Regina Rebels coach suspended as team prepares for playoffs

With one game remaining in the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League regular season, longtime Regina Rebels head coach Mike Merk has been suspended indefinitely by Hockey Regina.

“A complaint has been put forward by an ITP (independent third party),” said Blair Watson, Hockey Regina's executive director.

“(Merk) has been suspended until an investigation has been completed by Hockey Canada. Those investigations can take anywhere from a few days to several months.”

According to the Rebels' website, Merk has been Regina's head coach since 2016-17. Three assistant coaches resigned after the team was informed about the suspension, Watson said.

Contacted Thursday by the Leader-post, Merk stated, “At this time, I don't have anything to say.”

Heading into Saturday's regular-season finale against the visiting Swift Current Wildcats, Regina was atop the seven-team SFAAAHL standings with a 25-31-0 record. The league's first-place team receives an opening-round bye in the playoffs and awaits the results from the three quarterfinals to determine its semifinal opponent.

Reigning league champions, the Rebels finished third last year at the Esso Cup national championship.

Kim Perepeluk, who played hockey for the University of Regina men's team from 1990-94, has been named the Rebels' interim head coach.

The Rebels website shows Perepeluk previously served as head coach from 2011-15, compiling a 77-26-4-5 record and winning a league championship in 2013.

After receiving an ITP complaint — which could come from anyone other than the players or someone directly involved with the team — Hockey Regina representatives are obligated to meet with the coach before determining a possible suspension. That happened last week, Watson said.

Complaints can initially be submitted to a hockey team's local, provincial or national governing branches. Ultimately it goes to Hockey Canada, which determines if further investigation is warranted and typically gives that responsibility to the provincial branch. Hockey Saskatchewan employs investigators to deal with the handful of similar issues that occur every season.

Watson would not provide any details about the complaint.