Former AAA Star reflects on Memorial Cup experience
The 2015-16 season ended one game earlier than Rylan Toth wanted it to.
Toth’s Red Deer Rebels were eliminated in the semi-finals of the 2016 Memorial Cup by the Quebec Major Junior League’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 3-1, May 27. Former Battlefords AAA Star, Toth said he expected a high level of competition at the tournament.
“All three teams that we played were champions so they were such good teams,” he said. “(Rebels head coach) Brent (Sutter) said before the tournament every game we play would be like a game seven and that’s kind of what it felt like, but maybe even amped up a bit more. It was the most fun I’ve ever had playing hockey.”
The four representatives in this year’s cup were the Rebels, Huskies, London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League and Brandon Wheat Kings from the Western Hockey League. The Knights won the championship Sunday, May 30, 3-2 in overtime over the Huskies.