News Article: Video games a growing concern for Canadiens' top scout Trevor Timmins

Kriss E

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He said it was a flag, not a red flag. Semantics, maybe, but those mean two entirely different things to me. Killing frogs probably puts a kid on a no-draft list. Saying you play a lot of video games means that you talk to teammates and coaches to see if he is a regular kid, or someone that has a problem.
What in heavens are you talking about.
So anybody that has ''playing video games'' under their hobbies....should get checked to see if they're ''regular kids''?
What kind of stupid thinking is that.
 
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Kriss E

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'extremely normal' until it becomes a disorder ... which it can, according to WHO and a consensus of experts.

of course, it's only a problem for a small percentage who enjoy gaming, but nothing wrong with due diligence for such a big investment.

Can't really attach an "old school ideology" label to a fairly recent problem ... unless you don't agree with WHO or believe the trends over the last 10 years.

Video games are bad for you is something my grand parents would say. It's old school thinking.
I have no problem recognizing some kids actually have issues. What I find ridiculous is how they consider video games as an automatic red flag.
 

Habs76

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As one of HF Habs younger members, I'll agree that if prospects overplay video games that's a huge red flag. I have friends, hockey players or not that spend way too much time on those games (I used to be just as bad haha) and it's unhealthy, but in the end if you're writing off prospects just because they like to play games, you won't have many left to pick from.

Joel Farabee and Rasmus Sandin I know both said they are avid Fortnite players, and they both seem to be among the most alert and engaged players in any given game.
 

MasterDecoy

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another tidbit...size is not important in this draft lol
All smurfs unite...

The emphasis will be on finding players with an upside.“We want players with character and we’ll be looking at speed because it’s a fast game,” said Timmins. “Size isn’t as important.

ding ding ding

just burn this entire team to the ground already :rant:
 
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Team_Spirit

95% Elliotte
Jul 3, 2002
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Mattews Marner and Nylander are known to be playing fortnite with Bozak

does that mean they suck?

god timmins is such an idiot

his exemple is Hemsky who was a better pick than Komisarek and would have been among the Habs top2 scorers for 5-6 years lmao

#FireBergevin
#FireTimmins
 

ngc_5128

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What in heavens are you talking about.
So anybody that has ''playing video games'' under their hobbies....should get checked to see if they're ''regular kids''?
What kind of stupid thinking is that.
I said "play a lot of video games". A LOT, not play some, or play any. Here, I will quote it for you so you can see what I said again:
Saying you play a lot of video games means that you talk to teammates and coaches to see if he is a regular kid, or someone that has a problem.
 

Kriss E

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I said "play a lot of video games". A LOT, not play some, or play any. Here, I will quote it for you so you can see what I said again:
What is "a lot"? This is completely subjective and meaningless.
Is it 1h per day? 2h? 6h? Or 3h per week? or 20h?
 

ngc_5128

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What is "a lot"? This is completely subjective and meaningless.
Is it 1h per day? 2h? 6h? Or 3h per week? or 20h?
I am not an expert, but I would say that "a lot" is probably enough where these teenagers are not getting enough sleep at night.

My guess is that when the staff doing the interview hears video games is a hobby, they ask a follow-up question, maybe something like "Oh, video games are great, how much do you play?" Perhaps the questionnaire that they said they used has some of the criteria that the APA came up with to see if video games, or any other activity, could be a potential problem area. Since Timmins didn't spoon feed us his interview script, or give us a recording of an interview, we will never know.

I know everyone on this board enjoys crapping over anything and everything that MB might have even looked at, but I like to believe that the doctors that the team employs are competent.
 
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Whitesnake

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Reassuring...let's only draft kids that aren't kids then....geez...Moste kids should have video games in their hobbies. And EVERY kid will tell you in an interview that it doesn't affect them or their play. No idea what Timmins is saying here....Does a kid who has video games as a hobby really goes behind the line???
 
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DAChampion

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One issue with the Bergevin administration's obsession with character is that they themselves often have revolting character. Bergevin in particular.

Timmins, I'm not sure. I mostly like him, but sometimes he annoys me when he retroactively evaluates his draft. Supposedly he actually wanted Giroux in 2006, Carlson in 2008, and Kreider in 2009. Whatever.
 

ngc_5128

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Reassuring...let's only draft kids that aren't kids then....geez...Moste kids should have video games in their hobbies. And EVERY kid will tell you in an interview that it doesn't affect them or their play. No idea what Timmins is saying here....Does a kid who has video games as a hobby really goes behind the line???

I think he is saying that playing video games, like anything else, can get out of control if you don't take it seriously. There is a difference between playing video games for a hobby and playing so much that your play can suffer, just like there is a difference between having a few beers on the weekend and getting drunk every night. Of course every kid there is going to say that their game playing doesn't affect them, including the ones that have a serious problem, the same as any addict.

I doubt very much that playing video games is the only thing that someone could answer in the profile questionnaire that could throw a flag.
 
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Mikah

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Any hobby or habit, taken to the extreme, is bad. Video game is just as good/bad as anything else.

Having a way to blow some steam off is good. Playing until 2am every night is bad. I would rather have a kid play video games then snorting white powder, as we have seen in the recent past.

If you look at those two clowns in charge, you could say that extreme fitness and muscle building to the point you can't even touch your chin is also not productive or healthy. And most likely not good for your giblets.

Preach by example!
 

Kriss E

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I am not an expert, but I would say that "a lot" is probably enough where these teenagers are not getting enough sleep at night.

My guess is that when the staff doing the interview hears video games is a hobby, they ask a follow-up question, maybe something like "Oh, video games are great, how much do you play?" Perhaps the questionnaire that they said they used has some of the criteria that the APA came up with to see if video games, or any other activity, could be a potential problem area. Since Timmins didn't spoon feed us his interview script, or give us a recording of an interview, we will never know.

I know everyone on this board enjoys crapping over anything and everything that MB might have even looked at, but I like to believe that the doctors that the team employs are competent.

I love how everything here has to be turned into some irrational hate. You cannot simply disagree with their concern. Nope. It has to be irrational hate.

What I find stupid is to find gaming as a hobby alarming. There is nothing alarming about it.
If you follow up with the kid and he says I spend 8h a day playing video games, well then ya, that would be alarming. But those are two entire different things.

Timmins refers back to when they drafted Komisarek. He said they interviewed Hemsky, who was drafted later, he was slouching, didn't look like an athlete.
First off, surprising to hear considering Timmins is a gym buff, but most 17-18yo do not look like athletes.
Second, one could easily argue Hemsky would have been a better pick than Komisarek. If it weren't for injuries eventually catching up to him, Hemsky was a steady producer at almost a ppg for a good stretch of 6 years.
Not sure how Timmins thought that worked in his favor.

Maybe Timmins mispoke, maybe he didn't express himself properly. I don't know. All I have is this article so I am discussing what was writing and saying playing video game as a hobby raises a flag is just stupid pointless talk.

As was brought up, all I want to hear from these guys is how talent is their main objective.
Telling us how you skipped on skilled like Hemsky because he played video games and slouched, taking a big bruising Dman in Komi, only for Komi not to end up with a better career, isn't really doing himself any favors.
 

76

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A bit of reading would maybe help some to understand the subject a little more. It's not only a concern for Timmins.

Friedman discusses NHL trade and contract potential
Marek and Friedman were chatting about their own kids and the inevitable introduction of video games, when Marek shared this tidbit:
“On video games – and I’m not going to say the player’s name,” began Marek. “I really doubt he’s going to make it to the NHL and it’s because of a video game addiction. To the point where his junior general manager told me that they’ve had him go to counseling over it because he’ll play until all hours of the night and into the morning and then he’ll have no energy the next day. He’ll be a write-off. And it is that bad. He has this compulsion for playing video games until all hours.
“I swore that I wouldn’t say the player’s name. But it’s unfortunate. He’s a recent first-round draft pick for a very, very prominent NHL team – will probably never play in the NHL because of a video game addiction.”
“And hopefully,” said Marek, ”And again, this is information that’s six months old. Actually, you might say a year old now. But it’s a terrible story because this guy is a good junior hockey player. This guy is a good player and was a high pick – and I’m probably saying too much right there – but there’s a good chance he’s not going to make it to the NHL and his general manager said, ‘Yeah, video game addiction is bad. It’s bad with this kid.’ “

There is a discussion about it on the main board.
 

ngc_5128

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Sep 24, 2002
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I love how everything here has to be turned into some irrational hate. You cannot simply disagree with their concern. Nope. It has to be irrational hate.

What I find stupid is to find gaming as a hobby alarming. There is nothing alarming about it.
If you follow up with the kid and he says I spend 8h a day playing video games, well then ya, that would be alarming. But those are two entire different things.

Timmins refers back to when they drafted Komisarek. He said they interviewed Hemsky, who was drafted later, he was slouching, didn't look like an athlete.
First, if I came across as a hater, I apologize, that's not my intention.

I don't see Timmins saying anything like gaming is alarming. The word alarm doesn't even show up in the article. He says it's a concern and he even specifically says:
Trevor Timmins said:
I’m not saying video games are a bad thing. It’s just if they’re not getting enough rest and recuperation then it becomes a problem.
Granted this was poorly written click bait that seems like a interview transcript, so we don't have a lot to work with, but I would imagine that there are a bunch of things that concern him. Poor sleep habits or eating habits are concerning. Someone who says they like to party and have a good time is concerning. Riding motor cycles is concerning. While gaming is not alarming, it can be a concern. I imagine that when you have as much running on this draft as the Habs do, everything is a concern. They can't screw up this draft and everyone involved knows it.

I think the only reason he brought up Hemsky is to illustrate how the times have changed, and with internet gaming becoming the norm, there are more opportunities to let a hobby turn into habit. The only reason I could think about bringing up how he doesn't look like an athlete with his slouching is that that would be a good sign that they are doing something with their free time that isn't very athletic. I would imagine that someone that 'looks like an athlete' would reply to the what do you do question with working out, hiking, biking, those types of things. Plus, teenager or not, slouching at an interview doesn't give the interviewers a great impression.
 

Kriss E

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May 3, 2007
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Jeddah
A bit of reading would maybe help some to understand the subject a little more. It's not only a concern for Timmins.

Friedman discusses NHL trade and contract potential
Marek and Friedman were chatting about their own kids and the inevitable introduction of video games, when Marek shared this tidbit:
“On video games – and I’m not going to say the player’s name,” began Marek. “I really doubt he’s going to make it to the NHL and it’s because of a video game addiction. To the point where his junior general manager told me that they’ve had him go to counseling over it because he’ll play until all hours of the night and into the morning and then he’ll have no energy the next day. He’ll be a write-off. And it is that bad. He has this compulsion for playing video games until all hours.
“I swore that I wouldn’t say the player’s name. But it’s unfortunate. He’s a recent first-round draft pick for a very, very prominent NHL team – will probably never play in the NHL because of a video game addiction.”
“And hopefully,” said Marek, ”And again, this is information that’s six months old. Actually, you might say a year old now. But it’s a terrible story because this guy is a good junior hockey player. This guy is a good player and was a high pick – and I’m probably saying too much right there – but there’s a good chance he’s not going to make it to the NHL and his general manager said, ‘Yeah, video game addiction is bad. It’s bad with this kid.’ “

There is a discussion about it on the main board.

Too bad he doesn't say the name, would be fun to see if he ends up being completely wrong about him.
 
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jackeymoon

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I love how Video games are a huge concern for Timmins but picking guys with literally Zero to very little NHL potential is OK. I'll take the guy with a video game addiction who pops 40 goals in the juniors over a USHL bust like Staum any day.

Yea Trevor, blame Marc (who I don't like) on picking McCarron over Theodore and Scherbak over Goldobin, Ho-Sang and Kempe or the best saying you wanted Kreider over Leblanc when there's physical evidence on video of you having Leblanc in your top ten list, way above Kreider.

The priorities of this organization are wacky.
 

Kriss E

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First, if I came across as a hater, I apologize, that's not my intention.

I don't see Timmins saying anything like gaming is alarming. The word alarm doesn't even show up in the article. He says it's a concern and he even specifically says:

Granted this was poorly written click bait that seems like a interview transcript, so we don't have a lot to work with, but I would imagine that there are a bunch of things that concern him. Poor sleep habits or eating habits are concerning. Someone who says they like to party and have a good time is concerning. Riding motor cycles is concerning. While gaming is not alarming, it can be a concern. I imagine that when you have as much running on this draft as the Habs do, everything is a concern. They can't screw up this draft and everyone involved knows it.

I think the only reason he brought up Hemsky is to illustrate how the times have changed, and with internet gaming becoming the norm, there are more opportunities to let a hobby turn into habit
. The only reason I could think about bringing up how he doesn't look like an athlete with his slouching is that that would be a good sign that they are doing something with their free time that isn't very athletic. I would imagine that someone that 'looks like an athlete' would reply to the what do you do question with working out, hiking, biking, those types of things. Plus, teenager or not, slouching at an interview doesn't give the interviewers a great impression.
I have no idea why he brought up Hemsky because it doesn't help his case at all. Ales was a very successful young hockey player, he just got injured one too many times, but he was a good draft pick.
So really...no idea.

My issue here is exactly what he illustrated. I do not want this organization to pass up on a player because they feel he spends too much time on video games.
We have no way of knowing what "too much" is according to them, Timmins doesn't even precise it himself.
What he says is when they read video games as a hobby, it's a flag. To me, that's just silly.

Maybe Timmins meant that they use this as a follow up and if player says he spent 5h a night on a game, then that's an issue. But that's not what he is quoted as saying.
I am sticking to what was brought up in this article. I will not speculate about what he meant.
 
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