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Rebels pair set to shine
12/24/08
BY TREENA MIELKE
Red Deer Express
Two Red Deer Rebels are on the players list for the Canadian Hockey League Top Prospects game coming up Jan. 14 in Oshawa, Ontario.
Landon Ferraro and Tommi Kivisto are among the 40 draft-eligible players who have been named to the annual CHL Home Hardware Top Prospects game.
Ferraro, the son of former National Hockey League player Ray Ferraro, is a second year forward for the Rebels and is projected to be a first round pick in the National Hockey League.
Kivisto is a rookie Finnish defenceman for the team.
Red Deer Rebels coach Jesse Wallin said the game is a great opportunity for both players. “It will give them a chance to see for themselves how they stock up.”
Wallin said Kivisto, who came from Finland this year, is still adjusting to the North American style of play, but has done very well adjusting to a different culture and a different country.
“He’s handled everything very well. He’s had some ups and downs, but he’s been in some key situations and had key roles that he has handled well.”
Kivisto is now trying out for the Finland Junior National team.
The rosters for the top prospects game are selected by the 30 NHL general managers and NHL central scouting.
This year’s roster includes two players, John Tavares from the Oshawa Generals and Ryan Ellis from the Windsor Spitfires, who will represent Canada at the 2009 World Junior Hockey Championships.
The rosters also include Jared Cowen of the Spokane Chiefs and Evander Kane of the Vancouver Giants, two top prospects of the Western Hockey League as named by National Hockey League Central Scouting in their preliminary draft rankings released in November.
Simon Després of the Saint John Sea Dogs and Dimitry Kulikov of the Drummondville Volitgeurs represent the top two participating Quebec Major Junior Hockey League prospects.
Last year’s game was held in Edmonton and featured 20 players who were selected in the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft including Steven Stamkos who was selected first overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Michael Del Zotto of the Oshawa Generals, who also played before being selected in the first round, 20th overall by the New York Rangers.
NHL stars such as Patrick Kane, Dion Phaneuf, Roberto Luongo, Patrick Marleau, Scott Gomez and Mark-Andre Fleury have all played in the Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.
Brandon Sutter, who played in the Top Prospects Game in 2007, was the last Rebel to participate.
tmielke@reddeer.greatwest.ca 403-309-5452
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