With the Western Hockey League trade deadline around the corner on Jan. 10, the Red Deer Rebels could make a move.
However, fans shouldn’t expect a big splash.
On Thursday Rebels owner, president, and general manager Brent Sutter said since November they’ve been really happy with their group.
They’ve seen strides taken by their younger players but Sutter admitted there is plenty to improve on including consistency throughout the lineup.
“You look at our record since we went on that road trip to B.C. our game changed in how we’re going to play, how we need to play,” Sutter said.
“Players put more accountability on themselves to get their level of play up to where it needs to be. From our perspective, we’ve taken strides.
“We’re not getting into the game of some of these trades being made… Our team is a team that you still have to develop players and still have to draft well. If you need to add to it at certain times you do that but where we’re at today I like our team.”
On Thursday the Swift Current Broncos acquired star forward Conor Geekie from the Wenatchee Wild for three players and four draft picks including two first-rounders.
In addition, the Moose Jaw Warriors picked up Matthew Savoie from the Wild for seven draft picks.
Just a few days ago the WHL’s best Saskatoon Blades declared they’re going all in acquiring forward Alexander Suzdalev from the Regina Pats.
Despite a lack of scoring from his club this season, Sutter isn’t prepared to do the same.
“Not at the price that’s being paid out there. I’m surely not going to that,” he said.
“It’s got to come internally too. At the end of the day, the powerplay isn’t very good. I’d say the kids got to want to shoot pucks more and generate more stuff around the net.”
The Rebels already gave up their 2025 first-round pick in the WHL Prospects Draft in the deal to acquire Mats Lindgren before last season. Sutter said because of that they’re not going to trade a first-round pick away.
“We want to be a highly competitive team here for year after year so you have to manage it the right way.”
He feels they have the top defensive core in the league but the lack of scoring has stuck out like a sore thumb, particularly on the man advantage.
Other than the Edmonton Oil Kings and the Brandon Wheat Kings, the Rebels have had the WHL’s worst powerplay with an 18.8 per cent success rate.
“Would you like to score more? I think you score more if your powerplay is better,” he added.
“It goes hand in hand but for the most part, I like our team. What’s going to happen between now and Jan. 10 who knows but right now we like where we’re at.”
Sutter explained their powerplay troubles are a reflection of their top players and he expects them to be better.
At the beginning of this season, the Eastern Conference was wide open for the taking with plenty of parody.
The recent moves by the conference’s top teams including Saskatoon and Moose Jaw make the path through the playoffs harder for the Rebels.
A loaded Medicine Hat Tigers squad is also leading the central division and in second place in the conference.
Sutter believes his team is still capable of beating anyone.
“To have things go right in playoffs you have to have your game going, have to be good in specialty teams, you have to have some luck, and you’ve gotta stay away from injuries,” Sutter said.
“Last year it was suspensions that killed us in the second round… You’re hurting yourself when stuff like that happens. You’d like to be a top-end talented team but they don’t always win.
“There are upsets in playoffs and you have some teams in our conference that upgraded themselves on skill and on paper they look much better. The reality is through it all you have 11 teams in the conference and only one is getting to the finals.”
On the bright side, the Rebels are expecting forward Carson Latimer sooner than expected. The 20-year-old was one of the team’s top players before he suffered a lower-body injury against the Calgary Hitmen on Nov. 28.
At the time, he led the Rebels in scoring with 19 points in 23 games.
“We’ll know more on Monday but he’s closer than we originally thought so it depends on how things go but maybe sometime near the end of the month he might be ready to go,” Sutter continued.
“We’ll have to see how things go once he starts skating. He’s got the clearance to start skating here really soon.”