David Conte, New Jersey Devils Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and Director of Scouting, talks about scouting the WJC. The Devils scouting success is also explored.
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"Scouting is simple" says the Devils David Conte
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Jason MacIsaac
Registered User
I am simply amazed no team has come after this guy to be the GM, he has been following Lou for over 15 years.
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hockeyfan125
Registered User
- Jul 10, 2004
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I remember rumours that teams have, but that he's turned them down because he's happy in New Jersey. I could be off base on that though.
I think alot of the Devils success has to do with proper development as well. The devils seem to know how to develop guys right
Ron useless crap guy Delorome can learn a thing or 2 from him. In Vancouver scouting seems to be the hardest thing.
Anthony Mauro
DraftBuzz Hockey
I was never a fan of Corrente but what's wrong with Bergfors? He's playing fine in the AHL.
Rabid Ranger
2 is better than one
This struck me as funny:
“In the Devils organization, we are looking for players that will contribute to the organization. We don't care if you are Russian, Czech, Canadian, French Canadian, American. If you can play, you can play," said Conte. "If you are older, if you are younger, if you are smaller, if you are bigger, it doesn't matter. You can play, you can play,†he repeated.
Come on Dave, I think you and Lou have a bit of a bias when it comes to a certain nationality............
“In the Devils organization, we are looking for players that will contribute to the organization. We don't care if you are Russian, Czech, Canadian, French Canadian, American. If you can play, you can play," said Conte. "If you are older, if you are younger, if you are smaller, if you are bigger, it doesn't matter. You can play, you can play,†he repeated.
Come on Dave, I think you and Lou have a bit of a bias when it comes to a certain nationality............
Rabid Ranger
2 is better than one
I don't see how naming those two players undermines Conte's ability as a scout at all.
Anthony Mauro
DraftBuzz Hockey
I want to meet Ron Delorme personally to tell him he wont be shot in the leg if we draft an OHL player.
This struck me as funny:
“In the Devils organization, we are looking for players that will contribute to the organization. We don't care if you are Russian, Czech, Canadian, French Canadian, American. If you can play, you can play," said Conte. "If you are older, if you are younger, if you are smaller, if you are bigger, it doesn't matter. You can play, you can play,†he repeated.
Come on Dave, I think you and Lou have a bit of a bias when it comes to a certain nationality............
I think it just sorta worked out that way lately. Lou really has a penchant for the college game.
This struck me as funny:
“In the Devils organization, we are looking for players that will contribute to the organization. We don't care if you are Russian, Czech, Canadian, French Canadian, American. If you can play, you can play," said Conte. "If you are older, if you are younger, if you are smaller, if you are bigger, it doesn't matter. You can play, you can play,” he repeated.
Come on Dave, I think you and Lou have a bit of a bias when it comes to a certain nationality............
I think the large number of Americans the Devils have is more due to the fact that those American players are the best ones available to the Devils at their drafting positions..... this is mostly due to the fact that many seem to overlook Americans in the college program (or at least they used to) whereas Conte et. al. see something in them others don't.
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
IMO, Conte has a decent amount of duds. But every scout recommends someone who's going to be a dud.
But to look at the list of players he's picked that BECAME something... Well, that's a thing of beauty. The man's a bonafide hockey genius. No two ways about it.
But to look at the list of players he's picked that BECAME something... Well, that's a thing of beauty. The man's a bonafide hockey genius. No two ways about it.
The Devils also believe that you NEVER draft for need, you draft for BPA at the spot you are picking. If you have a need you use your farm system or UFA. I think this allows their scouts to not have to pigeon-hole their short list of players, which makes their job easier.
Jason MacIsaac
Registered User
You say that yet Corrente was the second most impressive defensmen at devils camp behind Oduya, some players are perfect matches for the NHL. I rank Corrente at the current moment as a better prospect then Bergfors.
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
And Justin Papineau lit up the league for like 4 years in a row in pre-season. Camp and pre-season means jack, Jason. While I think Corrente has the potential to be a decent player, I find it a bit ridiculous to rank him ahead of Bergfors.
I should hope you do; IMO Bergfors is overrated - that's my own opinion tho, I'm sure lots of Devils fans will tell me otherwise.
I like Corrente alright, but he's far from a home run pick - will likely be a solid NHLer, but nothing special for a first round pick. I can think of a few guys drafted after him that I'd rather have in my organization.
I just think Conte's abilities are overblown. He's one of the better drafters, but i don't think he stands out from others as being special despite what you hear from Pierre McGuire.
Montreal fans are quick to jump on the organization for wasting picks in the top two rounds in the past decade on Linhart, Urquhart, Buturlin, Chouinard, Baumgartner and Carkner, and to a lesser extent Hainsey, Hossa and Ward. That's 6-9 disappointing top picks in 10 years.
Hee's New Jersey's top two round disappointments in the same period:
Dewolf
Mason
Ward
Damphousse
Gron
Ahonen
Clouthier
Laine
suglobov
Demarchi
Pohanka
Pihlman
Kadeykin
Tallackson
I'm not sold on Frazee, Ryznar and Vrana either.
I can well imagine how much flak Conte would have received in Montreal if he had 14 top 60 picks that flopped - he'd have been hung by now.
Corrente was a few inches away from making the Devils out of camp. He's having an excellent season in juniors. If it weren't for the weird AHL rules, he'd be playing professional hockey right now.
Bergfors led the Rats in scoring last year, and is racking up the goals this season. He had a bad WJC in 2006, but that's it.
Conte has the top # of drafted players in the NHL right now. He drafted or signed the majority of the Devils - who are 5 points out of 1st in the East. Brodeur, Rafalski, Brylin, Elias, Gionta, Gomez, Parise, Zajac, Madden, Pandolfo, White, Oduya, Martin, Hale, Rupp, and Janssen. Only Langenbrunner, Lukowich, Dowd and Rasmussen were originally brought in to hockey under a different director.
You name all those names, and I name these. We're a little depleted in the pipeline right now, but signing guys like Andy Greene and Johnny Oduya are hidden gems.
brylin18
Registered User
The proof is in the pudding. Devils are 2nd in the conference right now, with Zajac and Oduya stepping into the roster and playing major roles for the team. Greene, Corrente, and Bergfors are on the way also. The Devils have played at a consistently high level for over a decade. Conte developing the reputation he has over this time is not coincedence.
You can examine each draft choice, pick by pick, all day long, but the bottom line is this: the Devils are winning hockey games because of players chosen by Conte.
Jason MacIsaac
Registered User
Bergfors is overated IMO. He doesn't have great speed, isn't overly strong at the pro level and doesn't exactly do all that much well. Kind of reminds me of Christian Berglund.
Corrente on the other hand I like, he is fast, strong, physical, decent offensivly and can carry the puck out of the zone. Needs to improve his decision making but I find him fairly similar to Jovo.
I don't like Frazee or Ryznar but Vrana I like. He brings a few intangibles to the table that few prospects can. I think he will be a perfect 3rd liner in the future, maybe a reach in the 2nd round of an extremely deep draft though.
What you fail to see is the sleepers NJ has in their system from past drafts. Fayne and Romano are two, Zharkov should translate to the NHL in the future, Vasyunov for a different team. Fraser is a safe NHL'er.
Yes we have duds but who cares, you only need enough good prospects to fill holes and make deadline trades. This isn't a fantasy league.
Drewr15
Registered User
I'd also say that sometimes the duds are a result of taking chances due to current success and not needing to be as solid on the draft. A perfect example of this was Foster. Everyone knew his injury history including the Devils, but they felt they had a strong enough team and prospect base at the time that he was a high risk high reward pick. Well he turned out to be a bust but if they did not have the success they have had, no way he gets picked. So you have to look at circumstance to sometimes with these picks.
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