Svenson’s size, skills give him a head start

His name was called at this year’s Western Hockey League bantam draft, albeit a little later than he had anticipated.
“I was always hoping higher, but it just fell the way it did. I landed in Red Deer and it’s a great place for hockey,” Justin Svenson said Sunday at the Centrium, where he participated in a pair of Red Deer Rebels rookie camp scrimmages.
That Svenson was still on the board at the 48th overall pick was not only a surprise to him, but also to Rebels assistant GM/director of player personnel Shaun Sutter.
“We always saw him as a guy with a top-six skill set,” said Sutter. “He has good skill and good vision and distributes the puck well. He’s a guy who’s really good on the power play, on the half wall playing the point.
“He has top-six skills and that’s why we were really drawn to him and we always considered him, the entire year, as a top two-round player.”
Svenson was Red Deer’s third pick in the May 5 draft conducted in Calgary, after netminder Byron Fancy (24th overall) of Claresholm and defenceman Nicholas Draffin (46th) of Lethbridge.
Svenson, a native of Iles Des Chenes, Man., put up some eye-popping numbers last winter with the bantam AAA Eastman Selects, sniping 36 goals and collecting 82 points — along with 66 penalty minutes — in 31 games.
Despite his flair for offence, the 15-year-old sees himself as a two-way forward.
“I think I’m a full 200-foot player. I definitely like to play in the offensive zone but I do like playing defence,” he said. “I’ve committed to that and I know you have to play at both ends of the rink in order to play high level hockey nowadays.
“I’m a big body, a power forward. I like to shoot the puck and I have good vision on the ice to use my teammates.”
Svenson is already five-foot-11 and 175 pounds, possessing size that gives him a big head start on his goal of suiting up with the Rebels when he becomes eligible for full-time WHL employment next year.
“He’s a strong kid, not a kid you have wait for to put on weight,” said Sutter. “He’s well put together and he’s only going to get stronger.
“With him, he’s a guy who’s developing more consistently. But he’s a strong kid and a guy you don’t have to wait for. Hopefully he can contribute at a younger age.”
Svenson was a front-runner to suit up with the midget AAA Eastman Selects this season, but will instead attend the brand new Rink Academy in Winnipeg, where he’ll be coached by former Calgary Hitmen defenceman Rob Smith.
“He’ll have good coaching and he’ll play with some good players there and be a go-to guy on that team,” said Sutter.
“I’ll be on the ice every day and working out every day,” Svenson said, referring to the academy advantages as compared to playing midget AAA hockey.
“I’ll be with the prep team and we’ll play a schedule similar to the WHL. It will make it easier for me to get to this level sooner.”
Svenson has embraced a two-way style, but feels he can be a better player in his own zone.
“I have to work on just getting bigger and stronger so I can take that next step to this league,” he said. “This season I’ll also work on paying attention to detail in the defensive zone because you can never be too good in the defensive zone.”
Svenson has every intention of cracking the Rebels lineup next year.
“Definitely, if you get that chance you have to make it your goal.”
Sutter, for one, won’t be surprised if the Manitoba skater is on the Rebels roster to open the 2017-18 season.
“He’s a guy who if he keeps his head screwed on tight, he’ll be fine because it’s all there,” said Sutter. “He has the things we can’t teach.”
Main camp resumes Monday at the Centrium with practice sessions at 8 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., while rookie camp scrimmages will go at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. The main camp participants will be back on the ice at 5 p.m.
Training camp concludes Wednesday with the Black and White game at 7 p.m.
From there, the Rebels will host a four-team tournament Friday and Saturday. On the first day, the Prince George Cougars will face the Calgary Hitmen at 3 p.m. and the Rebels will take on the Edmonton Oil Kings at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s action will feature the Cougars and Oil Kings at 3 p.m. and the Rebels and Hitmen at 7 p.m.
Main camp roster: (x-returnee)
Goaltenders — x-Rylan Toth (1996-born); x-Trevor Martin (’96); Riley Lamb (’98); Dawson Weatherill (’99).
Defence — x-Colton Bobyk (’96); x-Josh Mahura (’98); Alexander Alexeyev (’99); Carson Sass (’99); Ethan Sakowich (’99); Zach Wytinck (’99); Kyle Dronyk (’99); x-Austin Strand (’97); Cale Chalifoux (’98); Tyrell McCubbing (’99); Jacob Herauf (2000).
Left wing — x-Evan Polei (’96); x-Grayson Pawlenchuk (’97); x-Austin Shmoorkoff (’97); Akash Bains (’99); Quinn Martin (’99); Carter Bailey (’99).
Center — x-Adam Musil (’97); x-Michael Spacek (’97); x-Jeff de Wit (’98); D-Jay Jerome (’99); Chase Lowry (2000); Benjamin Hiltz (’99).
Right wing — x-Brandon Hagel (’98); x-Taden Rattie (’98); Zac Gladu (’98); x-Reese Johnson (’98); x-Austin Pratt (’99); Brayden Labant (’99).

Rookie camp roster (includes hometowns; all are 2001-born unless indicated):
Team Grey
Goaltenders — Byron Fancy, Claresholm; Eric Ward, Edmonton.
Defence — Evan Michaels, East St. Paul, Man.; Nicholas Draffin, Lethbridge; Kaden Booth, Rocky Mountain House; Luke Arndt, Weyburn, Sask.; Josh Bear, Whitewood, Sask.; Colin McPherson (2000-born), Calgary.
Forwards — Arshdeep Bains, Surrey, B.C.; Brendon Rogers, Nanaimo, B.C.; Jacob Franczak, (2000), Edmonton; Colby Laird, Leduc; Austin Schellenberg (2000), Grande Prairie; River Fahey, Campbell River, B.C.; Jayden McCarthy, Morris, Man.; Alex Cattani, Winnipeg; Skyler Sangster, Regina; Josh Belcher (2000), Rapid City, Man.; Erik Delaire, Cranbrook, B.C.; Jaevon Buschien, Okotoks.
Team Burgundy
Goaltenders — Roddy Ross (2000), Lloydminster; Easton Hesse (2000), Beaumont.
Defence — Ryan Gottfried, Winnipeg; Jackson Betcher, Swan River, Man.; Zach Gabruch, Saskatoon; Lucas Jones, Calgary; Mark Holowatuk, Calgary; Jeron Kletzel, Moose Jaw.
Forwards — Colson Gengenbach (2000), Edmonton; Brandon Cutler (2000), Spruce Grove; Mason Strutt, Estevan, Sask.; Blake Sydlowski, St. Albert; Bjorn Robinson (2000), Edmonton; Justin Svenson, Ile Des Chenes, Man.; Alex Mozoroff, Saskatoon; Logan Wotton, Foxwarren, Man.; Matt Raymond, Camrose; Casey McDonald, Plenty, Sask.; Jake Mulder (2000), Abbotsford, B.C.; Kail Magnusson, Grande Prairie.