The WHL unveiled the brand new 68-game schedule for the 2018-2019 season on Tuesday.
The Red Deer Rebels will open the new season on Sept. 21 in Edmonton against the Oil Kings and will host them for their home opener on Sept. 22 at the Centrium.
Red Deer will also play a five-game exhibition schedule with games at the Centrium Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. They’ll play the Lethbridge Hurricanes in Wainwright on Sept. 8 and in St. Albert against the Oil Kings on Sept. 14. Red Deer will conclude the exhibition schedule for Sept. 15 at home against the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Through the regular season, the Rebels will be out of the Centrium for extended periods, because of the Canadian Finals Rodeo, Agri-Trade and the 2019 Canada Winter Games. They play at home on Oct. 26 and aren’t back on home ice until Nov. 16.
From Feb. 12 to 22, the Rebels will play five games on the road. They’ll play one game at home on Feb. 23, before another four-game trip to Saskatchewan.
“It’s not an easy schedule to do. It takes time, there’s a process and you have to make it work at all facilities. With the CFR and the Canada Winter Games, we’re basically out of our building for six weeks. It adds up between six and seven weeks by the time they take the ice out. Close to almost two months,” Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter said.
“It’s a long time to be out of your building but they’re great events for our community and for the city so we just work around that as best we can.”
The WHL reduced their schedule from a 72-game season to a 68-game season at the end of the 2017-2018 campaign.
The full schedule can be found at reddeerrebels.com/article/rebels-release-schedule-for-20182019.
Season tickets are available online at reddeerrebels.com or calling the Rebels office 403-341-6000.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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