Rebels’ lengthy NHL Draft list set to grow in Las Vegas
It’s a safe bet that the Red Deer Rebels will add to their impressive list of players drafted to the National Hockey League this weekend in Sin City.
The 2024 NHL Draft goes Friday and Saturday at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Rebels have had 66 players selected at the NHL Draft since the club’s inaugural season in the Western Hockey League in 1992-93.
Centre Ollie Josephson is the top-ranked Rebels skater available at this weekend’s draft. The Victoria, BC native is listed 40th among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting (NHL CSS).
Josephson was selected fifth overall by the Rebels in the first round of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft and was the club’s Rookie of the Year in 2022-23. He finished second in team scoring in 2023-24 with 47 points in 68 games and won 643 faceoffs, second-most among 2006-born centreman in the WHL. Josephson won gold with Team Canada at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and 2024 World U18 Hockey Championships. He also played at the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Moncton, New Brunswick and took part in the recent NHL Combine in Buffalo, New York.
RELATED — 2024 NHL Draft player profile: Ollie Josephson
Rebels netminder Chase Wutzke is ranked ninth amongst North American Goaltenders for this weekend’s draft.
The Debden, SK native was Rookie of the Year for the Rebels this past season after posting a 19-10-2-2 record with a 2.82 goals-against-average (9th WHL) and .904 save percentage (12th). Wutzke was the WHL Goaltender of the Month for December and January and was named to the CHL Team of the Month for January. The 6’2 netminder was selected by Red Deer in the second round, 40th overall in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft. Wutzke was invited to play for Team Canada at the 2024 World U18 Hockey Championships but was unable due to injury.
RELATED — 2024 NHL Draft player profile: Chase Wutzke
Rebels centre Samuel Drancak is the 187th-ranked North American Skater by NHL CSS.
The native of Strakonice, Czechia was selected 54th overall by the Rebels at the 2023 CHL Import Draft. He led all Rebels rookies in scoring in 2023-24 with 33 points in 68 games. Drancak scored the overtime winner in game three of the club’s first-round playoff series versus Medicine Hat. He as represented Czechia at the World U17 Hockey Challenge, Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and World U18 Hockey Championships, winning silver at latter two events.
All Rebels players born in 2004, 2005, and 2006 are eligible for this weekend’s draft.
A full list of Red Deer Rebels players selected at the NHL Draft since 1993 can be found here.
