What is more important: a prospect who has raw talent or one who has been a winner? Montreal Canadiens scouts debated this topic in NHL Draft meetings.
Fans of the Montreal Canadiens have been patiently enduring the lean times of a rebuild for at least the past two years. The tradeoff is watching the organization reap the rewards at the NHL Draft as promising prospects are added to the pipeline. Most fans understand that the pain is necessary and worthwhile, but only if the Habs scouting staff gets it right.
To promote the work of the scouting staff, to justify the team's decisions and to answer any criticism, the Canadiens released a so-called "behind-the-scenes" video titled Inside the Canadiens Draft Meetings. The curtain was pulled back selectively to provide fans with an edited look at discussions surrounding last June's NHL Entry Draft. Our review of the video is the focus of this week's episode of Canadiens Connection podcast.
It is important to not only review the results of the draft, but examine the Canadiens' draft philosophy, to break down the discussions and decision-making, and piece together all of the information that went into making critical selections.
Canadiens co-director of amateur scouting, Nick Bobrov, reminded the audience that the scouting and evaluation staff prepare for the draft with only one league in mind: choosing players that have the potential to play in the NHL, not any other league.
What prompted Jeff Gorton, executive vice-president of hockey operations, to walk across the room to massage the shoulders of a scout during a fiery discussion? What career-changing event motivates one of the Habs prospects to this day? We reveal all in this week's podcast.
In addition, we highlight the Canadiens news of the week including reports about Jake Allen, and appearances by Montreal prospects at off-season camps.
Be sure to listen to these topics and more in the latest episode of the Canadiens Connection podcast. It's episode 259 of our sixth season. Click the link HERE or below in this post.
This Week’s Show: Sparks Fly as Habs Scouts Debate Prospects: Skill or Stats?
Segment 1 | Week in Review, Habs News, League News
- Report: Jake Allen has been told that he won't be traded.
- Lane Hutson and Justin Barron at Biosteel NHL camp. Owen Beck, Sean Farrell, and Filip Mesar will participate in NHLPA Rookie Showcase.
- Dream of Quebec Nordiques returning to the NHL is over?
- 2023 NHL front-office confidence rankings.
Segment 2 | Prospect Evaluation: Winning vs Raw Talent
- This week the Montreal Canadiens released a 'behind-the-scenes' video from the 2023 NHL Draft.
- Amy Johnson and Rick Stephens reviewed the video providing context from our NHL Draft coverage and input from prospect scouts.
- What did it reveal about the Canadiens draft strategy? Why did sparks fly when scouts debated prospects?
Segment 3 | Have Your Say
- Canadiens upcoming events.
- Canadiens Connection question of the week.
- Listener's texts and emails.
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A new episode of the Canadiens Connection podcast is available weekly on Saturday afternoon. Missed an episode? You can download every episode of the Canadiens Connection HERE.
Listen to the Latest Episode
You can listen to the latest episode of the Canadiens Connection podcast here: Sparks Fly as Habs Scouts Debate Prospects: Skill or Stats? | Canadiens Connection ep 259
Canadiens Connection on Rocket Sports Radio
Thank you for listening to the Canadiens Connection. This engaging podcast connects Habs fans with their beloved team from a plugged-in source they know and trust.
Canadiens Connection is hosted by Rick Stephens (@RocketSports) with Michael Spinella (@TheSpinella), Amy Johnson (@FlyersRule) and Chris G (@ChrisHabs360). This talented team of credentialed journalists come together to share their valued insight.