A group of Red Deer Rebels will have a chance to make an impression on NHL teams at main camps across North America this week.
Four Rebels’ have moved from rookie camp to main camp, including forwards Ben King and Jayden Grubbe, as well as defenceman Kyle Masters and Connor Ungar.
King, 19 and Ungar, 19, received invitations to Calgary Flames rookie camp earlier this month and both are listed on the team’s roster for main camp, which started Wednesday with fitness testing.
King suited up for the Flames in a rookie game on Monday night against the Edmonton Oilers and played on the third line, with Ryan Francis and Mathias Emilio Pettersen.
The Flames will kick off the preseason with a game against the Edmonton Oilers on Sept. 26.
Masters, 18, was one of 53 players invited to Minnesota Wild Training Camp. Masters, an Edmonton product was picked by the Wild in the fourth round, 114th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft.
He was one of 19 rookies that participated for the Wild in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase Tournament. Minnesota will start training camp on Thursday, and play its first preseason game on Saturday against the St. Louis Blues.
Grubbe, 18, started main camp with the New York Rangers on Wednesday. The Rebels captain was picked in the third round, 65th overall by the Rangers in the 2021 NHL Draft.
The six-foot-three, 201-pound centre had three points in five games last year before missing the remainder of the season with a knee injury.
The Rangers kick-off exhibition play Sunday against the New York Islanders.