Uchacz rewarded by WHL for terrific week
Ten goals over a four-game stretch, including three hat tricks.
Impressive to say the least and whoever is in charge of the weekly WHL awards is in complete agreement.
The selection of Red Deer Rebels forward Kai Uchacz as the league’s player of the week, announced Tuesday, is a virtual no-brainer.
The 19-year-old sniper victimized the Calgary Hitmen for six goals in a pair of victories Thursday and Sunday and potted four in total against the Edmonton Oil Kings in wins Tuesday and Friday.
“It was a good week for myself and for the team obviously. We got four wins,” said Uchacz, who also added an assist for an 11-point week and was named first star in all four contests. “I got bounces going my way and the pucks were going in, so it was a good week.”
Uchacz upped his league-leading goal count to 33 on the season, six clear of Connor Bedard, who notched a terrific game-winner for Team Canada in a world junior championship quarter-final Monday.
The native of De Winton worked on his shot and zone entries during the summer and the extra labour has clearly paid off.
Yet, Uchacz didn’t foresee that he’d be the WHL’s top shooter through the first half of the season and change.
“Coming in I didn’t know that at this point of the season where I’d be and how it would be going, and it’s good so far,” he said. “I did work a lot on my shot in the summer so it’s good to get those bounces and obviously team success too. We’re having a really good year as a team.”
Uchacz is also the WHL leader in first goals and insurance tallies, suggesting that he’s in overdrive from the opening faceoff to the final buzzer.
“My mindset coming into each game is I prepare the same way from the start of the game to the finish,” he said. “Yeah, to get them early and late, it’s good.”
His shooting accuracy is off the charts as well this season as his 33 goals have come on 104 shots on net.
“I guess I can pick them sometimes and then sometimes I’m getting the bounces too,” he noted. “I’m getting as many shots as I can on net and they’re going in. It’s been nice.”
Uchacz has taken a massive step forward from his 2021-22 season — his first with the Rebels since being acquired from the Seattle Thunderbirds in July of ’21 — when he scored 14 goals and collected 33 points in 54 regular-season games and added another four points, (2g,2a) in 10 playoff outings.
He was ranked by Central Scouting for the 2022 NHL entry draft but wasn’t selected. It’s hard to imagine the 193-pound Uchacz, who stands a shade under six-foot-two, will be ignored in the 2023 draft, slated for June 28-29 in Nashville.
Besides his sniping skills, Uchacz plays an effective 200-foot game, has great wheels and can grind with the best of them. He’s also provided the Rebels with versatility.
“He can do a lot of things,” said assistant coach Ryan Colville. “He plays power play, penalty kill, he can play centre, he can play wing. He can fit in on any line and adjust his game to what’s needed.
“With (Ben) King out (since October with a lower body injury) it’s been on him to play centre for us this year. He’s been really good in his own zone and you see the growth in that aspect of his game.”
Colville is far from surprised that Uchacz has been rewarded for his sterling play.
“It’s great, he’s had a great week obviously with three hat tricks,” said the coach. “But it’s been an ongoing thing all year, from the start of camp he’s been ready to go.
“It’s been really great to see the growth in him.”
After opening the season with a franchise-record 15 straight wins, the Rebels were inconsistent over a lengthy stretch but have rebounded nicely in recent weeks and are tied with the Winnipeg Ice for top spot in the Eastern Conference with a 26-6-1-3 record.
“Right before the break we had a really good run,” said Uchacz. “We lost our last one but regrouped with a good rest over the Christmas break, got back at it and have four (wins) in a row. So I think everyone is gelling well and we have a good group as well.”
The Rebels return to action with a pair of away games Friday and Saturday versus the Prince Albert Raiders and Saskatoon Blades.
“The next week on the road will be good. Any time you can get on a road trip with the guys brings you closer,” said Uchacz.
Notable: With netminder Kyle Kelsey out week-to-week with a lower body injury, the Rebels will keep Chase Wutzke on the roster as back-up to Rhett Stoesser, who has won his last eight starts. Wutzke will be reassigned to the U18 AAA Saskatoon Contacts when Kelsey returns . . . Uchacz has four short-handed goals this season, second only to teammate and league-leader Jace Isley, who has five . . . Isley is also second in the league in game-winning goals with six . . . The Rebels are No. 9 in this week’s CHL top10 rankings, one of six WHL teams listed. The Seattle Thunderbirds and Winnipeg are first and second, the Portland Winterhawks and Saskatoon Blades are fourth and fifth and the Kamloops Blazers occupy the No. 10 spot.
