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Last Updated: Jul 2nd, 2008 - 20:21:03
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Jeff Battah is hoping the lessons learned with the Lethbridge Hurricanes’ deep playoff run pay off as he heads to a new team.
Battah, the Hurricanes’ assistant coach in charge of goaltending and video, has been named the general manager and head coach of the Drayton Valley Thunder of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
He said he plans to take the Hurricanes’ program with him and hopes to restore the Thunder, once one of the AJHL’s powerhouses, to glory. They were 12-44-1-5 this season.
“It will change. I’m bringing along the way we did things here and the program we used to get where we’re at in Lethbridge,” said Battah. “I learned a lot in my four years here and I think if we just focus on the process and change the culture back to a winning one we can definitely turn things around in a hurry.”
Hurricanes general manager Roy Stasiuk said Battah’s move is bittersweet, but fulfills one of Stasiuk’s mandates.
“Certainly, I’ve always said we’re here to move staff up, not out and for Jeff, this is a great opportunity. I think he’s been given a great opportunity to take over and be the guy who runs an organization.”
He added that as both coach and GM, Battah will need to use every skill at his disposal.
“Well, I can say that if he gets into an argument with his head coach, he’ll win,” he laughed. “But Jeff’s organization and ability to judge players’ skills will be a huge advantage for him. We’re sad to see him go, but at the same time, it’s a wonderful move for him.”
And, like any good GM, Stasiuk sees the opportunity for the Hurricanes to work with the Thunder.
“Well, it’s a win-win scenario in that we may have some players we want to go there to learn our way of doing things and he might be able to use his connection to us to help some of his.”
Battah accepted the job awhile ago, but asked The Herald to withhold releasing the information until the Hurricanes’ season was done. He said the team was very supportive of the move.
“Obviously, with Matt (Kabayama) here, I wasn’t going to move up very quickly and I needed some head coaching experience. When you look at Matty and Mike (Dyck, the ’Canes head coach), they have that head coach experience.
“I talked to Roy about this awhile ago and he was great about it, and he knows I’ve got to get that experience.”
Despite leaving a team which just won a WHL Eastern Conference crown, Battah said rather than worry about what he’s leaving, he’ll try to utilize the knowledge gained from his time here.
“I learned a lot from Mike and Matty and it’s just time to take all that and get to work on my own team.”
ICE CHIPS — Former Lethbridge Hurricanes Derrick Atkinson and Chase Henituk played for the Thunder, although their most famous alum might be current Tampa Bay Lightning forward and former ’Cane Nick Tarnasky . . . Another NHLer out of Drayton Valley is Buffalo’s Clarke MacArthur.
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