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Bran
06-06-2006, 01:12 PM
Perkins looking toward future

Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Tuesday, June 06, 2006

The ink was barely dry on Terry Perkins' new contract when the topic shifted towards the eventuality of his next job.

A head coaching job.

"I'm not looking to be an assistant anywhere else (than Regina); I'm very happy here," said Perkins, emphasizing his commitment to the Pats while at the same time confirming a longer-term vision. "There is a clause (in his contract) that allows (him to leave) if there is a chance to advance to be a head coach, which obviously is my goal. The Parkers are aware of that."

GM Brent Parker took it one step further, noting that Perkins may not see the end of his new pact.

"Terry is probably going to get an opportunity at some point to be a head coach in our league," said Parker. "He is certainly qualified. When we hired him we knew (head coach) Curtis (Hunt) was going to be a candidate in the national program and we wanted to have somebody with a strong head-coaching background who could take over during that time."

That time has arrived.

Perkins is slated to become Regina's interim bench boss in December, when Hunt joins Team Canada as an assistant at the world junior championship in Sweden.

"It's a great opportunity for Curtis, one which hopefully one day I'll get a chance to do," said Perkins. "That month where Curtis will be away, it will be a little more responsibility on me to try to keep the ship going in the right direction.

"I'm not sure that my assistant will be as good as his assistant," he added with a laugh, "but the big thing for me is just knowing Curtis will have the confidence in me to keep doing the job the way he wants it done. His comfort level will be more important than mine."

Perkins is no stranger to hockey's hot seat.

Before joining the Pats last season, he spent the previous four campaigns as the head coach of the BCHL's Powell River Kings, adding the dual role of head coach/GM in 2003-04. He led the Kings to four straight playoff appearances and was named a Coastal Conference coach-of-the-year on two occasions.

Perkins' resume also includes two medals at the world under-17 challenge -- bronze as an assistant in 2000 and silver the following year as head coach.

"I think I proved myself as a head coach and general manager at the junior A level but you want to make that next step, you want to move up the ladder," he said.

"The biggest thing for me is working with Curtis. He obviously has a great reputation as a head coach in this league. I can't say enough about how much I learned last year and how great Curtis treated me. I'm just very fortunate to be in this situation."