The Power Dodge Estevan Bruins were in the market for a marketing manager this off-season, and they managed to pick up one who will be an assistant coach for the team in one single hire.
Carter Duffin, who comes to the city from Red Deer, has moved in now and is starting preparations for the 2017-18 season as the marketing manager and assistant coach with the team.
“It was nice that I was able to spend some time in Estevan the week before and get acquainted with everybody and the board and some of our clients already, and of course a couple of rounds of golf,” said Duffin from the Bruins office at Affinity Place.
Duffin said he is excited to continue the efforts that have been done and the relationships that have been built in the community.
“The business side is something I've been involved in in business development for the past six, seven years,” he said. “Expecially coming from an oil and gas background. The best part is I'm able to bridge the hockey operations and business operations with the dual role, where I'm able to be on the bench and still able to work on hockey operations and then connect that to the business.”
The hybrid is a fairly rare thing at this level of hockey but Duffin, 31, is qualified. He was a former head coach with the Red Deer Elks Midget AA team in the South Central Alberta Hockey League a couple of years ago and last year an assistant coach/ sales manager with the Virden Oil Capitals of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
It won't be difficult to focus on one aspect of his job over the other, he feels.
“They're all connected,” he said. “Whether it's dealing with our corporate partners and everybody in the community and even our players. At the end of the day there's one goal and there's one direction for this organization.”
Duffin will enjoy working with the team's on-ice product as well with head coach and general manager Chris Lewgood.
“Chris has done a fantastic job over the last few years in building a winning organization,” Duffin said. “And to have the opportunity to come be a part of that really excited me. To gain Chris as a mentor for a young coach like myself is really exciting.
Although he hasn't met any of the players yet, there will be plenty of time to do that before traning camp opens in September.
