Dowhaniuk happy to finish WHL career with Rebels
By DANNY RODE
Keaton Dowhaniuk has a few extra stamps on his hockey passport this season.
The 20-year-old Edmonton native started the season in Prince George with the WHL Cougars, after one game he moved on to the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL, then after 11 games was picked up by the Moose Jaw Warriors and eventually after 18 games, he made his way to the Red Deer Rebels as part of a three-team deal on the January 9 WHL Trade Deadline day.
Dowhaniuk’s departure from the Cougars, who spent four plus seasons with the WHL club after being selected third overall in the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft, came as a bit of a surprise.
“I went into Prince George expecting to stay there, but things happen,” he said.
“We had some 20-year-olds come back from NHL camps we weren’t expecting, but it is what it is.”
Dowhaniuk isn’t one to sit and feel sorry for himself. He takes the best from every situation.
“It was a good experience in Vernon and Moose Jaw as well. Now I’m closer to home here in Red Deer,” he said. “I’ve been all over the map, but I finally feel good to be in a spot after the trade deadline, a secure spot.
“I’m happy and my family is happy.”
The six-foot, 170-pound defenceman came to Red Deer at the trade deadline in a move that saw the Rebels send Hunter Mayo and Trae Wilke to Swift Current and defenceman Eric Johnson, who they got from Swift Current, to Moose Jaw along with a sixth round pick in 2026 and a fourth in 2027. The Rebels received Dowhaniuk form Moose Jaw and 18-year-old forward Ty Coupland from Swift Current.
His older brother Logan played 277 total games in the WHL with Edmonton and Moose Jaw and is now playing U-Sports with Grant MacEwan.
Dowhaniuk has always had an offensive side to his game. He doesn’t score a lot of goals with only nine in 251 career games but sees the ice well and moves the puck with authority.
“It’s always been part of my game and it’s rounding out in my older years,” he said.
“I’m definitely a puck-moving defenceman. I like to make a good first pass, that’s a big part of the game, making the passes up ice and finding guys in the O-Zone.”
Dowhaniuk joins a Rebels team that has made a number of changes and looks forward to helping create fresh chemistry.
“It’s nice, being a new guy, to come in with a bunch of new guys because we’re all going through it together,” he said. “Chemistry is a thing that will take a little bit of time to get but I think we’re all doing a good job of bonding.”
Dowhaniuk joins Jace Weir as a 20-year-old on the Red Deer blueline. That could put a bit of extra pressure on him to be a leader, despite being a new face in the room.
“Maybe a bit, but I like to play my game, and my game is pretty simple, so I don’t think is has to change much.”
He hasn’t played with any specific partner in his five games with the Rebels.
“I’ve been rotating through with everyone, finding what clicks.”
The Rebels need to find what clicks as they look to snap out of a 12-game losing streak and put together a run to keep their playoff hopes alive.
“It’s still in the back of our minds, but we need to get out of this skid we’re in right now,” said Dowhaniuk. “But we’re staying focused and doing our best to get out of this.”
Dowhaniuk is in his final season of junior and has committed to the University of Alaska Fairbanks for next season where he will be joined by Rebels teammate Jhett Larson.
“I didn’t know coming in here but it’s nice to have a teammate going up there too.”
Dowhaniuk is looking forward to the move.
“I’ve heard nothing but good things about the school, everything I’ve heard from guys who have past experience there is that it’s a good spot for me.”
The Rebels have a busy weekend as they play three games in three days – Friday in Lethbridge, Saturday at home at 7 p.m. at the Peavey Mart Centrium against Moose Jaw, and Sunday in Calgary.
They then hit the road again Wednesday in Brandon, Jan. 31 in Regina and Feb. 1 in Moose Jaw.
They come home for a Feb. 7 game against Moose Jaw to start a run that will seen them play 11 of 12 games at home.