Calgary Kids - Luke Vlooswyk

From the driving range to the hockey rink.

Red Deer Rebels defenceman Luke Vlooswyk has been around golf and hockey for as long as he can remember.

Like any Canadian kid, he fell in love with the game quickly but also found a passion for golf thanks to his mom, Lisa Longball.

“She’s had me golfing since I was pretty young, we golf quite a bit,” Vlooswyk said. “It’s always fun, but still can’t beat her yet, which is a little frustrating. Maybe one day.”

Nothing like a little family rivalry.

And while he makes time for both, hockey is where the Calgary product has really found his calling.

Standing at a towering 6-foot-5, his stature and overall game on the blueline quickly caught the eye of scouts during his first full season in the WHL.

He earned a spot on NHL Central Scouting with a rank of 72 among North American skaters, after completing his rookie season in the ‘Dub posting 17 points (3G, 14A) in 68 tilts.

In the defensive end, Vlooswky was a hound, using his reach and mobility to close the gap quickly on attackers while also dishing out bone-jarring hits to kill the play.

“It’s exciting, during the season it’s something you try and not to look at too much, but at the same time it’s hard not to,” he said on the draft rankings. “It’s a little bit of an extra motivator to bring your ‘A’ game all the time because someone is always watching.

“The biggest thing the coaches said to me was, ‘Try and zone it out as much as possible, go out there play your game, don’t go on the ice thinking there’s scouts watching. They are always watching, just go out there, play your game and people will notice.’”

A big contributor for Vlooswyk seamlessly slotting in on the Rebels blueline and getting noticed by scouts was thanks to the experience he got as a late-season add to the roster last year.

The rearguard skated in seven regular-season games before suiting up in nine playoff battles, quickly gaining the trust from the coaching staff.

“It pointed out what I needed to work on and I was able to do that last off-season to get ready for a full year,” he said. “Biggest thing was my decision making. I was holding onto pucks for that extra second or two, but towards the end of this year, the puck was on and off my stick, reading the play a little quicker.

“I got more comfortable with the league, style of play and I think I’ve adapted pretty well.”

With the NHL Draft inching closer, Vlooswyk’s off-season training is in full swing as he prepares to take another step forward and help the Rebels get back into playoff contention.

Sure, there’s plenty of time to hit the course for a round or two, but right now, he’s dialled in.

“Biggest thing I’m working on is my strength,” he said. “I always have grown upwards, so now I’m just trying to fill out my frame, put on weight this summer. I definitely want to improve my agility and footspeed, too. Looking to be quicker and more agile on the ice.

It’s shaping up to be a big summer, but he won’t be going through it alone.

Training alongside two other local products who also are eagerly awaiting the draft, Jackson Smith and Nathan Behm.

“We work out in the same gym and when we were five, we always played against each other,” he said. “It’s cool to see the success they have had and where hockey has taken them.

“It’s exciting to see where hockey has taken me as well, and I can’t wait to see what else it has in store for me.”