The Red Deer Rebels locked up another piece of the future Wednesday.
Red Deer inked 15-year-old defenceman Matteo Fabrizi to a standard player agreement. Fabrizi, from St. Albert, was the Rebels second round, 31st overall selection in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft.
The hulking blueliner stands at six-foot-three, 222-pounds and played last season Yale Hockey Academy Bantam Prep team in the Canadian Sport School Bantam Hockey League. In 23 games, he recorded three goals and 18 points, along with 82 penalty minutes.
“Fabrizi stands out as he is a giant d man with a high IQ, who can skate, see the ice well making a good 1st pass and play with edge,” said Rebels assistant GM Shaun Sutter.
“He plays a mature, poised two-way game and can physically dominate the opposition in the tough areas with his size and strength.”
Fabrizi won’t be eligible to suit up for the Rebels until the 2021-22 season.
A Red Deer product also found a home in the WHL Wednesday. The Prince Albert Raiders announced they signed 15-year-old Harrison Lodewyk to a standard player agreement. He was drafted in the second round, 37th overall by the Raiders in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft last month.
Lodewyk, a five-foot-seven, 159-pound forward played the past two seasons with the Red Deer Bantam AAA Rebels. Last season in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League, he recorded 12 goals and 21 assists in 31 games. he also played four games with the Red Deer Northstar Minor Midget Chiefs.