Who's to blame and how or can it be fixed?

[wow]

With the Pats loss last night, it would seem they are destined for another season without playoffs. Expectations were high with the return of Hunt behind the bench and most of the players returning. What went wrong and who is to blame or is this where they should have ended up?

I think that is it easy to blame Parker and we can all agree he has a lot to do with this however when two years in a row the team absolutely falls apart at the same time it would seem to indicate a lack of depth in the roster.

Two disappointing years in a row so what needs to be done to fix this or is this going to continue for the forseeable future?

[reims]

shoulda traded eberle and tuebert for youth talent...plain and simple...your gm is an idiot....where do you think your depth woulda come from in the coming years???....now you will have to probobly trade weal for some draft picks

[brandonboy]

shoulda traded eberle and tuebert for youth talent...plain and simple...your gm is an idiot....where do you think your depth woulda come from in the coming years???....now you will have to probobly trade weal for some draft picks

That would be a good answer for next year and the year after, but the question is who is to blame for the past two years! I would venture to ask if Hunt has control of this team? On paper right now I cant see why they are not gonna make it but after the incident in Brandon last week it makes me wonder! Does Hunt have the dressing room? Does he have any control over his players?

And no im not one of the wheetie fans that hate the pats! Im one of the ppl that if the wheeties dont make it my next closest franchise is the Pats so this isnt a biasd witch hunt post, just an actual question pertaining to if they need to spend some $ on a coach!

[reims]

there are 2 huge egos in that room, we all know that, and maybe hunt doesnt control the room, that wouldnt suprise me too much...not that he is a bad coach, but he may have outstayed his welcome....coaches are hired to be fired

[sbtatter]

Long term failure indicates the GM is at fault.
Not trading Eberle and Teubert was gross incompetance at best.

[wango tango]

Long term failure indicates the GM is at fault.
Not trading Eberle and Teubert was gross incompetance at best.

it's all about money for the parkers. and that means the playoffs. during the regular season it looks like the family is in a break even, at best, scenario. making the playoffs, even if it is only for a couple of games in the first round, is all about money. now they won't even have that. not to mention a drop in attendance during the regular season.

weal will probably be their only marketable star next season. they may not be terrible though. i can see hunt squeezing every drop out of a team that won't have superstars, but will come to play every night.

parker should have dealt eberle, instead of having the player dictate to him.

the team didn't need orfino and ashton, scoring wasn't the problem. the team needed more help on defense, it's goals against terrible.

the team was more than happy to throw derkatch under the bus last season, maybe he wasn't totally to blame. because it looks like the same problems in the room last season, were there again this year.

more than enough incompetence to go around.

[west coast]

team speed and team toughness and size must be addressed.The Pats are definately not one of the fastest teams in the league.The Pats are also one the smallest teams in the WHL.Parker should try to bring in some size.The goaltending is solid but every other position is open for improvement.

[Some_Arrogant_Jerk]

What really killed us this season was the world juniors. We were guarenteed to lose our top players to that tournament...not only that, but we were the only team in the entire conference to play games without Eberle and Teubert because of that ****ing russia challenge. Basically no matter how well we played, we would not have the number one record in the league(even if we were good enough for that) because we were without our best players for 12 or so games. Making the playoff was still possible, though.

But, then combine that with how bad the pats played during the world juniors without Ebs and teubert(call it injury problems, just absenses in general, either way we lost a bunch of games), and we are set up for failiure...and what does our GM do? Does he look at the teams situation and play it safe? NO! He 'goes for it', and applies more pressure. He sets us up for failiure again, only for selfish gain. At this point, making the playoffs is a huge task, and an unlikely one because of our selfish ownership. All thanks to Brent.

Last year, Kootenay was looking to be one of the better teams in the league, and Dustin Sylvester is out of the lineup long term with an ankle injury. Their best offensive player is done, and they will surely plummet down the standings because of it. The GM considers that, and trades Negrin and Stickland to SC for younger players, and lets guys like Rintoul and Fraser get more ice time. Thats what the pats should have done.

Other than old man calgary, Brent himself, rod and maybe hunt...nobody thinks otherwise(though I could give a **** what these east division idiots think). Parker is without a doubt the problem and has been for years. Unlike what people here are now saying, Derkatch was a problem. But look at who hired him. Anybody with any intelligence would know that between a cup winner like Habscheid and a coaching rookie like Derkatch, that Marc was the better choice(especially for a team that was poised to contend)...but Derk had the kent austin effect from a marketing perspective and was a much cheaper option, so he gets the job. Last season was partly Derk's fault, but he wasnt qualified and doesnt deserve the blame. Parke does.

As for this year, same story. Hunt has his problems, but is a good coach and did what he could with what he had to work with. Parker again did his team no favors by 'going for it'. This team wasnt going to go far no matter how you shook it, but especially when you arent within a secure playoff striking distance at that point.

We can only hope he shows mercy and takes his dirty money and moves on, because his daddy certainly wont fire him. I, for one dont care, because if Parker is still GM then Im no longer a season ticket holder. I can occasionally listen to Rod call the games just fine, but theres no way those greedy pricks are getting my money if winning isnt their number 1 priority(which it isnt). **** 'em.

[Allin44]

What really killed us this season was the world juniors. We were guarenteed to lose our top players to that tournament...not only that, but we were the only team in the entire conference to play games without Eberle and Teubert because of that ****ing russia challenge. Basically no matter how well we played, we would not have the number one record in the league(even if we were good enough for that) because we were without our best players for 12 or so games. Making the playoff was still possible, though.

But, then combine that with how bad the pats played during the world juniors without Ebs and teubert(call it injury problems, just absenses in general, either way we lost a bunch of games), and we are set up for failiure...and what does our GM do? Does he look at the teams situation and play it safe? NO! He 'goes for it', and applies more pressure. He sets us up for failiure again, only for selfish gain. At this point, making the playoffs is a huge task, and an unlikely one because of our selfish ownership. All thanks to Brent.

Last year, Kootenay was looking to be one of the better teams in the league, and Dustin Sylvester is out of the lineup long term with an ankle injury. Their best offensive player is done, and they will surely plummet down the standings because of it. The GM considers that, and trades Negrin and Stickland to SC for younger players, and lets guys like Rintoul and Fraser get more ice time. Thats what the pats should have done.

Other than old man calgary, Brent himself, rod and maybe hunt...nobody thinks otherwise(though I could give a **** what these east division idiots think). Parker is without a doubt the problem and has been for years. Unlike what people here are now saying, Derkatch was a problem. But look at who hired him. Anybody with any intelligence would know that between a cup winner like Habscheid and a coaching rookie like Derkatch, that Marc was the better choice(especially for a team that was poised to contend)...but Derk had the kent austin effect from a marketing perspective and was a much cheaper option, so he gets the job. Last season was partly Derk's fault, but he wasnt qualified and doesnt deserve the blame. Parke does.

As for this year, same story. Hunt has his problems, but is a good coach and did what he could with what he had to work with. Parker again did his team no favors by 'going for it'. This team wasnt going to go far no matter how you shook it, but especially when you arent within a secure playoff striking distance at that point.

We can only hope he shows mercy and takes his dirty money and moves on, because his daddy certainly wont fire him. I, for one dont care, because if Parker is still GM then Im no longer a season ticket holder. I can occasionally listen to Rod call the games just fine, but theres no way those greedy pricks are getting my money if winning isnt their number 1 priority(which it isnt). **** 'em.

Suprisingly well written.

While it is fun to poke fun, I have some sympathy because all of your struggles are genuinely due to poor player management.

Most teams that miss the playoffs two years(just going on odds for this year) have some sort of light at the end of the tunnel(blue chippers etc), or know they are in a rebuild. Regina isn't in a rebuild and I do not know your prospect situation but unless you have some real blue chip prospects coming into the lineup next year, you guys and Brandon will be battling for about 9th or 10th.

While we in Brandon rag on KM for being notoriously cheap(I really don't even know what thats based on anymore), him filling all the top roles works for our team because we have a dynamite scouting staff, and he is actually shrewd.

[patsdude114]

The Ashton deal was the only deal that made the slightest bit of sense for the Pats... Parker tried to improve the team this year but really this trade was all about next season. Weal needs someone with high end skill to play with & Ashton is that guy. There is no way Ashton makes TB next season, he needs to work on burying his chances when he gets them cuz watching him in Regina since the begining of jan (once the WJs were done) he gets TONS of chances but lacks finish... maybe its maturity, maybe abit of tough luck but he needs to have a dominate season to build confidence. Playing with Weal will help that forsure & look for Hampus to be on that top line as well next season.

To say our goaltending is solid i have to question you there forsure.... Our goaltending is what hurt us this year, Parker improved our defense by adding Carlson & Davidson turned into a real gem but yet out goaltending continued to fail us with unnessesary rebounds (which is the book on Ketlo brutal rebound control).

I dont see the Pats being as bad as everyone is predicting us to be next season though. We still have 1 open 20 yr old spot which could be filled with a small trade with BRN as there whole roster seems like it is all 19 yr olds (most who will be back next season as 20 yr olds) plus a open spot for a euro & just never know what that player could be, could be a flop or a very capable player. I think our 20 yr olds next year will be much better then they were this year. Leffler, Streuby, Delahey/McColm gave us very terrible efforts (minus McColm i thought our defense improved greatly when he came) we get rid of the lead on our roster. Streuby & Leffler cant skate (especially Streuby) Eberle isnt the greatest skater either but every team would miss his scoring no matter what team you are. I think missing the playoffs this year will be good the the team, i truely think Parker is going to step down.

[SectionNDeserter]

Anybody with any intelligence would know that between a cup winner like Habscheid and a coaching rookie like Derkatch, that Marc was the better choice(especially for a team that was poised to contend)Habscheid was looking for a position where he was both the coach AND the GM, so he wouldn't have even been in the running for that job anyways, though if Parker isn't in the equation, that could have theoretically happened.

[Some_Arrogant_Jerk]

we have some good prospects coming in, and Hutt will return next year as well. I think our offence will be fine with Weal and Ashton out there...and our defence will be another McColm type away from being strong, though Davidson, Carlson and Bell are a good start. Goaltending will be another year along as well. The advantage they have is they will be a team more concentrated on depth rather than top end players...and there wont be any december from hell anymore where we rely on 'everybody else' instead of Colten and Jordan.

Ive never been worried about that, but we could have been so much better. Imagine if Eberle went for Glennie, a prospect and/or a high pick, and if Teubert went for a defenceman that returns for next year and some future player/pick...we would be looking at a very good team returning.


Habscheid was looking for a position where he was both the coach AND the GM, so he wouldn't have even been in the running for that job anyways, though if Parker isn't in the equation, that could have theoretically happened.

Thats my point. If the ownership was looking for 'what would be better the team' rather than 'what would save more money and be easier to market', we would have Habscheid and probably a long playoff run in place of last years bull****.

[west coast]

it has been tough to figure out the Pats this season.The Pats have had a very tough schedule as of late.There were high expectations for Regina to at the very least make the playoffs.The past month has been very frustrating as the team is stuttering at a below .500 pace all month.The best trade this year was to acquire Ashton and Orfino.The Tendler trade to the Giants was the worst trade,it really hurt the teams goaltending depth , and Tendler will blossom into a steady whl goalie out west. The McColm trade wasnt much better as he is an atrocious and painful to watch -9 in his short stint with the Pats

[west coast]

it must feel like a kick in the teeth to have former Pats prospect Derek Tendler waltz into the BC and have a great performance and a win against the Pats.Good thing that Tendler and the Giants only play the Pats once in a blue moon

[Sudzy]

I hope the published attendance tonight of 2900 is a mistake !

If it isn't, too bad everybody has lost alot of interest as of late.

[Boltz9]

What do you expect when Canada plays Russia in the Olympics at the same time.

[west coast]

I hope the published attendance tonight of 2900 is a mistake !

If it isn't, too bad everybody has lost alot of interest as of late.

its too bad the Pats have lost interest, the fans are just starting to follow suit, time to start parking some butts and put in players that want to play hard , it would be a good chance to get a look at some youngsters and see if they can audition for spots for next year

[patsdude114]

McColm has been twice the defenseman that Delahey was this year, Delahey struggled big time this year. McColm brought some toughness to the team which we needed badly, Pats need to add another Dman like that this summer.

I agree with the Tendler comment, that was the worst trade in the WHL all year. The Pats were pushed into a corner at the time of that deal with the injuries/team canada commitments to our defense. We got a guy in Spooner who should turn into a pretty solid Dman himself, with him & Bell to build around being a year apart.

I dont think our offense will will be as bad as everyone says it will. As much as Eberle was great to have on our team, the guys had it in there mind that Eberle will get it done. Then when Eberle wasnt around around it was like "oh now what do we do"

I for one actually like the way our team is looking for next season, i dont really see much in Hutt tho for being a small guy he can hardly skate, yes he does have good hands but too small & not being able to skate hurts him alot. Least with Weal the guy can skate like the wind & works his azz off every shift.

I also think come next year Hunt wont be able to play the older player favourtism like he did with Leffler, Streuby, Eberle, Teubert. It will be VERY good for the pats to have all these guys graduate this year. No matter what they did on the ice (meaning bad things) they never got benched or a healthy scratch. I think alot of that had to do with Hunt being here before his year off to the NHL.

[patsdude114]

its too bad the Pats have lost interest, the fans are just starting to follow suit, time to start parking some butts and put in players that want to play hard , it would be a good chance to get a look at some youngsters and see if they can audition for spots for next year

i agree but i dont know if there prospects seasons are done yet in AAA hockey. I assure u that when there seasons are done they will be called up for some games.

Not once this year was was Chandler Stephensen called up our 1st rd pick who is in Weyburn. Actually come to think of it i dont think any of our prospects were called up for a HOME game for fans to see.

[Joe Hallenback]

I think it is a couple of things

1. Bad Management. If you looked at this team before the trade deadline you could easily tell that without a solid Goalie in net they were going to go no where. They failed to address that and you are stuck with a tandem that quite frankly is not good enough to put you in the playoffs. Instead of Acquiring Ashton and giving up a chunk of youth, you could have moved Eberle and Teubert for a real deal. Before Brandon made the move for Hamonic the deal pitched to Regina was

Ferland
Miller
1st 10
2nd 10
rights to Jordan Fransoo
rights to Liam Liston

Now you have a team to build around for the next few years and probably a very strong team. Not just a team that MAY squeak into the playoffs next year. The smarts to move your big guns at the trade deadline for youth and picks is a way to insure that your team in the future will not only be competitive but one of the stronger teams. This is were the Pats have failed because they held 2 of the biggest trading chips in their hand and failed to use them.

2. Coaching. It is probably just a by product of lack of talent but anyone who watches the Pats and the WHL in general knows that you can't win night after night with 1 line. The cycle as far as I can see is Eberle's line, line 2, Eberle's line, line 3, Eberle's line, Line 4, repeat. I can't think of any really good teams right now that play that way. Yes at the end of the game you may go with your horses but from the start no.

[wow]

If Hallenback is correct in that deal that Brandon was offering for Eberle and/or Tuebert then I would have to agree that Regina should have pulled the trigger and solidified their lineup. You never know how draft picks turn out however the four players mentioned are definitely WHL calibre players, they may not score you 40 goals however they provide depth and stability to your lineup which the Pats don't have right now.

[Joe Hallenback]

I firmly believe in the WHL depth and coaching will take you a long long way. Not superstars. Look at Spokane or Vancouver. Those teams play the same way night after night from top line to bottom line and they have that ability to grind out wins. Don Hay style has such a positive influnce on the western teams in the WHL when he took Kamloops to back to back Memorial cup wins that all of those teams have adopted that style of play.

There is a reason why now Vancouver,Kelowna,Tri-City,Spokane,Everett and Kootenay are always tough to play against.

4 line hockey. Tough simple Defence. Quality first save Goaltenders. Dump and hard forecheck.

[CanesCrazy]

The Pats this year remind me a lot of the Hurricanes last season.

We had three first round draft picks in Sbisa, Boychuk and Beach. We had a top prospect and eventual first round draft pick in Ashton. We didn't do what we were supposed to do.

Having won the Eastern Conference the season prior it was expected that the Hurricanes would be a top contender but we barely made it into the playoffs and never got passed the second round.

Like Regina we had a ton of talent. My assumption is that the blame was divided: 1/3 to the GM for getting involved when and where he shouldn't, 1/3 to the coach for assuming he was going to have a great team and not working on building and training where he should, and 1/3 to the players for thinking they were going to sail through the season. By the time reality hit it was too late for anyone to save the sinking ship.

It would seem to me that this is the exact same story in Regina. Too bad your GM/coach/players didn't learn from our mistake. The lesson here: a "stacked" team does not a WHL championship make.

[patsdude114]

Before Brandon made the move for Hamonic the deal pitched to Regina was

Ferland
Miller
1st 10
2nd 10
rights to Jordan Fransoo
rights to Liam Liston

If this was the deal that Brandon offered the Pats i can totally see why Parker didnt accept it.... that is a terrible offer for Eberle even if Teubert was involved. Ferland & Miller are miles behind Bell at age 16 those prospects should turn into something decent but for Eberle you needed in return at least 1 roster back in return.

Nothing less in a deal with Brandon would of been Stone in return, heck i would of took Eberle for Stone straight up. Teubert for Ferland & Miller that would of been respectable actually either 1 of those players & a 2nd or 3rd round pick & i would of pulled that deal as well.

It would of been nice to have seen the offers that were on the table for Eberle & Teubert (even in separate deals) just to see what Parker did turn down. But Joe u ar right with the goaltending the Pats have it was plain and simple that the Pats werent making the playoffs.

[reims]

rumour is they wanted siemens, inglis and a first in 2010 for eberle from stoon

[sbtatter]

I think it is a couple of things

1. Bad Management. If you looked at this team before the trade deadline you could easily tell that without a solid Goalie in net they were going to go no where. They failed to address that and you are stuck with a tandem that quite frankly is not good enough to put you in the playoffs. Instead of Acquiring Ashton and giving up a chunk of youth, you could have moved Eberle and Teubert for a real deal. Before Brandon made the move for Hamonic the deal pitched to Regina was

Ferland
Miller
1st 10
2nd 10
rights to Jordan Fransoo
rights to Liam Liston

Now you have a team to build around for the next few years and probably a very strong team. Not just a team that MAY squeak into the playoffs next year. The smarts to move your big guns at the trade deadline for youth and picks is a way to insure that your team in the future will not only be competitive but one of the stronger teams. This is were the Pats have failed because they held 2 of the biggest trading chips in their hand and failed to use them.

2. Coaching. It is probably just a by product of lack of talent but anyone who watches the Pats and the WHL in general knows that you can't win night after night with 1 line. The cycle as far as I can see is Eberle's line, line 2, Eberle's line, line 3, Eberle's line, Line 4, repeat. I can't think of any really good teams right now that play that way. Yes at the end of the game you may go with your horses but from the start no.

Wow, if that was the deal Parker should have jumped at it. Ferland and Miller are going to be the nasty heartbeat of the WK's for the next 2 years, I can't imagine having to play against those guys as they enter their 18 and 19 year old years.....

[Joe Hallenback]

If this was the deal that Brandon offered the Pats i can totally see why Parker didnt accept it.... that is a terrible offer for Eberle even if Teubert was involved. Ferland & Miller are miles behind Bell at age 16 those prospects should turn into something decent but for Eberle you needed in return at least 1 roster back in return.

Nothing less in a deal with Brandon would of been Stone in return, heck i would of took Eberle for Stone straight up. Teubert for Ferland & Miller that would of been respectable actually either 1 of those players & a 2nd or 3rd round pick & i would of pulled that deal as well.

It would of been nice to have seen the offers that were on the table for Eberle & Teubert (even in separate deals) just to see what Parker did turn down. But Joe u ar right with the goaltending the Pats have it was plain and simple that the Pats werent making the playoffs.

This is what I mean about the Pats and even though you are just a fan and not involved with the team it goes along way to show how disconnected the Pats organization and fanbase is from what they need to do to be a competitive powerhouse year after year.(which they should be playing in a large city in the heartland of hockey)

I guarantee you next season Ferland will put up 60 Points 100+ PIM and be lauded as one of the better two way players in the WHL. Miller will start to add some muscle and weight to his frame and become an even more devastating hitter to go along with being a top middleweight in the league. Fransoo is one of the top 16 year old defensemen in the Sask AAA midget league he also played for team west at the u17 worlds. Listom is the best goalie in the Alberta AAA midget league and was the starter for Team pacific at the u17s.

Wouldn't that be better to build around with Chandler Stevenson,Tyler Balog and Graham Hood? Add them to the younger guys like Weal,Bell, and Borstmeyer and you have a solid core for the next few years. But no you keep hold of those 2 guys and you are still not going to make the playoffs AND not only that any deal that was proposed is not good enough? What a sad state you guys are.

[sbtatter]

This is what I mean about the Pats and even though you are just a fan and not involved with the team it goes along way to show how disconnected the Pats organization and fanbase is from what they need to do to be a competitive powerhouse year after year.(which they should be playing in a large city in the heartland of hockey)

I guarantee you next season Ferland will put up 60 Points 100+ PIM and be lauded as one of the better two way players in the WHL. Miller will start to add some muscle and weight to his frame and become an even more devastating hitter to go along with being a top middleweight in the league. Fransoo is one of the top 16 year old defensemen in the Sask AAA midget league he also played for team west at the u17 worlds. Listom is the best goalie in the Alberta AAA midget league and was the starter for Team pacific at the u17s.

Wouldn't that be better to build around with Chandler Stevenson,Tyler Balog and Graham Hood? Add them to the younger guys like Weal,Bell, and Borstmeyer and you have a solid core for the next few years. But no you keep hold of those 2 guys and you are still not going to make the playoffs AND not only that any deal that was proposed is not good enough? What a sad state you guys are.

Excellent post

[wango tango]

This is what I mean about the Pats and even though you are just a fan and not involved with the team it goes along way to show how disconnected the Pats organization and fanbase is from what they need to do to be a competitive powerhouse year after year.(which they should be playing in a large city in the heartland of hockey)

I guarantee you next season Ferland will put up 60 Points 100+ PIM and be lauded as one of the better two way players in the WHL. Miller will start to add some muscle and weight to his frame and become an even more devastating hitter to go along with being a top middleweight in the league. Fransoo is one of the top 16 year old defensemen in the Sask AAA midget league he also played for team west at the u17 worlds. Listom is the best goalie in the Alberta AAA midget league and was the starter for Team pacific at the u17s.

Wouldn't that be better to build around with Chandler Stevenson,Tyler Balog and Graham Hood? Add them to the younger guys like Weal,Bell, and Borstmeyer and you have a solid core for the next few years. But no you keep hold of those 2 guys and you are still not going to make the playoffs AND not only that any deal that was proposed is not good enough? What a sad state you guys are.

but but but joe.... you're right it shows how tough parkers situation is/was. darned if he does, darned if he doesn't deal eberle.

rumour is both brandon and saskatoon made very good offers for eberle, and he demanded it was either brandon or regina, nothing else.

[Joe Hallenback]

but but but joe.... you're right it shows how tough parkers situation is/was. darned if he does, darned if he doesn't deal eberle.

rumour is both brandon and saskatoon made very good offers for eberle, and he demanded it was either brandon or regina, nothing else.

I agree with you but look at Moose Jaw

Going to make the playoffs BUT they deal Hamonic anyway. It makes perfect sense in the long term.

This is how it should have happened in my Opinion

1. Look at your situation. Can we not just make the playoffs but can we also contend? If the answer is no then go to 2

2. Ask Eberle and Teubert Do you want to be traded. If they say yes then go to 3

3. Make the best deal you can and set yourself up with not only quality prospects but a quantity of prospects.