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Monday, April 9, 2012

Cougar Mens Hockey Team Gets New Coach



University of Regina director of athletics Dick White announced Monday afternoon that Todd Johnson has been hired as the school's men's hockey head coach effective immediately.

Johnson has been an assistant coach with the Western Hockey League's Kootenay Ice for the past two seasons, helping guide the Ice to a league championship and an appearance in the Memorial Cup during the 2010-11 campaign.

“Todd brings to the Cougars a record of success – from his playing days in the WHL and Canada West to his time as a member of Kootenay's coaching staff,” White said. “We are confident that Todd is the right coach at the right time for this team.”

Prior to Johnson's time with Kootenay, he served as the head coach of the Midget AAA team for the Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy (Kelowna, B.C.) for seven seasons.

His professional playing career spanned six seasons, including five in Germany and one with the Central Hockey League's Wichita Thunder. Johnson was also a five-year member of the University of Calgary's hockey team, being named Canada West's MVP following the 1996-97 campaign. He played for three full seasons in the WHL prior to his time with the Dinos, winning a Memorial Cup championship in 1992 with the Kamloops Blazers and serving as Red Deer's captain during the franchise's inaugural 1992-93 season.

Johnson, who becomes the eighth head coach in the 36-year history of the U of R's men's hockey program, will be introduced at a media conference this Wednesday (1:30 p.m.) at The Co-operators Centre.      

5 comments:

Lee said...

Let the crying begin as the sports cage was promoting Hunt

Anonymous said...

This guy needs to find ex-WHL'ers and not ex-SJHL'ers. The difference between the two leagues is like night and day. You know that right Mitch?

Ed said...

Good luck getting top end ex-whl guys to the U of R....small school with not much to offer, only the guys who actually want to stay around home will play here, the big schools have much more to offer in every aspect when it comes to recruiting......not too hard to see that.

Anonymous said...

Small school with not much to offer? Take your head out of the sand Ed! I think the bigger question is what does the U of R offer potential hockey players to play. Like any other school, its a matter of $$$$. The womens basketball team and others has no problem getting the best players to come to a "small school with not much to offer" so why can't the hockey team. That's a weak, weak excuse.

Ed said...

Brand new kinesiology center with a brand new gym......no rink, they are better off now than they were at the twins, everything shiny and new for basketball......nothing new for hockey, not an excuse, just the facts. Hockey has not been a priority for this school.