Confirmed with Link: Alan Hepple named Director of Pro Scouting

[RABBIT]

We all knew, but now it’s official. Former amateur scout - Hepple transitions to a Pro Scout with the Yotes.

Coyotes Name Alan Hepple as Director of Pro Scouting

Click to read more...

 

[CanadianCoyote]

His résumé with the Avs is very promising.

 

[JasonDemersWasOkay]

Let’s hope with plandowski on amateur scouting we get some Point/Kucherov/Cirelli magic and with hepple we get some Kadri/Saad/Burakovsky magic on the pro scouting side.

Kinda tired of bringing guys in in UFA or trades who do nothing but disappoint. We get enough of that through our drafting/development

 

[rt]

Interesting that he was on the amateur scouting side his whole career and is now suddenly switching to the pro scouting side. That feels like a very different world. Honestly, not sure how to feel about this. Our director of pro-scouting has never been a pro-scout. That’s a little but disconcerting. I was so excited about this hire when I thought he was joining Plandowski’s team. But now I really don’t know how to feel about this.

 

[LuckyNumber11]

Sounds like a guy trying to build his resume to be a GM by putting as many tools in his belt. Don’t mind the hire, means he’s been good at his job before and is ambitious.

 

[TheLegend]

Coyotes have new director of pro scouting in former Avalanche exec

 

[rt]

Does anyone know anything about how common this is? It strikes me as really rare, but I can't back that up with data (even anecdotally).

 

[RABBIT]

Does anyone know anything about how common this is? It strikes me as really rare, but I can't back that up with data (even anecdotally).

I would probably say it’s not super rare, but not super common either. If you think about it, and if he was an amateur scout primarily in the past, then he probably has a pretty good pulse on the current crop of young/middle-aged NHL players. You really need a good pulse on the crop of current NHL players to be a pro scout. Not only that, but he will probably be leaned upon if they need some amateur scouting help. As long as he’s on the payroll, he can be utilized.

 

[rt]

I would probably say it’s not super rare, but not super common either. If you think about it, and if he was an amateur scout primarily in the past, then he probably has a pretty good pulse on the current crop of young/middle-aged NHL players. You really need a good pulse on the crop of current NHL players to be a pro scout. Not only that, but he will probably be leaned upon if they need some amateur scouting help. As long as he’s on the payroll, he can be utilized.

I hope we see him at the draft table this year, at least.

And while I think you have a very logical point about the transition, I do wonder if it does translate all that seamlessly in real life practice. I’m thinking about Dylan Strome and Drouin as examples. I’d guess as Colorado’s top amateur scout he might have a different book on them than would Colorado’s top pro scout. Those names are meant only to highlight my general thought.

It seems like someone’s first job as a pro hockey scout maybe shouldn’t be as the director of pro scouting for an NHL team. Then again, he has experience running an NHL scouting department. We could get a more seasoned pro scout with less management experience. Maybe that’s the give and take.

 

[RABBIT]

I hope we see him at the draft table this year, at least.

And while I think you have a very logical point about the transition, I do wonder if it does translate all that seamlessly in real life practice. I’m thinking about Dylan Strome and Drouin as examples. I’d guess as Colorado’s top amateur scout he might have a different book on them than would Colorado’s top pro scout. Those names are meant only to highlight my general thought.

It seems like someone’s first job as a pro hockey scout maybe shouldn’t be as the director of pro scouting for an NHL team. Then again, he has experience running an NHL scouting department. We could get a more seasoned pro scout with less management experience. Maybe that’s the give and take.

You bring up great points as well. I’m going to defer to the experts in this case. So far, it looks like Armstrong has made some excellent hires on paper.

In a vacuum, the more great hockey minds we have in the organization in the better.

 

[XX]

Does anyone know anything about how common this is? It strikes me as really rare, but I can't back that up with data (even anecdotally).

I think he is just a very experienced guy BA sees as an equal. Reached out to give him a chance to come to AZ, and the pro scouting title was the only fitting one available.

 

[Gwyddbwyll]

Pro scouting seems like an easier lifestyle compared to the travelling you have to rack up as an amateur scout and living out of a suitcase. At nearly 58 years old, Hepple might prefer that now, especially with all the coronavirus risks and quarantining going on across borders.

Tourigny is also big on people with encyclopedic knowledge and the ability to give answers on the spot - he doesnt want someone who has to go to a computer to find out what a player is like or how a team likes to play.

 

[rt]

I think he is just a very experienced guy BA sees as an equal. Reached out to give him a chance to come to AZ, and the pro scouting title was the only fitting one available.

I also think it’s just going to keep attracting top scouting talent. I have to imagine there are a lot of folks in the scouting community eyeing this team now. BA, Plandowski, Hepple and Jankowksi are all really well-known, big names in the scouting world.