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Rebels forward Lane Zablocki seeks to end struggles

It’s been a rough season so far for the former third round NHL Draft pick
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Red Deer Rebels forward Lane Zablocki has struggled this season but believes he has the confidence to turn it all around. (Photo by BYRON HACKETT/Advocate Staff)

It’s no secret that Lane Zablocki hasn’t been himself this year.

The Red Deer Rebels forward has just one goal in nine games, on top of that he is minus eight, a team worst. His 21 penalty minutes are also a team high.

After joining the Rebels in a deadline blockbuster from the Regina Pats last season, Zablocki burst onto the scene with 19 goals in 31 games. Another six in six playoffs and all was right in the world for the teen.

The 19-year-old has made a life in the WHL of playing on the edge, energizing his team and frustrating opponents, but this season he’s the one that’s been fighting the frustration.

“I try to not let it get to me or it just makes things worse,” he said. “It’s not that I lack confidence. I know what type of player I am and I know what I can do out there. I have high expectations for myself. Just need to get back to that and the way I played at the end of last year and keep improving from there.”

His intangibles do not show up in his stat line, but they were the thing that always attracted Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter to the under-utilized forward during his time with Pats, he said.

“He always plays a certain way. I love him as a player. He’s a really good hockey player,” Sutter said.

“He’s hard to play against. He’s tough, he’s got skill, he can skate and he can shoot. That’s who he is, yet he’s come back from pro camp and he’s fought it. Just that focus thing is probably the biggest thing. Just getting him dialed back into the player he needs to be.”

Sutter alluded to a struggle that comes with many players who return from pro camps, they seem to struggle to fit in or play the role they once played when they get back to junior.

“A lot of players come back like that. There’s a lot of kids that come back from pro camps that they’re just not mentally where they need to be. Usually it takes some time to get through it,” he said.

The Rebels bench boss seemed to zone in on one particular area that could be an easy fix for the forward.

“He needs to get his work habits up to where they need to be. Just a focus thing, needs to get some intensity and emotion where it needs to be,” Sutter said. “We know he’s a really good player. We know what he can bring to the table. Since he’s come back from pro camp, he’s fought it a little bit. We know the intangible things that he brings. Which are all very important to our team.”

Even Zablocki himself was at a bit of a loss with how things have turned, but does know there’s a clear path forward and intends on embracing the challenge.

“In practice I’m working on things, definitely not the start I wanted. There’s a lot of things contributing to that. No excuses though. It’s up to me to make the changes and to get myself going,” he said. “I really need to get back to my game and play the way I can.”



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Byron Hackett

About the Author: Byron Hackett

Byron has been the sports reporter at the advocate since December of 2016. He likes to spend his time in cold hockey arenas accompanied by luke warm, watered down coffee.
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