Silvertips coach focused on season, not his status with team

EVERETT — Mark Ferner isn’t taking anything for granted.

The Everett Silvertips head coach received the backing of team management on Wednesday, the same day the Tips hired Garry Davidson as general manager. But Ferner is not dwelling on his status within the organization.

“Our focus as coaches are these 24 kids here,” Ferner said. “We haven’t had an opportunity yet to sit down as a coaching staff with Garry and talk about the group we have here. Our focus has been the rest of the season and seeing where it goes. He’s made it clear that over the next little while he’s going to evaluate the organization.”

Ferner finds himself in the awkward position of being a coach not chosen by his boss. Ferner was brought in during the offseason by then-general manager Doug Soetaert to replace the departed Craig Hartsburg.

But Soetaert was dismissed just seven months after hiring Ferner, and on Wednesday the Tips introduced Davidson as Soetaert’s successor.

Team president Gary Gelinas emphasized Wednesday that he approves of Ferner as a coach, and that one of the requirements for the new general manager was an ability to work with Ferner.

Davidson, who was owner and general manager of the British Columbia Hockey League’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks at the same time Ferner was beginning his successful run as the GM and coach of the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers, also expressed his admiration for Ferner.

“I’ve watched his teams play the last three or four years and they’ve been very successful, winning national championships,” Davidson said. “I really liked his demeanor on the bench, how he seemed to handle players and officials.

“That became part of the discussion,” Davidson added. “He has a contract, he’s here and his track record has been really positive. That was not a concern for me at all. I feel really confident that he and the whole staff, we can get things going. It’s just a matter that we’re all on the same page and understanding how we’re going to go forward.”

But Ferner was not taking Davidson’s and Gelinas’ words as an invitation to kick back in the recliner.

“Doug brought us all here,” Ferner said. “But as a coach you’re always concerned. I understand that’s part of the business. I’ve been hired here to do a job and that’s what I’m going to focus on, and I’m not going to worry about all those other things that go a long with it. Those are things I can’t control, and having talked to (assistant coaches) Chris (Hartsburg) and Mitch (Love), we will control the things we can control, and that’s focusing on this group.

“The last couple weeks have been tough on everybody, but I have a little bit of a relationship with Garry,” Ferner added. “I’d run into him in the rinks (when) he was an owner and GM of a team I coached against. Coming from Portland they’ve done a great job the last few years identifying players. For as tough as it is for a lot of us, as far as Doug is concerned, Garry has also done a very good job wherever he’s gone.”

Davidson said Wednesday that the things he prioritizes in identifying players are speed and skill. Ferner said he was on board with that philosophy, but that work ethic is also a priority.

“That’s the way the game is going,” Ferner said about speed and skill. “I’d like to think in the past those are the type of teams we’ve had. Do we have some of that here? Absolutely. That’s a template that he has and has used in the past. We just coach the team we’re given. With this group here they’re starting to understand how I’d like for them to play. First and foremost the work ethic and compete level is non-negotiable, and I think we’re getting there. That has to be our foundation.”

Slap shots

Everett will be down another defenseman this weekend as Evan Morden has been ruled out for two weeks because of an ankle injury suffered during last Saturday’s 4-2 victory over Vancouver. However, defenseman Nick Walters, who also left that game when he took a puck to the mouth that required 23 stitches, should be able to play. The Tips are already missing overage defenseman Brennan Yadlowski, who has six games remaining of his 10-game suspension. … This weekend is parents weekend, meaning the players’ parents will be in attendance at both of this weekend’s home games.

Check out Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog at http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog, and follow him on Twitter @NickHPatterson.