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

[avsfan9]

Every player drafted is 6’4 “ 225 lbs.

 

[Patagonia]

AVs are contenders and still need to keep adding prospects.

Sakic has increasingly used later picks in trades and with fewer picks, less room for errors. Hepple was promoted in 2015 has made some incredibly terrible choices ie. Stienberg, Saigeon, Henry, Kvaca, Morrison, Anderson, Beaudin, Greer & Meloche. Hoping for a better scout, but his uneven record speaks for itself.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

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.

What happened in 2019 between Sakic and Hepple?

 

[Pokecheque]

What happened in 2019 between Sakic and Hepple?

I'm likely reading too much into it but in the third round apparently the guy they wanted got taken right before they were due to pick, which sent them into scramble mode. That's when they ended up with Matthew Stienburg. Hepple later said they got "beat up a little" in that stretch. Just feels like they were a little underprepared there, and I don't quite understand why that could be. Worst case scenario, click on TSN and look at Craig Button's "Best Still Available" list.

 

[5280]

I’m not sure who this Kleppenstein is or whether @henchman24 actually knows what he is talking about here, but considering we won’t be picking early in rounds for the foreseeable future and combining that with the fact Hepple hasn’t really hit on much outside of the first, I’m inclined to think there is good potential here.

Edit: Haha, so I’ll take my foot out of my mouth. @henchman24, I owe you a drink. Still hope Klippenstein can hit on some late first and mid round picks.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Delete

 

[Patagonia]

What happened in 2019 between Sakic and Hepple?

I believe Stienburg (3rd-63).

A project rated mid-5th round and with no 4th round selection was the target at 140. Player they wanted at 63 was taken, didn't prepare for the next best player and surprisingly picked Stienburg. Plenty of other better options still on the Board wasted a pick from the Duchene trade.

 

[Pokecheque]

Avs historically just don't appear to do well with traded picks it seems...well, apart from Byram I guess.

 

[flyfysher]

Just curious hench as to why you say Klippenstein appears to be the clear heir apparent. I don’t follow scouting and you’re as knowledgeable as it gets when it comes to the internal dynamics of the organization. Also, is Klippenstein a goalie guy?

 

[Vaslof]

Just curious hench as to why you say Klippenstein appears to be the clear heir apparent. I don’t follow scouting and you’re as knowledgeable as it gets when it comes to the internal dynamics of the organization. Also, is Klippenstein a goalie guy?

He wrote about it here: Confirmed with Link: - Avs Name Wade Klippenstein as Director of Amateur Scouting

 

[tigervixxxen]

I believe Stienburg (3rd-63).

A project rated mid-5th round and with no 4th round selection was the target at 140. Player they wanted at 63 was taken, didn't prepare for the next best player and surprisingly picked Stienburg. Plenty of other better options still on the Board wasted a pick from the Duchene trade.

That story is so dumb. There’s ZERO chance a staff has no idea what to do at pick 63. They have a list that runs past that for a reason. That they arrived at big time nepotism there is no accident. There’s still a lot of old school that has influence in this org.

 

[Avs_19]

It was probably a time for change but I still liked Hepple. Sure it's only the first round but he had some big hits there and seems like a pretty good guy. I liked hearing from him during and after the draft process as well. Hopefully he catches on elsewhere pretty quickly.

 

[henchman21]

Just curious hench as to why you say Klippenstein appears to be the clear heir apparent. I don’t follow scouting and you’re as knowledgeable as it gets when it comes to the internal dynamics of the organization. Also, is Klippenstein a goalie guy?

I elaborated on some thoughts in the other thread. I don't know the internal dynamics of the Avs... really at all. I know a number of people in front offices throughout hockey and this has been the expected move for a couple years now. He was brought in as a guy to take over the West for the Avs and has had a lot of sway since he first entered.

 

[flyfysher]

I elaborated on some thoughts in the other thread. I don't know the internal dynamics of the Avs... really at all. I know a number of people in front offices throughout hockey and this has been the expected move for a couple years now. He was brought in as a guy to take over the West for the Avs and has had a lot of sway since he first entered.

Sounds like Sakic and MacFarland are making this their own team/organization.

 

[shadow1]

No question the "Hepple" years were good. Rantanen, Jost, Makar, Timmins, Byram, and Newhook are all on the Avalanche's NHL roster right now.

But I'm okay with this change. There were definitely some head scratchers along the way (Greer, Morrison, Stienberg). You know it's bad when fans on a message board, who don't do this for a living, immediately know the pick is questionable and then years later are proven to be correct.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

That story is so dumb. There’s ZERO chance a staff has no idea what to do at pick 63. They have a list that runs past that for a reason. That they arrived at big time nepotism there is no accident. There’s still a lot of old school that has influence in this org.

This was a nepotism pick? Or it wasn't a nepotism pick so they fired the scouts?

 

[henchman21]

This was a nepotism pick? Or it wasn't a nepotism pick so they fired the scouts?

Better yet is Klip getting the new head job a nepotism pick? He was a Quebec draft pick afterall!

Sounds like Sakic and MacFarland are making this their own team/organization.

I don't know the internal politics could be that. Could be Hepple wanted a bigger role. Could be someone trying to poach Klip. I don't have the slightest clue there. I do know the Avs love Klip and his fingerprints are everywhere. I could give rando examples like the Kevin Davis... the reason he got a shot in the AHL is because of Klip. Lewis was a UDFA because he was a Klip guy. etc etc

 

[Balthazar]

AVs are contenders and still need to keep adding prospects. .

Ding ding ding we have a winner.

Avs have now entered the stage where they'll trade their top picks and need to hit with later picks. Hepple has proven that he can't do that.

 

[Pokecheque]

That story is so dumb. There’s ZERO chance a staff has no idea what to do at pick 63. They have a list that runs past that for a reason. That they arrived at big time nepotism there is no accident. There’s still a lot of old school that has influence in this org.

I’d like to know what happened there though. It really does seem like they were caught off-guard there to say the least.

Also, it sure looks like a nepotism pick on its surface but from what we saw in the behind-the-scenes conversation between Hepple and Sakic, it was the former trying to convince the latter, even though its Sakic who has a relationship with Stienburg’s old man.

 

[the_fan]

Does this mean Avs are gonna find a Lidstrom in the 3rd round?

 

[BrickNHL]

Does this mean Avs are gonna find a Lidstrom in the 3rd round?

I would be ok with a Lindstrom in the 3rd round. Anything better than what we have rn

 

[Patagonia]

That story is so dumb. There’s ZERO chance a staff has no idea what to do at pick 63. They have a list that runs past that for a reason. That they arrived at big time nepotism there is no accident. There’s still a lot of old school that has influence in this org.

Stienburg was a garbage pick. I don't know of any site that supported this pick at 63. Nepotism? Relationship is with Sakic and if this was true, the team would be full of familiar names.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

I think this explains giving up on Rolston and also the terrible Stienburg pick. Sakic wants his scouts to add value. Getting Byram and Newhook isn't really THAT hard.

 

[falconski]

Avs historically just don't appear to do well with traded picks it seems...well, apart from Byram I guess.

Hey we got Paul stastny from a traded pick


…I think that’s the last non-byram good one

 

[tigervixxxen]

Rolston was the only guy they traded up for in the Sakic era lol

Maybe they weren’t sure exactly where to pick Stienburg and was a debate to do it then or not but to get caught off guard at the first pick of the third round means they were woefully unprepared and I just don’t believe that. It would be incredibly inept and unprofessional.

Hepple couldn’t even hide it was total nepotism talking about how they knew the family and the character and that he has “some skill” and “could be a 4th liner”. Rolston is pretty much the same story.