Former Melfort Mustang Tristan Frei - middle right is the new assistant general manager for the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (Regina Pats/Facebook)

By Ben Tompkins

Tristan Frei

Former Mustang promoted to Regina Pats Assistant GM

Jun 25, 2025 | 10:24 AM

A member of the Melfort Mustangs ‘minion line’ is now a high-up member of a Western Hockey League’s front office staff.

Tristan Frei has spent the past two seasons as the Regina Pats Manager of Hockey Operations, and on Tuesday, was promoted to the team’s new assistant general manager.

“I’m very honoured and grateful for the opportunity. I’m from Regina, so I’ve grown up watching the Pats my whole life and went to a lot of games as a young kid. Now being able to help assist in managing the team is a dream come true,” Frei told northeastNOW.

“When I was a player, I don’t think I exactly envisioned this as my plan, but my involvement and passion for the game just made me know that I didn’t want to work anywhere outside of hockey. I get to come to the rink every day for a job, so I always feel like I’m the luckiest guy in Regina whenever I’m driving to work. I’m very honoured to have my role and I hope that I can continue to work in the hockey world for a long time.”

Frei began his playing career right at home, playing three seasons for the U18 AAA Pat Canadians, serving as their captain in the 2012/13 campaign. He then played three years in Melfort, also wearing the ‘C’ in his final year (2015/16), winning back-to-back league championships.

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(Submitted file photo/Tristan Frei)

The now 29-year-old proceeded to play for his hometown University of Regina Cougars for four years (his fifth season in 2020/21 was cancelled due to Covid), donning the captaincy for his last two seasons.

His playing career concluded in England, as he spent two years with the Guildford Flames in the country’s Elite Ice Hockey League, for the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons.

“Being able to ride my playing experiences when I was younger, I’m only 10 years removed from playing junior hockey, so I’m not too far away of what these guys are going through. The game has changed in terms of landscape and opportunities and different paths that players have, but I believe the WHL is the best development league in junior hockey,” Frei added.

“I tell our players this all the time, that when you’re done playing, there could be a role for everybody in hockey. It doesn’t just mean managing or coaching, it could be scouting, it could be skill development, it could be being an agent, and it could even be being a news reporter within a team. Just because you’re done playing doesn’t mean that the game isn’t involved in your life, so I think that’s a big thing that I try to preach.”

So while Frei’s playing days are over, that just means his front office days have just begun.

He has high hopes for this Pats squad and also for himself, as he continues to move up the ladder in his new hockey career.

And although he may not have realized it in the moment, back when he was playing alongside Travis Mayan and Justin Boyer, and being coached by Trevor Blevins, he knows now that that was the beginning of what led him to today.

“I’m gonna continue to work hard and my first goal is to bring a championship back to Regina. I remember in 2017/18 when they were a really competitive team and seeing the building excited and seeing the buzz of the community, just being out and about when they were a really good team. I want to bring that excitement back with our staff,” concluded Frei.

“My time in Melfort was unbelievable and it shaped who I am today. Trevor was a big influence in my life and still is, and I was able to come up and watch you guys host that cup. Seeing him be around the players and the relationship he has, he cares for them and they want to play for him. I was in that spot 10 years ago, so it’s very cool to see that other players are able to experience how good he is, as well as the impact that community is going to have on you for the rest of his life.”

With Frei’s promotion to assistant general manager, that’ll mean working much closer with new general manager Dale Derkatch on signings, trades, scouting, and managing day-to-day operations.

That’ll also mean spending a little less time with the current team and going on the road more to work with prospects and their families, and scouting for and assisting with the all the drafts.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On X @BenTompkins_8