Red Deer Rebels


The Red Deer Rebels are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Red Deer, Alberta. The Rebels are members of the Western Hockey League and play home games at the Marchant Crane Centrium. The Rebels won the President's Cup and the Memorial Cup during the 2000–01 season.

History

In 1991, coach Terry Simpson and his brother were granted an expansion franchise in Red Deer. From a name-the-team contest, the top three ideas were Rebels, Renegades, and Centurions. The Rebels selected Mike McBain as their first player in the Bantam Draft. The Rebels' first game was on September 25, 1992, in Red Deer against the Prince Albert Raiders; the Rebels won 6–3.
In 1999, the Simpsons sold the team to Brent Sutter. With Sutter as coach and manager, the Rebels won three consecutive division and conference titles between 2000–01 and 2002–03. The period began with President's Cup and Memorial Cup championships in 2001, with Jeff Smith scoring the overtime winner against the Val-d'Or Foreurs in the Memorial Cup final.
Brent Sutter stepped aside as coach in 2007 and his brother, Brian Sutter, took over the team for the 2007–08 season. Brian was with the team for just one season before former captain Jesse Wallin took over. In 2012, Brent Sutter fired Wallin and took over as head coach for the first time since 2007.
The Rebels hosted team of the 2016 Memorial Cup tournament, thus making their second appearance at the national championship. The Rebels advanced to the semi-final, where they were eliminated by the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
In 2022, the team set a WHL record for the longest winning streak at the beginning of their season, opening with 15 straight wins.

Season-by-season record

Legend: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties OTL = Overtime losses Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPointsStandingPlayoffsHead coachAssistant coachGeneral manager
1992–937231392-284329646th EastLost in first roundPeter AnholtRick Pankiw, Mike MollerWayne Simpson
1993–947235361-310334716th EastLost in first roundPeter AnholtMike MollerWayne Simpson
1994–957217514-209356389th EastOut of playoffsPeter AnholtMike MollerWayne Simpson
1995–967228395-263300614th CentralLost East Conference semi-finalRick CarriereJim HammettWayne Simpson
1996–977243263-317297892nd CentralLost Eastern Conference finalRick CarriereDoug HobsonWayne Simpson
1997–987227405-281323593rd CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-finalRick Carriere, Doug HobsonDoug Hobson, Kurt LacktonWayne Simpson
1998–997234335-274250732nd CentralLost Eastern Conference semi-finalTerry SimpsonPeter AnholtWayne Simpson
1999–0072323190227229733rd CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-finalBrent SutterPeter Anholt, Dallas GaumeBrent Sutter
2000–01725412333041681141st CentralWon Championship & Memorial CupBrent SutterDan McDonald, Dallas GaumeBrent Sutter
2001–02724618712641841001st CentralLost finalBrent SutterDallas GaumeBrent Sutter
2002–03725017322711601051st CentralLost finalBrent SutterDallas GaumeBrent Sutter
2003–04723522105167169852nd CentralLost Eastern Conference finalBrent SutterDallas GaumeBrent Sutter
2004–0572362664206200824th CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-finalBrent SutterDallas GaumeBrent Sutter
2005–0672264015166220585th CentralOut of playoffsBrent SutterJesse Wallin, Dallas GaumeBrent Sutter
2006–0772352845206214794th CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-finalBrent SutterJesse Wallin, Dallas GaumeBrent Sutter
2007–0872184743145255436th CentralOut of playoffsBrian SutterJesse Wallin, Dallas GaumeBrent Sutter
2008–0972253719172250606th CentralOut of playoffsJesse WallinDallas Gaume, Bryce ThomaBrent Sutter
2009–1072392805202222834th CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-finalJesse WallinDallas Gaume, Bryce ThomaJesse Wallin
2010–11724816442681591041st CentralLost Eastern Conference semi-finalJesse WallinChris Neiszner, Bruce ThomaJesse Wallin
2011–1272323415204231705th CentralOut of playoffsJesse WallinChris Neiszner, Bruce ThomaJesse Wallin
2012–1372392652208204853rd CentralLost Eastern Conference semi-finalJesse Wallin, Brent SutterBryce Thoma, Jeff TruittBrent Sutter
2013–1472353214214224755th CentralLost tiebreaker vs Prince Albert
Out of Playoffs
Brent SutterSteve O'Rourke, Jeff TruittBrent Sutter
2014–1572382356240227873rd CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-finalBrent SutterSteve O'Rourke, Jeff TruittBrent Sutter
2015–1672452412260205932nd CentralLost Eastern Conference final
Qualified for Memorial Cup as hosts
Lost semi-final
Brent SutterSteve O'Rourke, Jeff TruittBrent Sutter
2016–1772302994239258733rd CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-finalBrent SutterSteve O'Rourke, Jeff Truitt, Pierre-Paul LamoureuxBrent Sutter
2017–18722732103209250673rd CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-finalBrent SutterSteve O'Rourke, Jeff TruittBrent Sutter
2018–1968332942223225725th CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-finalBrent SutterSteve O'Rourke, Jeff TruittBrent Sutter
2019–2063243333181250545th CentralCancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemicBrent SutterRyan Colville, Brad FlynnBrent Sutter
2020–21234154059106125th CentralNo playoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemicBrent SutterRyan Colville, Brad FlynnBrent Sutter
2021–2268451922264188942nd CentralLost Eastern Conference semi-finalSteve KonowalchukRyan Colville, Mike EgenerBrent Sutter
2022–2368431933248189921st CentralLost Eastern Conference semi-finalSteve KonowalchukRyan Colville, Mike EgenerBrent Sutter
2023–2468332636213217753rd CentralLost Eastern Conference semi-finalDerrick Walser, David StruchClayton Beddoes, Mike Egener,Brent Sutter
2024–2568263462174244605th CentralDid not qualifyDavid StruchRyan Colville, Mike EgenerBrent Sutter