Brandin Cote’s Rise to The Top in Canada West

by Michael P. J. Kennedy, Ph.D.

In April 2021, recently named Huskies’ head coach Mike Babcock and the Huskie Men’s Hockey Hiring Committee announced the appointment of Brandin Cote as associate coach for the team. The then forty-year-old former assistant coach in the WHL with Swift Current Broncos (2018-21) and Prince Albert Raiders (2016-17), also had coaching experience as an associate coach  at Red Deer College (2017-18). Although he was new to the Huskie programme, the Swift Current native had major junior playing experience with Spokane Chiefs (1996-2002) where he played in 352 games notching 101 goals and earning 255 points. He was named captain (2000-2002), won the Canada-wide CHL Humanitarian of the Year Award (2002), and performed under the tutelage of head coach Mike Babcock, who was head man from 1996-2000.

Having played in all or part of four seasons as a centre in the American Hockey League and over four more seasons in the ECHL and Europe, he concluded his playing years (2009-2012) with Bentley Generals of the senior Chinook Hockey League in Alberta under coach Brian Sutter. Brandin subsequently coached Bentley to an Allan Cup national championship in 2013.

Cote’s ties to the Canadian university scene were made as he earned his University of Alberta collaborative Education degree at Red Deer College.  Yet when it came to coaching, he returned to his home province and ultimately to the associate coaching post with the Dogs. “I am a Saskatchewan guy through and through,” he has said: “[and] the chance to coach student-athletes in my home province is one I leapt at.” He went on to say in 2021 how pleased he was “…to have the opportunity to join an institution as prestigious as the University of Saskatchewan.”

After his one-year stint as associate coach under Mike Babcock, Cote brought his extensive major junior, college, international, and professional experience as a player and coach behind the bench to take on the mantle of head man for the Huskies. In his first season, the team fought for a fifth-place finish with a respectful 14-10-4 won-lost-overtime/shootout lost ledger. In the first round of Canada West playoffs, Huskies defeated Mount Royal two games to one before falling to University of Calgary in three games. Of note, Cote’s charges won the initial contest against a Calgary team that had won 23 straight games before meeting Huskies in the playoffs. 

The following season (2023-24) saw his recruitment of no fewer than eleven new            players, planning, and practices payoff in regular season performance with an improved 20-6-1-1 record. At Canada West playoffs, the Green and White were eliminated in the first round by University of Alberta. However, the 2024-25 season saw the University of Saskatchewan men’s contingent claim first place in the East Division posting a stellar 23-5-0-0 mark in regular season competition before upending University of British Columbia two games to one and then repeating the process against a solid Mount Royal team in the same way, two games to one. Brandin Cote was named Canada West Coach of the Year.

As Canada West champions, Coach Cote had shown his ability to deftly call upon his

assistant coaches (Jon Barkman, Dave Chartier, Derek Hulak, Jeff Bosch, and video co-ordinator Will Kushniryk) to develop a winning team capable of holding its own against any U Sports hockey club. Indeed, at University Cup championships, the 2024-25 team beat Queen’s University in the first game of the quarter finals before falling to Concordia in the semi-finals. However, the Saskatoon squad under Brandin Cote’s leadership fashioned a solid 4-1 win over Toronto Metropolitan University  to take home the bronze medal as third best university team in Canada.

Although the team had lost several members of last year’s team to graduation

or professional hockey, the now four-year bench boss guided the team to a 19-7-1-1 record in Canada West regular season. In the playoffs, the team steamrolled 6-0 through Alberta Golden Bears at Merlis Belsher Place, University of British Columbia Thunderbirds and Mount Royal Cougars on the road to capture their second Canada West championship in a row. The Dogs became the first team in Canada West history to go 6-0 in playoff action on their way to a championship.

Largely on the basis of these playoffs, Huskies were seeded number one in the country

at University Cup U Sports national championships in Halifax. Unhappily, Huskies’ comeback from a 3-0 deficit in that first game of the quarter finals against St. Mary’s University ended in a 4-3 loss in overtime. Nevertheless, the Cote-coached contingent has to view the season as a productive one, setting the stage of brighter days in the future.

Successful coaching at the U Sports level requires many talents---all of which Brandin Code has demonstrated to a high degree. He has scouted and recruited players who will not just fit in, but thrive among the veterans already assembled. Planning games and practices effectively with his assistant coaches and then overseeing the application of that planning during a myriad of in-game situations, are all part of a successful coaching regime. Motivation of the student-athletes on and off the ice to be successful is another key to the coach’s success. Knowing his players strengths and areas needing improvement and then selecting the best lineup for each contest is paramount to a winning team as is the constant  in-game strategy and reaction which results in team victories and individual player success. Here, Cote has continued to demonstrate his knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Brandin Cote Huskie Men’s Hockey Canada West Head Coaching Record

Season	W	L	OT L	SO L	Pos.	CW Playoffs	UCup
'25 - 26 CW Champs	19	7	1	1	2nd East Div	6-0	0-1
'24 - '25 CW Champs	23	5	0	0	1st East Div	4-2	2-1 Bronze
'23 - '24	20	6	1	1	4th in Conf.	1-2	--
'22 - '23	14	10	4	0	5th in Conf.	3-3	--
112 Games	76 0.679%	28	6	2		14-7	2-2

Sources Consulted

“Brandin Cote.” Eliteprospects.com (9 March 2026). N.p.

Gabler, Elliot. 2026 Media Guide Postseason Edition 2026 University Cup. Saskatoon: Huskie           Athletics, University of Saskatchewan, 2026.

Gabler, Elliot. “Huskie Men’s Hockey”. Huskie Athletics Home Page.(2025-26 Season Postings).        N.p.

Kennedy, Michael P. J. Dogs on Ice: A History of Hockey at University of Saskatchewan. [On Line     Supplement 2015-2025]. “Huskie Men’s Hockey.” Huskie Athletics Home Page (9 March        2026).  N.p.] Regina: Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, 2015.

“Raiders Hire Brandin Cote as Assistant Coach.” Battle of the Rinks: Official Website of Prince        Albert Raiders chl.ca/whl-raiders. (10 August 2016); N.p.