The St. Albert Merchants will have a new bench boss when their main camp opens Sunday.
Scott Rodda has stepped aside for Jake Behiels to take over the Capital Junior B Hockey League team.
Behiels, a graduate of the Merchants and the St. Albert Minor Hockey Association with previous CJHL coaching experience, will be joined by fourth-year Merchants’ assistant coach Zach Rodda and SAMHA product Tyler Bunz, a 2010 draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers and the 2011/12 Western Hockey league goaltender of the year with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Rounding out the coaching staff is Pete Snaterse, an assistant last season with pro hockey experience in Europe.
Rodda will lend his expertise to the Merchants’ board of directors.
“After coaching 33 years the decision to step aside wasn’t an easy one, but it’s more than the right time to do so and it’s time to hand it off to very capable and younger coaches. I’m very confident we have some great assets in place and the transition will be seamless and in fact I believe in the best interests of the current team, change can be good!” stated Rodda, who coached the Morinville Jets for four seasons before hooking up with the Merchants.
“It’s been such a pleasure coaching over the last three years with the Merchants and I can honestly say there have been so many great memories forged and to meet so many great young men has been the real gift I’ve enjoyed.
“We did OK in the three years I was at the helm but it’s the off-ice stuff that has meant as much to me. Seeing the guys help at the food bank, with Special Olympics and other community initiatives is such a great part of coaching too. I would have loved to steer the ship to a provincial or league championship but it wasn’t meant to be. Perhaps this current group with some tweaking will conquer that feat under the new staff and it looks like they are capable of doing so.”
The Merchants have exhibitions scheduled Sept. 9 against the Strathcona Sabres at 8 p.m. at Akinsdale Arena and Sept. 13 versus the Fort Saskatchewan Hawks at JRC Arena.
“The interest from eligible returning players and as well from graduates of midget programs has been high and hopefully that will produce a competitive camp and lend itself well to a strong season,” Rodda said.
Last season the Merchants (24-12-2) placed third in the west division and their playoff run ended in game five of the best-of-seven semifinal against the Wetaskiwin Icemen.
“There is such a strong core group already there that if they all return with the same passion as they demonstrated in the latter part of the season last year, it will bode very well for them this year,” Rodda said. “This is a team that had over 16 new players last year and by adding a few pieces here and there the Merchants should be a team contending.”
The season opener is Sept. 18 against the Spruce Grove Regals at 8 p.m. at the Akinsdale rink. A fan and sponsor appreciation tailgate party kicks off the festivities at 6 p.m. and a live band will perform at 6:30 p.m.
The Blue versus White midget AAA intersquad games for the St. Albert Tire Warehouse Raiders are on tap Sunday at Akinsdale Arena.
Start times are 2:30 and 5 p.m.
The first of five exhibitions for the Raiders is Sept. 12 against the KC Pats at 5:45 p.m. at Bill Hunter Arena.
The new head coach of the Raiders is Jack Redlick.
Friday’s bantam AAA intersquad game for the St. Albert Gregg Distributors Sabres goes at 8 p.m. at Go Auto Arena.
The Sabres and Sherwood Park Flyers hook up in a home and home exhibition series and face-off times are 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Go Auto Arena and 6:45 p.m. Monday in Sherwood Park.
Lee Zalasky in the new head coach of the Sabres.
The midget AAA female St. Albert Slash are hosting an exhibition Monday at Go Auto Arena.
Puck drop is 8 p.m. against a team to be announced.
Dan Auchenberg will guide the Slash after coaching the Sherwood Park Fury to second place in the Alberta Major Midget Female Hockey League and a berth at provincials.
The former head coach of the Sherwood Park Crusaders in the Alberta Junior Hockey League was in his second season with the Fury.
Sherwood Park is no longer part of the AMMFHL as Hockey Alberta decided to go with six teams instead of nine in its new female hockey model. St. Albert, Edmonton, Calgary, Okotoks, Red Deer and Lloydminster remain as midget AAA female communities.
St. Albert product Matt Benning signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers last weekend.
Benning, 22, was an unrestricted free-agent defenceman from the Northeastern University Huskies who was drafted by the Boston Bruins in 2012 in round six, 175th overall.
The former midget AAA St. Albert Raider played two seasons for the Spruce Grove Saints in the Alberta Junior Hockey league and then one year with the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the United States Hockey League.
The six-foot, 200-pound Benning spent three seasons with the Hockey East division one Huskies and in 110 games recorded nine goals, 56 points and 56 penalty minutes.
