The Regina Pats will miss the WHL playoffs again after last nite's loss to Swift Current. Its news that isn't going over well with the Regina hockey fan----the Regina hockey fan that realistically had to think this team would not make the playoffs this season. The question now is what next? I've had a lot ofpeople ask me over the past couple of days what is going to happen with the Pats and the answer is I don't know.
I will be the first to admit that I didn't see a lot of Pats hockey games this year. Whether it be the fact that I work for another league now or not, going to games this year just didn't provide me with the same level of excitement that it used to. I listened whenever I could and I read all the articles and followed what they are up to, but I just didn't have that desire to head to the rink on many nights this year. When I did go, I left some nights saying that team is going to be alright and there were other nights when I thought that team was god-awful. It was tough for me to get a good read on them. Some that I talked to said they were going to be fine, others said it was just another disaster in what has become a tradition of disasters over the past few seasons.
However, I will say that I think Chad Lang is on the right path and got this team a lot closer to a playoff spot than many thought he would. He has some talent to work with. The Carter Ashton trade that brought some players over from Tri-Cities seems to have worked out. He has Jordan Weal, Garrett Mitchell, Myles Bell, Brandon Davidson as core players. I am excited to see what Morgan Klimchuk does in a Regina uniform next year and it will be interesting to see if guys like Chandler Stephenson can take his game to the next level. The big question though is Curtis Hunt and what becomes of him. Do the Pats go looking for a head coach or not? I can't say.
What type of relationship does Curtis have with Chad? If its a good one, he might stay. If its a bad one, see ya. If you do bring in a new head coach, who would it be. Is Chad Mercier ready to become a WHL coach, Steve Young took the Warriors to the finals when Lang was GM in Moose Jaw. Young is an assistant coach and GM in Prince Albert. Does he want another coaching gig? Is there an SJHL coach out there who could move up the ladder? It won't be Dean Brockman in Humboldt seeing he will be guiding the Broncos as the host team of the 2012 RBC. If Bob Beatty could take the La Ronge Ice Wolves to a 2nd straight league title, would there be interest there? I just don't know.
Then there is the ongoing story of what the Parkers will do with the hockey club. You can't go far without Pats fans wondering if and when Russ Parker is going to sell this team and to who and for how much. I am guessing the bottom line can't be that great considering the playoff failures of the past few years, but is Russ considering selling the team.
In closing, I have no idea what is going to happen, but I get the feeling it could be a very interesting summer at the Brandt Centre.
Any thoughts you have are more than welcome.
8 comments:
The Pats could have had someone like Marc Habschied, but had to settle for Chad Lang. Chad has done a good job, but if Brent would have relinquished some power and some ego, it would be a different story.
The intelligent Regina hockey fan knows who has to go and it isn't Curtis or Chad.
Go Riders. I don't give the Pats the time of day until new ownership. Same old.
I must disagree with post 1, Curtis does have to go and so does the scouting staff. Let Chad start over with people he wants then you can judge what he does, having to band aid things together with staff he never picked or might not be able to change just ties his hands. This team/city needs a change at the top to give the fans and players a positive to grow on going into this long off season
Hunt couldn't coach a team to the playoffs that had two world junior medallists on it. His choking defensive style is garbage. Bring back Derkatch!
BT
Three years of not making the playoffs is enough. It all starts and ends with the Parkers. The mess that Brent created will take a while to clean up. I'm not so sure this team will make the playoffs next season.
Jim
I think the Hunt era must end. A fresh start is needed. I didn't think Curtis should be the guy going into this year but whatever
Is Sutter ready to be a head coach? What about Jamie Heward? I would support Mercier if he wanted to make the move. There are many good hockey people oout there who could replace Curtis as far as I'm concerned.
Tom
Why not tell us why we should care what you think!
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