Price Albert hires Derkatch

Before I begin, I want to bring the Alex Rigsby interview back to the fore front because someone thinks it's a joke that she competed with the boys.

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan – The Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League are pleased to announce the hiring of Dale Derkatch as their Director of Player Personnel. Derkatch replaces Dave O’Brien whose Head Scout contract was not renewed at the end of May.

“We are extremely pleased to have Dale as our new Director of Player Personnel”, said Bruno Campese, Raider General Manager and Head Coach. “He brings a varied background of scouting, managing and coaching to the position. His communication and personality make him an ideal fit to lead the Raiders scouting department.”

During the 2008-09 season Derkatch was the Head Coach of the Regina Pats of the WHL.

In the four years prior to that he was the Director of Hockey Development at the prestigious Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan. Among his many duties at Notre Dame, Derkatch oversaw all aspects of scouting and recruitment to the college including appointment of scouts and contacting potential players and their parents. As a coach at Notre Dame Derkatch was selected the SMAAAHL Coach of the Year in 2006-07 and was finalist for that award in two other seasons.

From 1998-2004 Derkatch was an Amateur Scout for the Washington Capitals of the NHL. He identified, evaluated and assessed draft eligible players for the NHL Entry Draft. While maintaining constant knowledge of all draft eligible players he also formulated a cost efficient schedule to scout across Canada, the United States and Europe for the Caps.

Derkatch started in the administration side of hockey in 1989 working for Hockey Europe in scouting and recruiting North American players for teams in Europe.

As a player Derkatch was one of the most prolific scorers in WHL history. Among his records are: career playoff points (103), career playoff assists (73) and most points in one playoff season (53 in 1984). He was the WHL Rookie of the Year in 1982 and won the league scoring title in 1983. The speedy centre played for Canada at the World Junior Championships in 1983 and 1984 and played on the Canadian Olympic team in 1984.

He was a 7th round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 1983. Derkatch went on to a 14 year professional career in Europe playing in Elite Leagues in Finland, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.


(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)