Dixon and Cameron Re-Up With Pats

The Pats continued to lock up the hockey operations department today, announcing contract extensions for assistant coaches Malcolm Cameron and Josh Dixon.  The one year extensions bring Cameron and Dixon in line with the deals of General Manager Chad Lang and Head Coach Pat Conacher with all of the contracts coming up for renewal during the 2014 off-season.

A common thread for the organization when it comes to these extensions is 'continuity'.  Team President Brent Parker mentioned it when talking about signing Lang's extension, and Lang spoke about it when dealing with Dixon and Cameron.  The coaching staff and general manager are all on the same page now for contract length and the idea is it gives them the confidence and freedom to work as a more cohesive unit.
“The three of them work extremely hard and complement each other very well," says Lang of the Pats coaches.  "It was only right to have their contracts structured to the same length so as a collective group we can continue to focus on building our hockey club and striving for the team success we are all seeking.”

After three years of missing the playoffs, the overhaul of the coaching staff paid instant dividends.  The Pats made the playoffs on the strength of a 37-27-6-2 record.  The professional experience Cameron brought to the Pats bench certainly helped.  He coached nine seasons in the ECHL, never missing the playoffs over that span.  He was also a multiple time runner up for Coach of the Year.  Dixon also provided a depth of experience at the collegiate level in both the CIS and ACAC as an assistant.  As a head coach Dixon was the bench boss for the varsity team at the Okanagan Hockey Academy before coming to Regina.

With a year behind them; Conacher, Cameron and Dixon can move forward with the knowledge that they will be a unit at least until 2014 if not beyond that.  It's exciting, after such a strong debut season, to see what this coaching group has in store for the Pats and their fans over the next two years.

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It's amazing to realize we're only one week away from Training Camp in Regina.  In the greater WHL, we're already there.  It's an exciting time of year to see how another year benefited prospects and seasoned players alike.  

For me, it's my first crack at being on the team-side of things for a training camp, and a much busier one at that.  I'm ready to get this show on the road, and I guess the countdown is on for when Phil Andrews and I hit the air for our first Pats broadcast.  There are a lot of exciting things being discussed as we work on refreshing the broadcast.  I think you'll be really happy with some of the changes we're making and what we're looking at adding to the whole experience.

I hope to see you around the rink at training camp!

-D