Red Deer Rebels
Steve Konowalchuk steps down as Head Coach of the Red Deer Rebels with 86-36-3-3 regular season record
Red Deer Rebels Coach Steve Konowalchuk behind the bench in Red Deer 2021-2022 season. Photo courtesy of Rob Wallator and the Red Deer Rebels
Submitted by the Red Deer Rebels
Konowalchuk steps down as Rebels head coach
Red Deer Rebels Owner/President/General Manager Brent Sutter announced on Thursday that Steve Konowalchuk has resigned as the club’s head coach.
Sutter says Konowalchuk made the decision to step down due to personal/family reasons.
“It’s disappointing to see Steve resign. But I also understand when it comes to personal/family reasons. He’s a great coach, and even more so a great man. I want to thank Steve for the outstanding job he did here for two seasons,” said Sutter.
“I wish Steve and his wife Leah all the best moving forward.”
In two years behind the Rebels bench, Konowalchuk compiled an impressive 86-36-3-3 regular season record and guided the team to two playoff series wins. The Rebels won 40 games in back-to-back regular seasons for the first time since 2001-03 and won the Central Division title in 2022-23. Konowalchuk was named Central Division Coach of the Year in 2021-22.
“I am very sad to be leaving the Red Deer Rebels organization,” Konowalchuk said.
“It was a pleasure and an honour to work with Brent, Shaun, and Merrick Sutter. The Rebels are truly a first-class organization in every way. I wish them and the players all the best going forward.”
Konowalchuk added, “I want to thank the best fans in the WHL, and the community of Red Deer for all their support.”
Steve had one year remaining on his contract with the club.
Also on Thursday, the Rebels announced that Assistant Coach Ryan Colville will not be returning after five seasons with the club as he plans to pursue other professional opportunities.
“Ryan grew a lot here during his time with us,” Sutter noted.
“He’s looking for a coaching opportunity closer to home in Cincinnati. He’s a good man, and I wish him all the best. I want to thank him for the job he did over five seasons.”
“I’ve had a great experience in my five years in Red Deer, I believe I’ve grown as a coach, and as a person under both Brent and Steve,” Colville said.
“I’m grateful for my time with the Rebels. I know that the experience here will serve me well moving forward and has prepared me for the next steps in my career.”
Red Deer Rebels Owner, President and General Manager Brent Sutter today announced the hiring of Marc Habscheid as the club’s new head coach.
The native of Swift Current, SK, becomes the tenth head coach in team history.
In 18 years as a head coach in the Western Hockey League with Kamloops, Kelowna, Chilliwack/Victoria, and Prince Albert, Habscheid has 582 wins (6th most in league history) in 1166 regular season games (6th) for a .544 winning percentage. Habscheid has coached 139 WHL playoff games with 75 wins (8th) and a .540 winning percentage.
Habscheid has won two Western Hockey League championships as a head coach – 2003 with the Kelowna Rockets and 2019 with the Prince Albert Raiders – and guided the host Rockets to a Memorial Cup championship win in 2004.
Habscheid won the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as WHL Coach of the Year in 2002-03 and 2018-19 and was CHL Coach of the Year in 2003. Habscheid served one season as an Assistant Coach with the Boston Bruins in 2006-07 and recently coached two seasons of pro hockey in Austria.
As a player, Habscheid suited up for 148 WHL games for Saskatoon and Kamloops between 1979-83, compiling 276 points. He went on to play 345 NHL games with Edmonton, Minnesota, Detroit, and Calgary.
Habscheid has the rare distinction of having both played and coached for Canada at the World Junior Championship, World Men’s Championship, and Olympic Winter Games.
From the Red Deer Rebels
REBELS THIS WEEK
October 28-November 4, 2024
Mixed results again for the Rebels over the weekend with a home-ice win followed by a road loss.
Oct 25 – The Rebels downed the Medicine Hat Tigers 4-2 at the Peavey Mart Centrium for their fourth win in five tries versus their southern rivals this season. Carson Birnie scored the eventual game winner and added an assist. Jhett Larson, Jaxon Fuder (power play) and Ollie Josephson (empty net) also scored. Chase Wutzke made 40 saves.
Oct 26 – The Rebels held a 3-2 lead late in the third period only to see the Lethbridge Hurricanes come back for a 5-3 win at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena. Ollie Josephson (power play), Hunter Mayo (power play) and Jhett Larson (shorthanded) scored for Red Deer.
The Rebels remain tied with Lethbridge for the most points in the Central Division heading into this week’s games. Though only four points separate all five teams in the division.
GP W L OTL SL PTS PCT
Lethbridge Hurricanes 11 7 3 1 0 15 0.682
Red Deer Rebels 13 7 5 1 0 15 0.577
Medicine Hat Tigers 13 7 6 0 0 14 0.538
Calgary Hitmen 12 5 5 2 0 12 0.500
Edmonton Oil Kings 11 5 5 0 1 11 0.500
Upcoming
The Rebels and Hurricanes meet again this Saturday, November 2 at the Peavey Mart Centrium at 7 p.m. Visit reddeerrebels.com for ticketing information. Red Deer is 0-1-1-0 versus Lethbridge this season.
Then next Monday, November 4, the Rebels visit the Calgary Hitmen for a 7 p.m. tilt at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Red Deer is 2-0-0-0 versus Calgary so far this season.
On the Radar
Two Rebels are on NHL Central Scouting’s Preliminary Players to Watch List for the 2025 NHL Draft:
Matthew Gard (F, ’07) – B-rating Luke Vlooswyk (D, ’07) – C-rating
A ‘B’ rating indicates a potential 2nd/3rd round draft candidate while a ‘C’ rating indicates a potential 4th/5th round candidate.
Big Night for Bains
Congratulations to former Red Deer Rebels forward Arshdeep Bains who scored his first NHL goal Saturday night for the Vancouver Canucks. Bains joined the Rebels as a listed player in November 2017 and went on to play 257 regular season games with the team, compiling 209 points (sixth-most in team history). His 132 career assists are fifth-most in Rebels history. During his final season with the Rebels in 2021-22 he won the WHL scoring title with 112 points. He signed with the Canucks as a free agent in March 2022 and made his NHL debut with them in February 2024.
Design a Rebels Jersey
There’s still time to win a chance to see your child’s jersey design on the ice! Entries are pouring in for the CHL Jersey Contest! Submit your Rebels jersey design by this Thursday, October 31. Full contest details and template from jerseydesigncontest.chl.ca.
WHL Cup
Alberta downed Manitoba 8-1 to claim gold Sunday afternoon at the WHL Cup at the Peavey Mart Centrium. Saskatchewan won bronze with a 8-5 win over BC.
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