Warriors elevate Ripplinger to general manager

 

REGINA – The Moose Jaw Warriors have elevated Jason Ripplinger to the role of general manager, the club announced Thursday.

Ripplinger, 45, had been the assistant general manager to the soon-to-depart Alan Millar since 2018, at which time he had joined the Warriors after a successful 10-year stint as Director of Player Personnel with the Vancouver Giants.

“I would like to thank Chad Taylor, the Warriors Board of Directors, and Alan Millar for having the confidence in my ability to guide the franchise in the same direction it has been running for the past 10 years.  Professionally, I felt it was time to take the next step in my career and I could not be happier that it will be with the Warriors,” commented Ripplinger to the Warriors’ website.

“I know how important a community-owned franchise is to the city,” Ripplinger added.  “Jen and our family are excited about this chapter and I am looking forward to being part of this close-knit community.”

A Regina, SK native, and resident, Ripplinger is believed to have carried many of the roles of the general manager throughout the Subway WHL Hub, with Millar busy in his new role of Hockey Canada’s Director of Player Personnel, and more specifically, planning for Team Canada’s entry into the upcoming 2021 IIHF Under-18 World Championship in Texas.

The club did not immediately name Ripplinger to the job when the news of Millar’s departure broke Feb. 23, as Warriors’ President Chad Taylor and the board felt there was no need to rush, and wanted to do due diligence for the hiring.

“I think the bigger question, is Mr. Ripplinger ready to take on the new role,” Taylor said at the time to discovermoosejaw.com. “I’m looking forward to sitting down with Jason and see where his thoughts are. I’m sure he’s interested in the job. And my job is to make sure we bring the best person forward for the board to make a decision.”

Ripplinger was a goaltender at the Junior A level in his playing days, appearing between 1993 and 1995 for the Humboldt Broncos and Melfort Mustangs. His first Western Hockey League role came in 2001 as a scout with the Giants, a club he would remain with for 16 years before joining the Warriors.

The full press conference introducing Ripplinger can be found here.