Former Merrimack Forward Clayton Jardine Hired by WHL’s Red Deer Rebels

Clayton Jardine, a former Merrimack forward, is heading back home. The 34-year-old has been hired as an assistant coach by the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League (WHL).

Jardine played four seasons at Merrimack from 2011 to 2015 before beginning his coaching career with the Kindersley Klippers (SJHL) in 2015. Over the years, he served as head coach for both the Klippers and the Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL), and he returned to Kindersley in 2023 as the team’s general manager and head coach. He also spent one season behind the bench at New England College as an assistant.

In addition to his regular-season duties, Jardine represented Canada West as an assistant coach at the World Junior A Challenge in both 2019 and 2022.

A native of Lacombe, Alberta—just 30 minutes north of Red Deer—Jardine played his AAA hockey for the Red Deer Chiefs before moving on to junior and NCAA hockey.

“I’m excited to join the amazing organization I grew up watching throughout my childhood,” Jardine said in a team release. “It’s been 10 years of coaching day in and day out with the hope that one day I could join the Rebels.”

“I’m looking forward to working with Brent, Marc, and the rest of the staff—learning as much as I can and doing whatever I can to help this team succeed. My wife, Lindsay, and our daughters, Piper and Scottie, are all excited for the move!”