YORKTON - The Yorkton Junior Terriers will be looking for a new general manager and head coach headed to the fall start of the SJHL.
The dual position came open this week as Mat Hehr announced he is leaving the organization for new opportunities.
“It kind of all came about the last three or four days,” Hehr told Yorkton This Week Monday, adding “it’s been a stressful couple of days” as he made the decision to move on.
“I wasn’t looking for it all. The offer came out of the blue.”
And, Hehr said when he thought it over the offer from the Northern Alberta X-treme was just too good.
“I had to take the job,” said Hehr.
The X-treme is a prep school program in Devon, Alta., just outside Edmonton which plays in the Canadian Sports School Hockey League, which includes the Prairie Hockey Academy out of Moose Jaw and a team out of Notre Dame.
Hehr said the decision was made harder because he feels the Terriers are on the verge of much better things.
“It was a difficult move for sure,” he reiterated, but added the ownership of the X-treme have a vision to grow the program, and also own a team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, so it is a great opportunity.
Still, Hehr is leaving Yorkton which after seven years had become home, having lived here longer than anywhere else since he was 20.
“It’s always going to be a second home for me,” he said.
As for the Terriers Hehr said last season was a rebuild, and now things should be better.
“The tough part is leaving the players. I know how hyped they are for this next year. . . I really feel we have all the pieces in place,” he said.
But the new position was still his best option, said Hehr.
“In the end the offer was just too good to pass up,” he said.
