Rebels double-up on American talent on draft day
By DANNY RODE
Red Deer Rebels U.S. scout Chase Fuchs, who is based in Maryland, was all smiles when talking about the four American prospects the club added Thursday.
The Rebels selected two players in the two-round WHL U.S. Priority Draft then added two more Americans in the later part of the WHL Prospects Draft.
“We picked four kids, and we really like them all,” Fuchs said. “We identified them early and were lucky to get all four.”
They selected Eli Bimmerle of Bartonville, Texas, sixth overall in the U.S. Priority Draft then added Paxson Madill of Hermantown, Minnesota, in the second round at 42nd overall.
Bimmerle, listed at five-foot-eight and 141 pounds, played for the Dallas Stars Elite 14U AAA team, scoring 50 goals and 44 assists in 59 games.
“We targeted Eli way back in September, from the first time we saw him,” said Fuchs. “He’s a solid skilled right winger who skates well and knows how to score.
“On top of it he’s a competitive kid who likes to score goals and is not afraid to win battles and go into the dirty areas. Beyond that he’s a fantastic kid who comes from a great family.
“Frankly he’s one of the top kids in the U.S.”
Madill is smaller, listed at five-foot-three, 112-pounds. He had 12 goals and 14 helpers in 17 games with Minnesota Voyageurs 14U AAA team this season. He also added 11 points in five playoff games.
“He’s a smaller kid, but that doesn’t matter. He is a dynamic player with his skating, his agility, and determination, that’s how you get away with being a little bit smaller,” said Fuchs. “He makes everyone around him better.
“We first saw him in September and again in a bantam tournament in Minnesota in January and he really jumped off the page. To get him where we did, we’re really excited.”
The Rebels added a pair of kids from Minnesota in the main draft in forward Soren Saumweber from Roseville in the sixth round, and rearguard Ryan Overskei of Maple Grove in the ninth.
Saumweber had 16 goals and 22 assists in 59 games with Shattuck St. Mary’s 14U team.
“Soren is a younger kid with a late birthday and won’t be 15 until December,” said Fuchs. “Every time myself and the rest of the U.S. scouting staff went to see him, he got better and better and by the end of the Nationals he made himself draftable.
“We had to get that kid as one of his biggest attributes is his work ethic and willingness to compete every single time he’s on the ice.”
Overskei, a six-foot-six, 187-pound defenceman. who played for the Minnesota Walleye 14U squad had two goals and six assists in 19 games.
“He’s a big man who might wind up six-foot-seven, eight or nine,” said Fuchs. “For a big kid he skates well, moves the puck. Coupled with a couple of our Canadian kids we’re excited as there’s a lot of potential size and with the kids continuing to grow and fill out.”
Fuchs indicated all four players will be at the Rebels fall camp and since the NCAA rule change in November regarding NHL player eligibility, there’s a lot of excitement about playing in Canada.
“I was in Arizona and when it was announced. The interest level in the WHL and CHL went way up.”
