By Trevor Redden

New assistant coach Truitt relishes opportunity with Raiders

Jul 23, 2018 | 2:30 PM

It’s a reunion on multiple levels for new Raiders assistant coach Jeff Truitt.

Monday morning, the team announced that Truitt would join Marc Habscheid’s coaching staff along with Dan Gendur and Mike Brodeur for the 2018-19 season.

A native of Rosetown, Sask., Truitt returns to his home province for the first time in his coaching career, closer to family members in Rosetown and Saskatoon. Additionally, Truitt joins Habscheid on the bench for the second time as the two previously worked together with the Kelowna Rockets, culminating with the 2004 Memorial Cup title.

“Familiarity is such a great thing. He knows me, I know him, I know the type of competitor he is and how he wants to win and get the best out of the players, and that’s what I’m about too,” Truitt said on joining Habscheid’s staff. “A lot of the game has changed [since 2004], but I think that’s the thing with both of us, we like to stay current and on top of it.”

Truitt spent the last five seasons as an associate coach with the Red Deer Rebels following a stint in the American Hockey League. With the Rebels, he saw from the opposing bench what type of team the Raiders were becoming.

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“I think it’s a hardworking group, they were always a real obstacle for us over the last couple years, and we want to continue to develop, continue to push, and take the team to the next level,” he said.

In addition to the quality of the returning roster, Truitt said it was appealing to join the organization based on the history of hockey in Prince Albert and the fan support the team receives. As a visiting coach, he said the Art Hauser Centre could be an intimidating place to play and he’s looking forward to standing on the home bench this year.

The Raider coaching staff is now complete for the upcoming season with Truitt and Gendur serving as assistant coaches and Brodeur joining the organization as the goaltending coach.

Gendur joined the Raiders as a coaching intern this past spring after leading the Airdrie CFR Bisons of the Alberta Midget Hockey League as Head Coach in the 2017-18.

Prior to coaching, he played over 200 games in the WHL with Prince George and Everett before spending five years in the professional ranks.

Brodeur spent last season as an assistant coach with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. As a player, Brodeur played one season with the Moose Jaw Warriors before moving on to professional hockey, appearing in seven games with the Ottawa Senators.

trevor.redden@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Trevor_Redden