Wheaties prepare for revamped Rebels

The Brandon Wheat Kings get their first look at the new-look Red Deer Rebels tonight in Western Hockey League action at Assiniboine Credit Union Place at 7 o’clock.

The teams last met on Dec. 16, with the Wheat Kings earning a 2-1 decision. Since then, the Rebels have traded defencemen Keith McInnis and Luke Vlooswyk and forward Jaxon Fuder, and brought in forwards Cole Temple of Brandon, Poul Andersen and Kalder Varga, and defenceman Cameron Dillard.

Wheat Kings team captain Caleb Hadland, who is from nearby Sylvan Lake, Alta., said his club will need to rise to the new challenge.

“Red Deer has made a lot of moves, good or bad for the organization,” Hadland said. “We don’t really know. We just play our game and don’t really worry about them. We have to make sure we work hard and do the right things and get the right result.”

Brandon assistant coach Del Pedrick, who ran practice with Mark Derlago and director of player development Riley Dudar as head coach and general manager Marty Murray worked the phones prior to Thursday’s trade deadline, said the coaching staff’s response to the changes with the Rebels is simple.

“It’s preparation, and worrying about our guys, number one,” Pedrick said. “Then it’s just trying to get our guys to come out and play the way they can, set the tone, play to our level and play to our expectations.”

While ninth-place Red Deer (11-20-2-2) certainly poses a number problems for fourth-place Brandon (22-14-1-0), it’s the sort of game a team with plans for a playoff run needs to win. They have just five more games before they head out on their seven-game swing through the U.S. Division from Jan. 21 to 31 that begins with a game against the Lethbridge Hurricanes as they travel west.

In their most recent action, Brandon dropped 3-2 and 5-1 decisions to the Saskatoon Blades that pulled them into a tie for fourth place, although the Wheat Kings hold a game in hand.

“When we talked four days ago, we were really optimistic,” Pedrick said. “We could have spread the standings out from Saskatoon but we didn’t do that. Now games are going to matter even more. They matter every night, but they matter heavily now. Every one we drop and every point we give away could hurt us in the end.”

“They’re a hard-working team,” Pedrick added. “We seem to struggle a little bit at times when teams play the right way and play hard, so hopefully our guys have learned a little lesson coming out of Saskatoon last weekend.”

The Rebels will have some significant boosts to their lineup tonight with the return of world junior players Samuel Drancak (Czechia) and Matus Lisy (Slovakia), plus 17-year-old forward Kohen Lodge from injury.

The Wheat Kings, who fell 7-4 to the Rebels on Nov. 11 in Brandon, complete their four-game season series on March 13 when they visit Red Deer during an Alberta swing.

“Red Deer always plays hard,” Hadland said. “That’s just how they are, their organization. They have a little bit of new personnel there but I’m sure they’re going to come out with the same intensity they always do.”

The game could be the last in Wheat Kings colours for some players with the WHL’s trade deadline nearing on Thursday at 7 p.m. The final week tends to be a nervous time for players with the flurry of deals that always seem to take place.

“It’s easy not to think about that,” Pedrick admitted. “We get so wrapped up in the day to day, and we forget that they are still young guys and this weighs on them. It’s important for us to get in there.

“Billy (Mark Derlago) does a really good job of being around the guys a lot, and I have to do a better job of being around them more and just let them be kids and talk and vent some things out and try to relax them and just worry about coming out and having fun. That’s what the game is all about.”

One unprecedented part of this season is that Brandon is essentially the same team it was at the start of the year because they haven’t lost or gained anyone through trade.

The only subtraction was Czech defenceman Adam Hlinsky, who was hurt after two games, never played again, eventually headed home and was subsequently dropped.

The Wheat Kings replaced him with defenceman Daniil Skvortsov, who they claimed on waivers from the Ontario Hockey League’s Guelph Storm on Nov. 6.

The big Russian defender, who speaks terrific English and is perpetually smiling, quickly fit in.

“You learn and grow with each other from the start of the year,” Hadland said. “You’re not bringing in pieces and moving guys out, which is nice. We’ll see what will happen over the next couple of days here, but it’s been nice to be with the same group of guys and build with them.”

Still, the team captain added it is a tough week.

“It’s always a tense time of the year but I think everyone is handling it pretty well this year,” Hadland said. “We have a good group of guys and everyone believes in each other. We’re pretty excited about the deadline and good things to come.”

Hadland, who played with the under-15 AAA Red Deer Rebels and said still it’s a treat to skate against them, certainly understands what’s at stake.

An old hockey truism suggests you have to beat the teams behind you, and with games against the Rebels and eighth-place Regina Pats coming up, just one outcome is acceptable for them.

“It’s very important,” Hadland said. “We need every point we can get to separate ourselves from them and to get into that top group of teams. We need every win.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com