The Estevan Bruins knew one thing for sure when they hired Jason Tatarnic as their head coach and general manager ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.
He had already seen it all in the junior game.
A native of Niagara Falls, ONT, Tatarnic is now entering his 21st season coaching junior hockey, having spent years being a serial winner in the Maritime League with Woodstock (now Grand Falls), the British Columbia Hockey League with the Chilliwack Chiefs, Dryden in the Superior International Hockey League, and even a short stint as an assistant to the legendary Dean Brockman on the Humboldt Broncos in the early 2000s.
“I was always a student of the game (even before coaching),” he said.
“I was initially hired by the Toronto Police but decided to try coaching for a year and I haven’t stopped.”
Tatarnic, 51, is like several coaches in the league in that he also played in the SJHL. After spending time close to home with the Junior B St. Catherine’s Falcons, he completed his junior playing career with the Notre Dame Hounds between 1993 and 1995.
He went on to a university career at Brock University, also close to home, before a professional career that took him to England, the Netherlands, and the minor pro ranks in the United States.
It did not take him long to get into coaching soon after, as his family followed him around from spot to spot.
“My wife and three daughters have been very supportive,” he said.
“We’ve made stops in Ontario, the east coast, the west coast and now in Saskatchewan.”
The Covid pandemic ruined his first season, but he and the Bruins did not miss a beat the next year in 21-22. During that campaign, Tatarnic and his staff ensured that the club, which already had a ticket to the Centennial Cup as hosts did not rest on that fact and posted a 43-10-2-3 regular season record en route to a Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League championship.
Two competitive, veteran-laden seasons later, Tatarnic and the Bruins anticipate being slightly younger in 2024-25.
Yet his standards will remain high for one of the league’s most beloved clubs.
“We’re happy with our team right now,” he said.
“We’re a little younger than normal but bigger than we have ever been. Looking forward to working with our group this year.”
“The fans are very passionate about their team,” he continued.
“The Bruins are a historic franchise, and it is a true junior experience in Estevan for our players. They expect a hardworking team and will reward their players in attendance numbers for it. The biggest lesson I want my players to learn is the only thing you can control in hockey and life is your work ethic. It’s a matter of choice, and we want players that want to work hard every day in hockey. It’s an important element in hockey and life. You can’t accomplish anything in life without hard work.”
Given Tatarnic’s vast connections around the hockey world, it is fair to assume that his recruitment net to replace many departures will be large. And given the beauty of their home rink, Affinity Place, and the great community, his platform to bring in fresh, quality players is as strong as it has ever been.
Jason noted he plans to spend some time at the lake and to balance rest and recharge family time with his work to build the Bruins into the club he hopes it is for the 24-25 season.
“We want our players to strive for excellence as this will help them achieve their goals of playing at the next level,” he said.
“We’re here to assist them in achieving their goals and we promote all hockey paths that are available.”
