Tuesday . . .

The Moose Jaw Warriors are in the market for a general manager or a director of hockey operations, following the resignation of Jeff Truitt, who has joined the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage as an assistant coach under interim head coach Ray Edwards. He has been the interim head coach since late November when Greg Ireland was relieved of his duties as head coach. . . . Truitt had been the Warriors’ director of hockey operations. The Rampage is affiliated with the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes. . . . Truitt spent one season with the Warriors. After serving as head coach of the Kelowna Rockets, he left to coach with the Edmonton Oilers’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons. When that didn’t work out, he was able to catch on with Moose Jaw a year ago.
"Phoenix got in touch with me and after a weekend of talk, the opportunity that was given to me was something I could not pass up," Truitt said in a press release. "This was not a move I was planning, yet when an opportunity like this presents itself you have to pursue it.
“I have very mixed emotions about leaving the Warriors, I feel I helped move this organization in the right direction and pushed it to a higher level. In this league things happen very fast, every individual hopes to reach the highest level and this position will allow me to move in that direction.”
Truitt will stay with the Warriors through July as the team searches for a replacement.
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With the departure of Willie Desjardins, their GM and head coach, the Medicine Hat Tigers are expected to promote from within, with Brad McEwen taking over as GM and Shaun Clouston moving up as the new head coach. . . . McEwen, a long-time WHL executive and coach, had been the Tigers’ head scout, while Clouston was the associate coach. . . . Desjardins, who had been with the Tigers for eight seasons, has signed on with the NHL’s Dallas Stars as associate coach. He will work alongside head coach Marc Crawford. . . . Desdjardins went 323-176-60 in 559 games behind the Tigers’ bench, winning WHL titles in 2003-04 and 2006-07. He is the longest-serving coach in franchise history and holds club records for games coached and victories.
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The Dallas Stars also announced that Stu Barnes will be back for a third season as an assistant coach. Barnes, 39, a former WHL player, is a co-owner of the Tri-City Americans. He played the last five seasons of his NHL career with Dallas, retiring after 2007-08. He works with the Stars forwards and the power play.
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The Edmonton Oil Kings have added Steve Hamilton to their coaching staff as an assistant under head coach Derek Laxdal. . . . Laxdal has taken over from Steve Pleau, while Hamilton replaces Rocky Thompson. . . . Hamilton, who spent four seasons as GM and head coach of the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints, is the son of Al Hamilton, who played defence for the Oil Kings — he was the captain of the team that won the 1966 Memorial Cup — and the Oilers. . . . Steve Hamilton was 164-47-6-27 in Sherwood Park and won the AJHL title last season.
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The Swift Current Broncos have signed D Dillon Heatherington, the 11th overall selection in the 2010 bantam draft. He had 24 points in 32 games with the bantam AAA Calgary Bronks last season.
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F Nic Drazenovic (Prince George, 2002-07) has signed a one-year, two-way deal with the NHL’s St. Louis Blues, which means that he likely will be back for a fourth season with the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen. He has 105 points in 208 games with the Rivermen, including a career-high 19 goals last season when he lost 21 games to injury.
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G Devan Dubnyk (Kamloops, 2001-06) has signed a two-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers, who selected him 14th overall in the 2004 NHL draft. Dubnyk, 24, signed for US$1.6 million over two years. He played in 19 NHL games last season, putting up a 3.57 GAA and a .889 save percentage. . . . The Oilers also signed D Shawn Belle (Tri-City, 2001-05) to a one-year deal. Belle, who was selected 30th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2003 draft, played last season with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs. He had 19 points in 70 games.
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The Dallas Stars have signed F Scott Glennie, the eighth overall pick in the NHL’s 2009 draft, to a three-year deal. Glennie, 19, had 89 points in 66 games with the Brandon Wheat Kings last season, his third in the WHL.
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G Gerry Festa (Saskatoon, Calgary, Spokane, Red Deer, 2001-05) has re-signed with the Central league’s Missouri Mavericks. He played in 13 games with the Mavericks last season, with a 2.88 GAA and a .906 saver percentage. Festa, 26, played four seasons with the UBC Thunderbirds before venturing into the pro ranks.