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Many people in hockey think he’s an NHL GM-in-waiting.

“Yeah, I’d like be a general manager someday, but there’s lots to learn … you have to experience things along the way. I’ve learned a lot from the general managers I played for: Glen Sather, Brian Burke, Doug MacLean and now Bob Murray,” said Marchant, who laughed when asked what he’d learned from Sather, who traded Craig MacTavish to get him in 1994.

“I learned from Slats that I couldn’t put the puck in the ocean,” Marchant said with a chuckle.

“Nah, Slats once told me that players should be good at one thing and go with it. For me, that was to skate and be a good two-way player. That was my niche to get in the league.

“I tell my prospects to focus on three things they do well, every night … if you’re a shooter, shoot, if you’re a skater, skate, if you’re physical, be physical. You do that and you simplify your game.”

“I try and tell young players that if you look at an NHL roster today, all of them at one time were pretty good players who put up points. But not everybody in the NHL can be a scorer or a top six player or a power play defenceman.

“The ones that figure it out last. The thing is ‘do you want to be a top six player in the American League or a bottom six in the NHL. I put up points growing up, but it didn’t translate to the NHL.”

He’s a smart guy who’s paying his dues.

He flew from Edmonton to Vancouver after Tuesday’s Oilers/Ducks’ game and watched the junior Giants and Victoria Royals play in Vancouver, then hopped in a car and drove to Kamloops to see Ducks third-round draft pick Deven Sideroff play.