Brent Sutter, General Manager/Head Coach of the Red Deer Rebels Hockey Club, announced today that Reese Johnson will be the Rebels captain in the 2018-19 season.
“It was definitely awesome to hear that and it was a good feeling to be recognized like that,” Johnson said. “That is something I have worked hard on in the past. I have tried to be a good leader around the room.”
Johnson takes over for Grayson Pawlenchuk, who played five seasons for the Rebels. Johnson said he learned a lot from Pawlenchuk and the other captains he has played under.
“I learned a lot about what it takes to be a good captain,” he said. “I have had a few good captains in the past. I learned from my older brother Wyatt and some others. Pawly was a great captain last year.”
Johnson looks forward to leading a young team that played through adversity this season.
“We got through some pretty tough adversity,” he said. “Not a lot of teams get through that and going through that helps you really know what it takes to win. I think all the guys coming back recognize that now.”
He added his offseason regimen will stay the same.
“Just have to have a really good offseason getting faster, stronger and other things like that. Things that will help me be better leader for the the team,” he said.
Johnson will be entering his fourth year with the team. He has played in 120 regular season games with the Rebels over three seasons, scoring 28 goals and 19 assists for 47 points.
“Reese showed throughout this past season all the qualities you would expect, and want, in a captain. He is the epitome of what a leader should be, and we are very pleased to be able to name him captain at this time,” said Sutter.
Johnson added, “It is an honour to be recognized like that.”
todd.vaughan@redddeerexpress.com
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