Blazers to Add to Coaching Staff

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According to Jon Keen, the voice of the Kamloops Blazers,, the team will add
to it's staff tomorrow.

I checked with a few sources tonight and the two names that came up with each of them were former NHLer and Blazer turned part owner of the team Darryl Sydor and Dave Hunchak who was let go as Head Coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors this off season. From what I was told it sounds like Hunchak will be announced tomorrow but that Sydor might have had first crack at the gig.

Warriors Looking For New Head Coach

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The Moose Jaw Warriors as we speculated a few weeks ago are looking for a new Head Coach after G.M. Alan Millar elected not to renew the contract of Dave Hunchak.

Hunchak's time with Moose Jaw was interesting. He was behind the bench for 4 years and was passed over for the GM job when the tribe brought in Millar from the OHL. Despite winning 40 games this year, just the 3rd coach in Moose Jaw history to do it, he wasn't the GM's choice so it's not shocking. Not winning a playoff round in 4 years is the stock answer you will likely get about why the decision was made.

As for the future of Assistant Coach Trevor Weisgerber, TPS was told a while ago that he has an option for next year, but it's a team option. Mike Vandenberghe joined the team midway through the season after a stint in Brandon, is likely a free agent, but we have been told that the Warriors really liked what he brought to the team. Is it enough to earn him a shot a the head job? Or will he and Weisgerber resurface on another WHL bench? Their fate is being decided as I write this in meeting with the GM.

One other note from the Warriors, start forward Quentin Howden signed with the Florida Panthers. The forward who suited up for Canada at the WJC scored 40 goals this year and put up 79 points.

Ripplinger Turns Down Warriors G.M. Job

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Things must be amazing within the Vancouver Giants organization, as for the 3rd time this off season the Giants have been able to hold onto a key part of their hockey operations.

Coaching & Broadcasting Dominoes Keep Falling

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In case you missed it in our update that appeared below yesterday, it appears that Terry Virtue leaving Tri City for personal reasons, meant he wanted to join Owen Sound. He is now an assistant coach with the Attack of the OHL. Hockeydb.com shows Virtue as being born in Scarborough so maybe going back east was his reason. Tri City also looks like they have someone in mind for the vacant gig, word is it's Scott Beattie who was an assistant coach with Kootenay last year.

Speaking of vacant gigs, who is getting the Warriors open G.M. job?

More Coaching Moves

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The off season coaching changes just keep on coming. Last week TPS first told you about Willy Desjardins landing a gig with the Dallas Stars, which didn't surprise us as Guy and I talked about it last Tuesday. Desjardins was very close to getting the head coaching job with San Antonio of the AHL last year.

Now we are hearing Brad McEwen will take over the G.M. duties that Desjardins has left vacant, while Shaun Clouston will be the next head coach in Medicine Hat. McEwen had been the director of scouting for Tigers, and was largely responsible for attracting high level American players recently. He's also worked with the Lethbridge Hurricanes in a similar role and was the head coach in Swift Current earlier in the new Millennium.

Clouston meanwhile had held the post of assistant or associate coach with Medicine Hat for the past 7 years.

Also from around the dub, TPS has been told that Jeff Truitt will be joining the San Antonino Rampage of the AHL as an assistant coach. Ray Edwards and Mike Pelino are currently listed as interim head coach and assistant coach on the Coyotes farm team web site.

We had reported a while back that Truitt was thinking of inserting himself as head coach replacing Dave Hunchack with the Tribe, but that move is obviously not happening now.