Red Deer Rebels - Feed

Rebels days away from adding talent in 2026 WHL Prospects Draft

Troy Gillard — Fri, 01 May 2026 19:35:19 +0000

We are now mere days away from an all-important event for the Red Deer Rebels and the other 22 teams across the Western Hockey League. The 2026 WHL Prospects Draft gets underway with round one on Wednesday (May 6) followed by the remaining rounds on Thursday. As of Friday, the Rebels head into the draft owning the following picks… ROUND/PICK 1-17^th overall (from Kelowna via Moose Jaw) 2 -29 4-75 5-98 6-121 7-144 8-167 9-190 10-213 11-236 12- 259 13-282 14-305 15-328 As the Rebels get set to welcome a new crop of draft picks into the organization, here’s a look back at last year's picks and how they fared in 2025-26… Nolan Wolitski – Defence – Round 1, Pick 7 (signed) The big six-foot-three, 180-pound St. Albert, AB resident posted 15 points in 27 games for Northern Alberta Xtreme U18 Prep (CSSHL). He added one point in seven playoff games and played for Team Alberta at the 2025 WHL Cup at the Marchant Crane Centrium. A dual Canada/USA citizen who grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, Wolitski joined the Rebels as an Affiliate Player for the 2026 WHL Playoffs. Chace Turchak – Forward – Round 2, Pick 30 (signed) The 5’11, 180-pound forward had a great season for his hometown Calgary Buffaloes U18 AAA (AEHL) in posting 45 points (13 goals, 32 assists) in 36 games. He followed that up with six points in four playoff tilts. Turchak also played for Alberta at the WHL Cup (1 goal, 1 assist in 5 games). He appeared in four regular season games with the Rebels and was on the club’s playoff roster as an AP. Owen Archer – Defence – Round 2, Pick 32 (signed) Unfortunately, Archer has his 2025-26 season cut short due to injury. He played just seven games for the St. Albert Raiders U18 AAA (AEHL), picking up four points, then played for Alberta at the WHL Cup before missing the rest of the year. The six-foot-one, 200-pound blue liner brings an imposing presence after racking up 68 penalty minutes in just 19 games in his U15 AAA season in 2024-25. Chase Nielson – Goaltender – Round 3, Pick 56 It was an outstanding season for the six-foot-one netminder from Fort McLeod, AB. Nielson posted a 12-5-1 record, 3.13 GAA and .913 save percentage for Southern Alberta Hockey Academy (SAHA) U17 Prep (CSSHL). He also appeared in two games for SAHA U18 Prep going 1-0-0 with a 1.31 GAA and .944 save percentage. In three games for Alberta at the WHL Cup he went 2-1 with a 2.50 GAA and .918 save percentage. Neilson was named the CSSHL U17 Prep Top Goaltender and to the First All-Star Team. https://twitter.com/SAHockeyAcademy/status/2047443758023848160 Dylan Russell – Forward – Round 4, Pick 76 The Winnipeg native was captain for gold medal winning Team Manitoba at the 2025 WHL Cup, collecting four points in five games along the way. The gritty six-foot-one, 185-pound forward had 14 points and 71 penalty minutes this season for RINK HA Winnipeg U18 Prep. Russell played four games for the Portage Terriers of the MJHL, scoring two goals. Denys Lupandin – Defence – Round 5, Pick 99 From Saskatoon via Ukraine (his dad Ondrei Lupandin played for the Brandon Wheat Kings in the mid-1990s), Denys played for Ukraine at the recent IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship Division I, Group A tournament in Poland, helping his team to a bronze medal while earning one assist in five games. The five-foot-ten, 180-pound defenceman nine points and 47 penalty minutes in 43 games for the Saskatoon Contacts U18 AAA in 2025-26. Sawyer Holmes – Forward – Round 5, Pick 106 Playing for his hometown Edmonton Jr. Oilers Blue U18 AAA, Holmes had 23 points in 37 games, highlighted by a hat trick October 29 versus St. Albert. He added five points in 11 playoff tilts to help the club to a provincial title win. The five-foot-ten, 141-pound forward had three points in four games at the Circle K Classic tournament in Calgary. Soren Saumweber – Forward – Round 6, Pick 122 The Minnesota native played for three different teams in 2025-26. In 26 games for Cretin-Derham Hall of the state’s high school league, he collected 22 points and 47 penalty minutes. He picked up 22 points for the MN Canes 15U AAA (MNBEL 15U) and 14 points for Blue Army in the Prep Elite League (PEL). Saumweber is currently listed at five-foot-ten and 155 pounds. Bronx Becker – Forward – Round 8, Pick 168 The Saskatoon, SK native represented his province at the 2025 WHL Cup in Red Deer and had nine points in 44 games with the Saskatoon Contacts U18 AAA. The six-foot, 170-pound forward also had 42 penalty minutes. Ryan Overskei – Defence – Round 9, Pick 191 A big body who checks in at six-foot-five and 205 pounds, the Maple Grove, Minnesota native had nine points in 26 games for Totino-Grace High. He also played for Team Minnesota U16 at the Minnesota Hockey Festival. Andrew Nordstrom – Forward – Round 10, Pick 214 The Beaumont, Alberta native recorded 10 points in 33 games for the Leduc Oil Kings U18 AAA. === The Rebels also selected two players at least year’s WHL U.S. Priority Draft, which is not being held this year as American-born players are now eligible for the WHL Prospects Draft. Eli Bimmerle – Forward – Round 1, Pick 6 A highly regarded forward despite his small stature (five-foot-nine, 146 pounds), the Bartonville, Texas native piled up 59 points in 49 games for Dallas Stars Elite 16U AAA. At US 16U Nationals he had five points in four games. Bimmerle also took part in the USA Hockey Boys Select 15 Player Development Camp and recently earned an invitation to the USA NTDP Hockey Evaluation Camp. Paxson Madill – Forward – Round 2, Pick 42 Hailing from Hermantown, Minnesota, the small (five-foot-five, 120 pounds) yet speedy forward racked up 34 points in 27 games in the Minnesota high school league. Madill also had 25 points for the Prep Elite League (PEL) North Stars.

Hamilton scores twice, Canada blanks Finland at 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship

Troy Gillard — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:50:31 +0000

Trencin, Slovakia- After suffering a 2-1 upset at the hands of host Slovakia in their opening match, Canada has stormed back with three straight shutout wins at the 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship. The Western Hockey League contingent combined for nine points to blank Finland 7-0 on Monday morning. Beckett Hamilton and Mathis Preston each scored twice, while Ryan Lin led the way with a goal and two assists. Lin (Richmond, B.C. / Vancouver Giants) and former Victoria Royals star Keaton Verhoeff teed up Adam Valentini for the game's opening goal just over two minutes into the match. The dynamic defenders are ranked 16th and fourth, respectively, among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting in its final release ahead of the 2026 Draft. Hamilton (Saskatoon, Sask. / Red Deer Rebels) doubled the lead just past the halfway mark of the first period by collecting his own rebound off a shot in the slot, carrying the puck behind the net and banking it in off the Finnish goaltender. https://twitter.com/CHLHockey/status/2048741694972027002 Lin's Giants teammate, Mathis Preston (Penticton, B.C. / NHL CSS: 32), made it a 3-0 game by wheeling up the left wing and wiring a shot through traffic to the top shelf. https://twitter.com/CHLHockey/status/2048744633346277632 Hamilton, who is ranked 33rd among all NA skaters, closed out the period with his second goal of the night and third of the tournament, courtesy of a pretty setup from Lin. Lin picked off an attempted Finnish breakout pass in their own zone and barreled in on the net before feeding Hamilton for a low shot at the last moment. Hamilton now has three goals for Canada in his first turn representing his country on the IIHF stage. https://twitter.com/CHLHockey/status/2048745751610552724 With Canada holding a 4-0 lead entering the third period, Preston amped it up with a one-timer from inside the faceoff dot off a Verhoeff setup for his second strike of the night. https://twitter.com/CHLHockey/status/2048765377400754190 Dima Zhilkin (Saginaw Spirit / OHL) bagged his tournament-leading fifth goal as the game marched on, and Lin capped off a standout night with a wraparound to make it a 7-0 game. https://twitter.com/CHLHockey/status/2048767511760429397 Canada's 3-0-0-1 and 22:2 goals for/against split has the reigning gold medalists sitting first in Group A for the time being, and will await the conclusion of Slovakia's final preliminary round game before meeting their first playoff opponent. (Cami Kepke)

Hamilton, Kamas to play at 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship

Troy Gillard — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:03:35 +0000

RED DEER - Two members of the Red Deer Rebels are set to represent their countries at the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship in Slovakia. Forward Beckett Hamilton has been named to Canada's final roster for the tournament, while defenceman Jiří Kamas will play for Czechia. Hamilton (Humboldt, SK) led the Rebels with 62 points in 67 games in 2025-26 and was named the club’s Most Valuable Player. He took part in the WHL Prospects Game in February. He is making his Hockey Canada Program of Excellence debut. Kamas (Plzeň, Chechia) joined the Rebels through a trade from the Penticton Vees on January 8 and posted seven points in 32 games. He previously played for Czechia at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and World U17 Hockey Challenge. Rebels athletic therapist Terence Robertson is part of Team Canada's staff for the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship. It's fourth international event and second-straight U18 Men’s World Championship. The tournament goes April 22-May 2 in Bratislava and Trencin, Slovakia. Canada opens play on Wednesday, April 22, facing Slovakia at 10 a.m. MT. Canada will also play Latvia (April 23), Norway (April 25) and Finland (April 27) in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 2. Czechia plays USA on Wednesday and will also take on Sweden (April 23), Germany (April 25) and Denmark (April 26).

Former Rebels star Nugent-Hopkins nominated for NHL’s King Clancy Memorial Trophy

Troy Gillard — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 20:45:34 +0000

Calgary, Alta. – Former Red Deer Rebels star Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, now of the Edmonton Oilers, has been named a finalist for the NHL’s King Clancy Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.

The nominees were selected by their respective NHL teams. The winner will be chosen by a selection committee consisting of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman as well as former winners of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy and the historic NHL Foundation Player Award.

The nominee with the most votes will be named the winner of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy and receive a $25,000 donation to benefit a charity or charities of his choice. The winner will also be eligible to elect that his Club receive a grant from the NHL, up to $20,000, to help organize a special activation related to his humanitarian cause.

Nugent-Hopkins, 33, has been deeply involved in the community, with a particular focus and effort placed on fundraising and awareness for cystic fibrosis, serving for nine years as the honourary chair of the Face Off with CF Gala in Edmonton.

On June 20, 2025, Nugent-Hopkins was presented with the King Charles III Coronation Medal – a commemorative honour recognizing 30,000 Canadians for significant contributions to their community. Nugent-Hopkins was nominated for the special award by Cystic Fibrosis Canada.

Over 15 NHL seasons – all with the Oilers – Nugent-Hopkins has appeared in 1,030 regular season games, amassing 803 points (290G-513A). The product of Burnaby, B.C., was selected by the Oilers first overall in the 2011 NHL Draft.

Prior to making his mark with the Oilers, Nugent-Hopkins was selected first overall by the Red Deer Rebels in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft. Over 141 career WHL regular season contests, the 6-foot-1, 192-pound pivot registered 177 points (57G-120A) with the Rebels.

The 2009-10 season saw him take home the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the WHL’s Rookie of the Year, after posting 65 points (24G-41A) in 67 games. He finished his WHL career with a 106-point season (31G-75A) in 2010-11, en route to going first overall in the 2011 NHL Draft and eventually making his NHL debut at the age of 18.

First presented following the 1987-88 NHL season, the King Clancy Memorial Trophy has been won by numerous WHL alumni over the years.

WHL Alumni to win King Clancy Memorial Trophy

1987-88: Lanny McDonald, Calgary Flames (Medicine Hat Tigers) 1988-89: Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders (Swift Current / Lethbridge Broncos) 1996-97: Trevor Linden, Vancouver Canucks (Medicine Hat Tigers) 1997-98: Kelly Chase, St. Louis Blues (Saskatoon Blades) 2003-04: Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames (Kamloops Blazers) 2005-06: Olaf Kolzig, Washington Capitals (Tri-City Americans) 2009-10: Shane Doan, Phoenix Coyotes (Kamloops Blazers) 2013-14: Andrew Ference, Edmonton Oilers (Portland Winterhawks) 2019-20: Mathew Dumba, Minnesota Wild (Red Deer Rebels, Portland Winterhawks) 2022-23: Mikael Backlund, Calgary Flames (Kelowna Rockets)

Four Rebels listed in NHL Central Scouting Final Draft Rankings

Troy Gillard — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 17:09:03 +0000

RED DEER – Four Red Deer Rebels players are listed in the NHL Central Scouting Final Draft Rankings for the 2026 NHL Draft. Beckett Hamilton (Forward, ’08) – 33^rd North American Skaters Cameron Kuzma (Forward, ’08) – 116^th Kalder Varga (Forward, ’08) – 122^nd Jiri Kamas (Defence, ’08) – 134^th Hamilton (Humboldt, SK) led the Rebels with 62 points in 67 games in 2025-26 and was named the club’s Most Valuable Player. He took part in the WHL Prospects Game in February, and this week was named to Canada’s preliminary roster for the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship. Kuzma (St. Albert, AB) posted 21 points in 34 games with the Rebels after he was acquired on January 2 via trade from the Seattle Thunderbirds. Varga (Geneva, Illinois) was acquired from the Kelowna Rockets on January 2 and went on to record 26 points in 34 games with the Rebels. Kamas (Plzeň, Chechia) joined the Rebels through a trade from the Penticton Vees on January 8 and posted seven points in 32 games. The 2026 NHL Draft takes place in Buffalo, N.Y. Round one goes Fryday, June 26 followed by rounds two to seven on Saturday, June 27.

Hamilton among nine WHL players named to Canada’s pre-tournament camp roster for 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship

Troy Gillard — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:09:17 +0000

Calgary, Alta. – Nine Western Hockey League players have been named to the pre-tournament camp roster for Canada’s National Men’s U-18 Team ahead of the 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship, Hockey Canada announced Monday.

The WHL will be represented by two goaltenders, two defencemen, and five forwards on Canada’s pre-tournament roster. In total, Hockey Canada named three goaltenders, seven defencemen, and 13 forwards to the roster, which was selected by General Manager Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.) and Head Scout Byron Bonora (Brooks, Alta.), with support from Director of Hockey Operations Benoit Roy (Sudbury, Ont.), Senior Vice-President of High Performance and Hockey Operations Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), and Coordinator of Hockey Operations Jared Power (Calgary, Alta.).

Seven WHL Clubs will be represented on Canada’s roster, with the Brandon Wheat Kings and Vancouver Giants both boasting two players. Also represented are the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Red Deer Rebels Regina Pats, Seattle Thunderbirds, and Spokane Chiefs.

Canada’s National Men’s U-18 Team – Pre-Tournament Camp, WHL Players

Last Name	First Name	WHL Club	Hometown	Ht	Wt	Pos
Oaten	Leif	Lethbridge Hurricanes	Calgary, Alta.	6-3	194	G
Esler	Carter	Spokane Chiefs	Okotoks, Alta.	5-11	165	G
Lin	Ryan	Vancouver Giants	Richmond, B.C.	5-11	176	D
Pantelas	Giorgos	Brandon Wheat Kings	Victoria, B.C.	6-2	214	D
Preston	Mathis	Vancouver Giants	Penticton, B.C.	5-11	176	F
Lansard	Zach	Regina Pats	Ste. Anne, Man.	6-0	174	F
England	Brock	Seattle Thunderbirds	Red Deer, Alta.	5-11	174	F
Jacobson	Jaxon	Brandon Wheat Kings	Brandon, Man.	5-10	183	F
Hamilton	Beckett	Red Deer Rebels	Saskatoon, Sask.	5-11	172	F

Also named to the team is former Victoria Royals defenceman Keaton Verhoeff. Roster additions will be announced in the coming weeks following the conclusion of the second round of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) playoffs, while the final roster for the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship will be announced prior to the start of the tournament.

Oaten appeared in 31 games with the Hurricanes this season, going 6-19-2-0. He won gold with Canada Red at the 2025 U17 World Hockey Challenge. Oaten was originally selected by Lethbridge in the third round (58th overall) of the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft. He is eligible for the 2028 NHL Draft.

In his second season with the Chiefs, Esler went 24-18-1-0 with a 2.80 goals-against average, .903 save percentage and five shutouts in 44 appearances. Internationally, he most recently helped Canada to a bronze medal at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He was named a finalist for the WHL’s Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy, which is presented annually to the WHL’s Humanitarian of the Year. Esler is eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft.

Lin enjoyed a second consecutive campaign with 50+ points on the Giants blueline, registering 57 points (14G-43A) in 53 games. He represented Team CHL at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge and was also named to the roster for Team West at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass, but was unable to compete due to injury. Internationally, Lin most recently helped Canada claim bronze at the 20225 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He was also a member of Canada’s gold-medal winning team at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship. Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, Lin is listed 13th among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

In his second season with the Wheat Kings, Pantelas posted career highs in goals (6), assists (31), and points (37), while taking to the ice for 68 regular season games. He represented Team CHL at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge and also competed for Team East at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass. Internationally, Pantelas most recently represented Canada at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, helping his nation to a bronze medal. Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, Pantelas is listed 58th among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

Preston registered 44 points (18G-26A) in 46 games split between the Giants and Spokane Chiefs this past season. He represented Team CHL at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge and was named to the roster for Team West at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass, but was unable to compete due to injury. Preston was a member of Canada’s bronze-medal squad at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, he is listed 24th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

Lansard tallied 56 points (24G-32A) in 68 games in his second season with the Pats. He represented Team East at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass. He has yet to represent Canada on the international stage. Originally selected by the Pats in the fourth round (78th overall) of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, Lansard is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft and is listed 72nd among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

England impressed in his WHL rookie campaign, posting 51 points (21G-30A) in 64 games with the Thunderbirds. Internationally, he helped Canada Red claim gold at the 2025 U17 World Hockey Challenge. Originally selected by the Thunderbirds in the first round (11th overall) of the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft, England is considered a top prospect eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft.

In his second WHL season, Jacobson excelled with the Wheat Kings, posting 85 points (25G-60A) in 63 games, earning a place on the WHL’s Eastern Conference Second All-Star Team. Internationally, Jacobson earned a silver medal with Canada Red at the 2024 U17 World Hockey Challenge. Originally selected by the Wheat Kings in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, Jacobson is considered a top prospect eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft.

Recently named captain of the Rebels, Hamilton emerged with 62 points (24G-38A) in 67 games this past season. He represented Team East at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass. Originally selected by the Rebels in the first round (18th overall) of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, Hamilton is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, listed 75th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings. He has yet to represent Canada on the international stage.

Verhoeff spent the 2025-26 campaign with the University of North Dakota following 75 games over two seasons with the Victoria Royals. From 2023-24 through 2024-25, the 6-foot-4, 212-pound right-shot defenceman tallied 47 points (21G-26A) as a member of the Royals. Most recently, he patrolled the blueline for Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, bringing home a bronze medal. Verhoeff is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, listed second among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

Canada’s National Men’s U-18 Team will play two pre-tournament games, taking on Sweden at Ondrej Nepala Arena in Bratislava on April 17 and Czechia at the Pavol Demitra Ice Hockey Arena in Trencin on April 19. The 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship begins April 22, with Canada taking on Slovakia, Latvia, Norway, and Finland in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with medal games May 2.

For more information on the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship, please visit IIHF.com.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s U-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca.

About the Western Hockey League

Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.

Year-end interviews: Brent Sutter

Troy Gillard — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:28:48 +0000

Brent Sutter chats with reporters about the 2025-26 season and what's next for the Rebels

Hamilton has all the tools to lead Rebels as captain

Troy Gillard — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:41:20 +0000

By DANNY RODE - It only seemed right that Beckett Hamilton would be named the next Red Deer Rebels captain. After all the 18-year-old native of Saskatoon has all the ingredients needed to be the 30th captain in team history, taking over the reins from Talon Brigley. “He’s an outstanding kid and a very good hockey player,” said Rebels owner/president/General Manager Brent Sutter. “He’s thrilled to come back next year, and we’re thrilled to have him as our captain.” “I’m fully focused on coming to Red Deer next year and hopefully make a huge push in the playoffs and see what we can do,” said the high scoring forward on exit interview day. Outside of his offensive capabilities he consistently plays the game at a high level and is one of the off-ice leaders on a team that had only three 20-year-olds and no 19-year-olds. “We switched our team quite a bit this year and props to everyone in that room,” said Hamilton, who turned 18 on March 28. “We have a young team, an inexperienced team, and it wasn’t easy for a group of 17-year-olds to basically push their way into the playoffs. But we found a way. It wasn’t the end we wanted but we learned a lot ... everyone in there learned a lot about themselves and about the team. That’s a positive for us going forward.” The Rebels roster finished the season with 11 players born in 2008 and classified as 17-year-olds. They have seven players born in 2007, or playing as 18-year-olds, along with Grayden Peterson still 16. “We have an unbelievable future,” added Hamilton. “We’re a young team with good chemistry and a good room. I only see this group going up with us building together. I think there will be a huge off season for everyone and I’m excited to see what we can do when we come back.” The Rebels need his offence and his leadership. In only his second season with the club he led the team with 62 points in 67 games on 24 goals and 38 assists. He also tied for team lead in scoring in the playoffs with two goals and three assists in five games, equalling those totals put up by Kalder Varga. Hamilton realizes he’s expected to be a leader. “It was different coming back this year after my 16-year-old season and taking some leadership. I think I learned a lot and it developed me a lot as a player and it only helped me.” He showed his growth as a player as the season wore on. He was especially solid the second half. “I think the team helped me a lot. The guys in that room helped me a lot. The experience playing in this league for a longer time you learn more about yourself, you get more confidence. One thing goes right and you get on a roll. I give credit to everyone in there and the coaches really helped me. “There was a stretch where I wasn’t doing well but everyone in that room helped me and I got back on track. Full credit to those guys.” Hamilton was on a streak for sure to close out the season as he scored in nine of the final 10 games, accumulating 14 points. He helped the Rebels get into the playoffs where they drew the top-seeded Prince Albert Raiders in the best-of-seven first round, losing out in the fifth game in overtime. “The playoffs were a grind of a series, but we battled through to win that fourth game,” said Hamilton. “We just couldn’t get it back here (in the fifth game), but we battled and did what we could with the young team we had.” Hamilton can now look forward to the NHL Draft, going in ranked 75^th amongst North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting. “I haven’t thought much about it,” he said. “It’s been a tough couple of days here just saying goodbye to everyone. It’s in the back of my mind a little bit but I’m trying not to worry about it much.” One of the players Hamilton will miss more than others is Brigley. “He’s unbelievable,” he stressed. “Last year when I came in, he was one of those guys I followed and he led me. He was an unbelievable teammate. “He led in all aspects, on the ice, off the ice, in the gym. He’s a smart guy. You look at his compete level, all he wants to do is win. He has a winning mindset, and he showed the group how to lead, full respect to him. “He’s a great guy, will be a great player in the future (at Scared Heart University) and I have nothing but respect for him and the best is ahead of him.” That’s also the case for the Rebels new captain.

Sutter: Rebels poised to learn from, build on season of change

Troy Gillard — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:58:07 +0000

By DANNY RODE - Every year Red Deer Rebels owner/president/General Manager Brent Sutter sits down with the media following at season’s end to evaluate what took place over the past seven months. Each year it’s different. There are times when he can sit back and smile. There are times when he has to make a number of drastic changes. This year he can feel more comfortable with what he saw over the second half of the year. “The second half was way better after we made the changes,” he stressed. “The first half we were 10 games under .500 but the second half we were .500 with the young group of players. “We made our team different at the trade deadline when we got more skill and got faster.” Still there are things to continue to work on, he said. “Specialty teams were a struggle for us all year. They hurt us in certain games for sure. Those are points you don’t get back when getting power plays and not getting any goals on them and losing by a goal or two. That was the difference in those games. “But moving forward there’s encouraging signs for sure. We have a good group coming back, a really good group of young prospects who will push to be on the team next year.” https://soundcloud.com/user-529209141/brent-sutter-april-8-2026?si=d0d2a6dce6cb41fcb631f5277aba073e&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Sutter added that the WHL is no longer a 19-or-20-year-old league with a number of top-end older players now moving on to the NCAA. “So your 17- and 18-year-old players have to be really, really important for you. It’s tough to have top-end 20-year-olds when they are leaving after their 19-year-old season. It’s a different path now.” The Rebels finished the season with three 20-year-olds and no 19-year-olds (2006-born) meaning they have no overage players on their roster. But Sutter isn’t worried about that. “I’m really looking forward to seeing our young kids coming in next season because I think they will be really, really good players and add to the skill set of our group.” As for finding 20-year-olds, he isn’t worried about it. “There’s not any elite 20-year-olds in our league anymore. If your 18- and 19-year-olds are better why do you need a 20-year-old. I don’t get caught up in that, only if there’s the right fit. “Right now, we have 10 or 11 forwards returning and six or seven D men with the likes of (Graeme) Pickering coming in. We also have both goalies back and (Matthew) Kondro proved he’s a No. 1 goalie and we have a good back up in Shorsey (Peyton Shore) or whoever else comes in.” The Rebels have done an outstanding job of drafting the past several years and there will be several high-end younger players vying for jobs come September. But they will be up against a solid group with 11 18-year-olds and seven 19 year-olds, plus Grayden Peterson, who will be 17. A larger number of that group came in via the trade route at the trade deadline. “We needed to get skill and needed to get faster and my whole mindset going into the trade deadline was on how we do that,” said Sutter. “We added skill up front from (Kalder) Varga, (Poul) Andersen and (Patrick) Sopiarz (alongside Beckett Hamilton) and others who completely bought in to our group like Lodgey (Kohen Lodge), (Owen) DeWitt and (Landon) MacSwain. “It’s now important for the kids to have a good summer and come back next fall looking different, stronger, bigger and more confident. With young kids it will be interesting to see.” Overall Sutter brought in 10 players during the season, plus several others who will be here next season. “Unfortunately to get good players you have to give up good players and we certainly did that,” he said. “We focused on the 17–18-year-old age group because we knew we had a strong group of younger players coming in as well. We’re excited about that. Yes, the future is bright for this team and certainly will be more skilled for sure, which we needed to have.” Sutter was asked about the coaching staff, including veteran head coach Marc Habscheid who completed his first year with the Rebels. “There was a learning curve for him. He was back in junior where he coached for a long time, but you leave for a long time and come back and things are different. “Things have changed and the whole dynamics have changed with the new NCAA rulings. So, there’s an adjustment with the coaches. They work with the young group of guys and spend a lot of time with them and not just off the ice but on the ice too. It’s about development. You do all the work you want inside the dressing room, but you have to spend the time on the ice.” What bothered Sutter most this season was the team’s home record (13-18-3-0). “That has a lot to do with preparation and distractions. We were much better on the road and that speaks for itself and that’s all about being focused on game day and that’s a learning curve for the coaches.” Sutter indicated he “would like to think all the coaches were learning throughout the year.” He added he’s going through evaluations but not planning on making any changes to the coaching staff. “Every year we do it and always determined what’s best for the group,” he said. “I’ve met with the coaches, and they know where I stand. I was unhappy with the first half of the season, and we can’t play that way at home. “The second half was okay. Unfortunately, we had to make changes, change our attitude or whatever it was. We did it and we did it for the right reasons. So, we went from being not good to being better so when we met with the coaches, we went through it and evaluated it. “We have a young group coming back and now it’s what is the right fit and at this point I’m not planning any changes.” Sutter very much expects the team to continue to improve. “The whole thing is I want us to be competitive all the time. A team playing hard every night. Our work habits have to continue to improve, and I thought for a young team over the second half we did that, even though there were still some inconsistencies and we had a hard time playing for 60 minutes. That has to be corrected for sure, but we have a great group of kids, an awesome group who care and want to succeed, want to have success and now the leadership around them has to be what it needs to be.” The next on the agenda for Sutter is the WHL Prospects Draft in May and CHL Import Draft in July. The WHL Prospects Draft is different this year with the American players on the same list as the Western Canadian 14-year-olds. “Our scouts have done an unbelievable job and now the list is longer,” said Sutter. “There’s more work to be done, dissecting it and more kids to look at.” But with the new NCAA rules “there’s more opportunities for kids to play here even if they are looking at the NCAA. “But now if they want to stay, they have to play at a certain level. It’s different than it used to be as before if management signed a player he had to stay because it affected his NCAA eligibility if we let him go.” As for the import draft, the Rebels plan to select one player after releasing forward Matej Mikes and keeping defencemen Jiri Kamas and Matus Lisy. “Mikes is a great kid, but he is having a second knee operation on the same knee and it’s too high of a risk for us. We can’t control injuries and another significant surgery to the same knee is a high risk and forces us to go in a different direction.”

Beckett Hamilton named Rebels Captain

Troy Gillard — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:58:58 +0000

RED DEER – The Red Deer Rebels are proud to announce that Beckett Hamilton has been named the club’s captain for the 2026-27 season. The Saskatoon, SK native becomes the 30^th captain in team history. Hamilton just completed his second season with the Rebels and finished as the team’s leading scorer with 62 points in 67 games, earning him Rebels Most Valuable Player honours. “I’m fully focused on coming to Red Deer next year and hopefully make a huge push in the playoffs and see what we can do,” said Hamilton. "He's an outstanding kid and a very good hockey player. He's thrilled to come back next year, and we're thrilled to have him as our captain," said Rebels Owner, President and General Manager Brent Sutter. Hamilton is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft and is currently ranked 76^th among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting. He competed at the WHL Prospects Game in February. Hamilton was selected by the Rebels in round one, 18^th overall at the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.