When the local media assembled at Prospera Place today, there was rather a somber feel as Kelowna Rockets general manager Bruce Hamilton addressed the departure of head coach Jason Smith.
Earlier in the day, the Rockets issued a press release confirming the decision.
“Any time you let someone go that is the quality of Jason Smith it’s very tough,” Hamilton said.
“However, the success of our hockey club ultimately falls with myself and I feel at this time we need to go in a different direction.”
“Jason is just a wonderful person and we want to thank him for his time here.”
Smith was hired by the Rockets in the summer of 2016 and completed two full years as head coach. In 2016-17 the team had a 45-22-5-0 record while last season saw the Rockets compile a 43-22-5-2.
This year the club is 4-10-0-0.
Hamilton, as player in major junior with the Saskatoon Blades was known as an honest, rugged, no nonsense type of player, attributes he shares with Smith.
However, Hamilton is not pleased with the current state of the player’s discipline.
Kelowna leads the league with 248 penalty minutes, ahead of two teams that sit at 187 minutes.
Yet in Hamilton’s opinion, “we are not a tough team. We’re just taking a lot of foolish lazy penalties.”
DUBNetwork is posting audio of the media gathering in its entirety.
The Rockets entertain the Swift Current Broncos on Tuesday evening in Kelowna and it is expected assistant coaches Kris Mallette and Travis Crickard will run the bench.
TUESDAY OCTOBER 23 UPDATE
Early Tuesday morning Hamilton confirmed to Larry Fisher that Adam Footer is the new Head Coach
Bruce Hamilton has confirmed this morning that Adam Foote is the new head coach of the @Kelowna_Rockets and that he’ll be available following the team’s morning skate ahead of hosting @SCBroncos tonight. #WHL
— Larry Fisher (@LarryFisher_KDC) October 23, 2018
