PJHL Media
It’s PJHL Q&A time once again and this go round, we make another stop in the Fraser Valley where Abbotsford Pilots bench boss and Pilots alumnus Jarrett Craig has his group playing a winning brand of hockey, getting two points more often than not. Getting the Pilots back on the right track been a journey over his three seasons so far and while the hometown Abbotsford product is happy with the team’s performance this year, he is hardly satisfied.
PJHL: The team was at a low ebb when you took over but you’ve managed to increase your win total in each of the last three seasons. How do you explain the gains you’ve made?
Jarrett Craig: We appreciate getting noticed for what we’re doing here in Abbotsford. We are just simply trying to gain back our old identity of what the Pilots were previously in the early 2000’s; a team that is tough to play against, plays the right way and competes each night. Also, I have a great support staff that has been able to recruit at various levels of minor hockey to bring in the right people and players to move us forward successfully.
PJHL: Abbotsford was among the most penalized teams in the PJHL your first season on the job and right now are the third-least penalized team in the league. Is this mostly a result of a winning team being less frustrated on the ice, or have you stressed discipline?
JC: If I said this was on purpose I would be lying… but it is no secret that staying disciplined and out of the penalty box helps you win hockey games. As a group, having more success on the ice definitely helps as well, but playing hockey the right way usually gets you better results in the end. So yes, we have stressed staying out of the penalty box, playing disciplined, focusing on winning hockey games the right way with sticking to the game plan at hand and staying out of the penalty box.
PJHL: How important have your veteran players likeĀ Tommy Williams, Connor Jarvis, Ashton McDonaugh, and Hudson Koch been in helping carry your message and transforming the culture of the team?
JC: Your veteran players are always the cornerstone of your team and help determine the success you plan to have during a season. All four of these players have been a big part of us moving this season in the right direction along with the others. Tommy and Connor were with us during my first year back with the Pilots and have stuck with moving this team forward over the last three years. Ashton and Hudson joined us last year and made immediate impacts on our team’s skill level and continue to contribute to our success as well this year.
PJHL: Rhett Siaus has taken kind of a quantum leap this season; what can you say about his development with you over the last three years?
JC: It really is fun to watch him grow and improve as a player each time he steps on the ice. Rhett was with us in 2022-23 as a 16 year old and made a mature decision half way through the year to go back to U18 to try to improve his game and gain confidence for the next year. He came back last year stronger, more confident, and ready to contribute to our lineup each night. This year has been a very successful year for him stats wise, but has also been a very successful year for him in the role he plays for us. He plays on one of ourĀ power-play units, he penalty kills, and he is someone staff can trust to put out on the ice in important situations each night. He should be as equally as proud of his improvements as we are.
PJHL: You are a proud Pilots alum and won a PJHL title in 2005. How motivating is that personal history for you in restoring expectations and results in Abbotsford? Any former teammates getting in touch with you?
JC: Very motivating and it is extremely important for us to get back to that standard as soon as possible. The Abbotsford Pilots have a rich history of being a successful franchise led by (general manager and owner) Jack Goeson for many years and we want to get back to being that successful team each year, not only for our community, but for Jack as well. He puts in countless hours behind the scenes for our group and wants nothing more than for us to be successful each night as well.
Our 2004-05 team was a special group of players and some of my best friends today are from that group. When we do talk about the Pilots, we talk a lot about that year and how much fun it was to be a part of that winning team.
PJHL: What is a key for your group to hit the postseason playing your best hockey?
JC: Play our remaining regular season games like they are playoff games. We haven’t clinched a playoff spot as of this moment, so every game matters up until our final regular season game. The regular season is a grind for these players but playoffs would be a fun new experience for our group and we hope to be playing for a long time this season.