Big defenceman Fabrizi playing with more bite this season
Every year is one more year of development for a junior hockey player, and Rebels defenceman Matteo Fabrizi feels like he’s taken another step this season.
“I feel I’m finding my game, finding my role, what kind of player I have to be to reach the next level,” Fabrizi said Tuesday. “Just being a simple defenceman who plays hard . . . that’s all I have to be.”
Of course, at six-foot-five and 242 pounds, Fabrizi is also equipped to play a physical game, and he has been noticeably more active in that department in his third season with the team.
“I feel for sure that’s been my biggest focus,” said the St. Albert product, who has racked up a career high 87 minutes in penalties in the 2023-24 campaign.
Assistant coach Mike Egener has noticed an uptick in Fabrizi’s physical play and would like to see the big rearguard bring it on a nightly basis.
“It was nice to see him step up for a teammate and get in a fight a couple of games ago,” said Egener, referring to Fabrizi’s scrap with Carson Wetsch of the Calgary Hitmen in a 2-1 win March 2 at the Peavey Mart Centrium.
“We’re not asking him to do that but it’s naturally a part of the game. A big boy like that . . . when you have a guy like that step up, a guy like him or a guy like Hunter Mayo, it elevates everyone else.
“Everyone grows an inch or two in terms of confidence.”
Fabrizi was ranked by Central Scouting for last year’s NHL Entry Draft — 141st among North American skaters in the final 2023 rankings — but was passed over.
He did, however, participate in the Vegas Golden Knights Rookie Faceoff Tournament in September, along with Rebels teammate Christoffer Sedoff who is now with the NHL team’s AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights.
“It was great to get a little taste of pro, to see how much different it is up there and the lifestyle at that level, especially in Vegas,” said Fabrizi.
The Rebels blueliner was given a few bits of advice prior to his return to Red Deer.
“They just gave me things to work on, things they wanted to see from me this season,” said Fabrizi. “Basically, put your head down and get to work.”
There are always areas where the vast majority of players, including Fabrizi, can improve.
“It’s always skating, for a bigger guy it’s always the quickness and the footwork . . . just moving pucks quickly and playing efficient and effective,” he said.
“With him it’s more of a physical element in closing quick and finishing on guys,” said Egener. “That has to be a part of his game all the time.
“Just bringing that every game, consistency . . . that’s what we need as a team but Matteo does as well as a player moving forward in his development.
“It’s what he has to bring on a nightly basis to have success in hockey.”
Fresh off a three-game sweep of the Hitmen, the Rebels are on a roll as they prepare for a weekend series with the Lethbridge Hurricanes — Friday in the southern Alberta city and Saturday at the Peavey Mart Centrium.
“The energy is the room is definitely high, the boys are feeling really good right now,” said Fabrizi, who credited new head coach Dave Struch but also defended his predecessor, Derrick Walser.
“He (Walser) was not a bad coach by any means,” insisted the Rebels second round pick — 31st overall — in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft who will celebrate his 19th birthday later this month.
But, as he noted, sometimes a different voice is needed.
Notable: The Rebels have four players — forwards Frantisek Formanek and Carson Latimer and defencemen Quentin Bourne and Elias Carmichael — on the league’s injury list and all are reported as week-to-week . . . Rebels third-year forward Talon Brigley matched his career high by scoring in all three wins over the Hitmen, having previously scored in three-straight games in November at Vancouver, Prince George and Calgary. The Sylvan Lake native is third on the team with 18 goals this season . . . On the Rebels prospects front, Taylor Tabashniuk has been named Saskatchewan AAA top goaltender and goalie MVP for the 2023-24 season. He had 21 wins for his hometown Regina Pat Canadians while recording a 2.09 goals-against average and .919 save percentage with three shutouts. Meanwhile, forward Steven Steranka of the Pat Canadians was named a first team all-star after recording 62 points, including 34 goals, in 44 regular season games, good for second in league scoring. Tabashniuk was selected in the sixth round of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft and Steranka was a seventh-round pick the same year. As well, forward Beckett Hamilton, Red Deer’s first-round pick in last year’s WHL draft, finished tied for sixth in league scoring with 54 points (21g,33a) in 44 games for the Warman Wildcats.
(Photo by Taylor Lachance)
