REGINA PATS - OWNER RUSS PARKER - TOO EARLY TO DECIDE WHAT CHANGES TO MAKE

Photo: by Don Healey, Regina Leader Post

By GREG HARDER, Leader-Post, Wednesday,March 10, 2010

Too early to decide what changes to make: Pats' owner Russ Parker

REGINA — Russ Parker is "disappointed" and "bewildered" by the recent failures of the Regina Pats, but he's not committing to an organizational overhaul.
Not yet, anyway.

The Pats' Calgary-based owner was noncommittal on the subject of change — in particular, change at the top — during a recent visit to Regina, stating that it's too soon to reach any conclusions without the necessary due process.

"This is the last thing we ever wanted," Parker said of his team's performance, missing the playoffs for the second straight year. "It's very disappointing. We're all feeling it. We need to sit back now — everybody will, I guess — and take a little time and try to dissect it all and see where we go, what changes we have to make or whatever. It's too early to comment on that side of it, where we go now, because we need to get everybody in a room and have a round-table session."

The Pats were hoping to right the ship after conducting a "thorough review" of their operation following a nightmarish 2008-09 campaign. Rookie head coach Dale Derkatch became the fall guy when he was fired after just one season at the helm. That move cleared the way for the return of veteran head coach Curtis Hunt, who hired a new assistant in rookie coach Shaun Sutter.

However, those changes weren't enough to steer the underachieving club back to the playoffs despite a roster that includes stars like Jordan Eberle, Colten Teubert, Jordan Weal and Carter Ashton.

The Pats now have three games left in the season, then the autopsy begins — again.

"I feel bad for a lot of our people," said Russ Parker. "I feel bad for a lot of our individuals who played extremely hard. I feel bad for our fans. They were expecting more. We told them they'd get more so we feel like we let them down. I said that almost a year ago."

Parker suggested it may not be necessary to conduct a review of the franchise "to the same extent" as last spring. However, he couldn't get past the indisputable fact that the team continues to come up short.

"We have to try to determine as a group, all of our hockey people, why we didn't (meet expectations)," he said. "There are a lot of factors, I guess. We seem to find a way to struggle at times and get ourselves into trouble. Is it a talent thing? I guess you'd probably have to think it's partly that."

After Regina missed the playoffs last season, Parker asked the fans for a little more patience and vowed to turn things around. He also conceded that, if it looked like the Parker regime couldn't get the job done, they would consider moving on.

Is that a consideration now?

"No, not at this point in time," said Parker, who purchased the team in 1995. "We just thought we were going to have a pretty good season. I don't want to comment at this juncture on where we go from here. I can't do that."

As the Pats' brass prepares to deliberate on its options, the team is dealing with a public relations nightmare as fans threaten to revolt if the necessary changes aren't made. Rightly or wrongly, many of the fingers are pointed at GM Brent Parker.

"I understand their frustration," said Russ. "I know Brent is not sleeping through the night very well. I'm not holding him totally responsible at all. He's trying. We thought we would do better. We didn't. What we do now, we have to sit down and think about a lot of things and discuss what we need to do so this doesn't happen again."

Pressed on whether the current regime wants to stick it out and continue to seek its own solutions, the owner remained somewhat vague on his plans.

"I think so, as we speak," he added. "We enjoy major junior hockey, we enjoy being here. At this point in time, we want it to be better. We're willing to do whatever we can. I hope that's enough."

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Also:

Russ Parker speaks on Pats, future