ROYALS NAME HARRIS & ARMSTONG ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGERS
Victoria’s Jeff Harris and Grant Armstrong promoted to assistant general
manager roles.
For Immediate Release
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Victoria, BC – The Victoria
Royals are proud to announce that Jeff Harris and Grant Armstrong will each
assume assistant general manager roles with the club, effective immediately.
Harris will take on the role of Assistant General Manager,
Hockey Operations and Communications after spending the past three seasons as
the Royals’ Director of Hockey Operations and Communications.
“Jeff’s
front office experience, in both the professional and junior ranks, is
extensive,” Royals’ General Manager Cameron Hope said. “He has been an
extremely important part of the growth of this franchise in Victoria, and with
this promotion his role continues to expand.”
Prior to joining the Royals in the club’s inaugural
season, the Calgary, AB native worked four seasons with the Victoria Salmon
Kings of the ECHL as the team’s Assistant General Manager and Director of Media
and Community Relations. Harris also served as the play-by-play voice of the
Salmon Kings and represented the club at the 2011 ECHL All Star Game. The ECHL
also recognized Harris as the Media Relations Director of the Year for the
2007-08 season. Harris began his career in hockey during the 2006-07 season
with the Calgary Hitmen where he served as the team’s Assistant Communications
Coordinator.
Harris has considerable experience in professional
sports and also spent time with the Calgary 88’s of the World Basketball League
and the Pacific Coast League’s Vancouver Canadians. Harris earned a Bachelor’s
Degree in Applied Communications from Mount Royal College in Calgary.
Armstrong, a native of North Vancouver, B.C., will
assume the role of Assistant General Manager, Player Personnel after spending
the previous two seasons as the Director of Player Personnel for the
Royals.
"Grant
has done a great job with our scouting group, identifying talent and overseeing
the development of our young prospects," Hope said. "Our
organizational philosophy is to build from within, and Grant’s keen eye for
talent is already paying dividends.”
The 52-year-old joined the Royals in 2012 after
spending four seasons as Head Scout for the Portland Winterhawks. Working under
former Head Coach and General Manager Mike Johnston since 2008, Armstrong
played an integral role in each of Portland’s WHL Bantam Drafts, Canadian
Hockey League (CHL) Import Drafts and player signings during his tenure while
also coordinating the club’s scouting department. During Armstrong’s time as
Head Scout, the Winterhawks captured a U.S. Division title in 2010-11 and reached
the WHL Final in back-to-back seasons.
Armstrong has been heavily involved in British
Columbia hockey for much of his life. During the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons,
Armstrong held the Head Coach position with the North Delta Devils Junior B
team in the Pacific International Junior Hockey League. At the same time,
Armstrong served as North Vancouver Minor Hockey Association’s Director of
Hockey Operations. Since 1995, Armstrong has also been involved with the North
Delta Minor Hockey Association as both a coach and development coordinator,
earning the Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association’s Coaching Development
Award in 2003 for his accomplishments within the association.
2014-15 season tickets starting from $414 and
mini-packs from $49 are on sale now! Call 250-220-7889, visit www.selectyourtickets.com, or head
down to the Victoria Royals ticketing office at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre
to pick up your seats and guarantee your spot at the September 26th
home opener
-30-
For further
information contact:
Corey St.
Laurent
Manager of
Communications and Hockey Operations Coordinator
Victoria
Royals Hockey Club
250-220-2613