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Rebels pick up more help

The transformation continues.

The transformation continues.

The Red Deer Rebels, who last week rearranged their roster somewhat with a pair of trades, officially added budding power forward Marc Mackenzie to the mix Wednesday. The Edmonton native, whose family moved to Kelowna several years ago, came to the Rebels via the free agent route.

Mackenzie, who celebrated his 18th birthday in November, played four games with Prince Albert two years ago and started the 2010-11 Western Hockey League season with the Raiders, but after suiting up for one game left the club for personal reasons.

The six-foot-three, 195-pound winger sat out last season and was invited to the Rebels training camp in August. However, he wasn’t ready to commit to the team at that time and instead enrolled at Okanagan College in Kelowna.

“I wanted to go to school and try that out,” he said Wednesday. “But I kept in touch with (Rebels director of scouting/player development) Randy Peterson and he asked me to come here for a tryout on Dec. 26th.”

Mackenzie has been in Red Deer ever since and will make his Rebels debut Friday versus the visiting Swift Current Broncos.

“We invited him to training camp last fall but he had a shoulder that was a bit banged up and he didn’t think he was going to play this season,” said Rebels GM/head coach Jesse Wallin. “His heart just didn’t seem to be in it. He enrolled in college in Kelowna and that was his plan. But over the course of the season he kind of got the bug to play and joined the college team.”

Mackenzie put up eight points in 11 games with the OC Coyotes while racking up 51 minutes in penalties. He was eventually steered towards the Rebels by Coyotes coach Kim Barnstable, the father of former Red Deer netminder Kraymer Barnstable.

“Kim has been a long-time WHL scout and felt that he (Mackenzie) was kind of out of place there (Okanagan College) and should be playing junior,” said Wallin. “We got a call from Kim in December suggesting that we have a look at the young lad so we brought him in after Christmas.

“He’s been skating with us and getting his feel under him.

“Now we want to move forward with him, give him the opportunity to play on our club. We think he can help us. He’s a big kid who likes to play a physical game. He wants to finish checks and he wants to get to the net. We’re hoping he can fill that role for us.”

Mackenzie sees himself as a grinder.

“Get the puck to the net, get shots on net and hopefully put one in. If I have to fight I will, but it’s not my main role,” he said.

The decision to leave the college ranks and join the Rebels was an easy one, he insisted.

“This is a great organization, it’s been probably the top one on my radar,” said Mackenzie. “I really like the coaching as well. With Jesse being here it wasn’t that hard of a decision.”

Mackenzie, who played against and with current Rebels forwards Turner Elson and Colten Mayor in Edmonton minor hockey, is stepping up a tier or two in leaving the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League.

“The college league is a growing league, it’s good for guys who are out of junior,” said the newest Rebel. “Normally there’s not as many guys as young as me playing in the league. I was an exception that way.”

With the Rebels, Mackenzie doesn’t expect to be slotted in as a top-six forward, at least not right away.

“I’m still learning about the team, just gaining everything that I can in that respect. I have to get everything figured out first, then I’ll go out and play my role,” he said.

Wallin admitted that the Rebels were interested in Mackenzie as a 16-year-old.

“He was on our radar back then as a pretty good young prospect and we’re hoping he can kind of pick up where he left off,” said the Rebels bench boss. “Obviously, as an 18-year-old he’s behind in his development somewhat, but we see the potential for him to be a physical presence. There’s certainly room for growth in his game and if we can get him going hopefully he can turn into a player.”

Injury front: Forward John Persson was wearing a non-contact yellow jersey during Wednesday’s practice session but is expected to rejoin the club Friday after suffering a lower-body injury in a 3-2 win over Kootenay last week . . . . Meanwhile, captain Adam Kambeitz — out since late November with a wrist injury — will see a doctor over the next 48 hours in an effort to be cleared for Friday’s game and 20-year-olds Josh Cowen and Aaron Borejko are ready to rejoin the club after extended stays on the injury list. With defenceman Justin Weller and netminder Devan Dubyk locks to remain with the club as two of the league-allotted three overage players, Wallin will have to release or trade either Cowen or Borejko before Friday.

gmeachem@www.reddeeradvocate.com