finland and the United States involved.
