Hometown players sent packing
By Chris Simnett
Advocate sports editor

8/28/00

Jason Ertl hoped to go further.

The 16-year-old Red Deer native knew he wasn?t likely to wear Red Deer Rebels colours this Western Hockey League season, but he was wanting to get into at least one exhibition game.

That won't be happening as Ertl, along with fellow local Kyle Tinordi and nine others, were cut following Sunday's intrasquad game at the Centrium.

The cuts leave 20-year-old Devin Francon as the only local still left in camp.

"It would have been nice to get into at least one of the exhibition games just to see how it would go," said Ertl, who now has his sights set on playing for the AAA midget Red Deer Optimist Chiefs.

"But I knew there were quite a few good rookies that were drafted and had already played in some exhibition games," said Ertl, who wasn't drafted but found his way onto the Rebels' list during a strong season in AAA bantam last year.

Ertl was at his second camp with the WHL club. He went into this year's camp feeling a bit more pressure and thinks that may have hurt him.

"Last year I had nothing to worry about," he said. "This year I was more nervous because I knew I had a chance to play in some exhibition games. I was a bit nervous at the beginning of the intrasquad game and I don't think I played very well in the game."

Ertl collected one point, an assist, for the Black team. While he didn't play his best on Sunday, he called the training camp experience positive and said it puts him in a good position to make the Chiefs.

"I thought the camp was good, but it went by quickly," he said. "The tempo is way faster than I?m used to. Even in the practices things were way faster.

"I'll be ready (when Chiefs tryouts begin next week). I've already skated a lot and skated with really good players."

The jump from bantam to the WHL, even if it's just training camp, is huge. Ertl was told to work on his strength and his skating this season, which he'll do in an effort to crack the Rebels lineup as a 17-year-old next season.

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The intrasquad game picked up after a slow start and actually turned into quite an entertaining affair, even though I still think it's too soon to be watching hockey. . . . I know it's a tough position and the two kids in question are still very young, but rookie goaltenders Cam Ward and Adam Jennings went down way too early on Sunday. . . . Andrew Bergen has always had speed to burn, but now he seems able to handle the puck in full flight. He could be fun to watch this year. . . . Doug Lynch looks poised to continue the solid play he showed at the end of last season. The 17-year-old is filling out nicely and has the makings of a fine WHL power forward.