nivek_wahs
10-05-2007, 09:06 AM
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=ab898e50-611f-49b0-9454-3c3ad1a016c3
Pats hoping to land 20-year-old player
Greg Harder, Leader-Post
Published: Friday, October 05, 2007
The Regina Pats have been tough on 20-year-olds this season.
"I'm starting to wonder if we're not meant to have more than one," joked GM Brent Parker. "Poor Tim Kraus. He's probably thinking, 'Holy (smokes), I'm next!' "
Kraus, acquired last week from the Vancouver Giants, is currently the lone healthy 20-year-old on the Pats' roster -- knock on wood. Left-winger Troy Ofukany is gone for about a month after suffering a knee injury on Friday night. Right-winger Kaspars Saulietis suffered a separated shoulder on his first shift of the season and would have been out until the New Year, but he's no longer in the team's plans.
Since Regina's other 20-year-old, enforcer Myles Stoesz, is expected to remain in the Atlanta Thrashers' system, Parker is looking at adding another veteran to his lineup.
The league's deadline for declaring three 20-year-olds is Thursday.
"We're certainly watching to see what the availability is for guys and we've had some conversations with some teams to see what may or may not be available to us," said the GM. "If we can add a guy at the right price and the right time, then we'll do it. If not, we'll leave it alone and run with our group here for a while and then maybe it's a case where you fill that spot at the (trade) deadline."
Either way, Parker is keeping all of his options open.
"Maybe you don't fill it," he added. "As much as you'd like to have the full complement, that '87 age group isn't a super strong group around the league. If you've got an 18-year-old or 19-year-old who's accomplishing the same things, then you may make the decision to run with them. We'll watch it and see. You're always interested in improving your team, it just has to be the right situation, the right fit."
There has been a flurry of movement in recent days as teams look to add or subtract 20-year-olds in anticipation of the deadline. Among the clubs with an excess of overagers are the Kootenay Ice, Brandon Wheat Kings, Saskatoon Blades, Prince Albert Raiders, Kelowna Rockets and Everett Silvertips.
Saskatoon gave its struggling offence a boost Thursday by adding import Ondrej Fiala from Everett for a third-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft.
Parker, meanwhile, is mindful of the price GMs are asking for their spare 20-year-olds, who will have to be released without compensation if they don't find a new home by the deadline.
"You're always willing to pay a fair price," added Parker.
"What you have to evaluate is . . . what is that fair price? We don't deem it to be reasonable to give up a good young player who might be a three-year player in the league for a guy who's going to be a five-month player in the league. You have to weigh that out to see what makes sense. But to say we wouldn't give up somebody to get a top-end guy, I don't think that's completely accurate."
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007
Pats hoping to land 20-year-old player
Greg Harder, Leader-Post
Published: Friday, October 05, 2007
The Regina Pats have been tough on 20-year-olds this season.
"I'm starting to wonder if we're not meant to have more than one," joked GM Brent Parker. "Poor Tim Kraus. He's probably thinking, 'Holy (smokes), I'm next!' "
Kraus, acquired last week from the Vancouver Giants, is currently the lone healthy 20-year-old on the Pats' roster -- knock on wood. Left-winger Troy Ofukany is gone for about a month after suffering a knee injury on Friday night. Right-winger Kaspars Saulietis suffered a separated shoulder on his first shift of the season and would have been out until the New Year, but he's no longer in the team's plans.
Since Regina's other 20-year-old, enforcer Myles Stoesz, is expected to remain in the Atlanta Thrashers' system, Parker is looking at adding another veteran to his lineup.
The league's deadline for declaring three 20-year-olds is Thursday.
"We're certainly watching to see what the availability is for guys and we've had some conversations with some teams to see what may or may not be available to us," said the GM. "If we can add a guy at the right price and the right time, then we'll do it. If not, we'll leave it alone and run with our group here for a while and then maybe it's a case where you fill that spot at the (trade) deadline."
Either way, Parker is keeping all of his options open.
"Maybe you don't fill it," he added. "As much as you'd like to have the full complement, that '87 age group isn't a super strong group around the league. If you've got an 18-year-old or 19-year-old who's accomplishing the same things, then you may make the decision to run with them. We'll watch it and see. You're always interested in improving your team, it just has to be the right situation, the right fit."
There has been a flurry of movement in recent days as teams look to add or subtract 20-year-olds in anticipation of the deadline. Among the clubs with an excess of overagers are the Kootenay Ice, Brandon Wheat Kings, Saskatoon Blades, Prince Albert Raiders, Kelowna Rockets and Everett Silvertips.
Saskatoon gave its struggling offence a boost Thursday by adding import Ondrej Fiala from Everett for a third-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft.
Parker, meanwhile, is mindful of the price GMs are asking for their spare 20-year-olds, who will have to be released without compensation if they don't find a new home by the deadline.
"You're always willing to pay a fair price," added Parker.
"What you have to evaluate is . . . what is that fair price? We don't deem it to be reasonable to give up a good young player who might be a three-year player in the league for a guy who's going to be a five-month player in the league. You have to weigh that out to see what makes sense. But to say we wouldn't give up somebody to get a top-end guy, I don't think that's completely accurate."
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007