Dave Struch is stepping down from his position as the Red Deer Rebels' bench boss.
On Friday, May 9, the Western Hockey League team announced Struch will be "unable to continue as the club’s head coach" due to personal reasons.
“Thanks very much to the Rebels family, players and fans for the opportunity to be a part of a great organization,” Struch said in a media release.
Struch joined the Rebels as interim head coach in March 2024 and guided the club to a second-round playoff appearance. He was named full-time Head Coach prior to the 2024-25 season.
Rebels owner, president and general manager Brent Sutter said Struch "has made a difficult, but important decision in order to attend to family matters back home" in Regina, Sask.
“Family comes first, and we fully support his decision. We wish Dave and his family all the very best,” said Sutter
The search for a new head coach for the club begins immediately, Sutter added.
“This is an important time for the club. We’ll engage in a thorough process to find the right coach to help lead us toward our goal of bringing a championship back to Red Deer,” said Sutter.
The next head coach will be the Rebels' fourth since the 2022-23 season. Steve Konowalchuk served as head coach from 2021-2023. He eventually stepped down from his position with the Rebels in May 2023 — he's currently the head coach of the Springfield Thunderbirds in the American Hockey League.
Derrick Walser was hired as the Rebels' next head coach in 2023-24, but he and the team mutually agreed to part ways late in the season. Struch took over as interim coach for the rest of that season, before being named full-time head coach for the 2024-25 season.
The Rebels also announced that assistant coach Clayton Beddoes will not be returning for the 2025-26 season. The Bentley native leaves after two seasons with the club to pursue other ventures. In a media release, the club thanked Beddoes for his contributions and wish him the best going forward.
