Former Assistant Josh Dixon to join Regina Pats

Former MRU Cougars assistant coach Josh Dixon is off to Saskatchewan to join the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the 2011-12 season.

Dixon, alongside fellow assistant coach Malcolm Cameron, will form the staff for newly minted head coach Pat Conacher, who was hired to take over the team in late July.

Josh spent the two seasons with the Cougars from 2008-10, helping the team to a 41-13-2 regular season record and an ACAC bronze and silver medal.

Cougars head coach Jean Laforest says he was excited when he heard the news.

“I think it’s a great opportunity and a reflection of the quality of people we have in our program,” said Laforest.

(Former assistant coach Josh Dixon)

“To be given the chance to move onto the top development league in the world is fantastic. You look at the WHL and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) overall and they’re developing players for the NHL, so I’m really happy for Josh. When he was here, he really set the bar high for people we were going to work with at MRU in the future. I think the Regina Pats did a great job in getting him on board and I know he’ll do great there.”

In addition to his work with the Cougars, Dixon also spent time with the Carleton University Ravens, University of Calgary Dinos and most recently the Okanagan Hockey Academy.

Assistant Coach Josh Dixon, "I would like to thank Chad Lang and Pat Conacher for this tremendous opportunity to coach with a storied franchise and in a great hockey city like Regina. I am honored to be a member of the Regina Pats and look forward to playing a role in creating a championship program on the ice and developing exemplary citizens in the community."

Congratulations and best of luck to Josh in new his role!

- With files from the Regina Pats