Brent Sutter, owner/president/general manager of the Red Deer Rebels Hockey Club, announced Wednesday the team has relieved Jesse Wallin of his role as head coach.

Wallin was in his fifth season as head coach, starting in that role in the 2008-09 season. Wallin was also an assistant coach from 2005-07 and associate coach in 2007-08.

He also played with the Rebels from 1994-98 before a six-year professional career.

Also announced on Wednesday is the appointment of Jeff Truitt as associate coach.

Officials say Truitt has a lengthy history coaching in the Western Hockey League and in the American Hockey League. He was an assistant coach with the Lethbridge Hurricanes from 1993-96 and then became head coach of the Camrose Kodiaks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League from 1997-2000.

Truitt joined the Kelowna Rockets as an assistant coach from 2000-03, was an associate coach with the Rockets in their Memorial Cup winning season of 2003-04, then the Rockets Head Coach from 2004-2007.

The Rockets won the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL Champions in 2003 and 2005.

Truitt was an assistant coach with Springfield in the American Hockey League in 2007-08 and then became the team’s Head Coach in 2008-09. He was an assistant coach with San Antonio of the AHL in 2010-11 and held the same role with Texas (AHL) in 2011-12.

Additionally, Truitt was the Moose Jaw Warriors Director of Hockey Operations in 2009-10.

Truitt has experience with Hockey Canada as well – in 2004 he was an assistant coach with the Canadian National Junior Team where they won a silver medal. Truitt was also an assistant coach with the Canadian National Under-18 Team at the 2007 World Under-18 Championship.

Sutter will be the interim head coach until a replacement can be found.

-Weber