Hockey Operations

Hockey Operations

   

Ownership

The Regina Pats Hockey Club are owned jointly by Russ & Diane Parker of Calgary, Alberta, who purchased the hockey team in 1995.

Professional Highlights

The Parkers founded Calgary Copier Ltd. In 1969.  Before selling the company in 1988, it grew to be the second largest Canon dealership in the country employing over 150 people.

The Parker family started Calgary’s first professional baseball team in 1977 when the Calgary Cardinals of the Pioneer League began play.  In 1984, they purchased the Pacific Coast League’s (AAA) Salt Lake City franchise and moved the team to Calgary.  The Cannons played in Calgary from 1985 – 2002.

In 1990, the Parkers purchased an International Hockey League franchise and established the Kansas City Blades.  The Blades captured the IHL Turner Cup Championship in 1991 – 92.   The Blades were sold in 1996.

Russ was named the Pacific Coast Baseball League “Executive of The Year” in 1988.  In 1989, he was awarded Calgary’s inaugural “Pinnacle Award” for excellence in the business community.

In February of 1993, the Parker family purchased the Kelowna Spartans of the BCJHL.  The Spartans won the Centennial Cup national championship in 1993 – 94 and lost in the final in 1994 – 95.

Aside from his involvement at the team level, Russ had also held numerous committee positions at the league level.  His positions have included, Chairman of the International Hockey League Board of Governors, Chairman of the Pacific Coast League Executive Committee & Chairman of the 2001 Memorial Cup Committee.

In February of 2005, Russ Parker was named the Calgary Booster Club Sportsman Of The Year for his contribution to the development of hockey & baseball in the Calgary area as a coach, manager and owner at numerous levels.

 

Chad Lang - General Manager

Lang has a strong resume from his time as the General Manager of the Moose Jaw Warriors. He was originally hired by the Warriors in 2003 as its Director of Marketing and Corporate Sales and took over the G.M. role with the Warriors partway through the 2004-05 season.

Chad helped build a team that won the Eastern Conference title in 2006 and a berth into the WHL Finals. For his work that season, Lang was the Eastern Conference nominee for the WHL’s Executive of the Year. During his tenure with the Warriors Lang guided the team to 2 of its 3 best records in franchise history. He has sent the likes of Tomas Fleischman, Troy Brouwer, Dustin Boyd, Kenndal McArdle to the National Hockey League.

Lang has just finished up a stint as the Director of Hockey Operations for the MasterCard Memorial Cup in Brandon.

He is a product of the Regina Minor Hockey system and played for the Regina Pat Canadians as well as the Kindersley Klippers of the SJHL.

Lang, as well as his wife, Shaulen and children Ethan and Daxton have made Regina their home.

 

Director Of Scouting - Todd Ripplinger

Todd is entering his 15th season with the Pats as the teams’ Director of Scouting.  Todd began his scouting career with the Kamloops Blazers as their Saskatchewan Area Scout.  After four years in that position, he became the Blazers full-time Traveling Scout for two seasons.  While with the Blazers, Todd won three Memorial Cup Championships.

Todd is responsible for evaluating prospects throughout Western Canada, leading up to the Annual WHL Bantam Draft held each May.  He works very closely with a team of eleven regional scouts who watch over 1000 minor hockey games each year. Current Pats players drafted under Todd include Jordan Eberle, Linden Rowat, Colten Teubert, Jordan Weal & Brett Leffler. 

Todd resides in Regina with his wife Leanne and their children Brett, Aime, Turner & Calder.

Head Coach - Curtis Hunt

Curtis Hunt originally joined the Pats in 2004 and ranks second in both games coached (270) and wins (125).  In four seasons as bench boss of the Pats, his teams have compiled a winning percentage of .510 (125-120-25).  In 2007-08, Hunt led the Pats to their first Division title in 10 years, with a record of 44-22-4-2.

The North Battleford, Saskatchewan native has experienced success on the International stage as well as the WHL.  In August of 2005, Curtis captured Gold as Canada’s assistant coach for the Under-18 Junior World Cup played in Slovakia & the Czech Republic, that team also included former Pats captain Logan Pyett.  Hunt was also the assistant coach with Canada’s World Junior Team at the 2007 and 2008 IIHF World Junior Championships, winning gold in Leksand, Sweden in 2007 and Pardubice, Czech Republic in 2008.

Assistant Coach - Shaun Sutter

Shaun, is entering his 2nd season as the Pats assistant coach.  He is coming off a pro career that saw him play 9 seasons in North America and in Europe. Sutter, a native of Red Deer, also spent 4 seasons in the WHL as a player with Lethbridge, Medicine Hat and Calgary before getting drafted by the Calgary Flames in the 4th round of the 1998 NHL entry draft.

 

Athletic Therapist/Trainer - Greg Mayer

Greg is entering his 14th WHL season and seventh with the Pats. His first 7 were spent with Moose Jaw.Prior to joining the Warriors, he earned his Bachelor of Human Kinetics at the University of British Columbia(1995).

A Certifed Strength and Conditioning Specialist(NSCA) and Certified Athletic Therapist(CATA), Greg operates a hockey specific conditioning business in the off-season. Greg also also served as a trainer with Team Canada U-18(2000) and World Juniors (2001, 2010 winning silver).

Greg resides permanently in Regina with his wife Shannon and two daughters Joselyn and Samantha.

 Assistant Trainer - Leigh Fitzpatrick