A year to the day the Humboldt Broncos have found a replacement for Ryan Smith.

President Jamie Brockman has the announcement.

"We've successfully hired Darcy Haugan from Peace River, Alberta who has been the Head Coach and General Manager of the North Peace Navigators since 2003."

"He has amassed quite a recorded there, he did coach in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League for three years in Estevan as an assistant coach, we're really pumped about having Darcy join our team and our community."

He is a three time North West Junior Hockey League Coach of the Year  and recently won the Hockey Alberta Meritorious Award for contributions to hockey in Alberta. Over his 12 seasons with the Navigators he compiled a record of 400 wins, 137 losses and 19 overtime defeats in 718 games.

Brockman says this hire moved quick as their hockey school and camp is right around the corner.

"There wasn't a lot of time to get things done, we really had to focus in and make this happen."

Haugan applied for the vacant position last year and was short listed for the job before the Broncos made the choice to hire Smith who has left for the Western Hockey League's Swift Current Broncos.

"We really like him last year, as you mentioned we short listed him, he was part of our group we really liked," Brockman continued. "Just his commitment and his vision, his desire to want to be better everyday."

"Not only for him but for his players and his organization really hit home for us."

The Broncos expect Haugan to be in the city as early as Monday night.

Haugan will bring his wife, Christine to the community as well as sons Carson(10) and Jackson(7).

You can hear more form Brockman in his interview with Bolt FM's Clark Stork below.