The Saskatoon Blades announced the hiring of Ryan Marsh, 43, as the Western Hockey League (WHL) team’s new assistant coach on Monday.
He spent the past four seasons with the Edmonton Oil Kings. The team finished last in the WHL during their 2017-18 campaign with 52 points.
The Oil Kings announced on May 28 that the assistant coach would not be returning next season.
Marsh hails from the same hometown as new Blades’ head coach Mitch Love. Both men from Quesnel, B.C., also coached Team Canada Red as assistants at the 2016 World U17 Hockey Challenge.
“I know what kind of worker he is and we wanted a guy that was going to put the time in and invest that into our players,” Love said in a press release.
“In all my research from former players that (Marsh) had coached in Edmonton, everyone had nothing but good things to say about (him) as a person and a hockey person.”
Marsh also brings experience as a WHL defenseman from 1992-95 with the Tri-City Americans. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education while playing for the University of Alberta Golden Bears.
Marsh will join Blades’ assistant coaches Ryan Keller and Jerome Engele.
The Blades have not made the WHL playoffs since the 2012-13 season.
Saskatoon begins pre-season action on Aug. 30 against the Raiders in Prince Albert, Sask.
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