Sutter watching prospects

He’s no longer running the Red Deer Rebels bench, but Brent Sutter will still be a keen observer during the club’s spring prospects camp Friday to Sunday at the Arena.

“Obviously I’m still heavily involved with the team, including the area of player development, and I’m trying to help everyone out the best that I can,” the New Jersey Devils head coach and Rebels owner said Tuesday.

“I’m excited for these kids who are coming in this weekend. I’m excited to see the kids who were here last year, to see how close they are to playing for our team. And I’m anxious to see the kids we drafted this year. I know that for myself it’s an exciting time, an opportunity to see what the future holds.”

Headlining the list of 27 prospects is 2008 first-round Western Hockey League bantam draft pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of Burnaby, B.C.. The slick forward was the first overall selection in the draft and has already signed an education contract with the Rebels.

Olds native Daulton Siwak, the Rebels’ second-round selection, has yet to sign with the club but Sutter is hoping to get that done in short order.

“He’s a player that we obviously want to be proactive with as soon as possible,” said Sutter.

“It’s no different than the situation with (Justin) Weller and (Alex) Petrovic in past years. We usually sign our second-round picks after the prospects camp.”

Sutter doesn’t have to concern himself with getting a commitment from 1990-born netminder Darcy Kuemper, the oldest player attending this year’s camp.

Kuemper, coming off a midget AAA all-star campaign with the Saskatoon Blazers, was acquired from Spokane during the ’07-08 season and had already signed a WHL education deal with the Chiefs.

Outside of Petrovic, who played 10 games with the Rebels last season, Nugent-Hopkins and 2007 first-round bantam pick Connor Redmond, the vast majority of players attending the prospects camp have yet to sign with the team.

“I don’t like signing too many players too soon unless we know for sure that they can play for us at 16 (years of age) or for sure the next year,” said Sutter.

“I don’t want to hurt their (NCAA scholarship) eligibility if it turns out that they can’t play at the major junior level. I just won’t do that to kids. I don’t think it’s fair, I don’t think it’s right and I’m firm in that belief. The odd time someone will sign and it just doesn’t work out, but I do not believe you just go out and sign every player you draft.”

Sutter and the Rebels coaching staff (head man Jesse Wallin, assistant Dallas Gaume and goaltending instructor Andy Nowicki will run the camp) are especially eager to monitor the progression this weekend of 17-year-old forward Curtis McKenzie, a fifth-round pick in the 2006 bantam draft who played last season with the BCHL champion Penticton Vees.

McKenzie, a budding power forward at six-foot-one, 190 pounds, would be a welcome addition to the Rebels roster for the ‘08-09 season.

“We’re excited about seeing him here and sitting down with him,” said Sutter. “Obviously we have high hopes for him and we’re hoping he’ll want to be a Red Deer Rebel and commit to us. He’s a kid we’d love to have in Red Deer next season.”

Sutter is convinced that a large number of future Rebels will be on display this weekend, with at least seven or eight having a legitimate chance of landing a berth next fall.

“The group of 17-year-olds . . . every one of them have the potential of playing here next season, and a couple of 16-year-olds, too,” he noted.

“We want to be a team moving forward. But there’s a (rebuilding) process you have to go through, it just doesn’t happen overnight,” Sutter added. “We feel our players in the 1991 and ‘92 (born) groups have an overall high level of skill and intelligence and are capable of playing at a high tempo.”

Friday’s opening session of the Rebels spring prospects camp runs from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. The players will be on the ice from 3:15 to 5:15 p.m. Saturday and again Sunday from 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

The prospects camp roster is as follows (includes year of birth, hometown and whether the player was drafted or listed):

Goal — Sean Bonar, ‘91, Delta, B.C., ‘06 draft; Cam Gorchynski, ‘92, Chilliwack, B.C., ‘07 draft; Darcy Kuemper, ‘90, Saskatoon, trade with Spokane; Mark Anderson, ‘92, Calgary, ‘07 draft.

Defence — Alex Petrovic, ‘92, Edmonton, ‘07 draft; Tory Wilfong, ‘91, Moose Jaw, ‘06 draft; Matt Pufahl, ‘93, Saskatoon, ‘08 draft; Channing Bresciani, ‘93, Winnipeg, ‘08 draft; Dominic Perrault, ‘91, Regina, ‘06 draft; Justin Krabben, ‘91, Rocky Mountain House, list; Kevin Woodyatt, ‘92, Scottsdale, Ariz., ‘07 draft; Brad Deagle, ‘92, Lethbridge, ‘07 draft; Colton Robak, ‘93, Gilbert Plains, Man., ‘08 draft..

Forwards — Curtis McKenzie, ‘91, Burnaby, B.C., ‘06 draft; Connor Redmond, ‘92, Maple Ridge, B.C., ‘07 draft; Tanner Dusyk, ‘92, Montmarte, Sask., ‘07 draft; Keyler Bruce, ‘92, Lethbridge, list; Chad Robinson, ‘93, Minnedosa, Man., ‘08 draft; Tyson Ness, ‘93, Grande Prairie, ‘08 draft; Paul Lamoureux, ‘93, Sherwood Park, ‘08 draft; Joel Lowry, ‘91, Calgary, list; Josh Cowen, ‘91, Salmon Arm, B.C., list; Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, ‘93, Burnaby, B.C., ‘08 draft; Adam Kambeitz, ‘92, Coaldale, ‘07 draft; Daulton Siwak, ‘93, Olds, ‘08 draft; Colten Meaver, ‘93, Edmonton, ‘08 draft; Steve Oursov, ‘91, Chilliwack, B.C., trade with Seattle.

Contact Greg Meachem at sports@reddeeradvocate.com