Pats fire head coach Dave Struch

REGINA -

The Regina Pats have fired head coach Dave Struch after four seasons behind the bench.

Former head coach and current VP of hockey operations and general manager John Paddock will assume coaching duties moving forward.

“I’d like to thank Dave for his many years of service to the Pats organization. Dave’s passion and hockey knowledge have been assets for many seasons. He is well-respected in the hockey community and within our organization,” vice president of hockey operations and general manager John Paddock said, in a news release.

“This was a difficult decision to make – but is one that is necessary to take the team where we need to go.”

Struch served as the Pats’ head coach from 2018-2021 with a record of 55-101-15 in 171 games.

Both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons were shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Struch was also on the Pats’ staff from 2014-2017 as an assistant coach. He took the reins as head coach the season after the Pats hosted the Memorial Cup in 2018.

“He was in a tough spot. We had to trade because we were hosting. Other teams traded just as much or more, us, Swift Current and Moose Jaw are still paying the price, clearly,” Paddock said. "The cupboard was bare, we built it back as best we could."

John Paddock was the coach of the Pats for four seasons, from 2014-2018. He stepped down from the role in 2018 to become the team’s VP of hockey operations and general manager.

"I think it's familiarity as much as anything with the organization, the players we have here, with the players that we want to hopefully get in here,” Paddock said. "I'll say I'm excited because it's sort of the better part of a bad day."

Paddock had a 165-89-34 record in 288 games as the head coach in Regina.

With files from CTV News Regina's Cole Davenport