nivek_wahs
01-22-2008, 06:52 AM
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=fb9d96ec-76a3-4559-961f-bae1cd6d362b
Parker deserves kudos for smart work
Rob Vanstone, The Leader-Post
Published: Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Brent Parker is not inclined toward gloating or self-congratulation.
The Regina Pats' general manager is as humble as one can imagine after a truly sensational weekend.
Regina won three road games in as many nights while facing three of the elite teams in the WHL's Eastern Conference -- the Kootenay Ice, Calgary Hitmen and Lethbridge Hurricanes.
"To this point, it has been positive,'' Parker said without clicking his heels, "but there's a lot of hockey left to go.''
And that is true. With 22 regular-season games remaining, Regina sports a 31-15-3-1 record. The Pats are two points behind the front-running Hitmen (32-13-1-3) in the highly competitive conference. Calgary has one game in hand.
Regina has ascended to the upper echelon on the strength of a six-game winning streak. The Pats have also registered at least one point in each of their last nine games -- a span that includes seven victories and two overtime losses.
The Pats have soared since Parker made a flurry of deals to acquire defencemen Dallas Jackson, Victor Bartley and Ryan Bender, plus forwards J.D. Watt, Scott Doucet and Ryan DePape.
"We're obviously an older, more mature team now,'' Parker said. "We're pleased with the chemistry. The guys seemed to mesh very well from the get-go.''
On paper, Parker's deals were entirely sensible from the outset. But will logic translate into results on the ice? There is always that uncertainty.
"You never really know with some of these things,'' Parker said. "You hope it comes together. We had a pretty good hockey team before the trades were made.
"We have to be careful that we're not slighting the kids who were here before because we were in first place (in the East Division), so we were doing something right. We've added depth, maturity and experience. Those are all valuable intangibles that you want to have, especially in this conference.''
Especially last weekend.
None of the Pats' past three victories were cakewalks. Regina opened its road swing by defeating Kootenay 6-5 in Cranbrook, B.C., on Friday, overcoming a 4-1 deficit in the process. The Pats proceeded to defeat the Hitmen 2-1 on Saturday before registering a 3-2 overtime victory in Lethbridge the next evening.
Appropriately, Watt scored the winning goal on Sunday. His impact upon the Pats in his short time with the team cannot be exaggerated. He gives the Pats a rare combination of size, skill and, when required, surliness.
Watt's experience is also a factor. Last season, he scored 34 goals for the Vancouver Giants while helping them win the Memorial Cup. Players of Watt's ilk know what is required of a winner, and of a champion. So it is hardly accidental that his arrival coincides with the Pats' uprising.
"We're finding ways, which is encouraging,'' Parker said.
"I give a lot of credit to the kids who were here beforehand and how they've brought the new guys into the mix."
"They've worked with them and helped teach them how we do things. They've really made them part of the organization quickly. You also have to give credit to the new guys for the way they've come in here and become a part of it, and to the coaching staff as well.''
Parker is forgetting somebody -- himself -- while dispensing kudos.
He could have sat back, contentedly, and watched a Pats team that could very well have finished first in their division without the midseason makeover.
Parker aspired to something higher. He made a series of bold, decisive moves that are quickly paying dividends. Along with the three road victories on the weekend, the Pats have also won at home against two other strong opponents -- Vancouver and the Brandon Wheat Kings.
In the event of sustained success, Parker will be an eminently deserving candidate for WHL executive-of-the-year honours. (Reminder: We quickly and correctly pegged Kent Austin for coach-of-the-year. Be careful when accusing the decision desk of being impulsive.)
"There are lots of quality people in this league who are deserving of an award like that,'' Parker said. "If somebody saw fit to give me a vote or two, I'd be honoured.''
If the Pats keep rolling, the honour should be automatic.
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008
Parker deserves kudos for smart work
Rob Vanstone, The Leader-Post
Published: Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Brent Parker is not inclined toward gloating or self-congratulation.
The Regina Pats' general manager is as humble as one can imagine after a truly sensational weekend.
Regina won three road games in as many nights while facing three of the elite teams in the WHL's Eastern Conference -- the Kootenay Ice, Calgary Hitmen and Lethbridge Hurricanes.
"To this point, it has been positive,'' Parker said without clicking his heels, "but there's a lot of hockey left to go.''
And that is true. With 22 regular-season games remaining, Regina sports a 31-15-3-1 record. The Pats are two points behind the front-running Hitmen (32-13-1-3) in the highly competitive conference. Calgary has one game in hand.
Regina has ascended to the upper echelon on the strength of a six-game winning streak. The Pats have also registered at least one point in each of their last nine games -- a span that includes seven victories and two overtime losses.
The Pats have soared since Parker made a flurry of deals to acquire defencemen Dallas Jackson, Victor Bartley and Ryan Bender, plus forwards J.D. Watt, Scott Doucet and Ryan DePape.
"We're obviously an older, more mature team now,'' Parker said. "We're pleased with the chemistry. The guys seemed to mesh very well from the get-go.''
On paper, Parker's deals were entirely sensible from the outset. But will logic translate into results on the ice? There is always that uncertainty.
"You never really know with some of these things,'' Parker said. "You hope it comes together. We had a pretty good hockey team before the trades were made.
"We have to be careful that we're not slighting the kids who were here before because we were in first place (in the East Division), so we were doing something right. We've added depth, maturity and experience. Those are all valuable intangibles that you want to have, especially in this conference.''
Especially last weekend.
None of the Pats' past three victories were cakewalks. Regina opened its road swing by defeating Kootenay 6-5 in Cranbrook, B.C., on Friday, overcoming a 4-1 deficit in the process. The Pats proceeded to defeat the Hitmen 2-1 on Saturday before registering a 3-2 overtime victory in Lethbridge the next evening.
Appropriately, Watt scored the winning goal on Sunday. His impact upon the Pats in his short time with the team cannot be exaggerated. He gives the Pats a rare combination of size, skill and, when required, surliness.
Watt's experience is also a factor. Last season, he scored 34 goals for the Vancouver Giants while helping them win the Memorial Cup. Players of Watt's ilk know what is required of a winner, and of a champion. So it is hardly accidental that his arrival coincides with the Pats' uprising.
"We're finding ways, which is encouraging,'' Parker said.
"I give a lot of credit to the kids who were here beforehand and how they've brought the new guys into the mix."
"They've worked with them and helped teach them how we do things. They've really made them part of the organization quickly. You also have to give credit to the new guys for the way they've come in here and become a part of it, and to the coaching staff as well.''
Parker is forgetting somebody -- himself -- while dispensing kudos.
He could have sat back, contentedly, and watched a Pats team that could very well have finished first in their division without the midseason makeover.
Parker aspired to something higher. He made a series of bold, decisive moves that are quickly paying dividends. Along with the three road victories on the weekend, the Pats have also won at home against two other strong opponents -- Vancouver and the Brandon Wheat Kings.
In the event of sustained success, Parker will be an eminently deserving candidate for WHL executive-of-the-year honours. (Reminder: We quickly and correctly pegged Kent Austin for coach-of-the-year. Be careful when accusing the decision desk of being impulsive.)
"There are lots of quality people in this league who are deserving of an award like that,'' Parker said. "If somebody saw fit to give me a vote or two, I'd be honoured.''
If the Pats keep rolling, the honour should be automatic.
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008