News Article: Barry Fraser passed away

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

He had a hell of a run and drafted some of the best Oilers of all time.

Sad news.

Click to read more...

 

[Soundwave]

Thank you for the Cups sir. Rest easy.

 

[Gordy Elbows]

He had a hell of a run and drafted some of the best Oilers of all time.

Sad news.

His name was said in the same reverence as Sather’s when people looked back to the 80s Oilers. Rightly so.
RIP Barry.

 

[brentashton]

He had a hell of a run and drafted some of the best Oilers of all time.

Sad news.

Thanks for sharing 5.

Sad news for His family and the dynasty fans.

 

[Former Referee 68]

Rip my Friend!

 

[Fourier]

RIP

 

[Mr Kot]

You did you best and made a dynasty. Thank you barry.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

RIP Barry Fraser.

Had an opportunity to meet Barry Fraser and have an extended conversation at an early 90's World Juniors Tournament. Let me try one of his Stanley Cup rings which was cool. The consummate hockey bird dog who put on massive miles in a different era to truly leave no stone unturned for what became the greatest team in NHL history. Keen eye built up elite talent but also the vital character support players that define organization strength.

Unfortunately that elite gold mining (goal mining?) could not be sustained forever. But what he achieved in this vital role as Edmonton entered the NHL strip mined of talent for the privilege is legendary.

Once an Oiler always an Oiler. Thank you for your talents and tireless search for talent.

 

[Stoneman89]

Matty going overboard for one of his buddies from back in the day. Was very good in the early days, not so much later on in his career when he was making assessments on players from his television set in Mexico. He got real comfortable after the dynasty work was done in mid 80's and then was really a non-factor after that, living off of his early reputation.

 

[CROTT]

RIP.

And also full circle that he drafted Tyler Wright.

 

[Black Gold Extractor]

Rest in peace, and condolences to his family and friends.

 

[Jumptheshark]

I would not call him the greatest scout of all time--he had a 3 to 4 year stretch where he killed it and got the right guys at the right time

 

[Beerfish]

I would not call him the greatest scout of all time--he had a 3 to 4 year stretch where he killed it and got the right guys at the right time

I would step that up a notch, getting the right guys at the right time totally undervalues those drafts.

Kevin Lowe, Mark Messier, Glen Anderson in one draft
in the next draft
Coffey, Kurri, Moog
in the next draft
Grant Fuhr, Steve Smith

 

[BudBundy]

Has any other scout in the post expansion era drafted 5 HOFers in two drafts? Or 6 in three?

 

[brentashton]

Has any other scout in the post expansion era drafted 5 HOFers in two drafts? Or 6 in three?

Yep. Can’t understand that his legacy is being questioned on the HFOil site.

 

[Jumptheshark]

I would step that up a notch, getting the right guys at the right time totally undervalues those drafts.

Kevin Lowe, Mark Messier, Glen Anderson in one draft
in the next draft
Coffey, Kurri, Moog
in the next draft
Grant Fuhr, Steve Smith

And when we remove those 3 drafts how is is record?

Yep. Can’t understand that his legacy is being questioned on the HFOil site.

I only question the statement greatest scout of all times statement. Jimmy D had a great run in Detroit over several drafts

 

[Beerfish]

And when we remove those 3 drafts how is is record?


I only question the statement greatest scout of all times statement. Jimmy D had a great run in Detroit over several drafts

Oh okay, lets remove those drafts. The Edmonton oilers as of now are sitting at ZERO stanley cups.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Oh okay, lets remove those drafts. The Edmonton oilers as of now are sitting at ZERO stanley cups.

and that says a lot about his drafting after those 3 years. 1/2 this board was not alive 40 years ago. Fraser retired as head scout in 2000--how was his drafting from 1984 to 2000?

He had 3 great years and that gets him into the hall of fame but the other 16 years?

 

[BudBundy]

and that says a lot about his drafting after those 3 years. 1/2 this board was not alive 40 years ago. Fraser retired as head scout in 2000--how was his drafting from 1984 to 2000?

He had 3 great years and that gets him into the hall of fame but the other 16 years?

I was a pretty vocal critic of his “scouting from the beach in Mexico” days but you simply can’t deny the miracle run he went on. He unquestionably laid the foundation for the Oilers dynasty years.

I do understand why there is some criticism as the Oilers were awful at the draft for the second half of his tenure. But let’s not forget that during a lot of this period he was drafting late in the order due to the teams success, the Oilers roster was very hard to crack, and an increasingly penny-pinching organization wasn’t spending ANY money on developing guys. Not a good scene.

Since this is basically an obituary and tribute, I’ll choose to celebrate his accomplishments rather than point out negatives.

 

[Soundwave]

I mean you kind have to give it to him in some ways he may have been the most important person in the org after Gretzky and Slats.

And yeah the drafting did really fall off after 1984, but the Oilers couldn't possibly keep drafting hits like that.

Smyth, Horcoff, Pisani, Comrie were good picks, but oooof on Bongisnoire and Steve Kelly.

 

[joestevens29]

I mean you kind have to give it to him in some ways he may have been the most important person in the org after Gretzky and Slats.

And yeah the drafting did really fall off after 1984, but the Oilers couldn't possibly keep drafting hits like that.

Smyth, Horcoff, Pisani, Comrie were good picks, but oooof on Bongisnoire and Steve Kelly.

At least those guys were converted into Hamrlik and the other Comrie who unfortunately had to end things early due to concussions