The decision by the Eagle Sky Estevan Bruins' executive to relieve Jason Tatarnic of his head coach and general manager duties shouldn't have been a surprise.
It's the reality of the job at the higher levels of the game. When things don't go well, it's the coach and/or general manager who pays the price.
The last couple of years have not gone well for the Bruins. Last season, they finished seventh and lost in the first round to the Melfort Mustangs. And while Melfort went on to win the league title, and the Bruins were without No. 1 goalie Cam Hrdlicka in the final months, the Bruins underachieved. They had a talented team that had the ability to take a run at the league title, or, at the very least, get out of the first round.
This season, the Bruins sit 10th in the standings and are at risk of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Yes, they have a younger team, but there's enough talent for them to make the playoffs and scare a more experienced team in the first round.
In both seasons, fans were frustrated by decisions made at the trade deadline – particularly in 2024 when they had several talented 20-year-olds who could have helped another team. This season, the trades didn't make the team better for the future, although if they can keep the two talented 17-year-olds reassigned by WHL teams, that will be a boon for future years.
The timing of Tatarnic's departure is odd, after the trade deadline and so late in the 2024-25 season, but perhaps the executive thought something needed to be done for the club to make the playoffs.
We also have to remember that Tatarnic was in Estevan for nearly five seasons, and he accomplished a lot during his time here.
He and his family came here during the spring of 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Tatarnic set about building the team that would be the hosts for the 2022 Centennial Cup national junior A hockey championship in Estevan.
The first season in 2020-21 was difficult. The Black and Gold played six games before the season was scuttled by pandemic restrictions. The Bruins also had the potential to win a championship that year.
He rebuilt the club for the 2021-22 season, trying to create a team that could not only win a league championship but a national title. Talented players that we thought would be part of the club at nationals were dealt away. Highly skilled players were brought in from across the country.
I believe four players on the 2021-22 Bruins' team were on the roster at the end of the 2019-20 season.
Ultimately, the club went on to win the league title – its first since 1999 – in a thrilling seven-game series against the Flin Flon Bombers. Adding to the excitement was the Bruins won Game 7 on home ice in front of 2,662 fans. Nationals didn't go as hoped – the Bruins went 1-3 as the host team and didn't advance to the playoff round – but it was still a season that we won't forget. You can't underestimate the role Tatarnic played in bringing the league title to Estevan, and he had a big part in the overall success of the tournament.
Tatarnic's involvement with the team wasn't just a 2022-and-done proposition. He and his family were part of the community. His daughters played hockey and other sports while thriving academically at the Estevan Comprehensive School.
The 2022-23 season was challenging. The Bruins won the division title – their fifth in six seasons – but lost in the first round in seven games against Flin Flon, with the series clincher coming on a one-in-a-thousand fluke goal in overtime. If not for the loss of a couple of players midway through the season, the Bruins might have found themselves in the league final instead of Flin Flon (although a series win over the Battlefords North Stars would have been asking a lot).
Even after the 2022-23 season, I started hearing of some dissatisfaction with Tatarnic from the armchair fans in the community. But it would have been foolish to let him go a year after guiding the team to a league title, and after facing all sorts of adversity in 2022-23.
The frustration grew after the disappointment of 2023-24.
Tatarnic struck me as a coach who would be fine to play for when things are going well, but not so enjoyable during tough times. You can say that about any coach once you get to the higher levels of the game, some more so than others. He's demanding but he has a track record for success, having won several league championships and even reaching a national final. His reputation as a top recruiter is well-earned, which is important, especially in a time of unrest and upheaval in Canadian junior hockey.
Most coaches will take time to reflect and think about what could have been done differently before getting back into the game. Tatarnic will have no problem finding work in hockey once he's ready.
Drew Kocur is going to be the interim coach and GM. He knows the players and the community, which is a big plus. He's joined by Aren Miller, the long-time assistant coach whose involvement with the team dates back more than a decade. I'm confident in the work they'll do.
The Bruins have their work cut out for them if they hope to make the playoffs. The Viterra Division is not as soft as it's been in previous years. Yorkton and Weyburn are among the top teams in the league; Melville will likely be a playoff team. It's difficult for four teams in one division to make the playoffs.
The schedule isn't kind, either, as the Bruins still have their annual trips to North Battleford and Flin Flon, and a home game against the nationally-ranked Bombers. They also have five games left against each of Yorkton and Weyburn.
The talent is there to win games and make a run for a playoff spot. Kocur and Miller know what they're doing. But they have to emerge from a pretty deep hole.
