Best Amateur Scout/Scouting Staff

[meangene]

If you had to name some "all stars" in the ametuer scouting community, who comes to mind? Both NA and European ametuer scouts, who they're with, some players they've helped find etc.

The idea of throwing tons of money into a scouting staff and seeing if it makes the draft any less of a crapshoot has always been fascinating to me. If you had to build a "dream team" of am. scouts, who is on it?

Cheers

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[Neutral Hockey Fan]

It's only been one draft, but it's safe to say that the leafs guys like Hunter and dubas know the junior leagues better than any other teams management group

 

[meangene]

It's only been one draft, but it's safe to say that the leafs guys like Hunter and dubas know the junior leagues better than any other teams management group

Yeah, seems like that group has a real mastery of CHL prospects. Interested to see if they find any hidden gems later on down the road.

 

[dukeofjive]

I dont follow the draft that much, but ottawa seems to be great at finding gems at every draft.

 

[Shesty31]

Pretty much the entire Detroit scouting team.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Al Murray is the best in the business.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Ducks

 

[Hale The Villain]

1. Detroit
2. Anaheim
3. Ottawa
4. Winnipeg
5. St. Louis/Tampa Bay

Top 5 amateur scouting staffs in order

 

[Paxon]

It's only been one draft, but it's safe to say that the leafs guys like Hunter and dubas know the junior leagues better than any other teams management group

Hard to say if that translates to projecting NHLers though. I assume it likely will to a good degree but it's not fair to the proven scouting staffs to say they know the junior leagues better. Every OHL scout is going to see as much OHL action as Hunter did, for example. I nominate the Lightning.

 

[Zaddy]

I was really impressed with Ottawas draft this last year and they have kept finding gems in the later rounds throughout the years. Erik Karlsson wasn't an easy pick to make either but seems they knew what they were doing. Also really liked Isles draft this year but have no idea who their scouts are. Anaheim has been doing really good too. If I had to pick one scout it would be hard not to take HÃ¥kan Andersson from Detroit.

EDIT: Oh yeah, how could I forget about the Jets, pretty much my favorite team when it comes to drafting. They've done an excellent job ever since they relocated to Winnipeg.

 

[allan5oh]

I've been really happy with the Jets scouting staff lately. Just take a look at the 2013 draft as to why:

13th Josh Morrissey
43th Nic Petan
59th Eric Comrie
84th James Lodge
91st JC Lipon
104th Andrew Copp
114th Jan Kostalek
127th Tucker Poolman
190th Brendan Kichton
194th Marcus Karlstrom

Copp and Petan have made opening night roster. JC Lipon was not far behind, he was one of the last cuts. Morrissey will be ready within a year. Comrie is one of the top goalie prospects in the world.

So that's five guys that will likely make it. Petan tore up the preseason and looks like a polished vet as a rookie. Copp looks like an established center, he owned the dot. I would argue of the five only Lipon has a low ceiling.

Lodge, Kostalek, and Poolman are the next tier. Definitely "B" prospects. Kostalek probably holds the most promise, he looked pretty good in junior and some are very high on him. Time will tell.

Kichton and Karlstrom are probably not going to make it. I doubt Karlstrom ever gets a contract, and Kichton can't seem to elevate his defending above AHL level. Some argue it's not even at AHL level even in his third year.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

Svenåke Svensson

 

[obey86]

It's only been one draft, but it's safe to say that the leafs guys like Hunter and dubas know the junior leagues better than any other teams management group

How can you know this? We haven't even seen how any of the players they drafted have turned out.

 

[LAKings88]

Mike Futa & co. consistently produce decent NHLers and 2cd round gems.

 

[Appleyard]

HÃ¥kan Andersson is a lock for scouting Sweden in the dream team.

Flyers nominate Simon Nolet for QMJHL scout for the dream team.

Guy pushed super hard for Gagne and Giroux, and the Flyers have a surprisingly good record in the 3rd onwards at picking guys who went on to play in the NHL from the Q.

Also Aube-Kubel and Morin are looking like pretty good picks as well, and he loved both.

Since he joined the Flyers as a scout in 1991, up until 2011 they have taken 31 players from the Q. 17 played at least one game in the NHL.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

How can you know this? We haven't even seen how any of the players they drafted have turned out.

haha you know the comment was coming about them sooner or later

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

It's only been one draft, but it's safe to say that the leafs guys like Hunter and dubas know the junior leagues better than any other teams management group

so how many NHLers have they produced?

I am not sure he is the best. But Todd Button has got to be up there.

2008
Bouma (3rd) Brodie (4th)
2009
Ortio (6th)
2010
Ferland (5th) Arnold (4th)
2011
Brossoit (6th) Gaudreau (4th) wotherspoon (2nd) Granlund (2nd)
2012
Culkin (5th) Kulak (4th) Gillies (3rd)
2013
no one of note so far in the mid rounds but we did get Poirier, Klimchuk and Monahan
2014
McDonald (2nd) Smith (2nd) Hickey (3rd)
2015
Andersson and Kylington look like absolute steals for second round draft picks.

Litterally all those are solid prospects. Most have played in the NHL at some point and I expect they will all at the very least be borderline NHL players. With a few top line players (Brodie and Gaudreau) sprinkled in.

 

[DSuttersface]

Mike Futa & co. consistently produce decent NHLers and 2cd round gems.

100%. Kings under Futa have gotten plenty of talented players in the later rounds of the draft. Alec Martinez, Slava Voynov, Johnathan Quick, Martin Jones were all third round or later I believe.

 

[SchennSational1022*]

Al Murray, Hakan Andersson and Simon Nolet are my top 3.

 

[Jacko95]

As a Lightning fan there is no amateur scouting team I would trade Al Murray and his boys for, so for me they are #1. I doubt any other scouting staff has developed as much NHL talent since 2011 (the first draft this group was in charge for) than the Lightning guys.
And the first fear that they would have trouble drafting defenders compared to goalies and forwards seems to be totally wrong with regards to Nesterov, Koekkoek, DeAngelo and Co.

We could however need a competent Sweden/Finland scout. We have yet to draft a Swede in the Murray era and the first Finnish guy is seen as the first official bust of the scouting staff (Saku Salminen, 2013 7th rounder).
Oh and whoever drafts for us in Russia is a ****ing genius. Vasilevskiy, Kucherov and Nesterov already in the NHL and his 4th pick, Gusev could easily be as well if he crosses the pond.

 

[SaintMorose]

I the last decade Calgary has to be the undisputed champions of the 4th round.
-Brodie
-Gaudreau
-Kulak
-Arnold
-Aulie
2nd rounders are pretty great as well pretty comparable to teams like Detroit and Winnipeg.

Problem with the org has been first round misses mostly in the Sutter era.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Im kinda curious what teams people think that arent their teams.. looks like majority of posters are just saying their team, which I kinda figured this thread would be

 

[Mattilaus]

Im kinda curious what teams people think that arent their teams.. looks like majority of posters are just saying their team, which I kinda figured this thread would be

<<Sabres fan.

Detroit, Tampa, Calgary in no specific order.

 

[hototogisu]

Im kinda curious what teams people think that arent their teams.. looks like majority of posters are just saying their team, which I kinda figured this thread would be

Ottawa, Winnipeg and Detroit off the top of my head seem to have the best scouts in the league.

 

[Whileee]

When the Jets joined in 2011, they had one of the worst prospect pools in the league, with almost no depth.

Now they not only have one of the best prospect pools, they have also brought in some top young players (Scheifele, Trouba, Lowry). They have done this without a pick higher than 7 overall.

2011 - Scheifele, Lowry
2012 - Trouba, Hellebuyck, (Kosmachuk)
2013 - Morrissey, Petan, Comrie, Copp, Lipon, (Kostalek)
2014 - Ehlers, De Leo
2015 - Connor, Roslovic, Harkins, Spacek, Foley...