This is Joe Sakic's Central Scouting report from his junior days. Sakic was a junior long before International Scouting Services, Future Considerations, Redline Report and the rest. So it was Central Scouting's rankings and that's all she wrote 20+ years ago for NHL teams. Many had their own scouting of course, but the reason Central Scouting came into existence was to help teams like the Oakland Seals. Seriously.For fans, it was always the Hockey News. Fans know the HN draft issues go back 20+ years now but some may not know that the rankings from that publication go back 15 years before the HN draft issues. For instance, Ron Chipperfield was the #1 overall draft prospect in 1974. I know because I bought the issue and own it. Chipperfield went #17 overall in 1974, the first of many examples of Central Scouting's list being a poor draft guide for fans (1974 saw underage players available for draft so it didn't really help project the final draft rankings).
One thing I find galling is that many fans use Central Scouting's final numbers as gospel. The industry doesn't consider them anything close to a final tally. From Gare Joyce's wonderful book Future Greats and Heartbreaks:
- The way Boyd (Don Boyd, the Blue Jackets director of scouting) explains it Central's preliminary and midseason lists are probably of more use to his scouts. "It's like a road map for us," Boyd explains. That is, a list to cherry-pick from--names to chase down and see. The final list is useful to media and fans, but by the time it is issued NHL teams are more concerned about the lists offered up by their own scouts in the field.
- Said one scout for a Western Conference team: "The fact is that they do the best they can with the resources the league gives them. They give us a guide, not a definitive breakdown. If it were definitive, there'd be a lot of guys out of jobs."
Bob McKenzie's final list will be the best guide to the first round available anywhere; after that, Redline report is an exceptional source. Central Scouting's final list has no value. Their first list next fall will have great importance for cross checking purposes.
I bought THN's draft preview (and Future Watch) two days ago. I tore through the draft preview already, and would mention it should be standard reading for every Oilers fan at all interested in the draft. Multiple page articles on both Hall and Seguin, and a ranking of the top-60 prospects, which will be of the utmost importance for our 31st and Nashville's 2nd rounder.
ReplyDeleteFor the record, their top pick is Hall.
Joe Sakic scouting report eh...
ReplyDelete...Seguin anyone?
Peter: I thought the same thing when reading it. Top dead center.
ReplyDelete@doritogrande thanx for mentioning THN. i'll have to go pick up a copy tomorrow!! i love the NHL draft, so it sounds like a very interesting read!
ReplyDeleteI pickup THN news draft preview every year. I know there's probably bettter information sources out there,
ReplyDeleteI just like having something I can hold in my hand make notes in and go back to years later.
The guys I like for our 2 second round picks are Mcilrath and Brad Ross from the Winterhawks.
Mcilrath is ranked 26th in the HN list so maybe that's reach, I've seen him ranked on every list I've seen online. Ross is ranked 42nd so i guess that's a reach too.
Seguin doesn't have Sakic's shot. At least not in any capacity I've read.
ReplyDeleteVince:
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't mind if we took THN's 31st ranked prospect with our 31st pick. Jon Merrill's a 6'3" american blueliner from the NTDP. Failing that, I'd be happy with any of Charlie Coyle, Ryan Spooner, Brad Ross, Teemu Pulkkinen, Jason Zucker or Michael Bournival for our two second rounders. The scouting reports on every one of them mention intangibles like "effort", "consistency" or "battle" as being plusses, which make them few and far between in this year's prospect pool.
LT: Speaking of prospects, I've started a new blog where I'll be able to talk more about my favourite prospects. I'd love to get my writing out there to those who appreciate prospecting. Think you could give it a looksee?
http://bubbling-under.blogspot.com/
Smarmy - who does?
ReplyDeleteDorito, it seems the the rankings from late 20's to early 40's is mostly made of players described with the adjectives you mentioned...tough for sure and possibly some skill to go with it...I'm sure whomever gets picked will be a few years away but it seems like the Oilers might be able to draft for need and BPA at the same time, at least with those two 2nd round picks
ReplyDeletedorito: I've added it to the blogroll and look forward to reading it.
ReplyDeleteIn a completely un-hockey related note, Gary Coleman died today.
ReplyDeleteThis blog needs more Rod Phillips
ReplyDeleteYeah, that was kind of weird. Those kids from Different Strokes had a terrible time.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhaddaya mean, unrelated?
ReplyDeleteYeah, that was kind of weird. Those kids from Different Strokes had a terrible time.
ReplyDeleteYeah, its a shame because as bad as that show may seem now, it entertained a lot of us back in the 70s and 80s. I was just a kid and 'Arnold' was one of the funniest people around.
Bettman talks about Winnipeg and the salary cap may go up $2 million next year.
ReplyDeleteA quick tour of Wikipedia,
ReplyDeleteSakic tied Theo Fleury for the WHL scoring title, then goes 15th, Fleury 166th. In a pretty soft field as far as I can tell from here, not paying much attention in the early 90's when some of them might have had some careers.
'87 was a strange one, no?
Jeff J:
ReplyDeleteThat was unholy. Something like that cannot be unseen.
Re: 48_briere_48
ReplyDeleteThey actually finished 4th and 5th in scoring in the year they were drafted. The scouts don't look smart with them slipping, but on the flipside I'd present Dennis Holland. He was 9th in the WHL in scoring in '87, but dropped to the 3rd round. He ended up never playing a game in the NHL.
Jeff J,
ReplyDeleteMade my day...that's gold.
So what is the going rate for that Boston #2 pick?? These two players are a ton of fun to compare and contrast. Whose number #1? Get both and it REALLY doesn't matter.
ReplyDeleteLet's call it the Kick-Ass model.
Speaking of scouting. This is a tad OT.
ReplyDeleteBut I was thinking didn't Sabres, a few years back sack most of their scouting staff and go to video scouting to evaluate prospects? I think they started this back around 2006 or so...
It might be an interesting topic to examine how that system is working out for them so far.