Raiders Make Late Season Change at Head Coach – Truitt out, Assistant McDonald Promoted

The timing may seem strange and odd to most, but there appears to be a few reasons as to why the W-H-L’s Prince Albert Raiders relieved Jeff Truitt (pictured) of the team’s head coaching duties today and promoted assistant Ryan McDonald in his place.

The move comes with two weeks and six games remaining in the regular-season and with P-A leading the East Division standings. But, after being swept by the arch-rival Saskatoon Blades in a home-and-home series over the weekend, the Raiders are only one point ahead of the Bridge City Bunch and Brandon. One reason might be that Prince Albert is 1-3-2 in their last six games. A second reason is that McDonald posted a 10-4-1 record behind the bench on an interim basis between the end of the Christmas break through January 26 while Truitt recovered from eye surgery. A third reason could be the fact that Truitt’s contract was set to expire at the end of this season and the Raiders may have decided that they weren’t going to renew it. No matter, Jeff Truitt is out after 198 games as P-A head coach with Ryan McDonald’s second interim posting beginning on Wednesday in Lethbridge. Following is the news release from the Raiders…..

Raiders name Ryan McDonald Interim Head Coach

Prince Albert Raiders General Manager Curtis Hunt announced on Monday that the club has named Ryan McDonald Interim Head Coach.

Head Coach Jeff Truitt had been relieved of his duties, effective immediately.

“This was a decision not made lightly,” Hunt said. “We are appreciative of all the work Jeff has done, from our championship team to today. We wish him the best of luck as he moves forward.”

Truitt began coaching in the 1993-94 season, spending three seasons with the Lethbridge Hurricanes as an assistant coach. He joined the Kelowna Rockets in the 2000-01 campaign, staying with the team until 2006-07, winning the Memorial Cup in 2004, and capturing a second WHL Championship in 2004-05.

After spending time in the AHL and with the Red Deer Rebels, Truitt joined the Raiders in the 2018-19 season as an assistant coach, where Prince Albert won their second WHL title in franchise history. In 2022-23, he was promoted to head coach.

In his time as head coach in Prince Albert, Truitt finishes with a 93-91-10-4 record.