Another member of the Swift Current Broncos coaching staff from their 2018 WHL Championship has announced their departure.
Head coach and director of player personnel Manny Viveiros was the first to leave the southwest Sask club, after getting hired as an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers.
The latest is - now former - associate coach Ryan Smith.
Sources have confirmed that Smith is the latest piece of the Ed Chynoweth Cup-winning Broncos organization to step down from their former role.
Smith spent three seasons as an associate coach with the Broncos, arriving in the southwest after a one-year gig as head coach and general manager of the Humboldt Broncos. His first season with Swift Current was spent under then-head coach Mark Lamb, before the final two seasons under the leadership of Viveiros.
"I want to thank the Swift Current Broncos organization for the past 3 years. Mark gave me an opportunity to get into the league and learn the ropes and Manny kept me on board and allowed me to grow," said Smith. "I enjoyed living and working in Swift Current. Great people and great town! I wish the Broncos all the best in the future and all the players that I have had the privilege to coach all the best in their careers. For me it’s time to move on to a new opportunity."
Head scout and director of hockey operations Jamie Porter, and veteran scout Brian Leavold are among other members of the Broncos player personnel staff to have moved on.
After close to 19 seasons with the Swift Current Broncos I as have many others from the staff have decided to persue other options in the hockey world thanks for the opportunity and you don’t always get to leave on your own terms as a league champion
— Brian Leavold (@SrLeo) July 12, 2018
The lone coach still on the team from the 2017-18 season is Jamie Heward, the assistant coach and director of player development.