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WHL Regina Pats

Pats Legend Dale Derkatch Happy to be Back

October 20, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Regina Pats News Release


Regina, Sask. - After 11 years away from the Regina Pats organization, Dale Derkatch is back, this time as a scout.

The Pats all-time leading scorer spent five seasons as an amateur scout with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2015-20 and joined the Pats as a traveling scout this past summer, returning to the Queen City for the first time since coaching the club in the 2008-09 season.

"It's really something that came out of the blue as I was planning on continuing to work with the Leafs," Derkatch said. "They wanted to go in a different direction and I was looking for potential employment moving forward, either in the NHL or in Junior. There were some leads but nothing really came of it, then John [Paddock] reached out to me and asked if things didn't work out at a different level, would I be interested in joining the Pats. When nothing really came in any other areas, I signed on."

The Winnipeg, Man. native played for the Pats from 1981-1985. Over his four-year stretch, Derkatch set franchise all-time records which till stand today, scoring 222 goals, 269 assists and 491 points in 202 games. On December 5th, 1998, Dale had his number 16 retired by the Pats organization, an honour that was very special to him.

"It's something you dream about and want to happen as it's an honour and a privilege t0 have your number retired by such a great organization with such rich history," said Derkatch. "I think now it's something I find even more special. I have three boys (17, 14, 11) playing hockey and they attend Pats games, and so do their friends and they see that number retired and the banner. It's something special."

During his playing career with the Pats, Derkatch, alongside Taylor Hall, Doug Trapp, Kurt Wickenheiser, Jock Callander and many more, helped the Pats finish second in the East twice, and first in 1983-84. The Pats had 48 wins in three straight years, which was the team record until the 52-win 2016-17 season. Derkatch also led the Regiment to the playoffs all four years, making it to WHL finals twice.

"When you're on good teams, it's always fun and I was very lucky to play on good teams," said Derkatch. "It's not only good teams, it's good people. I was very lucky all the way from up top with Bob Strumm (Owner & GM) to all the coaches like Bill LaForge, Don Boyd, Barry Trapp and all the players. They weren't just good hockey players, but good people and that's really why I feel we had a lot of success."

Derkatch was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the seventh round of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft, and played 13 seasons in Europe (1985-1998) after his time with the Pats, split between Italy, Germany, Finland and Switzerland. He totalled over 1,000 points overseas in various, and won an Italian League championship in 1984-85.

Immediately after his career in Europe came to an end, Derkatch joined the Washington Capitals as a scout for six years. He then coached the Notre Dame Hounds U-18 AAA program from 2004-2008, before joining the Pats as their Head Coach in 2008-09 and later becoming the Prince Albert Raiders Director of Player Personnel from 2010-2015. He was then hired by the Leafs at the start of the 2015-16 season where his role was to scout players in Western Canada, covering the WHL, BCHL, AJHL, SJHL and MJHL. Toronto also had Derkatch do some special assignments, covering the CHL Canada-Russia series, as well as the U-17 tournament, and the World Jr. A Challenge.

Derkatch worked under former General Manager Lou Lamoriello and current GM Kyle Dubas. Dubas, then the Toronto Maple Leafs assistant General Manager, had previously worked with Derkatch from he was a player agent and helped bring in the former Pats star.

"Kyle and I traveled a bit together to do some scouting," Derkatch said. "I had a great time with him, and was treated so well. We talked hockey and I was treated first class all the way. I have nothing but good memories and good things to say about my time there."

Now in his 23rd season either scouting or in management, Derkatch shifts over from scouting junior level players to watching 13 and 15-year-old kids, as he and the Pats scouting staff prepares for the upcoming WHL Prospects Draft in December.

"It's somewhat similar as scouting is scouting," said Derkatch. "You're watching to see their skating, their hockey sense, their puck skills and their competitiveness. I've done it before with Prince Albert when I was the Director of Player Personnel. When the players are a little younger, there's going to be other factors involved, as they're not as mature and not set in terms of where they're at in moving forward with hockey. Really in the end, it's watching hockey and assessing players. It's fun and something I enjoy."

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