By Troy Gillard (Twitter: @Troy_Gillard)

Rebels sign Zaitzev, bring back de Wit

Jul 9, 2018 | 11:33 AM

The Red Deer Rebels have signed their top pick from last month’s CHL Import Draft.

GM/head coach Brent Sutter confirms on reddeerrebels.com that Russian forward Oleg Zaitsev has put pen to paper and will be at Rebels training camp starting Aug. 22.

The Rebels selected Zaitsev with the 17th overall pick in the June 28 draft.

Belarus forward Ivan Drozdov, selected 77th overall by the Rebels, has yet to sign with the club.

Russian defenceman Alexander Alexeyev was selected 31st overall by the Washington Capitals at the 2018 NHL Draft and will be attending Rebels training camp.

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Meantime, Sutter also confirmed on the team’s website that the Rebels have added Jeff de Wit to their players list.

Selected by the Rebels with the 14th overall pick in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft, de Wit played parts of three seasons with the club before being traded to the Regina Pats in January 2017. He also played this past season for both the Kootenay Ice and Victoria Royals.

The Red Deer native will battle at training camp for one of the two available 20-year-old roster spots. Brandon Hagel, who attended Montreal Canadiens development camp, will occupy one of those spots if he returns to the Rebels. Defenceman Colin Paradis and goaltender Riley Lamb will also be in the mix.