Brigley finding offensive game playing on key line

By: Greg Meachem/Red Deer Rebels

With 14 goals and 28 points to his credit this season, Talon Brigley won’t win any scoring titles, but his numbers represent a major uptick in offensive production for the 19-year-old Red Deer Rebels winger.

His goal total, in fact, is one more than he managed in his first two seasons combined.

“I mean, I always knew it was in me. It’s more of a confidence thing for me, just knowing that I can produce that way,” he said Wednesday.

“Obviously the coaching staff has shown more confidence in me this year, putting me out in different situations. With more ice time I’ve been given the opportunity to show what I can do on that side of the game.”

Rebels head coach Derrick Walser said Brigley’s smarts and his willingness to venture into the scoring areas has made him a key piece on a line that, for the most part, has consisted also of Ollie Josephson and Carson Birnie.

“He does a lot of things right and has a very high hockey IQ, a responsible hockey IQ,” Walser noted, in reference to Brigley’s effective two-way game. “With the offence, one thing is confidence as well as getting bigger and stronger. I think he’s just starting to touch on it and it’s one of those things that when you do all the little things right it eventually pays off.

“Between him and Ollie, they probably should have six or seven more goals each. They’ve been snake bitten at times.

“But the one thing he has to do, like everyone else . . . if you want to score goals you have to get around the net. That’s the way to do it and he’s been around the net a lot more consistently this year.”

Birnie, with 13 goals and 22 points in 49 games, and Josephson, who has scored nine goals and recorded 39 points, have also taken big strides this season in terms of their offensive production. In short, the line — which, at times, has also featured Kalan Lind in Birnie’s spot — has been impressive in all areas.

“It’s been mixed a bit. I had Lind there and went back with Birnie last game,” said Walser. “Ollie and Brigs play well together. They play straight line hockey and they think the same way which makes it easy to play with each other.

“Birnie complements that with his size and grit as well.”

Brigley, a Sylvan Lake native who was taken in the second round — 24th overall — of the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, is clearly appreciative of his linemates whom he credits for his own offensive breakout.

“Birnie is having a really good year himself and Ollie is just a great playmaker. He uses his speed really well and always know where we’re at, so playing with those guys obviously helps a lot,” he said.

The Rebels, following a pair of disappointing losses to the Edmonton Oil Kings, stormed past the Lethbridge Hurricanes 7-3 Monday, just their second win in an 11-game stretch that followed a nine-game win streak.

With just 12 games remaining in the regular season, now is the time for the Rebels to get back on a heater similar to their run in January if they want to move up in the Eastern Conference standings.

Red Deer is tied with the Swift Current Broncos for fourth place in the conference and is six points back of the Medicine Hat Tigers for top spot in the Central Division.

“We don’t want to look too far in the past, what happened in the past month,” said Brigley. “We just have to let that go and look forward to the end of this month and March, finishing the right way.

“We’re trying to get ahead of Swift and hopefully make some ground on Med Hat if we can get back to where we were at. We want that home ice advantage in the first round of playoffs. That’s what we’re looking for.”