I think this is a great hire. I don't know why so many posters here are so concerned. Benning knows Weisbrod. He has had years evaluating Weisbrod's work. I think Benning is smart enough and experienced enough to know whether a scout has an eye for talent. Benning thinks Weisbrod is a talented evaluator who shares similar views on what it takes to build a winning hockey club. Why not trust Benning? For what it's worth, the returns Boston got from the Panthers under Weisbrod's recommendations beats the heck out of the return Eric Crawford got us from Florida. As for Weisbrod's attitude, it actually works out better if he's out scouting because that's a scout's life is often a lonely one.
The guy is obsessed with finding diamonds in the rough to prove how much smarter he is than everyone else.
He saw Jankowski play in December and decided he was going to be the player the Flames drafted. He had complete tunnel vision and because of him we passed over Tervainen, Hertl, and Maatta. Supposedly, Ken King and ownership weren't happy with the 2012 draft and he had his role significantly reduced for the 2013 draft (and Flames ended up doing well with Monahan, Poirier, and Klimchuk in the 1st round).
Let him go find those diamonds in the rough and prove he is smarter than everyone else. As for the Jankowski pick, I am not sure you can classify it as tunnel vision if he firmly believes Jankowski has the potential to be the best player that comes from that draft. As for having his role lessened, even if it's true that was a decision made by nonhockey people right after the draft? Doesn't prove anything. He's seems like a guy who has strong opinions and doesn't mind putting his reputation on the line. I rather he disappear someone only to call Benning sometime and go hey I just saw this kid play and you got to come see him play.
He's not going to be running amateur or pro scouting, so who cares? He'll be another guy in a suit sitting in the skybox with Benning and Gilman.
I hope Weisbrod is used in a scouting capacity. He will be another set of us for Benning.
Burke said Weisbrod is a smart guy but didn't talk/see him often after he was hired and didn't have a great relationship with him. I know a lot of people like to **** on Burke but that coming from him is a huge red flag.
I don't see how that is a huge red flag. Sounds to me like Weisbrod was out there doing his job and didn't get much of a chance to interact with Burke. Should Weisbrod have done a better job communicating with his new boss? Probably. But Burke got fired twice in his career now after new bosses came in too.