Nanaimo, BC – November 2nd, 2023 – The Nanaimo Clippers organization has accepted the resignation of Curtis Toneff, Assistant Coach and Interim Head Coach, effective October 31, 2023. Toneff was involved in a non-physical incident with an opposing player after the team's game last weekend against Chilliwack. His actions violated the BCHL Coaches and Nanaimo Clippers' codes of conduct. Toneff was hired this past summer by the Clippers after working as Head Coach and General Manager of the Merritt Centennials for 2 years.
Brad Kwong, Managing Partner of Northern Lights Hockey Canada, LLC, the owners of the Clippers, stated "We have accepted Curtis' resignation, which we believe is in the best interest of the team and organization. Unfortunately, Curtis made a mistake which he sincerely regrets. We are confident he will learn from the experience. Curtis is a fine young coach who has performed admirably for the Clippers in a challenging situation. We believe he is a good person with a bright future in coaching. We wish him well in his future endeavours.”
With Toneff’s departure, veteran coach, Bob Beatty has returned to the Clippers bench as Interim Head Coach while the organization awaits a decision on Colin Birkas’ status. The Clippers organization is also taking immediate steps to bolster the hockey staff to enhance the continued development of the team and its players.
