The CanElson Drilling Estevan Bruins will be looking for a new director of operations and marketing this summer.
Clark Munroe, who has held the job for the past two years, has announced he will be leaving Estevan to take a job as the new director of game night operations with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
“It’s going to be … working with some of the staff in the offices to set up game days, and making sure everything is running smoothly off the ice,” said Munroe.
He has spent some time with the Pats, learning the ropes of the job that will soon be his.
When Munroe came to Estevan in the summer of 2014, he didn’t expect to leave the city this soon. But Regina is his hometown, and he couldn’t pass up this opportunity.
“To be able to … do something similar that I was doing with the Bruins and go closer to home and to family were the biggest factors for me,” said Munroe.
His focus remains with the Bruins. Before Munroe accepted the job, he told the Pats that he couldn’t leave Estevan until after the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup, which Estevan will host in late April and early May.
The Pats were very understanding with Munroe’s commitment to the Bruins.
“I put a lot of work into this season. It’s been a really fun season and I didn’t want to leave until it was over,” said Munroe.
He is also focused on promoting the Bruins upcoming playoff games. The Bruins will face the Nipawin Hawks in a best-of-seven quarter-final series. Games 1 and 2 are in Nipawin, and will be played on March 18 and 19.
Then the focus shifts to Estevan. Game 3 is set for March 22, and Game 4 will be the following night. From there, Game 5, if necessary, would be played March 25 in Nipawin; Game 6, March 27 in Estevan, and Game 7, March 29 back in Nipawin.
Ticket sales for Games 3 and 4 have been going well, Munroe said. Season ticket holders have been calling in to reserve their tickets for the two games. Tickets went on sale to the general public on Wednesday.
“We encourage everybody to come out in advance and pick up your tickets at the Bruin office before Tuesday and Wednesday night (March 22 and 23), because we expect some pretty large crowds at our games, and the door traffic will be heavier than usual,” he said.
They don’t have a figure for how many tickets they have sold, but Munroe is hopeful they will have 1,300 to 1,500 fans for the first two post-season games.
