How a full time sanitation worker became a scout for the Winnipeg Jets

[sureLoss]

Great story.

https://grandforksherald.com/sports/...all-upon-draft

At each one, he climbs out of the truck, picks up garbage cans and puts them on the truck’s dumping mechanism. There’s no automatic pickup that allows him to hide from the labor or elements.

“Whether it’s 70 or minus-70,” Shrader says, “I’m getting out at every stop and touching every can.”

As the clock approaches 11 a.m., Shrader grabs his phone from the center console. He turns off the music and dials a phone number and passcode. He gets patched into a conference call. It plays through the truck’s speakers.

On the other end of the phone: the front office of one of the NHL’s best teams and most successful scouting staffs, the Winnipeg Jets.

They want advice from the 38-year-old Prior Lake, Minn., resident who is in the middle of his daily garbage route.

That may sound odd, but this is a routine that happens at least once a month.

Shrader is an amateur scout for the Jets. He’s in charge of watching the Minnesota region for prospects.

No, he’s not your typical scout. He never played in the NHL. He never played college or pro hockey. He never played organized hockey growing up, period.

He’s a full-time sanitation worker in the Twin Cities, who spends 50 hours a week driving a daily garbage route, dumping trash at the landfill and helping manage a 32-truck fleet.

[OutOfTheCube]

It's surprising because they don't have a garbage prospect pool.

[Classic_Sniper]

The Jets always seem to hit on their draft picks, so he and his team must be doing something right. Teams that draft well usually lead to prolonged success. So the Jets will probably be good for a looooong time.

[White Out 403]

Great story, thanks for sharing.

[Traditional_Ale]

Is the article blocked for anyone else? Website loads, first paragraph is show, then its all greyed out.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

Is the article blocked for anyone else? Website loads, first paragraph is show, then its all greyed out.

might be your browser; the article is locked until you answer a survey question and then unlocks...maybe your pop up blocker is preventing the survey from loading?

anyways, great article... kudos to that guy for embracing such a grind though! Hopefully he is able to land a full time scouting job so at least the script is flipped so he's only a part time sanitation worker and a full time scout

[FlamesKickAss]

Full time assignment in Edmonton

[Reggie Dunlop]

Nothing the matter with honest work. Someone has to do it, and he likely gets a comfortable wage, which in turn allows him to pursue his passion. Great story.