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NINE SELECTIONS

Rebels add prospects at 2020 WHL Bantam Draft

Apr 22, 2020 | 10:35 AM

The Red Deer Rebels selected 10 players on Wednesday at the 202 WHL Bantam Draft.

They started the day by selecting forward Kalan Lind with their first pick, sixth overall in the first round.

The Shaunavon, SK native was an offensive powerhouse for Swift Current Broncos Bantam AA in 2019-20 with 120 points in 27 games. Lind is a left-shooting forward listed at 5’10” and 145 pounds.

Asst. GM Shaun Sutter recaps the nine players selected by the Red Deer Rebels at the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft

“Lind is a very dynamic forward who can beat you in a lot of ways when engaged,” according to draftgeek.ca. “He’s a good skater that has quick feet and a high end top speed. Can change direction quickly and is tough for defenders to stick on for long. He’s a good skater that has quick feet and a high end top speed.”

Kalan is the younger brother of Kole Lind, a former forward with the Kelowna Rockets and current prospect of the Vancouver Canucks.

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The Rebels stayed close to home with their second pick, 24th overall in round two, by selecting forward and Sylvan Lake native Talon Brigley.

The 5’8” 136 pound right-handed shooter racked up 26 points in 23 regular season games with the Red Deer Bantam AAA Rebels in 2019-20. He was the AMBHL Rookie of the Year in 2018-19.

With the 31st overall selection the Rebels took Matteo Fabrizi, a big 6’3”, 220 pound defenceman from Yale H.A. Bantam Prep. A native of St. Albert, Fabrizi collected 15 points and 82 penalty minutes in 23 games.

And with their third in round two of the draft, 36th overall, the Rebels selected centre Arjun Bawa of the St. George’s School Bantam Prep team. The Richmond, B.C. native had 41 points in 30 games last season. He is listed at six-feet-tall and 158 pounds.

At 50th overall in the third round, the Rebels selected Luke Ashton, a 6’4”, 191 pound left-shot defenceman from the Burnaby Winter Club. The North Vancouver native recorded 25 points in 29 games last season.

The Rebels used the 143rd overall in round seven to get Ryan Arnold, a 5’9”, 15 pound right-shooting forward from St. Albert who played las season for Northern Alberta Xtreme Bantam Prep, collecting 30 points in 29 games.

In round eight, 106th overall, the Rebels selected Caron Birnie, a centre with the Regina Monarchs. The left-shooting skater netted 67 points in 29 games last season.

In round nine, 182nd overall, the Rebels took a spin on Ben Roulette, a forward from Rivers, Manitoba who had 17 points in 16 games last season with the Yellowhead Chiefs.

And with their final pick, 204th overall in round 10, the Rebels selected Boston Harkness, a forward from White City, SK who 31 points in 31 games last season with Prairie Storm Bantam AA.

The 2005-born players selected by the Rebels in the draft won’t eligible to play full-time with the team until the 2021-22 season.