Various sources are reporting tonight that the Regina Pats have reached an agreement with Curtis Hunt to return to the team as head coach.
Hunt was the Pats' coach for four seasons from 2004-05 through 2007-08 before leaving for an NHL job as assistant coach to Craig Hartsburg in Ottawa. That didn't work out well for him since the Senators fired Hartsburg in midseason this year and Hunt finished the season as coach of the Senators' AHL club instead. I guess he wants to return to the junior game rather than stay at the pro level.
A decent move for the Pats, I think. Hunt didn't have much postseason success in Regina (one playoff series win in four years) but he did put winning teams on the ice in the regular season at least. And since he has only been away for one year, he is still familiar with most of the players and prospects in the organization, so he should be able to slip right back in.
It had been reported earlier that Hunt was one of two finalists for the job, with former Hurricanes coach Michael Dyck being the other. Since Dyck has obviously lost out on the Pats opening, look for his name to move to the top of the list for other coaching vacancies around the league now....Chilliwack, Everett, and even his former job in Lethbridge perhaps.
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