Patterson: Silvertips do well to promote Mike Fraser

I like the Everett Silvertips’ hire of Mike Fraser as the team’s new general manager.

I admit, part of that is because we share a vocational kinship. Fraser was a sports writer himself in a previous lifetime, spending six years in the aughts working for various newspapers in his native Manitoba. Having been in the biz himself, he’s always been sympathetic to my needs as a media member, making himself available promptly whenever I reached out to him in his previous positions as Everett’s head scout or assistant general manager.

But it’s also because of what Fraser, who was promoted to succeed Dennis Williams as Everett’s general manager last week, has already done for the organization. Fraser has played an important role in the Tips’ success the past six years, and he knows what being a Silvertip is all about.

”(Becoming general manager) feels good,” said Fraser, who effectively acted as Everett’s GM since Williams officially departed in April, waiting for the red tape to be sorted before his promotion was made official. “It’s been a busy offseason with the changeover and Dennis’ departure. Going through my situation to become general manager has been interesting, it was a bit of a wait and there’s been a lot going on. But now we’re gearing up for training camp and it’s exciting times for sure.”

By elevating Fraser the Tips handed the reins to someone who has been immersed in Everett’s culture. Fraser arrived in the organization in 2018 when he was hired as the team’s head scout. He was promoted to director of player personnel in 2021, then to assistant general manager a year later. Therefore, Fraser understands the organization’s commitment to consistent excellence, a commitment that has seen the Tips claim nine U.S. Division championships, two Western Conference titles and never miss the playoffs in their 21 seasons.

Fraser also was a key figure in Everett’s success the past four seasons, during which the Tips compiled a 142-67-9-9 record. In his previous roles Fraser’s primary responsibility was running Everett’s WHL prospects drafts. This was no easy task, as former Everett general manager Garry Davidson had a penchant for trading away high draft picks, making Fraser’s and the scouts’ task all the more difficult.

But despite a shortage of high picks, Fraser helped unearth future stars in the mid-to-late rounds in the likes of Ben Hemmerling and Austin Roest (both third round) in 2019, Eric Jamieson (ninth round) in 2020, and Jesse Heslop (third round) and Carter Bear (sixth round) in 2021. When the Tips suddenly found themselves awash in high picks following the Olen Zellweger/Ryan Hofer trade in 2023, Fraser conducted drafts in 2023 and 2024 that are brimming in exciting prospects.

But perhaps as much as anything, I like the fact that Fraser recognizes now is the time for Everett to make its push for that elusive first WHL championship. The Tips’ prospect pool is strong, headlined by defenseman Landon DuPont, the first-overall selection in this year’s draft who was given exceptional status by the WHL to play full-time in the league as a 15-year-old. DuPont is expected to sign with the Tips shortly, and he’ll give Everett it’s most anticipated player in franchise history.

The 2024-25 season looks like it will be a good one for Everett. The 25-26 and 26-27 seasons should be even better.

“There’s a lot of talk about how the Zellweger/Hofer trade set us up for the future,” Fraser said. “As much as I don’t think that’s wrong, I also think Dennis did a real good job not just with that, but with setting us up both in the short term and the long term. We’ll be a little younger this year, but we’ll still be a competitive club. Then I think we’re set up real nicely the next two or three years.

“I don’t know that there will be a ton different,” Fraser added when asked how things may change with him in charge. “The biggest change is getting out of the dual role (Williams had as both general manager and head coach) and back to one GM and one head coach. One thing I said to Steve (Hamilton, Everett’s new head coach) is that I don’t intend to butt in on his coaching style. It’s his team to coach. I haven’t coached in more than 20 years and I don’t intend to start now.”

So we won’t be seeing Fraser behind the bench at Angel of the Winds Arena. But we’ll be seeing him around town a whole lot more, and I think that will be a good thing for the Tips.