Terry Bangen is coming back to Kamloops.

The Daily News learned Tuesday that Bangen, the assistant general manager and director of player personnel for the WHL's Tri-City Americans, is retiring and will be relocating, along with his wife, Margaret, to Kamloops.

A source told The Daily News that the Americans are expected to make Bangen's retirement official some time this week.

Bangen joined the Blazers as an assistant coach in 1989 and was on the coaching staff for five seasons, winning three Memorial Cup titles while he was here.

He went on to coach for a season at McGill University in Montreal before spending time on the coaching staff of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks.

Bangen first joined the Americans in 1998 as an assistant coach under former Blazers head coach Don Hay. Bangen spent two seasons there before moving to Hockey Canada, where he was from 2000-05.

Bangen also spent 19 years as an assistant athletic director at the University College of the Cariboo (now Thompson Rivers University) in Kamloops. He had two stints as the school's hockey coach (1976-79 and 1981-89) and got to five Canadian College Athletic Association finals.

For the last five seasons, Bangen has worked alongside Americans general manager Bob Tory. Bangen will continue to help Tory as a special advisor and consultant.

A native of Grande Prairie, Alta., Bangen was inducted into that city's Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008.

Tory, meanwhile, is believed to have already begun interviewing candidates to replace Bangen.

It's believed that the list of candidates includes Dave O'Brien, a former head scout with the Prince Albert Raiders; Barclay Parnata, a veteran scout who was recently released by the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes; and, Chad Kletzel, a former WHLer who played for Tory with the Kootenay Ice.

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Willie Desjardins has left the Medicine Hat Tigers and signed on with the NHL's Dallas Stars as an associate coach. Desjardins had been with the Tigers for eight seasons, winning WHL championships in 2003-04 and 2006-07.

Desjardins was the longest-serving head coach in franchise history and holds club records for games coached (559) and victories (323).

The Tigers held a news conference Tuesday to announce Desjardins' departure. They didn't name any replacements at the time. However, Brad McEwen, the Tigers' head scout and a former GM/head coach with the Swift Current Broncos, is expected to be the next general manager, while associate coach Shaun Clouston will be promoted to head coach.

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The Moose Jaw Warriors announced Tuesday that Jeff Truitt is leaving after one season as their director of hockey operations.

Truitt, a former head coach of the Kelowna Rockets, will join the San Antonio Rampage, the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes, as an assistant coach.

Truitt left Kelowna to join the AHL's Springfield Falcons, who then were affiliated with the NHL's Edmonton Oilers. When that didn't work out, he was able to hook on with the Warriors.

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The Edmonton Oil Kings have added Steve Hamilton to their staff as an assistant coach. He will work alongside head coach Derek Laxdal, who was signed last month to replace Steve Pleau, who was fired after three seasons.

Hamilton's father, Al, is a former Oil Kings defenceman. He captained the 1966 team that won the Memorial Cup, before going on to play for the Oilers in the WHL and the NHL.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca

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