Confirmed with Link: Avs move on from director of amateur scouting Alan Hepple

[Bill Peckerskull]

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[tucker3434]

Weird. I thought we'd done pretty well the last several years, though I guess we are still having issues finding guys outside of the first round.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Woah


That's a big change. Have to wait and see who the new replacement is but Hepple really wasn't much more successful then Pracey. Neither of them could hit on anything outside of the first round, though Hepples more recent drafts started to look more promising at least.

 

[Ararana]

Did not see that one coming...

 

[The Merchant]

The must have someone lined up externally or are eager to promote someone internally. Definitely a big surprise

 

[cccoltsicehockey]

Yeah not having much success outside the first round has definitely hurt us. You have to be able to score once and a while in that area at least.

 

[dahrougem2]

Maybe the scouting staff can start to improve outside of the 1st round now. Won't put all of that on Hepple but this team seemingly cannot draft outside of the 1st round unless it's the year 2009.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I would be surprised if they dont simply promote the next guy from within the organization. That would be the typical Avs thing to do here but lets see.


Either way I dont think this is going to be a bad thing. We still just dont have any results from beyond the first round.

 

[JoeSakic13]

Yeah I honestly thought our drafting was getting better, but then again none of our draft picks outside the first round are in the current lineup.

Sure Timmins is a 2nd rounder, but we’re talking literally the first pick of the 2nd round that year.

 

[henchman21]

I don't think this is all that shocking. Not a huge amount of success in the meat of a draft... and Klippenstein is the clear heir apparent.

 

[Cake Malar]

I don't think this is all that shocking. Not a huge amount of success in the meat of a draft... and Klippenstein is the clear heir apparent.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

 

[RockLobster]

I don't think this is all that shocking. Not a huge amount of success in the meat of a draft... and Klippenstein is the clear heir apparent.

Tell me about Klippenstein?

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

Woah


That's a big change. Have to wait and see who the new replacement is but Hepple really wasn't much more successful then Pracey. Neither of them could hit on anything outside of the first round, though Hepples more recent drafts started to look more promising at least.

Hitting home runs with your high picks is important. Maybe just as important as finding late round gems once in a while. This guy was in charge for MacK and Rants? MacK looks like a sure thing in hindsight but back then Jones was ranked very highly as well.

So far Sakic has steered the Avs in a good direction so its hard not to give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Tell me about Klippenstein?

He just became alive quite recently.

 

[Cake Malar]

He just became alive quite recently.

View attachment 439688

I'm sorry, but this is Klippenstein's monster

 

[Belgican]

At least HE got some exceptional results with the his first rounders, and then some good prospects, Rantanen, Jost, Makar, Byram, Newhook, Barron, Helleson, Timmins, …

 

[Pokecheque]

The change under Hepple to me seemed more philosophical than it was an actual improvement in talent evaluation. They just quit being so ridiculously limited in their choices, ditching the Europhobia that started under Lacroix and they veered away from the continual string of low-ceiling CHL grinding forwards. But they still made some rather curious choices, and then there was that weird incident in the third round in 2019, which I don't think endeared Hepple to Sakic any. Also I wonder if Hepple was at all resistant to the incorporation of analytics--that's totally my speculation though, I've no info to base that on.

Anyway, even if the replacement is in-house I would think the new person will be better. Time will tell I guess. I'm glad they're at least making this change when drafting in the lower rounds will matter a hell of a lot more now, as opposed to waiting until he has a Pracey 2014 disaster.

 

[Belgican]

I trust Sakic anyway

 

[CoachBadkitten]

European overage goalies around the world shed a single tear.

 

[Metallo]

Tell me about Klippenstein?

It’s Klippensteine actually.

 

[McMetal]

He just became alive quite recently.

View attachment 439688

 

[McMetal]

It'd be nice if they brought in somebody from outside the org to replace him, even if it's just to replace Klippenstein in the ranks of the assistants scouts. I think that room needs some fresh blood even if I like the last three drafts overall.

 

[avsfan9]

Avs new director of amateur scouting: Patrick Roy

 

[95snipes]

I know he's well respected around the league, but I was never overly impressed with Hepple's opinions/perspective when listening to him discuss our picks/prospects.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Avs new director of amateur scouting: Patrick Roy