Estevan’s new midget AAA hockey team has its first head coach and general manager.

The Estevan Bears announced Tuesday morning that Jeff Smith had been hired for the position. Smith is currently an associate coach with the Estevan Bruins junior hockey club.

article continues below

He joined the Bruins midway through the 2017-18 season.

In a news release, the Estevan Minor Hockey Association said Smith was selected from a strong list of candidates.

Smith enjoyed a successful junior and professional hockey career before coming to Estevan. He was a member of the Red Deer Rebels franchise that won the Memorial Cup in 2001, and played professional hockey in the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands, Great Britain, France and Belgium before retiring at the end of the 2016-17 season. He won a Calder Cup in the American Hockey League with the Philadelphia Phantoms in 2005.

He was born in Estevan and grew up in Regina, but has deep roots in the Energy City.

The Bears were awarded an expansion team last fall. They will begin play in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League in the 2020-21 season.

This week's edition of Southeast Lifestyles will have more on this story.