Quote:
Originally Posted by BagoPucks
I didn't even know Doug was an OHL guy. Would love to hear why Doug feels so strongly about Clarke.
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The truth is I'm not a scout... I'm a fan and a heavily biased one
I'm going to go on a rant and I'm not talking about anyone in this league and would never post it in the other part of the forum
Anyone that has been in this league long enough will remember that I would be one of the worst drafting GM's in the history of the CPHL. I would encourage every GM here to approach the upcoming draft from a real perspective and not an NHL21 one. Take the flames picks and make your selections and write them down... check back on those picks 5 years from now and see how you did
Well the CPHL was a perfect tool for me for this. I would draft 18th and I know exactly how I did... I sucked a##.
What changed?
I stopped buying the drafting magazines or downloads that I bought for decades. I stopped listening to the so-called expects the criticize every drafting move made. I would encourage anyone to go to the draft guide they purchase every year and look up the scouts that they use for their information and ask yourself are these the credentials that we value over real scouts. Seriously more people are reading this rant that has more. But every year I paid my money, spent hours reading over every player forming an opinion on who I NEEDED the Flames to draft, and frustrated when they didn't.
There came a point in my stay here that I learned my history in drafting, that if I was a head scout I would fired every regional scout I had. And I haven't bought a draft guide or valued a random opinion on the internet since.
I remember during Kaliyev's draft year, how pretty much to a tee, how much the majority didn't want the Flames to draft him, how lazy of a skater he was. But how many of these people had actually seen him play. How many of those opinions were based on a good number of views, or were they just repeating others. Kaliyev is a pure goal scorer with an NHL shot, 100% 1 dimensional. But let me ask you how badly could the Flames use a goalscorer. What about a guy that always had to prove himself and starts on the 4th line, never complains and still scores. When he gets a chance on the 3rd line, he takes advantage of the chance and scores. Till eventually, he works his way up the lineup. Doesn't cry or whine about his ice time, just wants to win. I didn't see that in any report, but I did see that game in and game out watching the Bulldogs
If you were to ask me what changed in my drafting style that I've had better success. It's simple, I stopped reading those Draft Guides. I choose where I draw my information, I've learned who the information is coming from is more important than the information. If someone has a report on every player in the QMJHL, OHL and WHL then how many of those players have they actually watched, what percentage needs to be accurate
As I said at the start, I am a fan and I am biased. When I drafted Ryan Winterton with my 3 round pick... I don't have any secret knowledge. He was the Bulldog's first-round selection and for 2 more years, I get to cheer him on... hell maybe I'll get lucky and the Flames draft him and I get to cheer on a Flames prospect. If you read my bio's I'm not going to blow smoke up your a## like I'm a scout. I have opinions that I trust and I do what I do best... I cheer them on
Now to answer your question about what I have against Clarke, and that's only where he's slotted to be drafted. If he was 12th and the Flames drafted him I would be excited as hell. But let's look at it this way. Let's pretend that Grant is our GM and the rest of us a regional scouts. Grant's job is on the line with this draft as fans are asking for his head. Us, well have mortgages to pay and kids to put through school. If Clarke is in your region, can you look at his skating and say that his skating can be a top-pairing defenseman that you would talk Grant into taking him. Put your GM's job., head scouts job and yours on the line or would you let another regional scout take the lead and you'll put your job on the line for another player
He had an amazing U18 and his stock blew up. He might just be an elite defenceman, like I said I'm not a scout. But I'm not drafting him in the top 5 with his skating
