Latimer enjoyed season with Rebels despite some tough luck
By Danny Rode
Carson Latimer certainly didn’t want to spend half his final WHL season on the sidelines, but a series of unfortunate events dictated otherwise.
Latimer, who joined the Rebels last July in a trade from the Wenachee Wild, suffered a pair of long-term injuries that limited him to 35 regular season games in 2023-24. A broken bone in his leg cost him 19 games while a broken jaw, suffered on a fluke play during practice, sidelined him for another 13.
He collected 10 goals and 15 assists in those games before cranking it up in the playoffs with five goals and three assists to lead the Rebels in postseason scoring.
All in all, the 21-year-old from White Rock, B.C., enjoyed his lone season with the Rebels after spending time with the Edmonton Oil Kings, Prince Albert Raiders and the Wild (while in Winnipeg).
“I was lucky to come here, I enjoyed everything,” Latimer said in his final chat with local reporters last Friday. “Red Deer is first-class, the pinnacle of junior hockey. An unbelievable rink, the fans are awesome and it’s one of the most professional organizations I’ve been part of.
“There’s a lot of emotions the last couple of days … It’s bittersweet. The group of guys are unbelievable, in the room and on the ice. They never gave up.”
Latimer, like captain Kai Uchacz, says he told the younger players to enjoy every moment they have with the Rebels.
“You have to enjoy every day as it goes by so quickly. You never know what may happen so enjoy and have fun.”
He did despite the adversity with the injuries.
“You learn a lot more about yourself when you’re sitting and not playing,” he said. “You learn you’re a lot more than a hockey player. This organization is really about the people … the unbelievable people. When you’re hurt you look at other things besides yourself and learn more about yourself.”
The future, for now, is somewhat uncertain for Latimer. He was a fourth-round selection of the Ottawa Senators in 2021 but was not signed by the club, leaving him as a free agent.
“I’ll see in the next couple of weeks. University is an option for me,” he acknowledged. “I can’t say where I’ll end up, but it’s definitely a great opportunity the WHL provides to have your schooling paid for. If nothing else happens I’ll take advantage of that.”
In the meantime, Latimer will go home to enjoy the summer with friends and family and reflect.
“Look at everything we accomplished. You’re never satisfied when you don’t win, but you look at the how hard we battled for each other even when losing.”
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