The new Estevan Bears midget AAA hockey team has turned to another local person for their coaching staff.
The Bears announced Saturday that Riley Hengen had been hired as an assistant coach for the club. Hengen is in his second year as the head coach of the Estevan Apex midget AA Bruins, who have the best record in the Saskatchewan midget AA Hockey League this season at 31-2-1-1, with one game remaining.
He’s also an Estevan native who brings experience, not only as a coach, but as a player, having played midget AAA, junior A and college hockey as a goaltender.
He and his three younger brothers Michael, Jason and Tyler all played minor hockey in Estevan.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to be a part of the Estevan Bears coaching staff,” Hengen said. “This has been a long time coming for our community to get a AAA team and I look forward to the challenge of putting a competitive team on the ice in our first year.”
Earlier this year, the Bears announced that Jeff Smith, who is an associate coach with the Estevan Bruins junior hockey club, had been hired as their head coach and general manager.
Hengen said he is excited to learn from Smith, but his focus for the rest of the season will be on the midget AA Bruins.
“Riley is doing such a great job with the AA team that it was a very easy decision to ask him to help me with the Bears,” said Smith. “His experience with coaching at the midget level and the success he has had mean we are lucky to have him joining our team next season. The Bears wish him and the AA Bruins all the best in the rest of the season and upcoming playoffs.”
The Bears will begin play in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League in the 2020-21 season.
