Pats dismiss coaching staff

[nivek_wahs]

http://reginapats.com/News/622/


Pats Dismiss Coaching Staff
2009-05-05

Pats Dismiss Coaching Staff

Regina, Saskatchewan –Regina Pats General Manager Brent Parker announced today that Head Coach Dale Derkatch has been relieved of his duties effective immediately. The move was made after the Pats finished the regular season with a record of 27-39-1-5 and failed to qualify for the post season.

The Pats also announced that they will not be renewing the contract of assistant coach Terry Perkins.

The announcement was made by Pats General Manger Brent Parker. “This was not an easy decision and a great deal of thought has gone into arriving at this point. We are all disappointed in the performance of our team this past year, especially considering we feel we had above average talent on our roster. It is a tough league for an inexperienced coach and there is no question that played into our lack of success.”

The search for a new Head Coach will begin immediately. “I have some people in mind that I wish to speak with, and I will begin the process of talking with candidates immediately,” added Parker.

Pats General Manger Brent Parker will be addressing the media this afternoon at 2:30pm in the Media/Scouts Room located in the basement of the Brandt Centre.

[wango tango]

http://reginapats.com/News/622/

whose fault is it an inexperienced coach was hired?

the team wasn't lacking talent, it lacked character and work ethic. who is responsible for putting together the roster so there is the proper balance between talent, leadership, work ethic, character?

if the team has underperformed, what is the one constant through it all?

the emperor has no clothes.

[dagley]

Should have waited till after the WHL finals are out instead of right in the middle of it.

[Tidball]

If the Pats suck next year. What will it take to make Eberle a Blade?

[nivek_wahs]

whose fault is it an inexperienced coach was hired?

the team wasn't lacking talent, it lacked character and work ethic. who is responsible for putting together the roster so there is the proper balance between talent, leadership, work ethic, character?

if the team has underperformed, what is the one constant through it all?

the emperor has no clothes.I honestly couldn't have said it better.

I've really got nothing to say other than I'm done defending Parker. Enough is enough.

[Some_Arrogant_Jerk]

If the Pats suck next year. What will it take to make Eberle a Blade?

probably benson and siemens, maybe a pick as well. Yeah, overpaying..but if the pats suck it will be an auction-like sweepstakes for him.

I'd also like to include that fact that I am very happy man after reading this today

[CrazyGeorge]

That is of course if Eberle is returning to the Pats. He's playing well in AHL. Wouldn't surprise me if AHL is where he lands a spot...or perhaps right with the Oilers. I don't see Eberle with the Pats but ya never know.

[Brandonite]

That is of course if Eberle is returning to the Pats. He's playing well in AHL. Wouldn't surprise me if AHL is where he lands a spot...or perhaps right with the Oilers. I don't see Eberle with the Pats but ya never know.

Springfield has been done for about a month atleast now. Just like the Oilers, the Falcons never qualified for the playoffs. However, Eberle did notch 9 points in 9 games. Dont forget, he cant play in the AHL next season. He either plays in the NHL or he MUST come back to Junior. And quite frankly I dont think hes ready and they (Oilers Management) was saying they wanted him to play another year of Junior yet.

[SectionNDeserter]

Eberle isn't elegible to play in the AHL next season, so it is the NHL or the Pats.

[patsdude114]

The Oilers have made it very clear Eberle will be returning to the Pats next season. With the World Juniors pretty much a automatic for him, plus its in his home province, it would be a VERY stupid move by the Oilers to keep him in the NHL. Eberle isnt strong enough anyways for the NHL nor is he fast enough. Another year of junior will NOT hurt his development.

Now onto what this thread is really about.................. as u all know how much i b*tched about Derkatch thruout the year.. all im going to say & leave it at......

applause thank you Parker, now i can go renew my season tickets this week. Another year of Derkatch my season tickets would of been empty. applause

I have heard from a very good source that the Pats are talking with Hunt everyday about his decision with the sens farm team. I am going out on a limb & saying if Hunt turns down this AHL Hunt will be back behind the Pats bench. This is still Hunt's team here anyways.

Lets look at it this way, Derkatch tried to coach a Hunt built team. It was set up to fail right from the get go. Derkatch wanted to play too much offence without enough offensive output in his forwards. The players we have/had were defensive minded players 1st besides Eberle, Robertson (who we got at deadline) & Weal. Yes Leffler scored 30 goals but Hunt molded him into the player he is today with a defence 1st type of thinking. Im not taking anything away from Leffler as 30 goals in the WHL is a great accomplishment. Look at some other players we have/had on this roster Leffler, Strueby, Czibere, Cerveny, Mitchell & MacAngus (before he was dealt) were all Hunt type players defence 1st, big strong guys (ok Mitchell isnt big) There wasnt enough changes in player personal to fit Derkatch's coaching style.

Part of that can be blamed on Parker as well. To take notice that the players we had & the style of game we wanted to play wasnt molding at all. Ill cut Parker some slack with this though as the team was only 3 points out of 1st place when Eberle & Teubert left for WJ tryouts. Everyone thought (including myself) that things would turn around once they both got back into the line-up, which was also right after trade deadline when they returned. Unfortunately the damage was already done to players commitment level & confidence that not even Eberle could save them.



again ill leave my comments on the coaching decision made today with applause applause

[nivek_wahs]

Dean Millard has some interesting ideas as to who might replace Derkatch....

http://thepipelineshow.blogspot.com/2009/05/top-5-tuesday5-names-to-replace-dale.html

[Some_Arrogant_Jerk]

maybe kevin should be the coach. I'll be the asst. coach and patdude can be the water boy. vci34

One advantage we have over these "experienced coaches" is that we would come alot cheaper, and I think thats a big positive when your employer is Parker.

[nivek_wahs]

maybe kevin should be the coach. I'll be the asst. coach and patdude can be the water boy. vci34I couldn't even imagine what kind of gong show that would be. :laugh:

[nivek_wahs]

Derkatch's departure puts focus on Parkers (http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/hockey/pats-hockey/Derkatch+departure+puts+focus+Parkers/1566682/story.html)


Derkatch's departure puts focus on Parkers

By Greg Harder, Leader-Post May 5, 2009

REGINA -- Head coach Dale Derkatch paid the price for the shortcomings of the Regina Pats.

Now it's up to the men who hired him — owner Russ Parker and GM Brent Parker — to put their money where their collective mouth is.

"It has always been our intention to put a team on the ice that has a chance to win; that hasn't changed," Russ Parker said Tuesday from Calgary. "We feel like we're at a point where there's pressure for us to deliver as an organization. You have to look at the top for sure. Brent and I, we're determined to have success and to go deeper into the playoffs. We'll do whatever we can to do so. I'm sure our fanbase is disappointed and we can understand that. They want to see some results."

After a lengthy evaluation, the Parkers decided Derkatch wasn't the right man to achieve those results — especially given a clearly stated mandate to put a contending team on the ice next season.

Given that sense of urgency, there wasn't a willingness to endure more growing pains behind the bench.

"I don't think you can pin it directly on (Derkatch)," noted the GM. "We just think going forward we're better served to have someone with a little more experience and understanding of the league and a presence that goes with it to give us the best chance to be successful going forward."

As for the original decision to hire Derkatch, Brent Parker insisted it wasn't necessarily wrong to give a young coach a chance. However, he did feel that Derkatch was exploited at times last season by more seasoned bench bosses.

"It's the old question of how does a guy get experience if you don't give him an opportunity," said Parker. "We felt his passion and excitement for the franchise and the game would help offset some of that stuff. Obviously I was mistaken. It didn't offset it enough. Ultimately the performance of your team and being ready (for whatever comes your way) and working hard has to fall on the coaches. I'm not trying to shirk any responsibility because that wouldn't be very prudent of me. I think everyone needs to share in it."

Including the GM.

"There are some things I wish I had done differently," admitted Parker. "There are probably some things that I could have and should have helped Dale in terms of protecting him, but you can't be on the bench with them either. You have to let them grow. Maybe I listened to too much of the criticism that has come over the years about people thinking I'm trying to coach the team from upstairs and maybe I pulled back a little bit too far. But there's a fine line."

Asked why Derkatch should be the sacrificial lamb while the long-serving GM remains, Parker pulled no punches — and made no apologies.

"It's a family-owned business," he added. "I'm entrusted to make the decisions on the hockey side right now and I believe I'm more than capable of doing the job. Every decision I've made has been what I thought was in the best interest of the franchise. I certainly didn't hire Dale with the intention of being here today doing this. There are always going to be detractors. There are always going to be people who think otherwise. That's fair. But right now I'm going forward in that manner and that's the way it'll be."

gharder@leaderpost.canwest.com

© Copyright (c) The Regina Leader-Post

[nivek_wahs]

Pats players take some of the blame (http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/hockey/pats-hockey/Pats+players+take+some+blame/1566613/story.html)


Pats players take some of the blame

By Ian Hamilton, Leader-Post May 5, 2009

REGINA -- As a few Regina Pats lifted weights in their dressing room at the Brandt Centre on Tuesday, general manager Brent Parker was down the hall, saying the players had another burden to bear.

At a media conference in the bowels of the arena, Parker suggested the WHL team's players had to shoulder some of the responsibility for the firing of head coach Dale Derkatch. Told of Parker's comments, right-winger Garrett Mitchell said the players were doing just that.

"As a group, we let (Derkatch) down a little bit," Mitchell said. "It's tough to see. He only got one year. He proved himself as a player in this league and he wanted to prove himself as a coach, too. We didn't really give him that chance."

"We're a team and one person can't take the blame," added defenceman Matt Delahey. "We didn't get it done. But someone has to be the goat. It's a business."

Derkatch was let go after the Pats posted a 27-39-1-5 regular-season record and failed to reach the playoffs.

Parker told the media there were too many nights during the season that the Pats were outworked by their opponents, and he put the blame for that squarely on the players. He also wants them to hold each other accountable more and lead in the way former Pats captains Barret Jackman, Garth Murray and Rick Rypien did.

"We have to do a better job of fostering (leadership)," Parker said.

Before joining the Pats, Derkatch had been the director of hockey development at Athol Murray College of Notre Dame and the head coach of the Hounds midget AAA squad.

Mitchell said that experience served Derkatch well with the Pats, as it allowed him to deal with young men who were living away from home and to help them react to the situations they faced. Asked what his now-former head coach didn't do well, Mitchell demured.

"We just didn't play for him," he said. "We didn't give him a chance to continue his career with the Regina Pats."

There has been speculation that the players had tuned out Derkatch — "lost the room" is the popular euphemism — but Parker disputed that notion.

"I don't think he lost the room," the GM said. "I think the kids still respected Dale. Did he lose some of the kids? He may have, but I don't think he lost the room."

"I think he did his job," Mitchell noted. "The stuff he did to keep us together as a group was exactly what he needed to do. It was just the way we responded."

Delahey, however, believes some Pats went their own way.

"Everybody's happy when you're winning," said Delahey, whose squad battled the Saskatoon Blades for first place in the East Division early in the season before plunging down the standings. "As you start losing, agendas change and people start thinking about themselves. It wasn't a good scenario by the end of the year."

Now, depending on whom Parker hires, the returning players face an unknown commodity in the form of a new head coach.

"We went through the same thing last year (when Derkatch replaced Curtis Hunt)," Delahey said. "You're unsure, but it shouldn't really worry you. Every year, you've got to come in, work hard and earn your spot anyway no matter who the coach is."

ihamilton@leaderpost.canwest.com

© Copyright (c) The Regina Leader-Post

[nivek_wahs]

Pats know what they want in a new coach (http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/hockey/pats-hockey/Pats+know+what+they+want+coach/1566671/story.html)


Pats know what they want in a new coach

By Greg Harder, Leader-PostMay 5, 2009

REGINA -- The WHL's Regina Pats know exactly who they want as their next head coach — they just haven't found him yet.

"I think everything has to be predicated on hard work," said GM Brent Parker. "It bothered (owner) Russ (Parker) and it bothered me (last season when) we got outworked on too many nights. Offensive chances are created from hard work. Good defence gets created from hard work. Even special teams. It has to be somebody who we know gets his teams to work hard and it's going to be a focal point of everything we do at the start of camp."

After firing rookie bench boss Dale Derkatch on Tuesday, Parker also emphasized the need for his next head coach to have knowledge of the league and experience at the junior level. He already has a few candidates in mind, some of whom are currently employed by other teams, be it in the NHL, WHL or other leagues.

Parker also isn't putting a timeline on his search other than to say he'll announce it when he has found the right person.

"We have some people in mind and I'll be starting the process (Wednesday)," he said. "I have to get permission on a couple of people (from their current employers) and see where they're at and go from there."

Two men who might fall into that category are Swift Current Broncos head coach/GM Dean Chynoweth and Lethbridge Hurricanes bench boss Michael Dyck. The Broncos recently picked up the option year on Chynoweth's contract, but didn't offer an extension, leading to speculation he might find more job security elsewhere. Dyck, a former Pats defenceman, may not return to Lethbridge due to an apparent strained relationship with GM Roy Stasiuk. Rich Sutter is rumoured to be waiting in the wings.

Another possibility is to bring back Curtis Hunt, who spent four years with the Pats before joining the Ottawa Senators last season. Hunt has an open invitation to remain as the head coach of Ottawa's AHL affiliate in Binghamton, but he hasn't made up his mind. Also available is ex-Chilliwack Bruins head coach Jim Hiller and former Kelowna Rockets bench boss Jeff Truitt.

The biggest name on the open market remains Marc Habscheid, who has flirted with numerous job openings in the past two seasons. Habscheid talked briefly to the Pats last summer about their head-coaching post, but that ship has sailed.

"We have other people that we'll be looking at," said Parker. "Marc is a good coach. But I'll use his words, 'it wasn't the right fit.' "

Meanwhile, the leading candidate to replace assistant Terry Perkins may be Humboldt Broncos head coach/GM Dean Brockman, whose team is currently defending its national title at the Royal Bank Cup. Brockman has won three SJHL championships in a row.

"I think Dean has done a tremendous job in Humboldt," said Parker, who announced Tuesday he's not renewing Perkins' contract. "(Brockman's) teams obviously have won. His kids play hard for him. I've watched his team a lot over the years. I think he's a bright young coach. Again you go back to, 'Who's going to give him that opportunity?' Will it be as a head coach or will it be as an assistant coach somewhere along the way? I have no doubt he's going to get an opportunity at some point."

gharder@leaderpost.canwest.com

© Copyright (c) The Regina Leader-Post

[nivek_wahs]

Not all the blame rests with Derkatch (http://www.leaderpost.com/business/agriculture/blame+rests+with+Derkatch/1567477/story.html)


Not all the blame rests with Derkatch

By Rob Vanstone, The Leader-Post May 6, 2009

Class dismissed.

The Regina Pats have dumped Dale Derkatch, who is as fine a player and person as has ever represented the organization. The news has reverberated as far away as Manhattan, where a vacation has been interrupted by the compulsion to comment about a significant development back home.

The move was not at all surprising, considering the tepid appraisal Derkatch received from Pats owner Russ Parker a few weeks ago. In conversation with our man Greg Harder, Parker praised Derkatch as a person but was anything but effusive about his performance as a first-year head coach.

From that point forward, the clock was ticking.

The Pats made the inevitable announcement on Tuesday -- 52 days after their season mercifully concluded. The team also decided not to renew the contract of assistant coach Terry Perkins after missing the playoffs with a 27-39-1-5 record.

"This was not an easy decision and a great deal of thought has gone into arriving at this point,'' Pats general manager Brent Parker said in a prepared statement.

"We are all disappointed in the performance of our team this past year, especially considering we feel we had above-average talent on our roster. It is a tough league for an inexperienced coach and there is no question that played into our lack of success."

The hazards of hiring an inexperienced coach should have been equally apparent in July, when Derkatch was hired despite lacking any head-coaching experience above the midget AAA level. Seasoned major-junior coaches were available (see: Marc Habscheid, Dean Clark) but Brent Parker opted for Derkatch.

In many ways, it seemed like a perfect fit, despite Derkatch's limited coaching credentials.

Derkatch was, after all, Pats royalty. By hiring one of the team's legends as head coach, the Pats were hoping to emulate the Saskatchewan Roughriders' phenomenally successful decision to employ legendary quarterback Kent Austin as head coach.

It was also hoped that Derkatch's enthusiasm, dedication and personality would compensate for any lack of experience. Another factor in his favour was an emphasis upon offensive hockey -- a pronounced contrast to the highly structured approach of Derkatch's predecessor, Curtis Hunt.

Two months into the 2008-09 WHL season, Derkatch was making Parker look ingenious. An entertaining Pats team was challenging the Saskatoon Blades for first place in the East Division.

But the formula stopped working in December. At first, the team's decline was attributed to the fact that several key skaters were at the world junior hockey championship or World Under-18 Hockey Challenge.

However, the Pats were unable to reverse their fortunes once the likes of Jordan Eberle, Colten Teubert and Jordan Weal resurfaced. It was anything but a Happy New Year for the Derkatch-coached Pats.

By midseason, it appeared that Derkatch had lost the team. He tried everything possible to resuscitate the players, but it was hopeless. Too many players who donned the Pats jersey did not exhibit the pride in doing so that made Derkatch a major-junior superstar.

Through it all, Derkatch lived up to -- and even enhanced -- his reputation as a first-class person. He faced all inquiries head-on. He did not hesitate to question his own performance, even though the underachieving players were the primary problem.

Parker referred to the "above-average talent,'' and the label fits to a degree. But this is the team, remember, that often deployed a 16-year-old (Weal) and a marginal forward (Mitch Czibere) alongside the ultra-talented Eberle. A club that truly possessed top-drawer talent would have been able to surround Eberle with accomplished veterans throughout the season.

Derkatch was also handcuffed by the Pats' lack of speed. Was it his fault that the Pats were often left behind?

The head coach is a convenient target after a lost season, but that should not absolve the gentleman who hired him.

© Copyright (c) The Regina Leader-Post

[nivek_wahs]

Hunt interested in Pats head coach job (http://www.leaderpost.com/Sports/Hunt+interested+Pats+head+coach/1570076/story.html)


Hunt interested in Pats head coach job

By Greg Harder, Leader-PostMay 6, 2009 6:01 PM

REGINA -- When head coach Curtis Hunt left the WHL’s Regina Pats last summer to pursue a relationship with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, the terms of separation couldn’t have been more amicable.

As a result, the door may be open for a reunion.

“There’s obviously unfinished business (in Regina), at least from my perspective,” Hunt said from his home in Ottawa after learning the Pats had fired head coach Dale Derkatch on Tuesday. “I think we did some real good things in the time I was there.

“It’s obviously unfortunate the way things went this year. I’m interested in talking to (GM) Brent (Parker) to find out what he and (owner) Russ (Parker) are thinking. I wouldn’t be averse to that.”

Hunt left the Pats on July 11 to become an assistant in Ottawa under new head coach Craig Hartsburg, reuniting the men who combined to guide Canada to consecutive gold medals at the world junior championship.

But Hartsburg didn’t last long with the Sens, who fired him on Feb. 2 and re-assigned Hunt to the head-coaching post with their AHL affiliate in Binghamton.

After taking a few days to mull it over, Hunt accepted the job. He guided Binghamton to a record of 16-14-2-1 and narrowly missed the playoffs, albeit under less-than-ideal circumstances, with the team crippled by injuries and callups to the big club.

The Senators have left the door open for Hunt to return next season.

“That leaves me with a decision,” said the Regina product, who has two years left on his contract. “You make a decision based on what’s best for your family (which would have to relocate to the U.S.) and what’s best for me in terms of my career. Everything kind of factors in.”

Although the Pats didn’t initially play into that decision-making process, they might now. Hunt admitted to keeping an eye on developments with other teams in the WHL, where there are openings with the Chilliwack Bruins and Everett Silvertips. That said, Hunt remains close with Brent Parker, who speaks regularly with his former bench boss.

Hunt accumulated a record of 132-127-11-18 over four seasons in Regina and sits second on the all-time franchise list with 268 games coached. He joined the Pats at the low point of a rebuilding process, guiding the team to a 12-50-4-6 record in 2004-05, then posted three straight winning seasons, including a pair of 40-win campaigns.

The unfinished business to which Hunt speaks is a lack of postseason success, winning just one round over those four campaigns.

The inability of Hunt’s successor to get the Pats into the playoffs this season ultimately cost him his job, as well as that of Hunt’s former assistant, Terry Perkins. Hunt sympathized with Derkatch and Perkins, noting that he has an idea how they feel after being relieved of his duties with Ottawa earlier this season.

“This is the first time I’ve really gone through it as a coach,” added Hunt. “A lot of different emotions go through your mind, but these things make you stronger in the end.

“Sometimes you have to separate the job from what you are as a person. That’s not always easy to do but it’s important. It’s no different than when players get released. We release a lot of real good people. But it’s an industry based on performance and, from a coaching perspective, on wins.”

gharder@leaderpost.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The Regina Leader-Post

[nivek_wahs]

From Greg Harder's Slap Shots.... http://communities.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/blogs/slapshots/archive/2009/05/06/setting-the-record-straight.aspx


Setting the record straight

By Greg Harder 05-06-2009 COMMENTS(0) Slap Shots


Now that the news of Tuesday’s firing has sunk in, let’s see if we can quell a few misconceptions that are floating around about the search for a new Regina Pats bench boss:
— Although he’s still under contract to the Ottawa Senators and has an open invitation to return as their AHL head coach, Curtis Hunt is indeed a leading candidate to reclaim his old job with the Pats, due in part to his close relationship with GM Brent Parker. Not everyone would be willing to work under the current hierarchy. Especially a top guy who wants more control. Hunt doesn't have that problem. And despite the playoff shortcomings of his teams in Regina — it was really just one stinker last year against Swift Current — he has proven it can be a productive collaboration. Proponents of a total clean slate may not like it, but Hunt might already be Parker’s No. 1 candidate. In fact, he could be closer to a return than you realize.
— Let’s end the Marc Habscheid campaign here and now. Granted, he’s an outstanding coach, probably the best available, but there are currently too many issues to overcome for him to be hired in Regina. As Parker said yesterday, it’s simply not a fit. Right or wrong, Habscheid is not going to show up and save the day. So let it die.
— Ted Nolan? Read above.
— Dean Chynoweth is a very attractive option for the Pats regardless of the fact he’s under contract to the Swift Current Broncos. However, the Pats will have to seek permission to speak to him — and the Broncos are under no obligation to grant it. Plus, if the Pats did land Chynoweth, they would have to compensate the Broncos. The price for such transactions in the past has been a high draft pick (third round). You can bet the Broncos wouldn’t be eager to give away their head coach/GM to anyone, but especially a rival club.
— If the Pats are patient, compensation may not be an issue with Lethbridge Hurricanes head coach Michael Dyck. Assuming the rumours are true, he might be a free agent soon enough.
— Contrary to what has been suggested, Humboldt Broncos head coach/GM Dean Brockman is not a leading candidate for the Pats’ head-coaching job. The Pats aren’t ready to roll the dice with another guy who has no major-junior experience. However, if Brockman is interested, the assistant’s job is there for the taking. In fact, he could be the ideal choice to mentor under a veteran bench boss and perhaps take over if the head coach gets a job in the pros like Hunt did last year.
— Chad Mercier would be a fine choice, but he has a long-term contract and a good thing going back home in Bonnyville, where he’s raising a young family and running his own show with the AJHL’s Pontiacs. Plus, although he didn’t burn any bridges on his way out of Regina, the circumstances of his departure were such that he doesn’t bleed Pats colours like he once did. He pulled out of the race last year for a reason. I’d be shocked to see him back here anytime soon.

[nivek_wahs]

Short list apparently is down to 2..... That was quick..... from rodpedersen.com


Spoke with Pats GM Brent Parker yesterday and he says he has a shortlist of two for the team's head coaching job.

Curtis Hunt is on it, and an unidentified candidate as well. Curtis told the L-P today that he's interested in talking about it and yesterday Brent got permission from the Senators to talk to Curtis about the job.

I don't know who the other candidate is because I didn't ask. I'm staying out of this one. Everybody else can chase it.


There ya go,
RP

[wango tango]

is there any doubt it will be hunt?

i don't know if his return alone will make the difference necessary.

get the passengers a ticket out of town.

when was the last time the pats developed all their own 20's from within, instead of trading for one, two, or more in a season?

and parker putting the blame on the players for lack of work ethic, who drafted, or traded for these kids?

i read how parker loves the pats and wants desperately to bring a championship to regina. harold ballard loved the leafs too, but he couldn't keep from meddling and his hands off.

[patsdude114]

is there any doubt it will be hunt?


like i had said in a previous post on this topic the odds are VERY high Hunt will be back behind the bench. Im still keeping my source unnamed but Hunt has always been #1 on Parker's, can even go out & say Parker was tempted to get Hunt back last year once he was let go from the Sens but Hunt took the interm coach in the AHL. There for Parker was stuck with Derkatch for the rest of the year.


It would not bother me 1 bit if Hunt was our head coach again, at least we would know what were getting for our team. Plus im sure Hunt has learned alot from his NHL/AHL stint. Which cant be a bad thing either.



when was the last time the pats developed all their own 20's from within, instead of trading for one, two, or more in a season?

I do agree with you on this 1... this year will be the 1st year in a VERY long time that the Pats will have developed all there 20 yr olds. With a list of Leffler, Delahey, Rowat, Strueby, Czibere (traded for at begining of last season) Cerveny (yes i know he already signed a deal back home, but could of been in the mix even tho he would of been taking 2 spots) . If the Pats get Leffler (who still isnt signed by WSH if i remember correctly) & Delahey back from the AHL systems (WSH & NJ) Strueby would be the next guy hands down as the 3rd 20 yr old.