The Drayton Valley Thunder has announced Jeff Truitt will be the organization’s new general manager and head coach.
The organization says Truitt brings over 35 years of experience and a proven track record of success to the Thunder. The agreement with Truitt is a two-year deal with a mutual option for a third year.
Truitt previously spent significant time in the Western Hockey League (WHL) where he helped lead the Kelowna Rockets to a Memorial Cup Championship in 2004. More recently, he also helped lead the Prince Albert Raiders to a WHL Championship in 2018-19. He is known for his ability to develop players and coaches for the NHL while building sustainable and competitive organizations, as well as his time presiding over high performance training for Hockey Canada.
“We were overwhelmed by the level of interest in this position. Four very qualified candidates were extensively interviewed in two phases, and all would have been great selections,” said Thunder vice-president of hockey operations, Eric Schneider. “In the end, Jeff’s championship pedigree, combined with his deep understanding of junior hockey and player development, make him the ideal candidate to lead our team in this new landscape of junior hockey in Canada where we are now partners with the WHL under the newly published Phase II of the Western Canadian Development Model (WCDM). We are confident that his leadership will elevate our program both on and off the ice, establishing a new winning culture in Drayton Valley.”
Thunder President Kevin Young said the move improves the stability and accountability of the organization and that Truitt’s experience and vision align well with the team’s short and long term goals.
The new head coach commented, “After 35 plus years in junior and pro hockey, the Thunder opportunity really stood out to me as the right fit for me and my family. The uniquely rigorous interview process gave me a strong indication of ownership’s clear vision for this club, and I cannot be more aligned with their refreshing vision of not only developing better hockey players, but also better humans,” Truitt said. “This organization has a strong foundation, and I’m eager to work with the players, staff, billets, and sponsors to build a team that mirrors this community by competing hard every night and not accepting mediocrity. My goal is to build a culture of excellence through accountability, player development, and success. We want an AJHL championship in Drayton Valley, and that work starts today.”
The Thunder organization believes Truitt’s appointment, supported by the continuity of assistant coach Josh Pufahl, Eric Schneider and the scouting staff led by Daryl Winter, will be a “catalyst for renewed success.” Their initial focus will reportedly be on a roster evaluation, recruitment and preparing the team for the upcoming 2025-26 AJHL season.
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