https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/tag/bodi-anderson/ Mon, 10 Aug 2026 19:43:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.3 https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/former-rebels-forward-chris-douglas-to-play-pro-in-slovenia Mon, 10 Aug 2026 17:09:00 +0000 Troy Gillard https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/former-rebels-forward-chris-douglas-to-play-pro-in-slovenia HK Olimpija Ljubljana (Olimpija Ljubljana Hockey Club), a professional ice hockey club from Ljubljana, Slovenia. Douglas, who hails from Richmond, BC, played 250 games for the Rebels from 2016-21. He recorded 98 points and 184 penalty minutes in those games and competed in 13 playoff contests with the club. After graduating from the Rebels, Douglas put his WHL Scholarship to great use as he played five seasons in U-Sports with the UBC Thunderbirds. He was the club’s captain for four seasons and had 120 points in 124 career games, adding 19 points in 25 playoff games. Douglas helped the Thunderbirds win the Canada West conference title in 2023-24. Douglas made the jump to pro hockey earlier this year after graduating from UBC. He joined the American Hockey League’s Rochester Americans in March, recording one point in 11 games and playing in two playoff games. HK Olimpija Ljubljana competes in the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL) and the Slovenian Championship. Olimpija has won the Slovenian Championship six times since being founded in 2004, including in 2026. Former Rebels forward and Red Deer native Josh Tarzwell, a former teammate of Douglas, is headed to Scotland to play for the Glasgow Clan of the EIHL this season.]]> https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/zeb-lindgren-signs-with-rebels Thu, 06 Aug 2026 16:27:14 +0000 Troy Gillard https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/zeb-lindgren-signs-with-rebels RED DEER – The Red Deer Rebels are excited to announce that Swedish defenceman Zeb Lindgren has signed a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement with the team. Lindgren was selected by the Rebels with the 24^th overall pick in round one of the 2026 CHL Import Draft. He was selected by the New York Rangers in round five of the 2025 NHL Draft. Lindgren hails from Umeå, Sweden and played last season for Skelleftea AIK in the country’s top U20 league. He was the team’s captain and had 19 points in 36 games, including six goals and 13 assists. Lindgren also appeared in two games in Sweden’s top professional league, the SHL. “He’s a real heady player, a smart player who was an NHL draft pick of the (New York) Rangers last year, so he fit what we were looking for,” said Rebels Owner, President and General Manager Brent Sutter. “He speaks good English and has leadership abilities as he was captain of his team in Sweden. That kind of character is nice.” The six-foot-one, 198-pound blue liner represented Sweden at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the 2025 World Junior A Challenge, winning medals at both events. Zeb Lindgren Defence Hometown: Umeå, Sweden Date of Birth: April 14, 2007 (Age 19) Height: 6’1 Weight: 198 Shoots: Left 2025-26 Team: Skellefteå AIK U20]]> https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/danny-ramazanov-signs-with-rebels Wed, 05 Aug 2026 16:28:55 +0000 Troy Gillard https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/danny-ramazanov-signs-with-rebels RED DEER – The Red Deer Rebels are excited to announce that forward Danel (Danny) Ramazanov has signed a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement with the team. Ramazanov was selected by the Rebels in round one, 17^th overall at the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft. Originally from Kazakhstan, the Saskatoon, SK resident led the Northern Alberta Xtreme (NAX) U15 Prep in scoring in 2025-26 with 26 goals and 58 points in 29 games. He racked up eight points in six games at the prestigious John Reid Memorial tournament. “He’s an exciting player with the ability to score highlight reel goals and make plays at very, very high speed. He makes everyone around him better and is very competitive for an average size guy,” said Jamie Novakoski, Rebels Director of Player Personnel. “We anticipate him to be a top six forward and score some big goals for us down the road.” Ramazanov will be at Rebels Training Camp this month and is slated to play U18 AAA this season with the Saskatoon Blazers. Danny Ramazanov Forward Shoots: Left Height: 5’9 Weight: 155 Birthdate: Jul 22, 2011 Hometown: Saskatoon, SK Last Team: Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 Prep Nationality: Kazakhstani]]> https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/kisio-thrilled-to-bring-coaching-career-home-to-red-deer Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:42:35 +0000 Troy Gillard https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/kisio-thrilled-to-bring-coaching-career-home-to-red-deer By DANNY RODE - The Kisio family has a history connected with Red Deer Rebels owner/president/General Manager Brent Sutter. The father, Kelly Kisio, was born in Wetaskiwin and played in the Alberta Junior Hockey League with the Red Deer Rustlers, spending the 1977-78 season with Sutter. After his pro career, Kelly joined the Calgary Hitmen, spending 19 years as GM, head coach and president of hockey operations and a rival to Sutter. Brent Kisio joined his father as an assistant coach with the Hitmen in the 2007-08 season after spending four years with the University of Nebraska-Omaha. The next 16 years Brent spent in the WHL – eight as an assistant coach with the Hitmen and eight as head coach with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Once again as Sutter’s rival. The two become very familiar with each other and it seemed a nice fit when the Rebels head coaching job opened up this year and Brent Kisio put in his application. Kisio spent the last three years as an assistant coach with the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL. But he was looking for an opportunity to return home to Alberta. So, when Sutter offered him the job he was quick to accept. “I’m excited, really excited to be back where my family is,” said Kisio in a telephone interview from his current home in Lethbridge. “I have a daughter 16, and two boys aged 14 and 12 and I’m excited to be back home and be around the family at this time in their growth. “Red Deer is also home to me,” noted Kisio, who grew up in Calgary and spent a lot of time in Sylvan Lake. “It’s great to be back home as a head coach with an organization I always looked up to and battled against. Now it’s fun to be part of. “This is an opportunity to return home and be a head coach, be around my family and be part of a great organization. These opportunities don’t come around very often. You don’t get to coach back home. When you move away from home, move away from your family you appreciate the opportunity to be back home and be around them.” He appreciated his time in the Vegas Golden Knights organization the last three years. “Being in Henderson was an awesome experience after being in junior for so long,” he said. “You get the opportunity to see that next step towards the NHL. You see the guys who coached in junior try to take that step and realize it’s right there. It’s one injury, one phone call away. It taught me a lot from that standpoint in realizing how close it is if you push for it.” Brent Kisio was born in Davos, Switzerland when Kelly played one year in the Swiss League in 1982-83. Kelly returned and spent over a decade in the NHL, finishing his career with the Calgary Flames. Brent came up through the Calgary minor hockey system before joining the Olds Grizzlys of the AJHL in 1999, spending nearly three seasons there before finishing the 2001-02 season with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons. He finished his junior career with the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL in 2002-03. During his early days in the WHL, Brent was in the background watching the coaching battles between his dad and Brent Sutter. “It was always fun to see those two as friends battle each other,” he said. Brent Sutter indicated he had several strong applications for the head coaching position. “We had a number of awesome candidates,” he said. “It was a good process right to the end. “In Brent, he knows the league and he’s had success with not always great teams at times. But he took them above and beyond. “He looks to be a great fit for where our team is at today with all the young kids we have coming in. “He develops players and gets the most out of them. He communicates well but also holds them accountable but does it with respect. He’s a good fit.” Brent Kisio will spend a lot of the next month going back and forth between Lethbridge and Henderson and will move to Red Deer in August. He’s looking forward to meeting the players. “I’ve heard a lot about the young guys and the old guys,” he said. “We will have a lot of younger guys playing key roles and after talking with the coaches, Brent and the staff, I’m excited about that. “I’ll meet and learn more about the individuals and it’ll go from there. It will be about developing those players.” Brent did admit he will be learning after being away from the league for three years. “Three years doesn’t seem like much, but a lot has happened,” he said. “But I’m excited to see the changes and to see where everything is at and build from there. I know I’m excited to be part of a great organization and I’m lucky for that.”]]> https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/rebels-announce-new-date-for-regular-season-home-game Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:52:40 +0000 Troy Gillard https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/rebels-announce-new-date-for-regular-season-home-game Rebels Season Tickets for 2026-26 are on sale now. Click here for details.  ]]> https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/four-rebels-prospects-invited-to-canadas-national-under-17-development-camp Tue, 14 Jul 2026 17:14:10 +0000 Troy Gillard https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/four-rebels-prospects-invited-to-canadas-national-under-17-development-camp 80 players from across the country who will take part in the camp, July 17-21 at the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex in Oakville, Ontario. Following camp, players will continue to be evaluated through the beginning of the 2026-27 season before the Canada Red and Canada White rosters are named ahead of the 2026 U17 World Challenge, scheduled for Nov. 1-7 in Oakville. 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://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/rebels-acquire-draft-picks-from-thunderbirds Fri, 10 Jul 2026 12:00:12 +0000 Troy Gillard https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/rebels-acquire-draft-picks-from-thunderbirds RED DEER – The Red Deer Rebels have completed a trade with the Seattle Thunderbirds. The Rebels acquire a sixth-round pick in the 2029 WHL Prospects Draft and a conditional third-round pick in the 2030 WHL Prospects Draft. The Thunderbirds receive the WHL playing rights to forward Cooper Soller, who was selected by the Rebels in round one, 18^th overall at the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft. The Los Angeles, California native was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in round five of the 2026 NHL Draft.]]> https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/brent-kisio-named-rebels-head-coach Wed, 08 Jul 2026 16:07:53 +0000 Troy Gillard https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/brent-kisio-named-rebels-head-coach RED DEER – Red Deer Rebels Owner, President and General Manager Brent Sutter today announced the hiring of Brent Kisio as the club’s new Head Coach. Kisio returns to the Western Hockey League to help lead the Rebels after three seasons as an assistant coach with the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League. “We are very excited to bring Brent to our organization. We believe it’s a great fit for our team today and in the future with the good group of prospects we have in our organization,” said Sutter. “Brent has coached in our league for a long time and has had great success. With his coaching at the World Juniors, Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the last three years in the American Hockey League, all that experience will be a great asset to our hockey club.” “I’m very excited to be coming back home and joining a great organization in the Red Deer Rebels. Thank you to Brent and Connie for the opportunity and I look forward to the challenge,” says Kisio. Kisio was Head Coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes from 2015-2023. He compiled a 267-176-44 coaching record in 484 regular season games and is the Hurricanes franchise leader in both wins and games coached. Lethbridge qualified for the WHL Playoffs in each of Kisio’s seasons behind the bench, won a Central Division title in 2015-16, and made two appearances in the WHL Eastern Conference Final. He was the Eastern Conference nominee for WHL Coach of the Year in 2015-16. Prior to his time with the Hurricanes, Kisio was an Assistant/Associate Coach with the Calgary Hitmen from 2007-15 and was also the team’s assistant general manager during the 2014-15 season. During Kisio’s tenure, the Hitmen won the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL Champions in 2010 and appeared at the Memorial Cup. Kisio was Head Coach for Team Canada in a gold medal win at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and served as Assistant Coach for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship in 2019 and 2023, winning gold in 2023. Before starting his coaching career, Kisio played NCAA Division I hockey for four seasons with the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He played for the Olds Grizzlys (AJHL) from 1999-2002. The Rebels also announced that the rest of the club’s coaching staff are returning for the 2026-27 season.]]> https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/former-rebels-forward-vukie-mpofu-named-nashville-predators-assistant-gm Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:56:59 +0000 Troy Gillard https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/former-rebels-forward-vukie-mpofu-named-nashville-predators-assistant-gm media release, the Predators say the 30-year-old Mpofu will work alongside General Manager Chris MacFarland in all facets of the hockey operations department. "My wife and I are thrilled to join the Predators organization, and I want to thank Chris MacFarland for his trust and belief in me,” Mpofu said in the media release. “The Predators are a world-class franchise with a promising future, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to help shape the next chapter here in Nashville. I look forward to working alongside two of the game's best leaders in Chris and Rob Blake, and thank Mr. Haslam for entrusting me to be part of the management team they are assembling." Mpofu, who was born in the United Arab Emirates, played for the Rebels from 2012-14 and had 15 points in 69 games. He ended his playing career early to pursue his education and holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Saskatchewan and received his Juris Doctor from the UCLA School of Law with a specialization in Media, Entertainment, Technology and Sports Law. https://twitter.com/PredsNHL/status/2074493669600571810]]> https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/lindgren-a-key-addition-to-rebels-defence-corps Thu, 02 Jul 2026 02:52:19 +0000 Troy Gillard https://chl.ca/whl-rebels/article/lindgren-a-key-addition-to-rebels-defence-corps By DANNY RODE - The Red Deer Rebels got exactly who they were looking for in Tuesday's CHL Import Draft. The Rebels went into the three-round draft looking for an older, experienced defenceman who could help led a younger defence. They got just that selecting 19-year-old Zeb Lindgren from Sweden 24th overall in the first round. They passed on the second and third rounds as Lindgren joins Slovakian Matus Lisy and Czech Jiri Kamas as the team’s three imports, all of whom play on the back end. “That was the age group we were looking at if it could possibly happen,” said Rebels Owner/President/GM Brent Sutter. “We’re still a pretty young team on defence. We had only one 19-year-old (Lisy) on the back end and we were trying to find an established guy who can bring leadership , play on our top pairing, skate really well and move the puck, and he fit all those traits. “He’s a real heady player, a smart player who was an NHL draft pick of the (New York) Rangers last year, so he fit what we were looking for.” Sutter added that Lindgren “speaks good English and has leadership abilities as he was captain of his team in Sweden. That character is nice.” Lindgren comes from Umea and played for Skelleftea AIK in Sweden’s top U20 league. He had 19 points in 36 games, including six goals. He also played two games in Sweden’s top professional league. He was selected by the Rangers in the fifth round of the 2025 NHL Draft. Lindgren also represented his country at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the 2025 World Junior A Challenge, winning medals in both. The fact the Rebels have three imports on the back end doesn’t bother Sutter. “I’m not worried about that. We need the experience as going through our list we’re young and the younger players need time to develop. We have some really good younger players. The 2010 and 2011 groups were really good on the back end. Both drafts were exceptional. We drafted some good D men, we just need to be patient.” Two of the younger players – 17-year-old Graeme Pickering and 16-year-old Nolan Wolitski – have an excellent chance of making this year’s roster. “Pickering, and some of the other 17-year-olds can hopefully push to make the team and we have some good 16-year-olds including Wolitski, who was our top pick last year.” That’s why we needed a guy like Lindgren who is established and at six-foot-one, 200-pounds and can play big.” Sutter indicated he had talks with the Rangers brass and they were excited to see him come to Red Deer and said he would be a good fit. Lindgren is currently at Ranger development camp in New York. So too is Rebels forward Kalder Varga, who received an invite after going unselected at last weekend's NHL Draft. The lone Rebels player drafted last weekend was team captain Beckett Hamilton who went in the third round, 74th overall, to the Colorado Avalanche. “All the teams in the NHL are good teams, but Colorado is an elite team and the way Beckett plays fits their game,” Sutter said. “We figured he’d go late in the second or early in the third and that’s where he went. “He actually moved up the draft charts as he had a really good U18 tournament in Europe, which obviously helps. I know Colorado was high on him which showed in taking him where they did. That was awesome.”]]>