News Article: Rick Pracey Hired as Director of Amateur Scouting

[Oilhawks]

Holland really brought alot of trash with him from Detroit didn’t he. Years wasted with Archie as Pro Scout and now years wasted with Wright. Was hopeful the Oilers were turning the corner when it came to scouting when Holland was brought on, but it’s pretty apparent that both Archie and Wright weren’t getting the job done.

This Pracey guy doesn’t sound like a relevant hire. Even his hit year is kind of overrated. Wright wasn’t great but it’s too early to say on a lot of those picks.

 

[FlameChampion]

Holland really brought alot of trash with him from Detroit didn’t he. Years wasted with Archie as Pro Scout and now years wasted with Wright. Was hopeful the Oilers were turning the corner when it came to scouting when Holland was brought on, but it’s pretty apparent that both Archie and Wright weren’t getting the job done.

Ironically this hire kind of reminds me of Archie. Seemed like he wasn’t relevant for over a decade when he was hired. Guessing Archie got hired because hes Kennys buddy. Hopefully the new guy didn’t get hired because hes a buddy to someone but thats how it sort of feels.

 

[Cypher]

As an Avs fan, good luck. Avs amateaur scouting has been putrid the past 10-20 years outside of the top 4 picks.. only exception is like Mikko

 

[Cloned]

I’m actually more inclined to think this is a Holland hire.

 

[FlameChampion]

I’m actually more inclined to think this is a Holland hire.

Maybe its a Paul Coffey hire!

 

[Bryanbryoil]

As an Avs fan, good luck. Avs amateaur scouting has been putrid the past 10-20 years outside of the top 4 picks.. only exception is like Mikko

Who were his picks? Was he the head amateur scout there?

 

[brentashton]

I was just agreeing with you. Though Pracey is likely short term and a place filler i guess it does matter as he will do alot of base work in his time for the next few months.

Ok.

 

[CupofOil]

I wouldn't' say Wright was a disaster but average at best is a fair thing to say. 4 drafts and not one impact player yet although some are trending decently well. It was time for a change and nice to see that Jackson is starting to make his mark already.

Actually, it seems like Pracey isn't much of an upgrade based on his track record so I guess this is change for the sake of change? I don't know. Whatever I guess, the amateur scouts aren't likely to get much work anyway in the coming years.

 

[CupofOil]

Possibly, granted since Wright joined the team he's had these picks in those 4 years:

3-1sts (numbers 14, 22, and 32 and one of them has already been traded in a trade yielding Ekholm)
1-2nd (drafted in 2023)
1-3rd (2021 draft)
2-4ths (2020, 2021)
3-5ths
5-6ths
4-7ths

Exactly 6 picks in the top 100 of any draft over a 4 year period. Players drafted outside the top 100 seldomly impact within 5-6 years. So we don't really know what to expect.

The only 5 picks he made in the top 100 still with the team are:
- Holloway who people seem to like,
- Bourgeault who still has a chance granted there were others in his range I'd rather have right now, -- Munzenburger who's a slow burn defenseman working his way through NCAA
- Carter Savoie (100th overall) who's had two years pro. Nothing special but not a complete right off yet.
- Beau Akey, way too early to tell.

He's also had some further back that are showing promise so far like Tullio, Wanner, and Petrov.

His record in Edmonton is a big pile of "yet TBD".

That's fair but 4 drafts with their most impactful pick being two 1st rounders including one being a top 10 pick that got a glorified Cup of Tea at the NHL level is pretty poor drafting. Too early to tell on a lot of these guys but you'd expect to at least get some yield by a Draft+4 season and not much there, yet.

 

[ZJuice]

Reading this thread and my own quick googling of his previous drafts makes me a bit disappointed.
EU scouting needs to be better, not worse.

Edit: goaltending coach change next?

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Wow, this guy drafts as many 1st round busts as Barry Fraser.

We honestly hired the idiot who drafted Nolan Patrick?
And the organization that ditched him drafted Makar?

 

[Oilhawks]

Wow, this guy drafts as many 1st round busts as Barry Fraser.

We honestly hired the idiot who drafted Nolan Patrick?
And the organization that ditched him drafted Makar?

I’m also very meh on this hire (at best), but to be fair it seems like Patrick’s development wasn’t helped by his concussion issues which is a bit tougher to scout. But the guy seems mediocre at drafting. Doesn’t strike me as much of an upgrade on Wright, if at all

 

[brentashton]

Wow, this guy drafts as many 1st round busts as Barry Fraser.

We honestly hired the idiot who drafted Nolan Patrick?
And the organization that ditched him drafted Makar?

Remember that most 1sts are the GMs veto pick and after that the scouting department takes over. It’s still not a stellar record that he has either way , but it may be a GM preference over data on that first pick. That said Patrick was a stud in junior, but injuries took him out.

 

[SupremeTeam16]

That's fair but 4 drafts with their most impactful pick being two 1st rounders including one being a top 10 pick that got a glorified Cup of Tea at the NHL level is pretty poor drafting. Too early to tell on a lot of these guys but you'd expect to at least get some yield by a Draft+4 season and not much there, yet.

I’m indifferent to their drafting so far. I didn’t really like either of the Holloway or Broberg picks but I see the rationale of selecting slow cook players who might not have as high ceilings as other players available but have tools and styles of game that make them likely bets to become good roster pieces. From a cap perspective as well having guys whose pay days you can push out a few years allows you to add/keep cheaper players during your competitive window.

I do like how they’ve seemingly found some decent bets in mid and later rounds but time will tell.

 

[VainGretzky]

Remember that most 1sts are the GMs veto pick and after that the scouting department takes over. It’s still not a stellar record that he has either way , but it may be a GM preference over data on that first pick. That said Patrick was a stud in junior, but injuries took him out.

Patrick upside was a 2nd C by many scouts and a 3rd C by some scouts who considered it a weak draft

 

[FlameChampion]

I’d be less worried about the Patrick miss and more concerned about all the other whiffs. Hard to say with Philly because they reek of bad management. But its hard to believe this guy got a director job especially after an analytics and sports science ceo just came on board. Hopefully we get an interview. Hire honestly confuses me. Hopefully I am missing something.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

You usually dont.

That makes two of us. Sorry for questioning Oilers drafting. It’s perfect.

 

[alphahelix]

I havent minded the Oilers drafting lately, late rounders like Desharnais, Petrov, Tullio, Wanner etc…the list is long and some of them have real promise…. Also liked late 1sts like Reid Schaefer. Not that easy to find a player in those spots sometimes. Cant disagree with Bourgault either despite a mediocre 1st pro year, has looked pretty good.

ProScouting was horrible forever but some possible up arrows over there I guess.

I guess we’ll get a whole story on whatever happened here soon. The new guy doesnt seem too spectacular at a glance.

 

[JordanGalhanth]

I’d be less worried about the Patrick miss and more concerned about all the other whiffs. Hard to say with Philly because they reek of bad management. But its hard to believe this guy got a director job especially after an analytics and sports science ceo just came on board. Hopefully we get an interview. Hire honestly confuses me. Hopefully I am missing something.

Looked on his LinkedIn profile and he was a apparently a goaltending consultant with the Minnesota Wild for a year and a half before the Avs job (2000-01).

One particular name that the Wild brought on during his tenure: Dwayne Roloson.

 

[Cypher]

Who were his picks? Was he the head amateur scout there?

He was the Avs head amateur scout, and it was abysmal. Count the NHL players.

2008 = no 1st rounder...Gaunce, Delmas, Tessier, Olver, Chouniard, Holos, Condon
2009 = Duchene (3rd)... ROR (33rd), Elliott, Barrie (64th), Millan, Maxwell, Young
2010 = Hishon (16th)...Pickard, Bournival, Silas, Aittokallio, Rutkowski, Walker, Moffattt
2011 = Landeskog (2nd), Siemens (10th)... Nermark, Meurs, Beaupre, Donnelly
2012 = no 1st rounder... Heard, Bourke, Clarke, Blandisi, Smith
2013 = Mackinnon (1st)... Bigras, Martin, Geertsen, Butcher, Storm, Westlund
2014 = Bleackley (23rd).. Wood, Maygar, Pepin, Lindholm, Pajpach, Nantel.

So 47 picks, I would say only 5 (Dutch, ROR, Barrie, Landy, Mack) became actual NHL players, but 3 of them were top3 picks. The other 42 never cracked more than 100 NHL games, except like Pickard, who's been a life long 3rd stringer. I guess Butcher had a good start after signing with NJD coming out of college and not signing with the Avs, but he's AHL material now.

 

[McTonyBrar]

I think Pracey got brought in because he does have some later round hits. Maybe I'm just overanalyzing

I’m actually more inclined to think this is a Holland hire.

Then why would he fire Tyler Wright? He had him forever

 

[Bryanbryoil]

He was the Avs head amateur scout, and it was abysmal. Count the NHL players.

2008 = no 1st rounder...Gaunce, Delmas, Tessier, Olver, Chouniard, Holos, Condon
2009 = Duchene (3rd)... ROR (33rd), Elliott, Barrie (64th), Millan, Maxwell, Young
2010 = Hishon (16th)...Pickard, Bournival, Silas, Aittokallio, Rutkowski, Walker, Moffattt
2011 = Landeskog (2nd), Siemens (10th)... Nermark, Meurs, Beaupre, Donnelly
2012 = no 1st rounder... Heard, Bourke, Clarke, Blandisi, Smith
2013 = Mackinnon (1st)... Bigras, Martin, Geertsen, Butcher, Storm, Westlund
2014 = Bleackley (23rd).. Wood, Maygar, Pepin, Lindholm, Pajpach, Nantel.

So 47 picks, I would say only 5 (Dutch, ROR, Barrie, Landy, Mack) became actual NHL players, but 3 of them were top3 picks. The other 42 never cracked more than 100 NHL games, except like Pickard, who's been a life long 3rd stringer. I guess Butcher had a good start after signing with NJD coming out of college and not signing with the Avs, but he's AHL material now.

Looks like an epic 2009, good pick in Landeskog and the right pick in MacKinnon and then a big pile of yikes.

 

[Oilhawks]

Seems that the brain trust over at The Athletic comments section likes this hire.

Is the below even true?

 

[McDNicks17]

Seems that the brain trust over at The Athletic comments section likes this hire.

Is the below even true?

View attachment 738123

That reads like someone who is being paid to do Oilers PR haha.

If he was "famously" part of that group, you'd think there'd at least be one mention of it on the internet.

 

[Jumptheshark]

This Pracey guy doesn’t sound like a relevant hire. Even his hit year is kind of overrated. Wright wasn’t great but it’s too early to say on a lot of those picks.

I am looking at the 2021 draft and I think Wright will be judged by that draft. Many here are happy about the draft. Not me. From the moment the traded down and passed on Wallstedt, started being concerned with the path of the drafting. Two moves turned me off Holland when it came to drafting. Drafting Broberg and passing on Wallstedt. And I know it might only be me.

2019 draft Holland got off on the wrong foot

Lavoie is 22 and should be ready more than a cup of coffee. But the scouting on him comes down who you want to believe. Under Holland we do not have much to show for the 2019 draft. I think only 2 guys are in our system and one of the guys who we drafted but left the orgainization has already played a few games in the NHL