ESTEVAN - It's been a busy few days for Drew Kocur.
He was announced as the interim head coach and general manager of the Eagle Sky Estevan Bruins on Monday, one day after the Bruins announced they had parted ways with Jason Tatarnic, who had been in the head coach and GM role since mid-2020.
"We've had a couple of days of practice here, and obviously we're getting ready for a game tonight [Jan. 22 against the Flin Flon Bombers]," said Kocur, who is expected to remain in the interim role for the rest of the season.
Kocur said he had "mixed emotions" about moving into the job, but he's looking forward to the challenge. He didn't see Tatarnic's dismissal coming.
The shift from being an assistant in the two roles to being in the top spot has had a lot of adjustments, ranging from the day-to-day operations to calling the shots. It means putting more hours in, but Kocur is looking forward to it and he appreciates the opportunity.
With 22 games left in the regular season, he said he wants to make sure the players are having fun and the dressing room has an upbeat mood.
"We're going to be hopefully competitive," said Kocur. "I really want to see our guys, every guy in the lineup, get a chance night in, night out, and we're going to be a hard-working team the rest of the way."
Estevan sits 10th overall, 11 points behind the Humboldt Broncos for the eighth and final playoff spot, but the Bruins have four games in hand. Kocur reminded the players about the importance of playing one shift and one game at a time if they're going to chip away at the deficit.
"It would be great to get a few wins early, and then obviously you're right back in it, but the biggest thing is you're trying to build some confidence in the roster and being competitive right away."
While this marks the first time he has been a head coach and GM at the junior A level, he has been a head coach before with the junior B Pilot Butte Storm of the Prairie Junior Hockey League, reaching the league final in 2022 and winning the championship in 2023. He then joined the Bruins.
Kocur believes it helps that he knows the community and the players on the team. Long-time assistant coach Aren Miller remains with the organization. The support from the community for the Bruins is strong, Kocur said, and he has learned a lot the past couple of years.
"I've learned so much here. I'm just looking forward to getting the first one out of the way, and then getting back to work."
The first game against Flin Flon will be a quick measuring stick against one of the country's elite teams. The Bombers haven't lost in regulation in 22 games, so Kocur knows they will have to match the Bombers' pace.
"We just have to clog up lanes and try to push back. We have to go at 'em; we can't sit back."
