As much as I don't like Button, I think that organizational philosophy plays a big role in how the scouts judge certain prospects. I think Feaster brought in a new philosophy, and that may not be a result of Feaster but his hiring decisions elsewhere. Adding the likes of Wiesbrod and Goulet to the mix are huge changes. Giving them the latitude to make selections that others may consider foolhardy may payoff in the long run and prove to be wise. Scouting and talent evaluation can sometimes be too cookie cutter where a player is judged more on the compilation of his parts than his exceptional abilities. I like the fact that the Flames are now looking at exceptions and selecting them. You need a number of players, but you also need guys with exceptional abilities. Guys like Gaudreau and Jankowski are exceptions to the norm and could pay off in huge gains. Those are the players that a philosophy of selecting guys that have the highest probability of being a NHL player would prevent from ever being drafted. I think that Button has done a good job adapting to this new philosophy and managing his scouts accordingly. I don't like the guy, but I think that is mostly because I can't stand his brother, but I give him credit for allowing his scouts, the guys he manages, to amass a good collection of prospects in a very short period of time.
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