Doug MacLean released a book called Draft Day

[Riggins]

Doug MacLean isn't exactly my favourite NHL personality. However, I am a sucker for any draft-related material that might give some behind-the-scenes details and stories. I'm sure he will go on and on about how great his Rick Nash selection was while glossing over the top 10 busts he picked in Columbus. Either way as a draft junkie I'm obliged to give this a read and you may want to do the same.

Draft Day

Doug MacLean, former NHL coach, general manager, team president, and one of the game’s biggest personalities, reveals how teams build for greatness...

www.simonandschuster.com

Doug MacLean, former NHL coach, general manager, team president, and one of the game’s biggest personalities, reveals how teams build for greatness—or fail to—on hockey’s most anticipated day. A Moneyball for hockey.

The NHL draft is a critical time for teams, when the foundation for future championships is laid—or when championship dreams die. Only time will tell if a draft is successful, but a failed draft can severely set teams back for seasons, much to the dread of ownership, management, and most importantly, the fans.

For even the most die-hard hockey fan, the preparation for draft day is a black box. Former president, general manager, and coach Doug MacLean takes readers behind the scenes, from the 2022 draft in Montreal to revealing draft stories from the past, to show how players are discovered and evaluated to create successful teams.

Just as Moneyball illustrated the value of analytics in building teams in baseball and beyond, Draft Day shows the careful considerations that go into assessing talent for success. What is that balance in today’s game between metrics and instinct, between analytics and traditional scouting? MacLean draws from his own career as well as anecdotes from across the league to illustrate the hard-won lessons and principles that lead to building successful teams. Hockey is big business, and this book is an invaluable resource for any leader seeking an edge for building resilient organizations.

Entertaining and informative, with never-before-told details from some of the biggest moments in NHL history, Draft Day is for every hockey fan who wonders how their team develops that hard-to-define winning chemistry—or fails to, year after year.

“Come for the great storytelling from Doug MacLean and Scott Morrison, stick around for the revealing NHL draft tales, especially the incredible Eric Lindros trade story you won’t find anywhere else.”
— BOB MCKENZIE, TSN Draft Expert and NHL Insider

“Doug MacLean is a hockey lifer and an entertaining storyteller. You’ll enjoy this book.”
— GERARD GALLANT, NHL coach and former player

“Doug MacLean did some amazing wheeling and dealing to make me the number one overall pick in 2002. In Draft Day, he tells the story behind that draft and others like it to show all the thought and work that goes into building teams.”
— RICK NASH, former Columbus Blue Jackets star and Rocket Richard Trophy winner

“Draft day can make or break your team for years to come. This is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how teambuilding in hockey really works.”
— JOHN DAVIDSON, President of Hockey Operations for the Columbus Blue Jackets

“Doug MacLean may have a reputation for bluntness, but that’s just the beginning when it comes to my friend and longtime Sportsnet coworker. The truth is, he’s as honest in life as he is at work, whether that’s on the air, in the boardroom, or behind an NHL bench. Like the man, his book holds no punches. Draft Day gets right to the point and is the most entertaining and insightful book you’ll read this year.”
— NICK KYPREOS, cohost of Real Kyper & Bourne, author of Undrafted, and Stanley Cup champion

“The draft is the most franchise-altering night on the NHL schedule, and Doug gives a real behind-the-scenes look. Draft Day is an insightful read for hockey fans.”
— ELLIOTTE FRIEDMAN, broadcaster for Hockey Night in Canada and cohost of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

This is just another way for Doug MacLean to remind everyone that he drafted Rick Nash.

But in all seriousness, i think it will be a very interesting book. I love the "behind the scenes" stuff like this and i think this book will deliver just that.

 

[SomeDude]

What a clever name. Wonder where he got it.

 

[Jovavic]

Borrow it from your local library so he doesn't see royalty from it

 

[Hoverhand]

Doug MacLean isn't exactly my favourite NHL personality, the term "insufferable blowhard" comes to mind pretty quickly. However, I am a sucker for any draft-related material that might give some behind-the-scenes details and stories. I'm sure he will go on and on about how great his Rick Nash selection was while glossing over and giving excuses for the many top 10 busts he picked in Columbus. Either way as a draft junkie I'm obliged to give this a read and you may want to do the same.

Draft Day

Doug MacLean, former NHL coach, general manager, team president, and one of the game’s biggest personalities, reveals how teams build for greatness...

www.simonandschuster.com

"A moneyball for hockey"

Lol, lmao even

 

[Brodeur]

https://www.amazon.com/Future-Greats-Heartbreaks-Undercover-Secret/dp/0385664400

Columbus let Gare Joyce ride shotgun for their 2006 and 2007 drafts. That book was a fun read and I'll still read it every once in awhile. I'm not expecting MacLean's book to be that much better, but I'll read a chapter or two if it pops up in my local store.

In a nutshell:

2000 - They lost a coin flip with Minnesota (twice) for who got the #3 pick. So that was the difference between Marian Gaborik and Rostislav Klesla. There was an Athletic article where they lamented that they knew there was a sizeable gap between the two. I seem to recall Klesla having a bit more upside than they said after the fact.

2002 - They were set to pick Rick Nash at #3 but got spooked when Philadelphia traded up to #4. Their doomsday scenario was Philly trading up to #2 for Nash which would leave them with Kari Lehtonen (they had drafted Pascal Leclaire in 2001) or defenseman Joni Pitkanen. To MacLean's credit, he worked out a creative trade and secured Nash at #1 and ended up not giving up anything.

2003 - The infamous year where they defiantly told the media that they had Nik Zherdev ranked #1.

2004 - Picking fourth with a perceived top tier of Ovechkin/Malkin, then a perceived drop after Cam Barker.

2005 - Sometimes a thin line between looking like a genius or a dope. They would have happily taken Anze Kopitar at #6 had Gilbert Brule not been available.

2006 - Picking sixth with a perceived top tier of 5. Their pre-draft interview with Kessel was maybe the highlight of the Joyce book. Interesting story from the Joyce book was that they drafted Steve Mason in the third round to the surprise of the scouts at their own table.

 

[Bubbles]

2005 - Sometimes a thin line between looking like a genius or a dope. They would have happily taken Anze Kopitar at #6 had Gilbert Brule not been available.

I want to see if MacLean will be truthful about the whole Brule affair. They bungled his development.

 

[scoutman1]

I want to see if MacLean will be truthful about the whole Brule affair. They bungled his development.

i agree...I watched him play at the Canada Games in New Brunswick and the next year at the U17s in Newfoundland...Brule had everything...fast skater, excellent shot with great accuracy, he was strong, physical, always involved in all three zones...though i remember people comparing him to Crosby and saying they would pick him over Crosby...I was never sold that much on him but i thought from 2nd overall on he was a great pick...I really thought Columbus got a gem with him because he really had it all.

 

[majormajor]

I want to see if MacLean will be truthful about the whole Brule affair. They bungled his development.

What is the truth?

I think I've heard Maclean say Brule just had terrible injuries (same story with Klesla, Pascal Leclaire, etc...) And I'm not sure that he's wrong about that.

 

[Eyeseeing]

Doug MacLean isn't exactly my favourite NHL personality, the term "insufferable blowhard" comes to mind pretty quickly. However, I am a sucker for any draft-related material that might give some behind-the-scenes details and stories. I'm sure he will go on and on about how great his Rick Nash selection was while glossing over and giving excuses for the many top 10 busts he picked in Columbus. Either way as a draft junkie I'm obliged to give this a read and you may want to do the same.

Draft Day

Doug MacLean, former NHL coach, general manager, team president, and one of the game’s biggest personalities, reveals how teams build for greatness...

www.simonandschuster.com

I kinda like Doug’s TV work

 

[Bubbles]

What is the truth?

I think I've heard Maclean say Brule just had terrible injuries (same story with Klesla, Pascal Leclaire, etc...) And I'm not sure that he's wrong about that.

They rushed him. He wasn't quite ready physically for the NHL but they put him in. And than after the injuries, they didn't take their time to let him heal, and he got hurt again.

 

[93LEAFS]

I feel most of the insight is already found in Gare Joyce's great book that covers the run-up to the 2006 NHL draft, and the full season of scouting from 2007 with great access to the Blue Jackets organization. I might check this out, but not in a rush.

 

[lakai17]

I want to see if MacLean will be truthful about the whole Brule affair. They bungled his development.

Something happened I don't know what. Brule was a man against kids out in the whl which is hard to do in that league. Maybe that is a little exaggeration but he was very noticeable with the Vancouver He played a solid game, high i.q, had skills and ambition.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Hopefully he has more than just stories from Gare Joyce's book about scouts; he already gave him access to at least one of CBJ's drafts under Maclean.

 

[S E P H]

Doug MacLean isn't exactly my favourite NHL personality, the term "insufferable blowhard" comes to mind pretty quickly. However, I am a sucker for any draft-related material that might give some behind-the-scenes details and stories. I'm sure he will go on and on about how great his Rick Nash selection was while glossing over and giving excuses for the many top 10 busts he picked in Columbus. Either way as a draft junkie I'm obliged to give this a read and you may want to do the same.

Draft Day

Doug MacLean, former NHL coach, general manager, team president, and one of the game’s biggest personalities, reveals how teams build for greatness...

www.simonandschuster.com

Nice self-promotion Dougie!

 

[wetcoast]

This is just another way for Doug MacLean to remind everyone that he drafted Rick Nash.

But in all seriousness, i think it will be a very interesting book. I love the "behind the scenes" stuff like this and i think this book will deliver just that.

Agree 100% and Doug Maclean is a very entertaining guy and storyteller.

 

[Bubbles]

Something happened I don't know what. Brule was a man against kids out in the whl which is hard to do in that league. Maybe that is a little exaggeration but he was very noticeable with the Vancouver He played a solid game, high i.q, had skills and ambition.

I watched him live back in the day. He would throw hits on everyone and would just bounce off hits from others. He also had a great shot. I was so sure he would make the NHL.

 

[Bubbles]

It was a fun read! It's painfully obvious when it's Scott Morrison writing and not Doug (mostly any factual information or words that are longer than 3 letters )

And no, he didn't say anything about the bungling of Brule. Although he ripped into Zherdev.

 

[Jumptheshark]

It was a fun read! It's painfully obvious when it's Scott Morrison writing and not Doug (mostly any factual information or words that are longer than 3 letters )

And no, he didn't say anything about the bungling of Brule. Although he ripped into Zherdev.

Brule is a special case. We now know he suffered from depression at an early age and there were a few other things. Depression is one of those things either you understand or you don't. I have suffered from it my entire life and it took me till I was 47 to get better control over what caused my episodes. It sounds like Brule has the same problem.

 

[Craig Ludwig]

It was a fun read! It's painfully obvious when it's Scott Morrison writing and not Doug (mostly any factual information or words that are longer than 3 letters )

And no, he didn't say anything about the bungling of Brule. Although he ripped into Zherdev.

In an interview last week, I think it was CBC, Doug mentioned that some of his staff liked Kopitar but he insisted on Brule. Said it was the worst move he ever made.

 

[Bubbles]

In an interview last week, I think it was CBC, Doug mentioned that some of his staff liked Kopitar but he insisted on Brule. Said it was the worst move he ever made.

It's all in the book. He basically made an audible when his entire staff was calling for Kopitar. He calls it his $30 million mistake.

 

[Bender]

Does it mention if anyone went to Bo Callahan's birthday party ?

 

[wetcoast]

Doug MacLean isn't exactly my favourite NHL personality, the term "insufferable blowhard" comes to mind pretty quickly. However, I am a sucker for any draft-related material that might give some behind-the-scenes details and stories. I'm sure he will go on and on about how great his Rick Nash selection was while glossing over and giving excuses for the many top 10 busts he picked in Columbus. Either way as a draft junkie I'm obliged to give this a read and you may want to do the same.

Draft Day

Doug MacLean, former NHL coach, general manager, team president, and one of the game’s biggest personalities, reveals how teams build for greatness...

www.simonandschuster.com

I get that he rubs a lot of people the wrong way but I always loved his insight.

 

[wetcoast]

I want to see if MacLean will be truthful about the whole Brule affair. They bungled his development.

He was basically a Marcel Dionne lite prospect and injuries and poor development but there was the weird control issues with his dad that came out later, maybe that happened when he turned pro?

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Kopitar can thank his lucky stars that he wasn’t selected by Columbus.