nivek_wahs
06-02-2007, 02:29 PM
http://www.medicinehatnews.com/article_5913.php
Willie and Keets two of the best
By DARREN STEINKE
May 30, 2007, 22:56
VANCOUVER — In the aftermath of the Medicine Hat Tigers’ 3-1 loss to the Vancouver Giants in the Memorial Cup final Sunday at the Pacific Coliseum, it is tough to figure out where the 2006-07 version of the Tigers ranks among the other clubs in team history.
The teams that won the 1987 and 1988 Memorial Cups would be one and two in some order on that list. This team might rank third, just because they didn’t get major junior hockey’s biggest prize.
There is no doubt two members of this team rank among the greatest in team history. One is head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins and the other is local product and goaltender Matt Keetley.
While he may not have a Memorial Cup win under his belt like Bryan Maxwell or Barry Melrose, Desjardins has had longer sustained success than both of those men, who were around for a season each. He has to be considered the best head coach in team history.
In five seasons, Desjardins has compiled a 213-108-39 regular season record as Tigers head coach with the last column including ties, overtime losses and shootout losses. He also has two WHL titles to his credit, which is something no other Tigers bench boss has done.
He also needs only 15 wins to equal Jack Shupe’s regular season mark for coaching victories.
Statistics only tell part of the story. Desjardins has brought a fresh approach to the team’s coaching history. He treats players with respect and they play hard for him.
In the playoffs, he has matched wits with both the legendary head coach/owner/general manager of the Red Deer Rebels Brent Sutter and the great Don Hay, who as Giants head coach captured his fourth Memorial Cup ring Sunday.
Desjardins’s teams have won three of four playoff series with the Rebels and a tough seven-game WHL championship series with the Giants. If the Tigers had a couple of breaks in Sunday’s final, Desjardins would have gained that Memorial Cup ring.
“He was the best coach I have ever had,” said Keetley. “He shows a lot of emotion for the game.
“You can see it on the bench. He is skating with us (the bench boss’s characteristic twitching). He is a player. He would give anything to play out there. I think it really helps us get motivated.”
Desjardins also helped develop what was viewed as the most lazy practice goaltender in Medicine Hat into a man that has a contract with the NHL’s Calgary Flames. Keetley will tell you that line is the exact truth.
The local netminder has to be given credit in taking the ball and running with it. He holds the Tigers regular season career records for wins (105), lowest goals against average (2.05), highest save percentage (.918) and most shutouts (18).
Without him, the Tigers do not win the 2007 WHL title, where Keetley was named playoff MVP. In the Memorial Cup final, he was heroic. If you put him in place of Mark Fitzpatrick in 1987 and 1988, the Tigers still win those Memorial Cups. The fact that Fitzpatrick has two Memorial Cup rings may put him ahead of Keetley on the all time list.
“You can’t get any better than Keetley,” said Tigers captain Kris Russell. “He is a hometown kid, who puts it out every night. I am proud to be his teammate.”
In Tigers history, you can’t get any better than Desjardins or Keetley.
© Copyright by Medicine Hat News.com
Willie and Keets two of the best
By DARREN STEINKE
May 30, 2007, 22:56
VANCOUVER — In the aftermath of the Medicine Hat Tigers’ 3-1 loss to the Vancouver Giants in the Memorial Cup final Sunday at the Pacific Coliseum, it is tough to figure out where the 2006-07 version of the Tigers ranks among the other clubs in team history.
The teams that won the 1987 and 1988 Memorial Cups would be one and two in some order on that list. This team might rank third, just because they didn’t get major junior hockey’s biggest prize.
There is no doubt two members of this team rank among the greatest in team history. One is head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins and the other is local product and goaltender Matt Keetley.
While he may not have a Memorial Cup win under his belt like Bryan Maxwell or Barry Melrose, Desjardins has had longer sustained success than both of those men, who were around for a season each. He has to be considered the best head coach in team history.
In five seasons, Desjardins has compiled a 213-108-39 regular season record as Tigers head coach with the last column including ties, overtime losses and shootout losses. He also has two WHL titles to his credit, which is something no other Tigers bench boss has done.
He also needs only 15 wins to equal Jack Shupe’s regular season mark for coaching victories.
Statistics only tell part of the story. Desjardins has brought a fresh approach to the team’s coaching history. He treats players with respect and they play hard for him.
In the playoffs, he has matched wits with both the legendary head coach/owner/general manager of the Red Deer Rebels Brent Sutter and the great Don Hay, who as Giants head coach captured his fourth Memorial Cup ring Sunday.
Desjardins’s teams have won three of four playoff series with the Rebels and a tough seven-game WHL championship series with the Giants. If the Tigers had a couple of breaks in Sunday’s final, Desjardins would have gained that Memorial Cup ring.
“He was the best coach I have ever had,” said Keetley. “He shows a lot of emotion for the game.
“You can see it on the bench. He is skating with us (the bench boss’s characteristic twitching). He is a player. He would give anything to play out there. I think it really helps us get motivated.”
Desjardins also helped develop what was viewed as the most lazy practice goaltender in Medicine Hat into a man that has a contract with the NHL’s Calgary Flames. Keetley will tell you that line is the exact truth.
The local netminder has to be given credit in taking the ball and running with it. He holds the Tigers regular season career records for wins (105), lowest goals against average (2.05), highest save percentage (.918) and most shutouts (18).
Without him, the Tigers do not win the 2007 WHL title, where Keetley was named playoff MVP. In the Memorial Cup final, he was heroic. If you put him in place of Mark Fitzpatrick in 1987 and 1988, the Tigers still win those Memorial Cups. The fact that Fitzpatrick has two Memorial Cup rings may put him ahead of Keetley on the all time list.
“You can’t get any better than Keetley,” said Tigers captain Kris Russell. “He is a hometown kid, who puts it out every night. I am proud to be his teammate.”
In Tigers history, you can’t get any better than Desjardins or Keetley.
© Copyright by Medicine Hat News.com