Regina Pats begin search for new assistant coach

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Alan Millar knows what he’s looking for in a new assistant coach.

After the Regina Pats general manager signed head coach Brad Herauf and assistant coach Ken Schneider to contract extensions on Monday, he also began the search for a second assistant coach to replace Evan McFeeters, whose contract wasn’t renewed after one season with the WHL club.

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Millar said the decision wasn’t based on anything the 36-year-old McFeeters did wrong, but instead the general manager wants to add somebody with more years behind the bench to the staff.

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“The key word is experience,” Millar told the Leader-Post this week. “I want to support Brad and Ken with an established, experienced coach.

“Whatever that experience means in the WHL or at the pro level, I just think that complements our group and what we need best to move forward.”

Millar — who joined the Pats last off-season after John Paddock retired — hired McFeeters from the Alberta Junior Hockey League last off-season to serve as an assistant coach after Herauf was promoted to head coach.

The general manager spent the year evaluating the coaching staff — who were all on one-year contracts — before deciding to retain Herauf and Schneider while also parting ways with McFeeters and goaltender coach Daniel Wapple this week.

Millar said despite Herauf being in a tough situation as a rookie head coach on a one-year contract with a new general manager, he liked what he saw from the 41-year-old Regina product, who served as an assistant coach for the last eight seasons prior to being promoted last year.

He also commended how Herauf managed the room following the trades of key players like defenceman Parker Berge and forward Borya Valis.

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“I knew Brad but not very well so there was a process there to get to know him both as a person and as a coach,” said Millar. “Understanding how important our culture and environment in that situation was in terms of how we played, the development of our young guys, managing the bench properly — all of those things — I saw enough in a good way.”

Moving forward, not only does Millar want to provide Herauf with more talent on the ice, but he also believes hiring a veteran assistant coach will also help the team take a step forward after finishing last in the WHL’s Eastern Conference with a 22-40-6 record.

“It’s going to be a wide net,” Millar said of the assistant coach search. “There’s certainly people in the pipeline, my network, that certainly would get consideration.

“There’s a lot of things that can change between now and the NHL Draft in terms of changes with coaching staffs, teams making decisions to move on from coaches, coaches getting opportunities to go to the pros.

“We’ll cast a wide net and be patient in the process and make sure we get the right guy that fits what’s best for our organization.”

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NHL Central Scouting

NHL Central Scouting released its final prospect rankings ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft with three Regina Pats making the list.

After leading the team with 77 points in 68 games, 18-year-old Pats’ captain Tanner Howe is ranked No. 41 among North American skaters heading into the draft.

The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Prince Albert product was previously ranked No. 29 in the mid-term rankings in January.

Twin brothers Jaxsin and Corbin Vaughan, 18, have also cracked the list with Jaxsin coming in at No. 150 and Corbin at No. 155 among North American skaters.

Jaxsin, a 6-foot-1, 206-pound forward, put up 25 points in 49 games this season for Regina. Meanwhile, Corbin, a 6-foot, 205-pound defenceman, put up eight points this season while being limited to 33 games with a knee injury.

The Merritt, B.C. products were previously ranked No. 136 (Corbin) and No. 148 (Jaxsin) in the mid-term rankings.

Pats European prospect Stian Solberg has also made the list as the defenceman is ranked No. 20 among International skaters. The Olso, Norway product put up 15 points in 42 games this season in Norway’s top pro league. He is expected to join the Pats next season.

Southey, Sask. product Matthew Van Blaricom, who currently plays for the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos, is ranked No. 139 among North American skaters.

The 2024 NHL Draft will be held in Las Vegas with the first round on June 28 followed by rounds 2-7 on June 29.

tshire@postmedia.com

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