‘On the cusp of something really good here’: Rebels head coach optimistic of the future

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He said experience is the greatest teacher.

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“They learned a lot this playoff series and we hung in there. We get an overtime goal and a bounce [on Friday] we would of been coming back here for Game 6,” he said. “We’re doing some exit meetings now and they all said how tight they were and cared for one another and that’s what you need if you’re going to be a successful team.”

The Rebels’ bench boss said that he’s happy he came to Red Deer and plans to be back next season. Habscheid was hired before this season and was the fourth head coach for the club in the last four years.

“It’s a great place and you always enjoy working with the youth. They’re just impressionable, they’re a lot of fun, and even for me personally, to see the three overagers go, it’s tough. You get close to them, and you want your players to be close, but as a coach you’ve got to be close with your players too… It’s a tough day.”

He also feels optimistic about the future of this team.

Red Deer changed a lot personnel-wise throughout the season, but none more so than when they moved on from four key players at the trade deadline in an effort to get younger.

This includes forwards Jaxon Fuder and Matthew Gard, as well as defencemen Luke Vlooswyk and Keith McInnis.

The team is now made up mostly of 2007, 2008, and 2009-born players, making them one of the youngest teams in the league. As is stands at this moment, the Rebels will have no 20-year-old players heading into next season.

Habscheid has coached multiple WHL championship teams throughout his long coaching career, most recently the 2019 Prince Albert Raiders, from when they were young to ultimately winning a title. He said this Rebels team are well on their way.

“This is a group a lot like that. Young but attitude for me is the biggest thing and these guys individually and collectively have got that,” Habscheid said. “They’re all in the same direction and they care about one another. There’s a lot of tears today because they’re leaving and that’s important. If there wasn’t you’d be worried but there is… Just keep stepping forward and it feels like we’re on the cusp of something really good here.”