I complained alot about the Rebels being way to defence heavy but I sort of didn’t think they would trade away Thurston I really enjoyed watching him play. Getting Lodge is a bonus as the Rebels need forwards. The fact he is a local makes it a little easier. The Rebels also picked up 20 year old forward Aleksey Chichkin from the Prince George Cougars. Chichkin, from Vancouver, BC, has played 130 WHL games with the Cougars, Regina Pats, and Calgary Hitmen. In that time, he has collected six goals and 22 points, along with 171 penalty minutes. Last season in 60 games split between the Pats and Cougars, Chichkin had five goals, 11 points, and 74 penalty minutes.
Link to article. The Rebels have acquired 17-year-old forward Kohen Lodge from the Blades, along with a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2028 WHL Prospects Draft, in exchange for 19-year-old defenceman Derek Thurston.
Lodge, from Red Deer, has played eight games with the Blades this season with one assist. In 36 games with Saskatoon over two seasons, Lodge has four goals and three assists for seven points. He was selected by the Blades in round nine, 235th overall, in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.
In 2024-25 with the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs, Lodge racked up 36 points in 21 games and was named to the AEHL U18 First All-Star Team. Kohen is the son of Rebels Skills and Development Coach Erik Lodge.
Thurston was a sixth-round selection by the Rebels, 112th overall, in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft. He collected nine goals and 24 points in 119 career games. He was the club’s Defenceman of the Year in 2024-25.
