Trade to Rebels a ‘dream come true’ for Lodge

By DANNY RODE – When Kohen Lodge was told he was being traded by the Saskatoon Blades it obviously came as a bit of a shock.

“I was blindsided by it, I had no idea it was coming,” he said.

But when he heard he was going to the Red Deer Rebels, everything changed.

“I couldn’t have been more excited,” said the 17-year-old Red Deer native. “It was obviously a surreal moment to come home and be around the team I grew up watching and thought they were all NHL players. It’s cool to come back and have that experience. It’s a fresh opportunity and start of a new chapter with the Rebels.”

The experience is made even better by the fact his dad, Erik, is the skills coach with the Rebels.

“Brent (Rebels owner/president/ General Manager Brent Sutter) called my dad and told him, He had no idea it happened, he wasn’t part of the process. He called me and we were pretty shocked.”

Lodge, who was a ninth-round selection by the Blades in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, was in Everett, WA, with the Blades when he was told.

“We had drove there for two days, I found out and hoped on a plane back and was here for last Friday,” he explained.

Kohen watched the game last Friday – a 5-2 win over the Regina Pats – and was in the lineup Saturday in a 2-1 loss to the Calgary Hitmen.

Although the five-foot-10, 191-pound winger played just the one game, he made an impression.

“He’s a 200-foot player, a complete player,” said Rebels assistant coach Clayton Jardine. “The word that comes to mind when talking about Kohen is ‘compete.’

“Compete is contagious and his teammates see his compete out there and that he’s doing the details and playing the right way and its contagious and it filters throughout the lineup.”

Lodge looks at himself as a player who fits into the Rebels style.

“The way I play is more Rebels hockey … hard physical hockey. I play as a power forward and I’m always ready for the opportunity when it comes,” he said. “I thought I played well there (Saskatoon) but I didn’t get as much of an opportunity.

“I’m excited to be here. It’s a fresh chapter and I’m looking forward to playing more.”

Lodge has only been around the team briefly as he headed back to Saskatoon Sunday to pick up his things before returning late Monday but already impressed with his teammates.

“The guys are really welcoming and I’m excited to be part of this group.”

Growing up in Red Deer, and with his dad part of the Rebels, Kohen has been able to see several of the top players over the years.

“There are players and moments that stick out,” he said. “Ashdeep Bains is a big one. I thought he was the best player in the world when I watched him. Him and Ben King were role models for me growing up and obviously before that there was (Brandon) Hagel and those guys.

“I liked watching (Talon) Brigley and now I’m playing with him.”

Although he didn’t spend a lot of time around the team he watched and learned.

“You learn how to be a professional, how they looked at the game and not taking a day off so I learned a lot from them.”

He also learned a lot from his dad.

“I wouldn’t be here without him,” he said. “From a hockey standpoint and what he knows about the game he helped me a lot.”

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The Rebels are set to host the Swift Current Broncos at the Marchant Crane Centrium this Saturday, November 1. Game time is set for 6 p.m. but should there be a seventh game for the World Series game time will be moved to 3 p.m. Tickets for Saturday’s game and all Rebels home games this season are available through Tickets Alberta.