LA Kings Prospect Report: Chaz Reddekopp

The higher the pick, the better.

Not necessarily.

While there is no denying that some of the best players the game has ever seen have been selected early in draft years, players like Henrik Zetterberg and Hall-of-Famer Doug Gilmour were not taken until the seventh round of their respective draft classes. Heck, for the Los Angeles Kings specifically, one of their seventh-round picks (Jordan Nolan) was instrumental in helping the club win both of their Stanley Cups. For this, Kings fans might be able to feel better about their team’s 2015 selection of defenseman Chaz Reddekopp, who went 187th overall.

A native of West Kelowna, B.C., Reddekopp proved himself worthy enough to be a part of the Kings’ future last April. It was then that newly-installed GM Rob Blake signed the defenseman to a three-year entry-level contract.

At 6-foot-4, 221 pounds, Chaz Reddekopp has the toughness to get involved in the not-so-glamorous areas of the defensive zone — sort of like a Matt Greene. But, having turned 21 on New Year’s Day, Reddekopp will be turning pro next season as he wraps up his fifth season in the Western Hockey League — all with the Victoria Royals. Yet, despite having three games with the Ontario Reign under his belt, it remains unclear whether Reddekopp’s game will have a smooth transition from junior to the professional ranks.

This past week, I spoke with Victoria’s head coach Dan Price about Chaz Reddekopp. Particularly, we discussed the blueliner’s assets and how he has matured over the last couple of seasons.

A Taste of the Pros

Okay, as mentioned, it was only a three-game stint. Nonetheless, Chaz Reddekopp did get some time in the AHL with the aforementioned Ontario Reign. So, while three games may not determine much, the short stay in Ontario was no less a learning experience for Reddekopp.

Coach Price filled me in on what the big blueliner took away from his time with the Reign.

“It’s always an advantage to experience the speed, strength and intensity of games at the pro level,” Price said. “One thing that players always say when they come back is how strong everyone is, how hard and fast the puck moves, and how well everyone takes care of themselves — fitness, recovery, et cetera.  These were all great things for Chaz to observe and experience, and for him to pass onto our younger players who aspire to get there.”

Get Those Pucks Moving

Arguably, one of Reddekopp’s biggest strengths is his passing game.

For a blueliner known to get his hands dirty, the 21-year-old has also shown over the course of his junior career that he has what it takes to get the puck out of harm’s way. Additionally, due to said passing game, Reddekopp has established himself as a reliable playmaker as his 24 assists in 46 games this season attest. Having the ability to fool the opposition when carrying the puck has also attributed to the defenseman’s numbers.

“Chaz has developed the ability not just to move the puck well, but also to do it deceptively,” Price emphasized.  “He can look off defenders to open passing lanes. He has also developed the ability to be deceptive with his shot, including looking off defenders to open shooting lanes, and moving laterally to change the angle of the puck.  These attributes, along with his awareness, active stick and physicality in D-zone coverage will serve him well both this year in the WHL and in future years at the pro level.”

A Victorian Experience

Following a one-game stint late in the 2012-13 campaign, Chaz Reddekopp would eventually become a rarity at the major-junior level in that, as mentioned earlier, he played five full seasons for the same club.

Since relocating from Chilliwack, B.C., in 2011, the Victoria Royals have enjoyed very decent success and Chaz Reddekopp has been an instrumental part of that. This includes a 2015-16 campaign that saw the club earn a franchise-record 50 wins and a B.C. Division title. But Reddekopp, who scored four goals and 26 assists that season, performed even better the following year, netting career-highs with 10 goals and 33 assists. The blueliner’s discipline even improved, accumulating just 62 penalty minutes — 41 fewer than in 2015-16.

As for Dan Price, while he hasn’t been a part of the club’s coaching staff during the entirety of Reddekopp’s tenure, the Royals’ bench boss was nonetheless able to offer his take on how the Kings prospect has improved over the years.

“I’ve only had the pleasure of coaching Chaz for the last two seasons, having arrived in Victoria at the beginning of the 2016-17 season, but I can tell you that he has definitely grown over that time,” Price said. “He sets a great example in how he takes care of his body and cares for his teammates. The poise in his game is also very evident, and this is something that takes time to develop. He is a reliable player in all situations; five-on-five, the penalty kill and the power play.”

Learning from an NHL Veteran Blueliner

While Dan Price is head of the Victoria coaching staff, there is one member of said staff who has played an integral role in Reddekopp’s maturation over the course of the past two seasons.

Hired alongside Price in 2016, Doug Bodger wasted little time in using his expertise to better his players. Chaz Reddekopp was no exception to this.

“It’s important for every defenceman to be a solid defender first, and to make a good first pass.  The offensive side will flow from that,” Price noted. “If [Reddekopp] focuses on those fundamentals, he’ll have a great career.

“Our assistant coach, Doug Bodger, has done a great job reinforcing these things with Chaz, and also helping him develop the little areas of his game like stick position, etc., that become so important the higher you go in hockey.”

Having been drafted ninth overall in 1984, Bodger may not be able to identify with Reddekopp’s late-draft selection. However, having played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League, Bodger, a one-time Kings blueliner, nonetheless has had the experience of helping the 21-year-old prepare for the pros.

Staying the Course

For some, being a late-round draft choice would provide extra motivation — a spark, if you will — to prove their doubters wrong. According to Dan Price, this has not been the case for Chaz Reddekopp.

While he certainly has that fire to excel in junior and ultimately in the pros, Reddekopp has not lost focus on doing what he needs to do to achieve success at the next level. Heck, if he has a proverbial chip on his shoulder due to being drafted so late, the big blueliner has done an admirable job of concealing it.

“Chaz always puts the work in no matter what,” Price emphasized. “ He’ll continue to work hard to give himself the best possible chance for success in this year’s playoffs with Victoria, and in future years as a pro. That consistency in preparation, regardless of external factors such as draft position or contract status, is extremely valuable and will serve him well.”

 

As he already noted, Dan Price joined the Royals’ coaching staff in September 2016 as an assistant under then-head coach Dave Lowry. Just a few months earlier, for MakeWayfortheKings.net, I spoke with Lowry about Chaz Reddekopp’s development at that juncture.

“I think his biggest contribution is his ability to play against the other team’s top lines and to play a simple, strong-structured game,” Lowry told me in 2016. “He continues to work on his game every day.

“I think the biggest thing with Chaz is he’s still learning to use his size. He understands that he can play a physical game, but I think that he’ll become an even bigger player when he continues to get better with his stick.”

As mentioned earlier in regards to his passing game, Reddekopp has certainly gotten better with his stick since 2016.

In addition to the aforementioned Doug Bodger, Dave Lowry has had a wealth of experience at the NHL level, having played 19 seasons. Additionally, with Lowry now as assistant coach with the Kings, you can bet that Reddekopp will have somewhat of an advantage this fall than he did in previous training camps with the Kings. With that said, while Chaz Reddekopp’s road to the NHL will not be an easy one, he does appear to be closer than he was even just 12 months ago.

Entering the offseason and ultimately the fall, this writer is especially interested to find out where Chaz Reddekopp takes his game next.

He may be a bit of a longshot to crack the big club’s roster next season but let us not forget that seventh-rounders like Nic Dowd and the aforementioned Jordan Nolan have helped the Kings succeed in recent years. Oh, and the Kings also had a ninth-round selection by the name of Luc Robitaille, who turned out to have a pretty good career as well.

To those thinking that this writer is comparing Reddekopp to Mr. Robitaille, I am asking you to hold your proverbial horses as there is no warranting such a comparison, with all due respect to the former. Having said that, though, do not expect Chaz Reddekopp to use his draft status as a deterrent. Instead, expect him to use his skill set and expertise to establish himself as a dark horse in the Kings organization.

After all, only a fool would underestimate a man with nothing to lose.

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