FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Drayton Valley, AB – July 2, 2025 – The Drayton Valley Thunder are thrilled to announce the appointment of Jeff Truitt as the organization’s new General Manager & Head Coach. Truitt brings 35+ years of experience and a proven track record of success to the Thunder, marking an exciting new chapter for the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) franchise. The agreement with Truitt is a two-year deal with a mutual option for a third year.
Truitt has already had a distinguished career in hockey, including significant time in the Western Hockey League (WHL) where he helped lead the Kelowna Rockets to a Memorial Cup Championship in 2004. More recently, he also helped lead the Prince Albert Raiders to a WHL Championship in 2018-19. His extensive coaching and management background spans various levels of the game, where he is known for his ability to develop players and coaches for the NHL while building sustainable and competitive organizations. Truitt is also known for his work with Hockey Canada, where he frequently presents as part of the High Performance training series which will prove invaluable in the community as ownership works to develop local minor hockey coaches as part of a fresh new vision for the club.
“We are very proud to welcome Jeff to the Drayton Valley Thunder,” said Thunder Vice President of Hockey Operations, Eric Schneider. “We were overwhelmed by the level of interest in this position. Four very qualified candidates were extensively interviewed in two phases, and all would have been great selections. In the end, Jeff’s championship pedigree, combined with his deep understanding of junior hockey and player development, make him the ideal candidate to lead our team in this new landscape of junior hockey in Canada where we are now partners with the WHL under the newly published Phase II of the Western Canadian Development Model (WCDM). We are confident that his leadership will elevate our program both on and off the ice, establishing a new winning culture in Drayton Valley.”
Thunder President Kevin Young added, “For me, Jeff’s appointment brings a crucial level of maturity, stability and, importantly, accountability to our organization. His experience and vision align perfectly with our short & long-term goals, and we believe his leadership will develop a consistent and successful environment for our players and staff. This truly marks a new era of Thunder hockey, one our fans, billets, and sponsors alike can be incredibly proud of.”
Truitt expressed his enthusiasm for the new role, stating, “I’m honoured and excited to get back to my roots and the challenge of leading and rebuilding the Drayton Valley Thunder. After 35 plus years in junior and pro hockey, the Thunder opportunity really stood out to me as the right fit for me and my family. The uniquely rigorous interview process gave me a strong indication of ownership’s clear vision for this club, and I cannot be more aligned with their refreshing vision of not only developing better hockey players, but also better humans. This organization has a strong foundation, and I’m eager to work with the players, staff, billets, and sponsors to build a team that mirrors this community by competing hard every night and not accepting mediocrity. My goal is to build a culture of excellence through accountability, player development, and success. We want an AJHL championship in Drayton Valley, and that work starts today”.
The Thunder organization believes Truitt’s appointment, supported by the continuity of Assistant Coach Josh Pufahl, Eric Schneider, and the scouting staff led by Daryl Winter, will be a catalyst for renewed success, aiming to build a formidable team that will contend for championships in the AJHL. Their immediate focus will be on a roster evaluation, recruitment, and preparing the team for the upcoming 2025-2026 AJHL season.
Further announcements regarding the Thunder’s hockey operations staff will be made in the coming weeks.
About the Drayton Valley Thunder:
The Drayton Valley Thunder are a proud member of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), committed to developing elite hockey players and contributing positively to the community of Drayton Valley.
