There will be new faces on the rink and behind the bench when the Creston Valley Thunder Cats hit the ice this month.
Geordie Wudrick, 33, has been hired as the new head coach and general manager. He joins the team following a successful stint as assistant coach with the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Melville Millionaires last season.
“Geordie brings a fresh enthusiasm and a passion to create a positive and winning team culture in the Creston Valley,” said team president Shannon Veitch.
In his own hockey career, Wudrick was a third-round Los Angeles Kings draft pick and enjoyed a lengthy career in the Western Hockey League (349 GP – 233 PTS), USPORTS with the universities of New Brunswick and British Columbia, as well as professionally in the East Coast, Southern Professional, Europe, and Australia hockey leagues.
“I feel very honoured and it’s a great opportunity for myself,” said Wudrick. “I think Creston is a great town. Their vision for the future excites me and is something I want to be a part of. I’m really looking forward to being part of the community.”
With the Millionaires, Wudrick learned from veteran coach Dough Johnson how to build a strong system and structure to produce players with good character.
“Working as his assistant coach exposed me to day-to-day procedures on how to handle the players – the ups and downs of a season,” he said. “When things are going well, not getting too high on yourself, still preaching hard work.”
As an offensive-minded player, Wudrick aims to translate his skillset by bringing an aggressive style of defence to the Thunder Cats.
“We want our team to play fast, aggressive with really tight defence,” he said. “We’re going to have to score by committee. I like having four lines of forwards playing heavy minutes."
So far, Wudrick is happy with how the team has come together in practice over the summer.
“I think the players respect me because I respect them,” he said. “I’m firm and tough with some of the things I believe in. I want to see these young teenagers turn into men and become successful people in our society. I think they are respecting that big change of culture.”
The Thunder Cats will kick off the 2024-25 season on Sept. 20, with a home game against the Kimberley Dynamiters at the Johnny Bucyk Arena.
