YOU can call it a promotion of sorts for Trevor Letowski.
One year into his coaching career the Thunder Bay native will boast a new title as he enters his second campaign with the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League.
Following his retirement as a player, Letowski was hired as an assistant coach by the Sting prior to the start of this past season.
There he rejoined the OHL club he played for in his junior hockey days, before moving on to a 13-year stint in the professional ranks, including nine seasons in the NHL.
Following a coaching change with 20 games remaining he served as Sarnia’s interim coach for the remainder of the year.
With the Sting naming Jacques Beaulieu their new head coach and general manager this past week the 33-year-old Letowski saw his status elevated as he was promoted to associate coach heading into the 2011-12 OHL campaign.
NEW TEAM: An eighth season in the DEL, the top professional league in Germany, will see Thunder Bay’s Paul Traynor skating for a new organization.
It was announced last week that the 33-year-old defenceman has signed on to play for the Nuremberg Ice Tigers next season.
Traynor, a former Thunder Bay Kings teammate of Trevor Letowski, had spent the past two years playing for Wolfsburg in the DEL.
He will be embarking on his 15th season in the pro ranks including spending the last seven years playing in Germany.
In 785 overall career games in Germany and North America the veteran blueliner has recorded 224 points including 47 goals. He has also amassed 960 minutes in penalties.
MANITOBA BOUND: After wrapping up junior career as captain of the North American Hockey League’s Topeka Roadrunners Jordan Davis has opted to play in the CIS committing to attend the University of Manitoba in the fall where he is expected to play for the Bisons.
In 66 combined regular and playoff contests with Topeka the Devlin product amassed 62 points on 22 goals and 40 assists along with a plus-23 rating.
He’ll be joining a Manitoba team that finished fourth in the seven-school Canada West standings.
MJHL MOVE: With the 2010-11 Jr. A hockey season having drawn to a close, member clubs are already gearing for the next go around.
A move in the Manitoba Jr. Hockey League last week saw Thunder Bay native Matt Kaarela’s Hockey Canada playing rights shipped to the Neepawa Natives by the Selkirk Steelers in a move that finalized the future considerations related to a deal the two sides had made earlier in the year.
Kaarela registered 23 points in 55 games in his rookie season of junior hockey with Selkirk.