Hockey season arrives, Bartley doesn't

[nivek_wahs]

From Greg Harder's Slap Shots....http://communities.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/blogs/slapshots/archive/2008/08/19/hockey-season-arrives-bartley-doesn-t.aspx


Hockey season arrives, Bartley doesn't

Hard to believe that it’s 35 degrees outside and hockey season has arrived.
Ready or not, the Regina Pats will officially put an end to summer on Thursday when they open training camp in Lumsden.
It’ll be a different format this year under new head coach Dale Derkatch, who’s replacing Curtis Hunt, now an assistant with the Ottawa Senators. Regina's coaching staff — comprising Derkatch, along with returning assistants Terry Perkins and Todd Strueby — has done away with rookie camp and will now combine veteran and rookie workouts from Day 1.
The players were slated to be in town by Monday. They participated in fitness testing today and will officially register for camp on Wednesday.
There are two names conspicuous by their absence: D Victor Bartley and Czech LW Rudolf Cerveny. Cerveny has been given permission to take part in the Czech Republic’s world junior camp, meaning he’ll miss roughly the first two weeks of Pats camp. Bartley, meanwhile, is weighing pro offers and is hoping to land a two-way AHL/ECHL contract by the end of the week.
If Bartley doesn’t show up in Regina, it will be a huge, huge blow to the Pats, who’ve already lost captain Logan Pyett to the pro ranks.
Bartley was slated to take Pyett’s spot as Regina’s No. 1 defenceman. His absence would instantly transform the Pats’ blueline from a solid veteran group to one that’s younger and relatively untested.
Although you won’t hear the term “rebuilding” uttered by the Pats — especially given the presence of NHL first-rounders Jordan Eberle and Colten Teubert — it is undoubtedly looking more and more like a transition year in Regina. Without Bartley, this is a team that still expects to be competitive, but you can likely shelve any glimmer of hope that the Pats will challenge for another East Division pennant.
For more on this developing story, check out Wednesday's Leader-Post.

[Some_Arrogant_Jerk]

(from Greg Harder's Slapshots as well)

According to a Pats' source, defenceman Victor Bartley may now be leaning towards returning to Regina instead of accepting an offer to play in the ECHL.
In fact, he could be on his way to Regina as early as today. Then again, that could all change in a matter of hours, especially if an AHL team steps up to the plate at the last minute.
In our conversation earlier today, Bartley indicated that he wants a two-way deal in the AHL, but wasn't sure if one would be forthcoming. It is, after all, getting to be a little late in the summer for these kinds of negotiations.
Bartley, who's one of the nicest kids I've met in this business, takes his commitment to the Pats — and his teammates — very seriously. He told me this afternoon it was a "dead-even" competition between returning to the Pats or heading south.
The Pats now appear to have a slight lead, but races such as this have been known to take unpredictable turns.

[CJSenterprise4]

Can't afford to lose Bartley. The D seems weak enough even with Bartley with only really him Teubert and Delahey.

[patsdude114]

Loosing Bartley would be a huge blow to the Pats Defence and the Pats as a whole team. He has leadership, plays on the edge, and can play both ends of the rink well.

As for our Defence with or without Bartley, guys like Jackson get a fresh start with Derkatch, as he was in Hunt's doghouse. Pym will take on a bigger role as will Kulchar. I really like this Pym kid, at age 16 last season he played well within the defensive structure. He can skate well, and see's he ice better then most 16 yr Dmen do. I think our D will be fine but if we do loose Bartley it is a blow. Maybe if we loose Bartley Parker would offer up alittle more for Bo. I still dont care if we get him either way.


GO PATS!!! Look forward to another season of entertainment.

[nivek_wahs]

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=9dbe1718-e07c-4dfc-b14c-f0b572e00535


Bartley on his way to join Pats, for now

Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Thursday, August 21, 2008

Victor Bartley is headed back to Regina, although there's no guarantee he'll be staying.

The 20-year-old blueliner is scheduled to arrive today from his home in Maple Ridge, B.C., where he had been waiting to hear news of a possible pro contract.

So far, Bartley hasn't received an offer to his liking, which seems to indicate he's ready to commit to the Pats for his final season of junior eligibility.

"I think he's leaning towards just saying, 'Enough! I'm going to just stay and play,' " Pats GM Brent Parker said Wednesday. "If he gets a good contract offer from somewhere, I guess he'll consider it, but he has said repeatedly through this whole thing that if it doesn't happen he's perfectly fine coming back. He said he feels very comfortable in Regina and learned as much in his three months here as he did in three years in Kamloops and loves it. It's just a case of, if he gets that good pro opportunity, he's thinking he might take it."

Bartley, who was hoping for an AHL tryout, is believed to have had at least one offer from the East Coast Hockey League, which is an AHL feeder system.

However, a WHL player would have to clear waivers before he could accept an independent ECHL contract. That means Bartley would have had to sign with an NHL team offering a three-way deal, thus allowing him to play in the ECHL if he didn't crack the NHL or AHL lineup.

Such an offer doesn't appear to be forthcoming at the moment, which is why he's headed back to Regina.

The Pats will certainly welcome him with open arms.

"To me he's as good as any defenceman in our conference," said Parker. "In my estimation he's one of the top five guys in our league. You don't take those guys out of your team without it hurting you."

Bartley was the key to a four-player trade last season between the Pats and Kamloops Blazers. Regina made the deal with the hope that Bartley would return as a 20-year-old, taking the place of Logan Pyett as the team's No. 1 defenceman.

Parker believes another year in the WHL will open more doors for Bartley than an impulse jump to the minor-pro ranks.

"We are a development league, I know that," the GM added. "If he gets a good opportunity that's going to be good for his development long-term career-wise, then go for it. But my job too is to give these kids the proper advice and help them make decisions that are going to help them, not hurt them."


© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008