Parker won't show his hand

By GREGG DRINNAN
L-P Sports Editor

The Regina Pats' braintrust knows where it wants to go.

This week it begins to stock up on players it hopes can get it there.

The Pats, along with the WHL's other 17 teams, will participate in the WHL's annual bantam draft in Calgary on Thursday. Those teams will be selecting for the most part players born in 1984.

"There is a real group of guys at the top end who could go No. 1 or could go No. 8," Brent Parker, the Pats' general manager, says. "There could be a bit of head-shaking when some picks are being made. There always is but . . .

"Who are the top five guys? We think we know in our minds. But Saskatoon, Spokane and Medicine Hat may have a different group."

For the second straight year the Medicine Hat Tigers -- barring a trade -- hold the first pick, thanks to their having posted the WHL's poorest record in the 1998-99 season. The Spokane Chiefs will select second, followed by the Saskatoon Blades and the Pats.

Parker says he has heard from other teams who may be interested in trading with him.

"It wouldn't surprise me if we did something," he says.

However, he doesn't sound too enthused about taking multiple picks in exchange for his first-round selection.

"I don't know if that interests us," he says.

By draft time, the Pats will have open eight spots on their 50-player protected list. That is perfect considering they have eight picks in the first six rounds -- besides the first-round pick, they also hold one second-round pick, two in the third round, a fourth-rounder, the first pick in the fifth round, and two sixth-round selections.

"After that we would have to start dropping players," Parker explains.

Going into the draft, Parker says the Pats know what they want.

"As in all of hockey, people who can put the puck in the net," he states. "There is a deficiency in the area of players who can put people in the seats. There is a deficiency in all of hockey in that area."

At the same time, however, there is somewhat of a conundrum.

In making this point, Parker points no further than the Calgary Hitmen, Prince Albert Raiders, Kamloops Blazers and Tri-City Americans -- the WHL's four playoff semifinalists.

"We are building from the back end out," Parker explains. "Kamloops, Calgary, Prince Albert and Tri-City all have good defences.

"There are probably four defencemen who could go in the top five and all are 6-foot-1 or better. In fact, three of them are 6-foot-3.

"So, do you take the 5-foot-9 forward, or the 6-foot-3 defenceman who is mobile?"

In the end, Parker will do what he has to do.

"I'd be comfortable with any of the guys we've got rated in the top five," he says.

Go to 1998 Pats Schedule...