Nick Bobrov - Director of Euro Scouting dismissed by NYR

[Lindberg Cheese]

If we look past the 1st round, here are my findings

2016 draft: Picked Sean Day 81st overall. Best EU player drafted after that was Jesper Bratt 162nd overall

2017 draft: Picked Brandon Crawley 123rd overall. Best EU player drafted after that was Sebastian Aho 139th overall (who was also 21 years old)

2018 draft: The Lindbom pick in round 2 is obvious, but who was the best EU player we missed out on? Yegor Sharangovich 141st overall (who was 19 years old)

2019 draft: Picked Karl Henriksson 49th overall. Best EU player drafted after that? I guess Puistola, or maybe Honka, or Kokkonen? Can't really say I lost sleep over missing out on them and I was a big Puistola fan in his draft year.

What players did our EU scouts sleep on outside round 1 exactly? Are we going to blame them for not drafting Jesper Bratt who fell to round 6?

It’s any player from anywhere drafted below the picks you reference, not just the Euros

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

It’s any player from anywhere drafted below the picks you reference, not just the Euros

Not when you are talking about the director of EU scouting.

In the end, director positions are more about accountability than about responsibility. I think the Rangers will be fine without Bobrov, but it's not like this team was going down the wrong path with him either. I don't think this decision was based on performance, but more on Drury wanting his guys in. Whether that's a good or bad decision, time will tell.

 

[AKA Chief]

It’s almost as if a new manager wants to implement his own team.

The problem with this firing is the timing. You have just lost the guy who was in charge of your european scouting a couple of months before the draft. Unless you are telling me Bobrov did NO scouting, you have just let his intel walk out the door. It would have made more sense to keep him around, even if you brought in someone else to serve a similar role until you either got all the info you needed from him to compile the Rangers draft board or even waited until the draft.

BTW - Not right to blame Bobrov for Lias. First round picks are concensus picks made by the organization. The GM and anyone else who matters would have seen Lias multiple times and would have been part of the decision to draft him where they did.

And further BTW - I did not like alot of the players we picked, european and NA, so I'm not crying over the loss of Bobrov per se, it's more that it seems like there is more downside than upside to make this move, at this point in time.

 

[JohnC]

The problem with this firing is the timing. You have just lost the guy who was in charge of your european scouting a couple of months before the draft. Unless you are telling me Bobrov did NO scouting, you have just let his intel walk out the door. It would have made more sense to keep him around, even if you brought in someone else to serve a similar role until you either got all the info you needed from him to compile the Rangers draft board or even waited until the draft.

BTW - Not right to blame Bobrov for Lias. First round picks are concensus picks made by the organization. The GM and anyone else who matters would have seen Lias multiple times and would have been part of the decision to draft him where they did.

And further BTW - I did not like alot of the players we picked, european and NA, so I'm not crying over the loss of Bobrov per se, it's more that it seems like there is more downside than upside to make this move, at this point in time.

This seems dramatic. The scouts working under Bobrov still being around means the intel hasn’t gone anywhere, as they’re doing the bulk of the scouting leg work anyway.

 

[huerter]

Condolences to the well groomed agreeable protege's mentor on the dismissal of his idol. We mourn.

 

[Tob]

Rangers Hierarchy is now

Dolan


Drury

Benoit Allaire
Jim Ramsay


That sassy massage guy.

 

[AlternateSideParking]

You guys aren’t getting a douchey vibe with Drury?

Even if you forget the terrible hatchet job on JD, this whole offseason has been weird.

So Drury kinda names himself the overall scouting director in addition to already being President and GM?

A few weeks ago when I was printing out staff directories from the media guides to prep for my draft report, I noticed Clark was changed to a draft advisor or something like that. I think Steve posted about here as well.

Then a poster(s) from this very board broke the Bobrov story. It went public because Brooks stalks their tweets probably. So Drury made a decision and must have told the PR staff to delete Bobrov’s name from the directory but not make an official announcement.

I don’t know. The key people Drury worked for or with are getting fired or demoted. Too much change in a short period of time can be as catastrophic as it can be effective. To me it will just add to the disfunction.

But I’m just not a Drury guy, so my concerns are driven by a hatred that dates back to his BU days.

 

[Harbour Dog]

We're all assuming that Drury let Bobrov go, but it's also possible that Bobrov moved on of his own volition, after being told that he wouldn't be promoted to Gordie's position.

 

[CLW]

You guys aren’t getting a douchey vibe with Drury?

Even if you forget the terrible hatchet job on JD, this whole offseason has been weird.

So Drury kinda names himself the overall scouting director in addition to already being President and GM?

A few weeks ago when I was printing out staff directories from the media guides to prep for my draft report, I noticed Clark was changed to a draft advisor or something like that. I think Steve posted about here as well.

Then a poster(s) from this very board broke the Bobrov story. It went public because Brooks stalks their tweets probably. So Drury made a decision and must have told the PR staff to delete Bobrov’s name from the directory but not make an official announcement.

I don’t know. The key people Drury worked for or with are getting fired or demoted. Too much change in a short period of time can be as catastrophic as it can be effective. To me it will just add to the disfunction.

But I’m just not a Drury guy, so my concerns are driven by a hatred that dates back to his BU days.

What happened at BU? I don't know much about Drury, but the BU centric focus seems odd, and I don't like the way JD and Gorton were fired. Not having access to actual direct information I'm just taking a wait and see position and hope that Drury is not a scumbag that slithered and backstabbed his way into his current position.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

The third post of this thread basically encompasses this entire last page.

 

[AlternateSideParking]

What happened at BU? I don't know much about Drury, but the BU centric focus seems odd, and I don't like the way JD and Gorton were fired. Not having access to actual direct information I'm just taking a wait and see position and hope that Drury is not a scumbag that slithered and backstabbed his way into his current position.

Went to Northeastern when BU and Drury used to murder us. Was a real cocky SOB too. Understandably so but some of those BU guys were actually likable. But everybody hated Drury.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Went to Northeastern when BU and Drury used to murder us. Was a real cocky SOB too. Understandably so but some of those BU guys were actually likable. But everybody hated Drury.

I'm looking for a GM not a husband.

 

[Crease]

When Clark stepped back, a lot of people seems to think Bobrov was up next. I argued that was unlikely as Drury would probably want his own guy and our European picks seemed to be just so-so under Bobrov. I didn't expect him to be let go outright, but I guess if they're looking to build a new brain trust, it makes sense.

Assuming Bobrov was dismissed (not resigned), timing it before the draft gives Drury an opportunity to see who among the Euro scouts steps up and impresses him during the draft (if any).

 

[GoAwayGiannone]

Drury is giving me flash backs to Sunday morning.

 

[Good Intentions]

Everyone has an opinion.

Perhaps 4 or 5 out of the 150 speaking have any insight on the topic. Twitter culture.

 

[RangersFan]

Drury: look at me.. look at me.. I am the director now

Our system will be loaded in 'intangibles ' now!

 

[nyr2k2]

BTW - Not right to blame Bobrov for Lias. First round picks are concensus picks made by the organization. The GM and anyone else who matters would have seen Lias multiple times and would have been part of the decision to draft him where they did.

So, if this is the case, do Kravtsov, Lundkvist, and Chytil not count for Bobrov? If that's the case, then Reunanen is his "best pick" to date with Pajuniemi looking like the next in line as a possible decent NHL player.

I feel like either you credit/fault the guy or you don't. Of course the 7th overall pick is more of a discussion than the 70th, but every pick has some degree of input from the scouting directors and area scouts. You'd also have to know how a team arrived at that consensus; you could have Clark and Gorton thinking Andersson was 12th on the board but Bobrov advocating hard for him and convincing them to make him the pick. I don't think that's what happened but we do know those kinds of scenarios exist.

 

[egelband]

I’m thinking the timing is partially in fairness to Bobrov. If Drury wants complete control over the draft, you don’t leave the previous guy in place to stand around and watch. I assume Bobrov gets paid either way.

 

[eco's bones]

To be honest when the Rangers fired Davidson and Gorton I expected an exodus of some of our scouts. Some of these people were there because they had previous links to Davidson or Gorton. When Quinn was fired—his coaching staff with the exception of Allaire went with him. Shit like this happens.

 

[egelband]

To be honest when the Rangers fired Davidson and Gorton I expected an exodus of some of our scouts. Some of these people were there because they had previous links to Davidson or Gorton. When Quinn was fired—his coaching staff with the exception of Allaire went with him. Shit like this happens.

I agree but considering Drury isn’t new to the organization I would have thought there’d be a little more continuity. Seems this is a relatively big housecleaning. I guess Drury had a lot of concerns with the direction under JDJG. Wonder if he was in Dolan’s ear, too.

 

[bobbop]

I wonder how many of these moves (e.g. Bobrov, Lindgren signing) were in the works with Gorton/Drury and were just followed through on by Drury

 

[AKA Chief]

This seems dramatic. The scouts working under Bobrov still being around means the intel hasn’t gone anywhere, as they’re doing the bulk of the scouting leg work anyway.

The guy was the head of european scouting. To try and minimize moving him out late in the draft year and before the organization put together their board would be foolish. Sure, there are still scouts that have been scouting, but Bobrov was likely viewing as many games as the scouts, but moving from region to region and not focussed on one area. Bobrov would be the guy all of the scouts reported to and the one who spoke to the individual scouts throughout the year. It's basic management, you don't put someone in charge of a major project and then fire that person 4/5 of the way through the project. Is it a deathblow to the organization, probably not, but it's just not a smart thing to do.

And BTW - being President and GM is not really possible in today's NHL. It looks to me like an interim move and one to potentially save money since the team took a bath during Covid but will see what future moves are made.

 

[AKA Chief]

So, if this is the case, do Kravtsov, Lundkvist, and Chytil not count for Bobrov? If that's the case, then Reunanen is his "best pick" to date with Pajuniemi looking like the next in line as a possible decent NHL player.

I feel like either you credit/fault the guy or you don't. Of course the 7th overall pick is more of a discussion than the 70th, but every pick has some degree of input from the scouting directors and area scouts. You'd also have to know how a team arrived at that consensus; you could have Clark and Gorton thinking Andersson was 12th on the board but Bobrov advocating hard for him and convincing them to make him the pick. I don't think that's what happened but we do know those kinds of scenarios exist.

Top 10 picks go through a different level of scrutiny than any picks after them. Most GM's and other top brass will make sure they see the players they have pegged as potential Top 10 picks multiple times. It's easy for them to see some of them multiple times because they will usually attend a tournament like the WJC's. That's not the case with later picks. I'm not telling you Bobrov should be lauded for anything, but Top 10 picks are organizational picks and not reliant on any one person.

 

[Pidto Files]

Went to Northeastern when BU and Drury used to murder us. Was a real cocky SOB too. Understandably so but some of those BU guys were actually likable. But everybody hated Drury.

Good, maybe he will find other cocky SOB’s and they make the roster soon.. This team could use some gritty swagger..

 

[Levitate]

it probably doesn't really matter to let scouting staff go like this at this time of the year thaaaaaaaaat much, especially with the weirdness of this past year. Players have already been scouted, the information is being organized now. You could argue that Bobrov should be there for that part but Drury can likely handle it. It's not that crazy to see changes in an organization before a draft (do you really want the guys you're about to fire to be a voice in the room when you're drafting?) It'll ultimately come down to who drury ends up hiring to replace these people going forward