A pair of RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna U18 Prep teammates have signed Western Hockey League (WHL) Standard Player Agreements (SPA) with the Saskatoon Blades after they were selected nine picks apart in the 2021 WHL Draft.
Selected in the third round, 53rd overall, netminder Evan Gardner is in fourth season in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) with RHA Kelowna. He joined the program in 2018/19 playing in 20 U15 games. In 2019/20 and 2020/21 he would post a 4.08 Goals Against Average (GAA) and .868 Save Percentage (SV%) in 18 U15 Prep games. This season the Fort St. John, BC native, who represent Team BC at the 2021 WHL Cup, has played 8 U18 Prep games, recording a 3.60 GAA and .904 SV%.
Smyth Rebman was selected 62nd overall, just 9 picks after Gardner in the 2021 WHL Draft. The Prince George, BC forward has 9 goals and 5 assists in 16 U18 Prep games this season. He spent the previous two seasons in the CSSHL with the RHA Kelowna U15 Prep team, finishing with 13 points in 5 games last year, and 13 in 27 the year before.