Giants should be ‘thought of highly’
New general manager Parneta promises to make the team a winner and tough to play against
Hirings by the Vancouver Giants have routinely come with namedrop value.
Glen Hanlon was their last general manager. You knew him as a Vancouver Canucks’ goaltender or maybe as Alex Ovechkin’s first coach with the Washington Capitals.
Don Hay and Lorne Molleken were high up the all-time coaching wins list in the WHL media guide when they signed on with Vancouver. Troy Ward and Claude Noel both had experience behind NHL benches when they took up a spot behind the Giants’ bench.
Barclay Parneta is Vancouver’s latest hire. He was introduced Wednesday morning at Pat Quinn’s Restaurant in Tsawwassen as the team’s new GM. He replaces Hanlon, who left the Giants last week to pursue other opportunities after two years at the helm.
There’s not a ton of sizzle there. There’s not that instant name recognition. If you do read up on the resume, though, Parneta should have GM chops. The 47-year-old from Richmond worked his way through the scouting ranks with the Giants and then the St. Louis Blues and Arizona Coyotes before joining the Tri-City Americans’ front office eight seasons ago.
He eventually slotted in as assistant general manager there, working under veteran hockey man Bob Tory.
Hiring Parneta is a traditional hockey move, which hasn’t always been the Giants’ modus operandi.
Don’t misunderstand. Hanlon deserves considerable credit. He brought the Giants up a level. He got them attention. He sold the brand. He was key to them getting back to the playoffs for the first time in four springs this season.
Vancouver won 36 games this past regular season, which is the most they’ve recorded since their 40-victory effort in 2011-12.
He’s a coach, though, and you’ll likely find him popping up on somebody’s bench soon. Hanlon didn’t have ample experience in the WHL or as a GM, and was forced to do a ton of learning on the job.
Parneta will have some of those things ingrained automatically, which should help as the club looks to take more forward steps and get back to the point where playing games late into April and even into May is a common occurrence.
“The franchise goal is to hit the 40-win mark in the regular season every year,” said Parneta, who was part of a Tri-City club that won 35 or more games six times in the past eight regular seasons.
“We want to be competing for
championships. It’s more than just getting into the playoffs. Our expectations are to build a winning team and maintain a winning team. I want to be part of a franchise that’s thought of highly in the entire CHL.
“I want it to be that when you come to Vancouver, you know that you’re in for a game.”
Parneta did speak with the Giants about their GM’s job when Scott Bonner resigned two seasons ago. That was when they first start talking to Hanlon.
Parneta did meet recently with the Prince George Cougars’ brass about
their vacant GM’s job.
After failing to come to a deal with Vancouver two years ago, he could have been bitter. He had opportunities, it seems, to go elsewhere. He wanted to be a GM in the WHL. He really wanted to be the Giants’ GM in particular. If you’re a Giants’ fan, you have to think of that as another positive.
Parneta says his first order of business is connecting with the all players on the Vancouver roster and with incumbent coach Jason McKee.
Assistant Dean Chynoweth is presently looking at other opportunities.
Parneta will need to find out if he’s keen on returning or the Giants need to find someone else to fill that job.
The team should take another step forward this season. There will be questions about their goal scoring, especially with losing sniper Ty Ronning and team captain Tyler Benson, but they return five defencemen who saw considerable ice time in Matt Barberis, Dylan Plouffe, Bowen Byram, Alex Kannok Leipert and Kaleb Bulych. They are all capable puck movers.
As well, Vancouver is set in goal,
with starter David Tendeck slated to return along with highly touted youngster Trent Miner.
“I love the uptempo style the team plays,” said Parneta. “They have a number of threats from the back end, and that’s the way the game is going today.
“What needs to be upgraded? You’re always looking to upgrade. There’s never a time that you’re complacent. It’s going to be an ongoing process. We’ll be constantly upgrading.”