A rant....

That article "Hunt wants urgency from team" has been bugging me since I read it the first time. I can understand that it's frustrating having training camp without your "go-to guys".... who coincidentally didn't help the Pats make it over the hump and get the playoffs the last two years. Now that they are gone it's time to move on and coach the players that are here and teach them to win!

It's been a frustrating two seasons for me watching the team pretty much flounder when it counted. Ask anyone that knows me.... I live Regina Pats Hockey. It's been hard to see the team go through this turmoil.

Seeing kids come and go from team is utter craziness. I understand they want to win but sometimes you need to keep your players and let them develop.... take some lumps along the way and make the odd run to the second round of the playoffs (I know I'm being sarcastic but I would like to see the team past the first round of the playoffs for once). Trading prospects like they mean nothing... to try and win 'now' makes absolutely no sense when you don't have the team to do it with. And not trading valuable assets to get kids and picks in return when you barely have an outside shot at the playoffs is totally ridiculous.

The quote that really gets me is this: With 31 players on the roster, the Pats have plenty of decisions to make before they open the regular season on Sept. 24 in Brandon. Asked if those decisions are becoming more clear, Hunt replied: "Oh yeah, they're clear. We've got holes to fill." Darn rights you have holes to fill! There was holes to fill last year and there is definitely questions this year. Many of the holes/gaps could have been filled from within but some kids never had a chance to prove themselves. I paid close attention to many games last year and some players were lucky to get 3 or 4 shifts a game. How are they going to be ready to fill the gaps this year? That is if they even came back to the team (Mulder, Orfino, Hricina). Was it not apparent that the team had holes to fill last year? Past the top 2 lines (and a couple of guys) who really had a chance to make a difference? If they weren’t good enough why were they still being dressed? Why were they still with the Pats? Man this almost makes me angry thinking about this.

If and when all of our key components come back from NHL camps I think that the Pats will be competitive but I think a few hard decisions will need to be made. I would hate to see the Pats miss the playoffs for the third straight season for the first time in the clubs HISTORY.

Anyway that’s my rant for tonight hopefully I don’t tick too many people off but I needed to say it and I hope everything makes sense it felt a little ramble-ish.

But whatever..... I do need to say this: No matter what happens GO PATS GO!

K
on September 14, 2010 by Kevin Shaw |