nivek_wahs
04-17-2007, 02:29 AM
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=2e3a03c9-9fea-4a6f-812f-7aecddfd6cee
Pats' future appears bright
Rob Vanstone, The Leader-Post
Published: Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Welcome to the annual Leader-Postmortem.
Yet again, it is time to dissect the Regina Pats in the aftermath of their inglorious exit from the WHL playoffs.
The latest storyline has a different twist. For the first time since 1998, the Pats are coming off a season in which they won a playoff series. However, that long-awaited ascent to the second round was followed by a sweep, engineered by the formidable Medicine Hat Tigers.
So how does one appraise the latest edition of the Pats? The protracted postseason drought is over -- but so is their season.
Neither series was surprising. The favoured Pats defeated the Swift Current Broncos before living up to the underdog's label against Medicine Hat.
Ultimately, the results of both series will prove to be beneficial.
A first-round victory against the Swift Current Broncos gave the Pats a taste of what it is like to win in the spring. The subsequent collision with Medicine Hat showed the comparatively inexperienced Pats what is required of a championship-calibre team.
Forget about the X's and O's. Pats head coach Curtis Hunt doesn't need to theorize when trying to explain what constitutes an elite team. All he has to do is show the players video of the Medicine Hat series or remind them of how it felt to be swept out of the playoffs, with the final game on home ice.
If that gut-wrenching feeling resonates with the Pats' players -- most of whom will return -- the series against Medicine Hat will prove to be constructive, despite the short-term angst.
The Tigers demonstrated the importance of experience, speed and tenacity.
For much of the Eastern Conference semifinal, the Tigers' speed made life uncomfortable for the Pats. At times, the Pats were able to slow down the Tigers, but not with enough frequency to make a difference in the series.
The Tigers' speed, combined with determination, made it difficult for the Pats to get the puck out of their end. That was especially true during Games 1 and 2 in Medicine Hat.
With that in mind, virtually every future player move should be made with speed in mind. The Pats are hardly disciples of the world-renowned Brad Marsh Power Skating Academy, but an extra gear would be beneficial.
The importance of seasoning was also underlined over the past four games.
"You win in this league with your 19- and 20-year-olds,'' Pats general manager Brent Parker said. "We don't have as many of them and, based on that, their talent level and the depth that they had in that area was greater than what ours was.
"If you look at the 18-year-olds and down, I think we were a stronger team, but you win at this time of year with your 19- and 20-year-olds. They just had more of them, and top-end players. I thought our older guys played hard. I have no issues with how they played at all. But when you have 12, as compared to us having six in the lineup ...''
You know the rest.
The Pats and Tigers are at different developmental stages. Many of the 2006-07 Pats' key players were 16, 17 or 18. That description applies to defencemen Logan Pyett (18), Craig Schira (18), Nick Ross (17) and Colten Teubert (16), goal-scoring leader Jordan Eberle (16) and goaltender Linden Rowat (17).
Medicine Hat countered with two players who boast world junior experience -- defenceman Kris Russell and left-winger Darren Helm.
Teubert and Eberle, and possibly others, will eventually boast similar credentials. In the meantime, patience is advised. (This is a recording.)
Admittedly, that refrain does become rather tiresome. In 12 full seasons under the ownership of Calgary-based Russ Parker -- Brent's father -- the Pats have advanced to the second round on only three occasions.
In 1996 and 1998, a nucleus inherited from the previous ownership group (Bill Hicke, Ted Knight and Morley Gusway) and their learned head scout (Graham Tuer) played a significant role in the Pats' postseason prosperity. Until this year, a team assembled entirely by Parker & Co. had yet to win a series.
There should be greater conquests in the seasons to come -- and, conceivably, a postmortem in May.
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007
Pats' future appears bright
Rob Vanstone, The Leader-Post
Published: Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Welcome to the annual Leader-Postmortem.
Yet again, it is time to dissect the Regina Pats in the aftermath of their inglorious exit from the WHL playoffs.
The latest storyline has a different twist. For the first time since 1998, the Pats are coming off a season in which they won a playoff series. However, that long-awaited ascent to the second round was followed by a sweep, engineered by the formidable Medicine Hat Tigers.
So how does one appraise the latest edition of the Pats? The protracted postseason drought is over -- but so is their season.
Neither series was surprising. The favoured Pats defeated the Swift Current Broncos before living up to the underdog's label against Medicine Hat.
Ultimately, the results of both series will prove to be beneficial.
A first-round victory against the Swift Current Broncos gave the Pats a taste of what it is like to win in the spring. The subsequent collision with Medicine Hat showed the comparatively inexperienced Pats what is required of a championship-calibre team.
Forget about the X's and O's. Pats head coach Curtis Hunt doesn't need to theorize when trying to explain what constitutes an elite team. All he has to do is show the players video of the Medicine Hat series or remind them of how it felt to be swept out of the playoffs, with the final game on home ice.
If that gut-wrenching feeling resonates with the Pats' players -- most of whom will return -- the series against Medicine Hat will prove to be constructive, despite the short-term angst.
The Tigers demonstrated the importance of experience, speed and tenacity.
For much of the Eastern Conference semifinal, the Tigers' speed made life uncomfortable for the Pats. At times, the Pats were able to slow down the Tigers, but not with enough frequency to make a difference in the series.
The Tigers' speed, combined with determination, made it difficult for the Pats to get the puck out of their end. That was especially true during Games 1 and 2 in Medicine Hat.
With that in mind, virtually every future player move should be made with speed in mind. The Pats are hardly disciples of the world-renowned Brad Marsh Power Skating Academy, but an extra gear would be beneficial.
The importance of seasoning was also underlined over the past four games.
"You win in this league with your 19- and 20-year-olds,'' Pats general manager Brent Parker said. "We don't have as many of them and, based on that, their talent level and the depth that they had in that area was greater than what ours was.
"If you look at the 18-year-olds and down, I think we were a stronger team, but you win at this time of year with your 19- and 20-year-olds. They just had more of them, and top-end players. I thought our older guys played hard. I have no issues with how they played at all. But when you have 12, as compared to us having six in the lineup ...''
You know the rest.
The Pats and Tigers are at different developmental stages. Many of the 2006-07 Pats' key players were 16, 17 or 18. That description applies to defencemen Logan Pyett (18), Craig Schira (18), Nick Ross (17) and Colten Teubert (16), goal-scoring leader Jordan Eberle (16) and goaltender Linden Rowat (17).
Medicine Hat countered with two players who boast world junior experience -- defenceman Kris Russell and left-winger Darren Helm.
Teubert and Eberle, and possibly others, will eventually boast similar credentials. In the meantime, patience is advised. (This is a recording.)
Admittedly, that refrain does become rather tiresome. In 12 full seasons under the ownership of Calgary-based Russ Parker -- Brent's father -- the Pats have advanced to the second round on only three occasions.
In 1996 and 1998, a nucleus inherited from the previous ownership group (Bill Hicke, Ted Knight and Morley Gusway) and their learned head scout (Graham Tuer) played a significant role in the Pats' postseason prosperity. Until this year, a team assembled entirely by Parker & Co. had yet to win a series.
There should be greater conquests in the seasons to come -- and, conceivably, a postmortem in May.
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007