Want to be a scout? Be a ***** on the internet.

[SP]

Interesting article in the Globe and Mail this weekend about Cape Breton Screaming Eagles scout Simon Boisvert.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/from-outsider-to-qmjhl-scout/article1904290/

The 45-year-old translator and model of persistence has fulfilled a lifelong ambition by working his way into the cloistered world that is big-time hockey.

And he’s done it in a thoroughly modern way – his Lana Turner soda-fountain moment coming courtesy of the comments section on a popular Quebec hockey blog.

Boisvert, you see, recently landed a paying gig as a part-time scout for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

But unlike most people in the hockey industry, he has never played, never coached, never volunteered in a minor hockey association.

[...]

And if Boisvert can harbour those ambitions – which Liboiron suggests are reasonable if he’s prepared to be patient – it’s due in part to alter ego Snake70, his handle on the blog run by Mathias Brunet, a hockey columnist at La Presse who often writes about junior and minor-league prospects.

Snake70 began standing out a couple of years ago as an acerbic and aggressively opinionated voice who trashed other commentators with panache and delighted in demolishing conventional wisdom.

For some reason, the link to page 2 on the Globe site isn't working. But further along in the article, it says he called Jeff Skinner and Matt Duchene to be the best players in their respective drafts.

And so far, they are. No whining allowed from the fans of any team that picked a player higher than those two.

Click to read more...

 

[R S]

Doesn't sound to me like he is strictly watching games on the internet.

But hell, the more hockey the watch...that always helps. Sure, it's great to be there live...but you can still get lots of opinions on players from watching them on TV or online.

 

[headsigh]

Good for him to make his dream a reality, I guess.

 

[Shrimper]

Great to hear, best of luck to him. There is hope for us all!

 

[DuklaNation]

The Lana Turner part shows that the writer is living in the past still.

Actually, people who havent been involved but can see from past yrs what works can make for a good scout. Why? People in the business can have inherent biases. Thye dont look at this process from a neutral stance. Not sure about the later rounds though. But rounds 1-2, it may work.

 

[Prendan Brust]

That dude is an ass, he's always singing his praise and talks as if he knew more than all NHL GMs. He spotted Jeff Skinner before anyone and it's his claim to fame but it seems we'll never hear the end of it on Brunet's blog. I can't stand him but I still respect his insights, he watches a lot of hockey and he knows what to look for in a player.

 

[The Bob Cole]

Great to hear, best of luck to him. There is hope for us all!

Not really...

 

[JeromeHP]

what i don't like is (not in this article but in others french article) they make him sound like discovered Jeff Skinner last year wich is absurd. only CS had him outside the first round...and its not like he was the only one calling Duchene the best player in the 09 draft...

but good for him, i can respect anyone who has a passion for hockey prospect. even if he was a total ass on Mathias Brunet blog lol

 

[jgthibault]

I read him in Mathias's blog and I can tell you that he really know the young player. He's opinion worth a lot of scouts. He just build a character (Snake70) who have sharp (tranchant in french) idea.

The Jeff Skinner story were misshapen. He didn't claim that he discover him. But when every scouts tell he will be a top 15 and they were not sure he can involve his play to the NHL, Boisvert (Snake70) told every one that he was a no brainer top 3 (behind Seguin pratically egual to Hall).

 

[Bolt32]

what i don't like is (not in this article but in others french article) they make him sound like discovered Jeff Skinner last year wich is absurd. only CS had him outside the first round...and its not like he was the only one calling Duchene the best player in the 09 draft...

but good for him, i can respect anyone who has a passion for hockey prospect. even if he was a total ass on Mathias Brunet blog lol

Thats a pretty bold statement. I like Duchene, I would have to disagree with that however.

 

[goforit]

I read him on Mathias' blog. He really knows what he's talking about.

Thats a pretty bold statement. I like Duchene, I would have to disagree with that however.

So, for now, who's the best for you..?

 

[SK13]

Thats a pretty bold statement. I like Duchene, I would have to disagree with that however.

It's not at all a bold statement, whether you disagree or not.

Many people did feel Duchene was as good or better than Tavares or Hedman, if also less established, and most would say he's ahead of both Tavares and Hedman now.