U of R Men’s Hockey program names new head coach

Trevor Keeper, fresh off a 3-peat as ACAC champions with Red Deer, named head coach of the University of Regina Cougars men's hockey team.

It’s a homecoming for new University of Regina Cougars men’s hockey coach Trevor Keeper. Born in Regina, raised in Yorkton, he’s fresh off a three-peat of ACAC championships with the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings and is set to take the helm of the Cougars program.

“It was attractive to me because of the history of the Cougars program, and the challenge of rebuilding it. There are some good players here and Saskatchewan is just a hotbed for hockey,” Keeper said in an interview with CTV Saskatchewan Morning Live.

“I remember the program when I was younger and its had such a good legacy and now I’m excited to put my stamp on it.”

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Keeper spent 12 seasons behind the bench with Red Deer and was named ACAC coach of the year in 2013 and 2017 finishing with a 186-99 record in the regular season.

“We were a team that is very fast, not just speed but in transition, and responsible defensively. The fun part of hockey is when you’re in control in the offensive zone. That’s what I’ll try to bring here.”

Keeper’s coaching career began as an assistant coach with the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns from 1992-94, helping the team win a CIAU National Championship.

Keeper then spent seven years as a minor hockey coach and in Japan with a Sapporo-based team.

“It’s a grind when you’re a university student. You’re committing six days a week to hockey,” he added. “You need to come to the rink and enjoy hockey and have some success.”

Keeper has already begun the recruiting process and meeting with current players and recruits ahead of the 2025-26 season.