Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Chiefs introduce complement of names to coaching staff

Press Release

The Chilliwack Chiefs proudly announced Monday the individuals who will join head coach and general manager Harvey Smyl on the team's coaching staff.

Doug Ast and Brandon Fleenor will be the team’s assistant coaches, Paul Nicolls will hold the role of strength and conditioning coach while Rob Bruni will assume the role of goaltender coach. With the move, General Manager and Head Coach Harvey Smyl has brought on four men who are all former Junior A Hockey players, 3 of which suited up for the Chilliwack Chiefs and all are current Chilliwack residents.

Ast is the only player in the history of the Chiefs to be the captain for two seasons (1992-1994). In the 1993-94 campaign, he recorded a whopping 130 points in 51 games that included 55 goals. Ast has 13 years of pro hockey playing experience including University, ECHL, AHL and internationally in Germany where his team recently retired his jersey number. Ast also attended the Vancouver Canucks training camp twice and played in the 2008 Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland.

“Doug has had a ton of on ice success and boasts strong leadership and communication skills," said Smyl. "He is very intelligent and enjoys teaching.”

“It is an honor and a privilege to be back with the Chiefs," said Ast. "Playing in Chilliwack was a huge part of my life and enabled me to move on to play professional hockey.”

Fleenor is regarded as one of the most popular players ever to don a Chiefs jersey. Fleenor spent three seasons in the BCHL, one with the Langley Thunder and two in Chilliwack that included the 1998-99 season where he played 56 games and amassed 44 points and 191 penalty minutes.

The Chiefs fan favorite, who is now also a certified financial planner, went on to play six years of pro hockey including a stint with the Motor City Maniacs of the UHL where he played with the likes of Chris Chelios, Kevin Hatcher and Sean Avery. Fleenor returned to his hometown of Chilliwack to coach Pee Wee AAA and Bantam AAA hockey for five years.

“I have so much respect for the Chiefs ownership group and to be able to coach with Harv will be unbelievable,” Fleenor said. ”Dougie, Robbie and Paul are great guys and I am really excited to have the opportunity to work with them.”

Nicolls returns to the Chiefs for his second tour of duty as a part of the coaching staff. He was an assistant for Smyl from 1998-2000 which included a trip to the Royal Bank Cup in Fort MacMurray where the Chiefs garnered a bronze medal. Nicolls also played for the Chiefs and was a teammate of Ast during the 91-92 season. Following his hockey playing career and his five years as a professional hockey linesman, Nicolls focused his attention on personal training. That passion led him to his current occupation as Owner/Operator of Xceed Training Centre in Chilliwack where he has been for five years.

“Paul’s playing and coaching experience provides him invaluable knowledge as a personal trainer, he understands what a player needs to do to play at this level," said Smyl of Nicolls, who graduated from the Institute of Integrated Nutrition in 2011.

Bruni will be entering year nine as the Chiefs goaltending coach. He began his Junior A playing days as a 16-year-old and went on to stop pucks for five seasons between Prince George, Abbotsford and Langley, being named an All Star twice.

He is excited to see the team back in his community.

“Having the Chiefs back in Chilliwack is amazing and being able to work with the coaching staff Harv has put together will be awesome.”

”Rob as been part of Junior A hockey for a long time and his experience will be a real benefit for our entire coaching staff,” said Smyl.

Bruni is currently the owner/operator of Bruni 5 Enterprises which is a flooring contractor in Chilliwack.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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