The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Head coach ad GM Mike Reagan has renewed his contract with the Flin Flon Bombers for another two years. Signing his name on the dotted line, Reagan agreed to guide the junior team through until the 2011-12 season. Though a verbal agreement was made at the start of this past season between Reagan and the organization, the former Bomber signed the contract just before the team held their annual awards banquet. "I knew going into this season that I was going to sign another two-year extension," Reagan said. "So, it wasn't something that played on my mind or anything like that," he said. "It was just a matter of getting a few things sorted out." Since Reagan joined the coaching staff, the club has turned around to become the team that the town knew they could be. This season, the pressure will be on as the team ended this past campaign early in the playoffs. "I'm excited because I think we've (come) a long way," said Reagan. "We need to take that next step. We thought this year was going to be our year, but unfortunately it wasn't." Having signed his second two-year extension, Reagan has high hopes for the team. "I've always said that I wanted to bring a championship back here," he said. "I feel like that's my goal Ð to bring Flin Flon back a championship and whatever it will take, that's what we're going to try and do. "I won't be satisfied until we do that." Over the course of the 2009-10 season, the Bombers found their niche, but they were unable to translate their regular-season success into the playoffs. "I wish I had of gotten it done this year," he said about bringing the championship home, "but it's probably one of the toughest leagues to win a championship in." Making note that "everything has to go right for you and you've got to have a few breaks here and there," Reagan says that did not happen for the club in this season. But the contract extension "gives me another two years to try and accomplish my goal," he says. Of course Reagan is going to need a lot of help on the ice to bring his goal to fruition. The coach has already been actively watching potential players as well as looking at the names already on his roster. "I expect us to be the top of the league again," he said. "I expect us to contend for a championship again. "I think we're ahead of where we were (at this point) last year." Looking over the roster, the Bombers have a number of returning players who have turned 20. "With the kids we have returning, there's no reason why we shouldn't be a top team in the league," Reagan says. "I think that...our skill set of 20-year-olds is a lot higher (than) what our skill set of 20-year-olds was last year. "We feel like we've got those high-end 20-year-olds right now. With the exception of a guy like Michael Young (who has aged out), I think overall, we're in a better position. "I look at our back end with Patrick Sitco, Tanner Korchinski, David Roper and Jonathan Young and I think that's a very (good) start," he says. "(On) our front end, our whole first line is coming back, and you add into the mix everybody that is returning (and) going to be able to contribute in some way." Recently returning from the National 18 Under hockey tournament in Chicago, Reagan said he found a number of players with Maroon and White potential. See 'Recruited' on pg. Continued from pg. "We've never really recruited out of the US. This is the first time that we've really made an effort to try and bring in an American kid," he notes. Reagan says the organization has had such luck with Saskatchewan and Alberta players that they haven't had to dip into the American pool. "But in the US, you're not fighting with a bunch of other Canadian junior teams, so maybe...it's a little bit easier to recruit a kid out of the US," said Reagan. Out of the Chicago event, the Bomber organization identified 36 players of interest. "US hockey has come a long ways in the last couple of years," said the coach. "I was very impressed with the talent level there. "We've already talked to a few kids there and we're hoping they come up for spring camp and main camp." As well as a trip to Chicago, Reagan stopped over in Quebec for the Telus Cup Ð the Canadian National Midget Championships. "There were five guys there that we were pretty serious about out," said Reagan. "Just over he next week or so, I'll be making contact with them and seeing what their interest level is." Aside from watching tournaments, Reagan is hoping to attend a few summer showcases to recruit more players and peak their interest in the Bombers. "I'm hoping to go to Vegas...and then there is (a showcase) in Toronto as well," he said, adding that it all depends on scheduling. The off-season, though it doesn't seem like much of one for the busy Reagan, is spent trying to keep in contact with players, partaking in leadership conferences and league meetings, and scheduling for the next season. Then of course there's the recruiting. "I'll be going down through Saskatchewan and just visiting our list players and parents and trying to sell our organization," Reagan said. "The off-season is just as busy as the regular season." Please see Wednesday's paper the second half of this article.
