There are more eyes and bodies needed to fully populate the staff, but it looks like the bare bones scouting of the Las Vegas hockey franchise is up and running. General Manager George McPhee must be breathing a sigh of relief for that. In fact, I’m damnably impressed at the level of talent McPhee has whistled up for the new franchise.
The structure has an experienced foundation. It hits all the major notes with proven ability. At the moment, the scouting for the Las Vegas Hockey team (and can we PLEASE get a name for this franchise so I can stop typing Las Vegas Hockey???) in rough order of importance underneath McPhee and owner Bill Foley:
The Scouters
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Kelly McCrimmon, Assistant General Manager
– Still owner but having to give up his posts as GM and coach of the junior hockey powerhouse Brandon Wheat Kings. McCrimmon has a vast web of connections in junior hockey. He is known as a sharp eye for talent. Meanwhile his time with the Canadian National team doesn’t hurt either. There are few people in the world who has the depth of understanding of the talent available in junior hockey as Kelly McCrimmon. Not to mention he holds a lot of respect in hockey circles.
Vaughan Karpan, Director of Player Personnel – His hiring just announced Tuesday. Karpan was head professional scout for the Montreal Canadiens for a bit over ten years. Well, McPhee did have to hire outside his Washiington Capitals circle, didn’t he? Another guy with lots of experience and loads of respect throughout the league. He gets a step up which he might not have gotten anytime soon with the Habs.
Dave Prior, Director of Goaltending and NHL Goaltender Coach – Yeah, Prior may be a coach but he is not going to be doing much coaching the next nine months. Prior worked for McPhee and has worked with a number of top goalies. He also worked as the goalie coach for the German national Team during the 1990’s. He has not only connections with goalies but with European talent and scouts too.
Vojtech Kucera, Director of European Scouting – McPhee and McCrimmon spent time earlier this
the bare bones scouting of the Las Vegas hockey franchise is up and running. General Manager George McPhee must be breathing a sigh of relief for that. In fact, I’m damnably impressed at the level of talent McPhee has whistled up for the new franchise.
month in Serbia and Croatia for the U17
. C. Kucera used to work for McPhee at the Washington Capitals. Also like McCrimmon, Kucera owns a hockey business outside the Las Vegas Hockey franchise. It is the Ice Arena Letnany in the Czech Republic and evidently a great source for finding young European skaters.
Bruno Campese, Amateur Scout – Campese is the latest name added to the scouting list and takes up the junior most slot (so far). Junior maybe, but Campese has loads of experience. For the last 16 years he has held several coaching jobs in junior hockey, most recently as head coach of the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton, British Columbia.
The Basics Are Here
So Amateur and Professional, North American and European, the bare bones of the Las Vegas Hockey scouting department are there. There needs to be more eyes. Heck the Capitals has 16 people in their scouting department, even after McPhee has raided the coop.
McPhee also has hired database and statistics people, legal/capolgists and player development folks. Scores more will come on board in the next few months, but the big boxes are checked so far. Las Vegas Hockey has a scouting department, at least in outline form.
Now all we need is the practice facility to break ground, bigger offices, the build out on the locker rooms at T-Mobile. Oh, and George McPhee, not to jostle your elbow, but could you goose along Mr. Foley about the team name? This Las Vegas Hockey thing is wearing me out. How about the Las Vegas Chimichongas?