Pats look to springboard success into next season
John Paddock would love to savour a second Cup.
The primary focus of the Regina Pats’ head coach and general manager is to guide his team to WHL and Memorial Cup titles this season. But despite the importance of the 2017 stretch run, it is difficult to avoid looking even further ahead.
After all, the Pats are guaranteed a berth in the CHL’s 2018 championship tournament. Hosting privileges were awarded to Regina on Saturday.
“Of course, our job is concentrating on this season, but even now we’ll still be thinking about down the road a little bit,” Paddock said.
Ideally, from the Pats’ perspective, they will stage the 2018 Memorial Cup as defending champions. Regardless, next year’s event could act as a magnet for reputable players who aspire to showcase their talents to a national audience with a championship at stake.
Consider, for example, Tyson Jost and Tyler Jubenvill.
Jost, whom the Colorado Avalanche selected 10th overall in the 2016 NHL draft, is playing for the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks. Over the holidays, the 18-year-old forward was a member of Team Canada at the world junior championship.
The Pats obtained Jost’s majorjunior rights from the Everett Silvertips last summer for a fourthround bantam draft pick. If Jost ends up joining the Pats, they will further compensate the Silvertips with some high-end draft choices.
Comparably, the Pats acquired the major-junior rights to Jubenvill, a 17-year-old defenceman, from the Spokane Chiefs in September for a conditional fourthrounder. Jubenvill, who is playing for the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Winkler Flyers, has made a verbal commitment to join Bemidji State University.
Could the allure of playing in a Memorial Cup be a game changer?
“Those kind of things ultimately rest sort of out of our hands,” Paddock said. “Certainly, I’ll be talking to their representatives as I have all along. But (the Memorial Cup) doesn’t hurt, let’s put it that way.”
In Jost’s case, his future could be determined by the Avalanche if he signs with the team after fulfilling this season’s NCAA obligations.
“If he signs a contract, I guess (sending him to Regina next season) could be an option, but maybe he plays 20 minutes a night in Colorado and it might never happen,” Paddock said. “But it helps recruitment. It has to help recruitment. I hope it helps with our European players. I hope it helps with anything with over-age players next year.”
As it stands, the only Pats players who are solid bets to return as 20-year-olds are goaltender Tyler Brown and centre Wyatt Sloboshan. Regina’s other current 19-year-olds — forwards Austin Wagner and Filip Ahl, plus defencemen Connor Hobbs and Sergey Zborovskiy — are likely destined for the pros. Ditto for this season’s 20-year-olds — centre Adam Brooks, left-winger Dawson Leedahl and defenceman Chase Harrison.
“There are lots of things that are going to happen with our roster,” Paddock said. “I do catch myself thinking about it a little bit, but really that’s not something I’m dwelling on at all until June, really.”
Paddock has already made some moves with next season in mind. He consummated in-season trades for three defencemen — Josh Mahura, 18, Dawson Davidson, 18, and Jonathan Smart, 17 — to bolster the blue-line for the future.
More deals are likely in the offing as the Pats stock up for May 2018.
“We won’t have a team in August that we’re going to have in January,” Paddock noted.
Taking even a broader view, Pats governor/co-owner Anthony Marquart envisions a team that will be competing for a Memorial Cup beyond 2018.
“The people of Regina deserve the best in terms of what they should expect from us,” said Marquart, whose ownership group purchased the team in 2014. “We still feel this is early days and we’re very excited.
“This is a generational goal that we want to bring long-term hockey and entertainment value to this community and we’re committed to doing that.”
Centre Sam Steel has produced consistent entertainment this season, leading the league in scoring for a team that sits atop the Eastern Conference’s overall standings.
“With the success we’ve had this year, I think a high standard of excellence has been set here,” said Steel, who is eligible to return as a 19-year-old. “We don’t expect anything to change for next year.
“When you’re hosting the Memorial Cup, it’s pretty much your responsibility to be a really good team and a contending team. There will be a little bit of pressure, but that’s nothing new.”