Pair of Calgary Canucks up for major awards as team looks to Centennial Cup
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Ottawa Citizen
25-07-2025
- Ottawa Citizen
Calgary Hitmen name Dustin Friesen 12th head coach in franchise history
Article content The Calgary Hitmen announce Dustin Freisen as the 12th head coach in franchise history. Article content 'We are excited to welcome Dustin as our new head coach,' said general manager Garry Davidson. 'He is a proven winner at every level in his playing career and has had a direct impact on championship teams in the past two seasons.' Article content Article content 'He has a passion to develop players and to create a strong culture. We know he will lead and guide our team and build on our progression and success from last season.' Article content Friesen joins the Hitmen on a multi-year deal after a standout season as associate coach of the Moncton Wildcats, where he helped lead the team to a QMJHL championship and a Memorial Cup appearance. Prior to his time in the CHL, Friesen served as head coach of the Prairie Hockey Academy's U18 Prep team (CSSHL) from 2021 to 2024. He also contributed to the Moose Jaw Warriors during the 2023–24 season, capturing the teams first-ever WHL championship. Article content Article content Friesen brings a wealth of experience from an 11-year professional playing career, including three seasons in the AHL and eight seasons in Germany, where he served as captain of ERC Ingolstadt and won a DEL2 championship. Before turning pro, he spent five seasons with the University of New Brunswick (UNB) Reds where he captained the team to two USports titles. His junior career includes four seasons with the Swift Current Broncos. Article content Article content Article content Joining Friesen on the bench is Hitmen alumnus Brad Moran as assistant coach. Moran played five seasons with the club from 1995 to 2000. Following a successful career as a player, Moran transitioned into coaching and has spent the past seven years with the AJHL's Calgary Canucks. As head coach and general manager for the last six seasons, he guided the team to two AJHL championships and a Centennial Cup title this year. Article content Moran remains the Hitmen franchise's all-time leader in games played (357), goals, assists, and points, with an impressive 450 points (204 goals, 246 assists). His number 20 is the only jersey number retired by the organization. Article content Also returning as assistant coach is Dakota Krebs, who joined the team's coaching staff last season as video coach. A Hitmen alumnus, Krebs played for the club from 2018 to 2020 following three seasons with the Tri-City Americans. He later spent four years with the University of Calgary Dinos men's hockey program, where he served as an assistant captain for two seasons and earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree.
Calgary Herald
25-07-2025
- Calgary Herald
Calgary Hitmen name Dustin Friesen 12th head coach in franchise history
Article content The Calgary Hitmen announce Dustin Freisen as the 12th head coach in franchise history. Article content 'We are excited to welcome Dustin as our new head coach,' said general manager Garry Davidson. 'He is a proven winner at every level in his playing career and has had a direct impact on championship teams in the past two seasons.' Article content 'He has a passion to develop players and to create a strong culture. We know he will lead and guide our team and build on our progression and success from last season.' Article content Friesen joins the Hitmen on a multi-year deal after a standout season as associate coach of the Moncton Wildcats, where he helped lead the team to a QMJHL championship and a Memorial Cup appearance. Prior to his time in the CHL, Friesen served as head coach of the Prairie Hockey Academy's U18 Prep team (CSSHL) from 2021 to 2024. He also contributed to the Moose Jaw Warriors during the 2023–24 season, capturing the teams first-ever WHL championship. Article content Article content Friesen brings a wealth of experience from an 11-year professional playing career, including three seasons in the AHL and eight seasons in Germany, where he served as captain of ERC Ingolstadt and won a DEL2 championship. Before turning pro, he spent five seasons with the University of New Brunswick (UNB) Reds where he captained the team to two USports titles. His junior career includes four seasons with the Swift Current Broncos. Article content Article content Article content Joining Friesen on the bench is Hitmen alumnus Brad Moran as assistant coach. Moran played five seasons with the club from 1995 to 2000. Following a successful career as a player, Moran transitioned into coaching and has spent the past seven years with the AJHL's Calgary Canucks. As head coach and general manager for the last six seasons, he guided the team to two AJHL championships and a Centennial Cup title this year. Article content Moran remains the Hitmen franchise's all-time leader in games played (357), goals, assists, and points, with an impressive 450 points (204 goals, 246 assists). His number 20 is the only jersey number retired by the organization. Article content Also returning as assistant coach is Dakota Krebs, who joined the team's coaching staff last season as video coach. A Hitmen alumnus, Krebs played for the club from 2018 to 2020 following three seasons with the Tri-City Americans. He later spent four years with the University of Calgary Dinos men's hockey program, where he served as an assistant captain for two seasons and earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree.
Ottawa Citizen
19-05-2025
- Ottawa Citizen
Lucky toonies and life-long 'brothers': Host Calgary Canucks win Centennial Cup in dominating style
Article content 'Whatever it takes' was how Brad Moran worded his team's run to a national puck title. Article content Article content So when the Calgary Canucks dug a couple of toonies out of the ice amid Sunday's celebration of winning the 2025 Centennial Cup, it seemed to come as no surprise to the head coach of the newly minted Canadian Junior Hockey League champions … Article content Even though he knew nothing of the lucky coins or who put them there. Article content Article content 'One from 1995, and one from 2025,' said the Canucks GM and head coach, his voice dripping with joy after watching his charges score the coveted CJHL crown 30 years — almost to the day — of the franchise's first and only other Centennial Cup. Article content Article content 'So whatever it takes …' continued Moran of the buried treasure. 'I guess that was the gesture.' Article content If there was magic in those toonies, it didn't take the shine off the determination of the Canucks. Article content Moran's men were full marks for the title victory Sunday, executing dominance in a 7-2 taming of the Melfort Mustangs in Sunday's finale, much to the delight of a frenzied 2,720 fans at jam-packed Max Bell Centre. And it was quite the delight for themselves, coming 12 months after losing 2-1 to the same Mustangs in last year's semifinal round of the 2024 Centennial Cup in Oakville, Ont. Article content Revenge best served cold, you could say. Article content Article content 'It's everything I've dreamed of,' said Canucks captain Bowden Singleton, in the moments after hoisting the Centennial Cup on home ice. 'I might get emotional here in a bit, but I'm just soaking everything in right now. Article content 'That feeling of losing last year and looking at the guys that lost is probably one of the saddest things you ever have to go through, because those 20-year-olds, they gave everything they had.' Article content It was a feeling neither he or any of the seven other returnees of the reigning two-time Alberta Junior Hockey League kings wanted to go through again, unlike the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League-champion Mustangs themselves were forced to do for a second straight Centennial Cup after losing last year in the final to Ontario's Collingwood Blues. Article content 'We started off with one goal to win the regular season and then win the AJHL playoffs and then win the Centennial Cup playoffs,' Singleton said. 'Super surreal, the full circle, and we're going to enjoy it for a long time. We're brothers for the rest of our lives.'
