nivek_wahs
04-03-2008, 09:21 AM
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=ef0c00d2-72b6-4f9b-bf96-b6314b72af2e&k=79262
Parker deserves praise, not pot shots
Rob Vanstone, The Leader-Post
Published: Thursday, April 03, 2008
The telephone rang the other day, in my welcome absence from the newsroom. The cranky caller had a voice that could slice cheese.
"So,'' he began, "what do you think of your beloved Mr. Parker now?''
The acerbic voice mail was left on Saturday night, shortly after the Regina Pats were eliminated from the WHL playoffs by the Swift Current Broncos, who won a best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal in six games.
Pats fans who were hoping for a Swift exit ended up being disappointed. The dissection began even before the Pats boarded a bus for their final return excursion of a once-promising season.
In recent days, readers have kindly informed me that head coach Curtis Hunt should be fired, goaltender Linden Rowat should be playing in the Industrial League, and that general manager Brent Parker should step down.
The comments about Parker were especially venomous in light of my frequent endorsements of his work.
I must admit that the Pats' postseason folderoo did not strengthen my case. That said, I resolutely make another case in favour of Parker -- and not just because he is indisputably the most accessible, and most quotable, person in the generally antiseptic WHL.
Subtract the inflammatory quotes -- the league office would certainly like to -- and refreshing candour from the equation and you still have a gentleman who is worthy of his title.
Even so, he may soon abdicate. Parker is pondering his future. He expects to make an announcement about his status following the May 1 bantam draft. Some fans are obviously hoping that Parker will pull the pin, but why?
Consider this: Parker recently generally managed the Pats to their first East Division regular-season title in 10 years.
Also consider this: The Pats finished atop the six-team loop, and with 44 victories, largely because of Parker's flurry of midseason trades -- most of which panned out. And he did this without mortgaging the future.
On those occasions when Parker senses that an ever-elusive extended playoff run is within reach, he goes all out. He did in in 2001, when the Memorial Cup was based in Regina. He did it again this past January.
Parker could easily have stood pat at the trading deadline. The Pats were already one of the division's better teams around Christmas time. Instead, Parker detected some deficiencies and aggressively addressed them. Unfortunately for Parker, one attempted deal -- for the Edmonton Oil Kings' Robin Figren -- fell through when the talented Swede developed Mats Sundin Syndrome and decided he did not want to join a team with championship aspirations.
Figren would have made a huge difference. Parker acknowledges that the 2007-08 Pats were not bountifully skilled. Even so, they finished in first place. That should count for something, as unpalatable as the early playoff exit has proven to be.
The skill level should increase over the next season or three, due to the efforts of Parker and director of scouting Todd Ripplinger.
Jordan Weal, who has wheels, should make an immediate impact as a 16-year-old. So should fellow forward Dominick Favreau, whom the Pats selected 13th overall in the 2007 bantam draft. They are among a handful of prospects who "can really scoot,'' according to Parker.
It will be interesting to see how Hunt handles such a team. Hunt has been typecast as a defensive coach, but that has been somewhat out of necessity. With limited weapons, Hunt had little choice but to espouse conservatism in 2007-08. The result was often eye-glazing, but the East Division standings looked much better to the Pats and their fans.
Given an infusion of talent, Hunt is well-advised to alter the manner in which he coaches. The chip-and-chase approach will not suffice if the personnel is conducive to a run-and-gun style.
Some of the requisite players are already in place. At 17, Jordan Eberle was one of the WHL's foremost goal-scorers, with 42. Colten Teubert -- the first overall selection in the 2005 bantam draft -- is an emerging stud on defence.
Eberle and Teubert are already significant players. What will they be like at 18 and 19? Parker is hereby encouraged to stick around and find out.
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008
Parker deserves praise, not pot shots
Rob Vanstone, The Leader-Post
Published: Thursday, April 03, 2008
The telephone rang the other day, in my welcome absence from the newsroom. The cranky caller had a voice that could slice cheese.
"So,'' he began, "what do you think of your beloved Mr. Parker now?''
The acerbic voice mail was left on Saturday night, shortly after the Regina Pats were eliminated from the WHL playoffs by the Swift Current Broncos, who won a best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal in six games.
Pats fans who were hoping for a Swift exit ended up being disappointed. The dissection began even before the Pats boarded a bus for their final return excursion of a once-promising season.
In recent days, readers have kindly informed me that head coach Curtis Hunt should be fired, goaltender Linden Rowat should be playing in the Industrial League, and that general manager Brent Parker should step down.
The comments about Parker were especially venomous in light of my frequent endorsements of his work.
I must admit that the Pats' postseason folderoo did not strengthen my case. That said, I resolutely make another case in favour of Parker -- and not just because he is indisputably the most accessible, and most quotable, person in the generally antiseptic WHL.
Subtract the inflammatory quotes -- the league office would certainly like to -- and refreshing candour from the equation and you still have a gentleman who is worthy of his title.
Even so, he may soon abdicate. Parker is pondering his future. He expects to make an announcement about his status following the May 1 bantam draft. Some fans are obviously hoping that Parker will pull the pin, but why?
Consider this: Parker recently generally managed the Pats to their first East Division regular-season title in 10 years.
Also consider this: The Pats finished atop the six-team loop, and with 44 victories, largely because of Parker's flurry of midseason trades -- most of which panned out. And he did this without mortgaging the future.
On those occasions when Parker senses that an ever-elusive extended playoff run is within reach, he goes all out. He did in in 2001, when the Memorial Cup was based in Regina. He did it again this past January.
Parker could easily have stood pat at the trading deadline. The Pats were already one of the division's better teams around Christmas time. Instead, Parker detected some deficiencies and aggressively addressed them. Unfortunately for Parker, one attempted deal -- for the Edmonton Oil Kings' Robin Figren -- fell through when the talented Swede developed Mats Sundin Syndrome and decided he did not want to join a team with championship aspirations.
Figren would have made a huge difference. Parker acknowledges that the 2007-08 Pats were not bountifully skilled. Even so, they finished in first place. That should count for something, as unpalatable as the early playoff exit has proven to be.
The skill level should increase over the next season or three, due to the efforts of Parker and director of scouting Todd Ripplinger.
Jordan Weal, who has wheels, should make an immediate impact as a 16-year-old. So should fellow forward Dominick Favreau, whom the Pats selected 13th overall in the 2007 bantam draft. They are among a handful of prospects who "can really scoot,'' according to Parker.
It will be interesting to see how Hunt handles such a team. Hunt has been typecast as a defensive coach, but that has been somewhat out of necessity. With limited weapons, Hunt had little choice but to espouse conservatism in 2007-08. The result was often eye-glazing, but the East Division standings looked much better to the Pats and their fans.
Given an infusion of talent, Hunt is well-advised to alter the manner in which he coaches. The chip-and-chase approach will not suffice if the personnel is conducive to a run-and-gun style.
Some of the requisite players are already in place. At 17, Jordan Eberle was one of the WHL's foremost goal-scorers, with 42. Colten Teubert -- the first overall selection in the 2005 bantam draft -- is an emerging stud on defence.
Eberle and Teubert are already significant players. What will they be like at 18 and 19? Parker is hereby encouraged to stick around and find out.
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008