The person who is most surprised that Adam Kambeitz is still in the camp of the Red Deer Rebels?

Well, that would be Adam Kambeitz.

“Yeah, it’s pretty exciting. I’m still sticking around. I’ve just been working hard and trying to do my best out there,” the 16-year-old forward said Friday at the Centrium.

A seventh-round pick of the Rebels in the 2007 Western Hockey League bantam draft, Kambeitz did not harbour enormous expectations heading into training camp last week.

“I’m actually surprised I’m still here,” he insisted. “I just wanted to come in and try my best to make an impression, and I’ve been able to stay around for this long.”

For the most part, the Red Deer coaches and scouts were of the impression that Kambeitz was at least a year away from seriously pursuing a berth with the club.

“He’s a kid we didn’t really see as being in the mix coming into camp, but he came in and played very well,” said Rebels head coach Jesse Wallin. “He came in with a lot of energy. He played physical and put himself in the mix. He’s still here and we’ll take a look at him through the exhibition season.

“Adam is a great kid who has acquitted himself very well, and we’ll see where he fits in.”

Kambeitz played at the midget elite 15-year-old level last season, sniping 11 goals and collecting 29 points and 54 penalty minutes in 32 games with the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

“I’m not always a goal scorer,” he said, downplaying his offensive prowess. “Maybe I’m a bit of a playmaker, but mostly I just try and use my speed to play physical and also to play strong defensively. I’m kind of a gritty player. I don’t mind getting into the corners.”

The five-foot-11, 177-pound Coaldale native has certainly impressed Wallin with his aggressive play.

“What has got him in the mix right now is definitely his tenacity and his physical play. He’s not afraid to get involved,” said Wallin. “He wanted to come in here and make a statement and he was crashing and banging right from the start.”

Wallin noted that Kambeitz is a strong skater, which has already helped him become an effective forechecker and will perhaps even make him a scoring threat at some point.

“He’s competitive, and competitive kids will continue to get better because they have that drive,” said the Rebels bench boss. “Hopefully he can be an offensive player for us down the road, but for now he’s a guy who’s providing energy and his competitiveness is putting him above some of the other guys.”

But with 33 players — including netminder James Reimer, who is almost certainly headed for the pro ranks, and forward Brandon Sutter, who is probably a 50-50 bet to crack the Caroline Hurricanes’ lineup — remaining in camp, Kambeitz knows he’s facing long odds in his bid to gain regular employment this season.

“There’s still a lot of players left. I don’t know if I’ll play here this year but maybe during the season I’ll get a call-up,” he said. “I’m just trying for a spot here, for now.”

The Rebels will carry Kambeitz into the WHL exhibition season that opens Tuesday at 7 p.m. versus the Hitmen at the Centennial Arena in Calgary. If he’s eventually reassigned, he’ll likely suit up with the midget AAA Lethbridge Y’s Men Titans.

However . . .

“The way we see it right now, everybody who is still here outside of the 15-year-olds (forwards Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Daulton Siwak) has an opportunity to play here and we’ll let them sort it out through the exhibition season,” said Wallin.

The Rebels will face the Kootenay Ice Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Stettler and the following night in Cranbrook, and will conclude their preseason schedule with games Sept. 9 versus the Edmonton Oil Kings at Leduc, Sept. 12 against the Hitmen at Lacombe and the following night versus the Medicine Hat Tigers at Innisfail.

Red Deer opens regular-season play Sept. 19 at Calgary, then entertains the Tigers the next night at 7:30 p.m. at the Centrium.

Contact Greg Meachem at sports@reddeeradvocate.com