Bran
06-06-2006, 01:10 PM
From ReginaPats.com
Parker's future with Pats up in the air
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Regina Pats GM Brent Parker stopped short of offering a pen and paper to the only member of his hockey operation's department who has yet to sign a new long-term contract.
Himself.
"I'm certainly leaning right now towards coming back," Parker revealed Monday when asked to clarify his uncertain status with the WHL club. "I still have some things in my mind that I need to get sorted out. Your family has to be first and foremost through all this. There's a lot that they get put through with the hours that I'm away. It leaves my wife Karen as a single parent pretty much from September till May. We don't have any other family here, so you have to rely on close friends to be there in good times and bad. We have to decide if we want to continue down this road, because it's a very taxing job."
Although Parker is expected to be back as the Pats' top dog, the Calgary native caught many people off guard at the conclusion of a successful 2005-06 season when he expressed some misgivings about returning for a 12th campaign.
In an exclusive interview with the Leader-Post's Rob Vanstone, Parker dropped the following bombshell: "Quite honestly, I'm not sure what my future holds," he said on April 6. "I'm not sure how much longer, for me, that I can keep doing this.
"You sit and think that maybe it is time for somebody else to try this and take a shot at it. Whether that time is right now before this next season or in another year, that's something that I'll have to go through and decide."
If Parker does indeed step aside, it has been speculated the most likely scenario would see him remain through the 2006-07 campaign, thus overseeing the final stage of the team's rebuilding project. That would also allow a more seamless transition for the new GM, a job which would presumably be offered to head coach Curtis Hunt.
Either way, the final decision falls solely on Parker, who has full autonomy to run the franchise as he sees fit.
"We would discuss it for sure, but that would be his decision," explained owner Russ Parker, Brent's father. "I don't interfere with the hockey operations. I never question his decisions. I'm not a meddling owner. I think I'm pretty easy to get along with."
In this case, however, Russ might be inclined to offer his two cents.
"For me personally, I think Brent is an outstanding young hockey mind," offered the Calgary businessman. "He has a lot of respect in our league and he's a big part of this. I want to make it as attractive for him to stay as I possibly can.
"Maybe I need to pay him more, I don't know," he added with a laugh. "We haven't discussed that in a while."
Russ Parker admits he has seen signs of the job wearing on his son, especially during a dubious streak of three-straight losing seasons. However, the Pats' organization has been revitalized by the turnaround of 2005-06 -- from 12 wins to 40 -- and by the subsequent news that each member of the hockey operations staff has committed to new three-year contracts.
That optimism extends to the general manager.
"We had a rough year two years ago but I know he feels really good about what we have going right now and he wants to be a big part of it," noted the senior Parker. "He hasn't indicated to me that he doesn't want to be a big part of it. But if and when he does, I'm OK with that. I want him to be happy with what he's doing. As long as he's happy, I'm happy."
Parker's future with Pats up in the air
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Regina Pats GM Brent Parker stopped short of offering a pen and paper to the only member of his hockey operation's department who has yet to sign a new long-term contract.
Himself.
"I'm certainly leaning right now towards coming back," Parker revealed Monday when asked to clarify his uncertain status with the WHL club. "I still have some things in my mind that I need to get sorted out. Your family has to be first and foremost through all this. There's a lot that they get put through with the hours that I'm away. It leaves my wife Karen as a single parent pretty much from September till May. We don't have any other family here, so you have to rely on close friends to be there in good times and bad. We have to decide if we want to continue down this road, because it's a very taxing job."
Although Parker is expected to be back as the Pats' top dog, the Calgary native caught many people off guard at the conclusion of a successful 2005-06 season when he expressed some misgivings about returning for a 12th campaign.
In an exclusive interview with the Leader-Post's Rob Vanstone, Parker dropped the following bombshell: "Quite honestly, I'm not sure what my future holds," he said on April 6. "I'm not sure how much longer, for me, that I can keep doing this.
"You sit and think that maybe it is time for somebody else to try this and take a shot at it. Whether that time is right now before this next season or in another year, that's something that I'll have to go through and decide."
If Parker does indeed step aside, it has been speculated the most likely scenario would see him remain through the 2006-07 campaign, thus overseeing the final stage of the team's rebuilding project. That would also allow a more seamless transition for the new GM, a job which would presumably be offered to head coach Curtis Hunt.
Either way, the final decision falls solely on Parker, who has full autonomy to run the franchise as he sees fit.
"We would discuss it for sure, but that would be his decision," explained owner Russ Parker, Brent's father. "I don't interfere with the hockey operations. I never question his decisions. I'm not a meddling owner. I think I'm pretty easy to get along with."
In this case, however, Russ might be inclined to offer his two cents.
"For me personally, I think Brent is an outstanding young hockey mind," offered the Calgary businessman. "He has a lot of respect in our league and he's a big part of this. I want to make it as attractive for him to stay as I possibly can.
"Maybe I need to pay him more, I don't know," he added with a laugh. "We haven't discussed that in a while."
Russ Parker admits he has seen signs of the job wearing on his son, especially during a dubious streak of three-straight losing seasons. However, the Pats' organization has been revitalized by the turnaround of 2005-06 -- from 12 wins to 40 -- and by the subsequent news that each member of the hockey operations staff has committed to new three-year contracts.
That optimism extends to the general manager.
"We had a rough year two years ago but I know he feels really good about what we have going right now and he wants to be a big part of it," noted the senior Parker. "He hasn't indicated to me that he doesn't want to be a big part of it. But if and when he does, I'm OK with that. I want him to be happy with what he's doing. As long as he's happy, I'm happy."