RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Rapid City Rush, an ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, announced Tuesday that the club has elected not to renew Head Coach & General Manager Scott Burt’s contract.
Burt, 48, is in his fourth season with Rapid City. The Rush hired ‘Burtie’ on July 7, 2021 as the fourth Head Coach in team history. On June 21, 2022, Burt received the General Manager title and has held it ever since. He compiled a record of 130-129-29. Rapid City qualified for the 2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs under his direction.
But this past season, Burt was forced to take a medical leave of absence for three months as he received treatment for a brain tumor. Encouraged by the Rush’s medical staff and his wife, Audrey, underwent medical testing in early December. That is when he first learned of his brain tumor, leading to his decision to temporarily step away. Before making it to the Mayo Clinic, Burt had emergency brain surgery to remove part of the tumor on December 6th in Rapid City.
“We would like to thank Coach Burt for his dedication to the Rush organization,” said Rush President Jared Reid. “We appreciate all his hard work over the last four seasons and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
The search for the franchise’s fifth head coach begins immediately.
