Tag: Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation

Flin Flon teammates are going into Wall of Honour

The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation will induct a class of 45 into its Wall of Honour at its inaugural banquet in Okotoks, Alta., on July 29. . . . Here are two of the inductees from the Early Era (1968-80) . . .

PAT (PADDY) GINNELL

(March 3, 1937 — Nov. 17, 2003)

A native of Dauphin, Man., he turned to scouting after a lengthy junior coaching career. . . . Started with St. Louis Blues in 1983, later went back to coaching for 2-1/2 seasons, then returned to scouting. Was still with the Blues at the time of his death. . . . As a player, he won a Memorial Cup with 1956-57 Flin Flon Bombers. . . . Went on to play nine seasons in the pro WHL and IHL before returning to Flin Flon as the head coach of the Bombers, winning the MJHL title in his first season (1966-67). . . . Spent almost 20 seasons coaching in the major junior WHL with Flin Flon, Victoria Cougars, Lethbridge Broncos, Medicine Hat Tigers and New Westminster Bruins. Was four-time WHL coach of the year — no one has won more — and won two championships with Flin Flon. . . .  Inducted into Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame (builder) in 2009. . . . Two of his sons, Dan and Erin, and grandson Derek (Dan’s son) are NHL scouts. Erin, who scouts with the Vegas Golden Knights, will be joining his father in being inducted into the Wall of Honour on July 29. Erin also is president of the Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation.

TED HAMPSON

(Dec. 11, 1936 —)

Born in Toigo, Sask., he captained Flin Flon Bombers when they won the 1957 Memorial Cup. . . . Played professionally until he was 44, then started scouting with NHL Central Scouting. After two years, moved on to St. Louis Blues (21 years), then Colorado Avalanche (2) and finally Vancouver Canucks (10), retiring in July 2022 at the age of 85. . . . Played 12 seasons in the NHL, spending time with Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Oakland/California Golden Seals and Minnesota North Stars. . . . While with Oakland, he was the recipient of the 1969 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. . . . Also played in the WHA with Minnesota Fighting Saints and Quebec Nordiques. . . . Inducted into Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame (player) in 1986.

Tales From The Road adds four, including Oilers’ GM, to Hot Stove roster

March 2, 2024

The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation has revealed the first four Hot Stove participants for Tales From The Road, the gala evening it has scheduled for Okotoks, Alta., on Monday, July 29.

The Foundation’s inaugural banquet will be highlighted by the induction of 45 past and present scouts into its Wall of Honour, which will be located in the Okotoks Centennial Arena.

Dennis Beyak, who ended his lengthy and superb play-by-play career at the 2024 World Junior Championship in Sweden, will be the evening’s host. He was a smash hit in filling that role at the Foundation’s startup banquet on Sept. 30.

With the evening dedicated to honouring scouts, the Foundation has chosen the theme Tales From The Road, and the entertainment is to include Hot Stove sessions.

Among those participating will be Ken Holland, the Edmonton Oilers’ president of hockey operations and general manager; Craig Button, a former NHL general manager who now is TSN’s director of scouting; long-time scout Archie Henderson, who retired in 2022; and former NHL player, coach and general manager Craig MacTavish.

KEN HOLLAND

Holland, from Vernon, B.C., was a member of the Detroit Red Wings’ scouting staff for nine seasons, the last seven as director of amateur scouting, before being named assistant GM. He took over as general manager prior to the 1997-98 season and filled that role through the 2018-19 season after which he joined the Oilers as president of hockey operations and GM. His resume includes four Stanley Cup titles with Detroit, an Olympic gold medal, and a World Cup gold medal. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2020.

A goaltender during his playing days, Holland spent two seasons with the WCHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers.

CRAIG BUTTON

As TSN’s director of scouting, Button is a familiar figure on TV as he is a regular on hockey telecasts and highlight shows. Before landing at TSN, he scouted for the Minnesota North Stars and then the Dallas Stars, with whom he won a Stanley Cup in 1999. He joined the Calgary Flames in 2000 as vice-president and general manager, a stint that lasted for three seasons. He also has scouted for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

ARCHIE HENDERSON

Henderson, a Calgarian, is one of the scouting fraternity’s great storytellers. He got into 23 regular-season NHL games as a 6-foot-6 heavyweight. After trying the coaching game, he got into scouting and spent more than 20 seasons on the road — with the Washington Capitals, Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton. Henderson retired in 2022 after a three-season run as Edmonton’s director of pro scouting. As a junior player with the Lethbridge Broncos, he once had a scrap with Bob Poley of the Regina Pats. Poley went on to play 15 seasons as an offensive lineman in the CFL.

MacTavish, from London, Ont., spent 17 seasons playing in the NHL, making stops with the Boston Bruins, Edmonton, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues. Along the way, he won four Stanley Cups. He also was the last player in NHL history to play without a helmet. He went on to coach with the Rangers, Oilers and Blues, and also made coaching stops in the KHL and Swiss NL. His resume also includes two seasons as the Oilers’ general manager and five as senior vice-president of hockey operations.

Also that evening the Foundation will reveal the first recipient of its Ace Award, which is to be presented in honour of the late Garnet (Ace) Bailey, who was aboard the plane that terrorists crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. Glen Sather, a Hockey Hall of Famer and long-time friend of Bailey’s, will make the presentation.

Further details about the banquet, including ticket availability and more Hot Stove participants, will be announced in the near future.

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The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation is a non-profit organization comprising NHL scouts from Western Canada and a group of committed individuals from the hockey community. It feels a strong obligation to honour scouts, past and present, and a commitment to give back to charities, communities and individuals who could benefit from the support and financial assistance.

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Gregg Drinnan, WCPHSF editor and historian

greggdrinnan@gmail.com

Plans coming together for Foundation’s inaugural induction dinner

February 21, 2024

The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation announced today that it will hold its inaugural Wall of Honour induction dinner on Monday, July 29, in Okotoks, Alta.

The dinner is to be held in the Foothills Centennial Centre, which is attached to the Okotoks Centennial Arena. The foyer of the arena will be the home of the Wall of Honour, a display that, with its three video screens, will be unveiled that afternoon.

The evening will be highlighted by the induction of 45 past and present scouts into the Wall of Honour. Inductees will include five pioneers (1940-63), 17 from scouting’s early era (1963-79), 20 from the modern era and two from junior hockey. Also being inducted will be Garnet (Ace) Bailey, who was the Los Angeles Kings’ director of pro scouting when he died aboard the plane that crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001.

Also on tap will be the inaugural presentation of the Ace Award, which the Foundation has struck in Bailey’s honour. Glen Sather, a Hockey Hall of Famer who had a lengthy relationship with Bailey, will make the presentation to someone who is deemed to have gone above and beyond the expected in helping the scouting community.

The gala will get started in mid-afternoon with a meet-and-greet for inductees and family members in the arena foyer. Later, they will be piped into the banquet hall for the dinner.

Live and silent auctions involving hockey memorabilia, including autographed NHL player jerseys, will also be part of the evening, as will Hot Stove sessions involving the likes of Ken Holland, the Edmonton Oilers’ president and general manager, and Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser, a practising physician who also is an assistant GM with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Ticket information, including the cost of individual tickets and tables of eight, will be announced in the near future on the Foundation’s website: hockeyscoutsfoundation.com.

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The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation is a non-profit organization comprising NHL scouts from Western Canada and a group of committed individuals from the hockey community. It feels a strong obligation to honour scouts, past and present, and a commitment to give back to charities, communities and individuals who could benefit from the support and financial assistance.

————

Erin Ginnell, WCPHSF president

eginnell@vegasgoldenknights.com

Garth Malarchuk, WCPHSF chairman of the board

gmalarchuk@torontomapleleafs.com

Gregg Drinnan, WCPHSF editor and historian

greggdrinnan@gmail.com

Scouts foundation partners with Fractal and Hockey Prospect Radio

February 8, 2024

The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation (WCPHSF) has partnered with Fractal Hockey Consulting and Hockey Prospect Radio on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio.

Fractal Hockey Consulting is a boutique consulting company that assists hockey business organizations and hockey operations in solving problems so they are able to focus on what is important to them. The WCPHSF has partnered with Fractal Hockey Consulting to support its business operations so that members can focus on honouring the contributions of professional scouts while building the future through community involvement and mentoring future generations.

Since its inception, Hockey Prospect Radio, in its 19th season on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio and hosted by Shane Malloy, has been a supporter of the scouting community. As a media partner for the WCPHSF, it will actively promote the foundation and its members on a regular basis.

Hockey Prospect Radio airs on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio and delivers a high energy mix of information and entertainment. SiriusXM NHL Network Radio is the on-ice leader with analysis, excitement, expert opinion, up-to- the-second news and the very best in NHL play-by-play right through the Stanley Cup playoffs. By hockey fans for hockey fans, it is the greatest hockey innovation since the Zamboni.

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Fractal Hockey Consulting mission:

Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo in hockey; we believe in thinking differently. The way we challenge the status quo for hockey organizations is by making our services integrative, personally designed, simple to use and user friendly. Through an interdisciplinary and integrative process of best business practices, we design solutions for both hockey operations and hockey business operations.

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Hockey Prospect Radio:

Hockey Prospect Radio focuses on hockey prospects and the scouts who evaluate and follow them. Before they make the NHL, hockey prospects showcase their talents in junior and pro leagues across North America and Europe. Take a peek into the future with Hockey Prospect Radio — tomorrow’s stars today. Whether they have been drafted or are draft eligible and wherever they’re playing, we’ll track them down in this weekly two-hour hockey operations guide for young stars everywhere.

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The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation is a non-profit organization comprising NHL scouts from Western Canada and a group of committed individuals from the hockey community. It feels a strong obligation to honour scouts, past and present, and a commitment to give back to charities, communities and individuals who could benefit from the support and financial assistance.

————

Erin Ginnell, WCPHSF president

info@hockeyscoutsfoundation.com

Garth Malarchuk, WCPHSF chairman of the board

info@hockeyscoutsfoundation.com

Gregg Drinnan, WCPHSF editor and historian

greggdrinnan@gmail.com

Scouts Foundation strikes Ace Award in honour of Bailey; Sather to make inaugural presentation

February 6, 2024

The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation will be honouring someone close to the scouting fraternity with the Ace Award.

The foundation announced today that the Ace Award, in honour of the late Garnet (Ace) Bailey, will be presented annually to a member of the scouting fraternity or someone involved with the scouting community for contributions above and beyond what may have been expected.

ACE BAILEY

The first recipient will be honoured at the Foundation’s inaugural Wall of Honour banquet that is scheduled for Okotoks, Alta., on July 29.

Glen Sather, who had a long association with Bailey while both were in the 

Edmonton Oilers’ organization, will make the presentation. Sather, now a senior advisor and alternate governor with the New York Rangers, also will speak to the induction of former Edmonton scouts Lorne Davis, Barry Fraser and Kevin Prendergast into the Foundation’s Wall of Honour.

Sather was the head coach of the WHA’s Oilers in 1978-79; Bailey played 38 games for the Oilers that season. Bailey later was a pro scout for the NHL Oilers for 13 seasons (1981-94), while Sather was president, GM and head coach.

Bailey, a native of Lloydminster, Sask., was a former NHL player who had a 20-year scouting career, split between the Oilers and Los Angeles Kings. He was the Kings’ director of pro scouting when he died aboard the plane that crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. He was 53.

“There are a lot of people inside and outside the scouting community who go above and beyond to not only do the job but assist in ways that make the job a lot easier,” said Foundation president Erin Ginnell. “We want to honour those people and who better to name such an award after than Ace Bailey?

“Ace went above and beyond not only at the rink but also away from the game. He gave the ultimate sacrifice to the job on 9/11 and we’d like to honour him for that and who he was, not only as a scout but as the person he was.”

Bailey’s playing career included 568 regular-season NHL games over 10 seasons split between the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals. He also played one season with the WHA’s Oilers when his roommate on the road was a freshman centre named Wayne Gretzky.

“He reminded me so much of my dad,” Gretzky told The Athletic’s Dan Robson on the 20th anniversary of Bailey’s death. “He was like my best friend. Like a brother. My second dad.”

Bailey won two Stanley Cups as a player (Bruins, 1970, 1972) and five while scouting with the Oilers (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990). He also won a Memorial Cup (1966) with the Edmonton Oil Kings.

He joined Edmonton’s scouting staff in 1981, then moved to the Kings in 1994. He had been their director of pro scouting for seven years.

Since its formation more than a year ago, the Foundation has been working to make the Ace Award a big part of its platform.

“Ace enjoyed spending time with his hockey scout family,” his widow, Kathy, said. “I’m sure he would be honoured to know that the award will be presented in his name.”

The Bailey family has kept his name alive through Ace’s Place, a playroom at Tufts Children Hospital in Boston.

“Kathy Bailey wanted her husband to be remembered for the heart he had for others — especially children,” Robson wrote. “He was the one with the hilarious Daffy Duck impressions, which always amused his nieces and nephews. He was Santa Claus at Christmas and the Easter Bunny each spring. He visited sick children often during his days as a beloved member of the Bruins.”

There also is an Ace’s Place in the paediatric emergency room at Tufts.

Bailey also was immensely popular throughout the scouting fraternity.

“Ace was undoubtedly one of the most popular individuals within our fraternity during his years of scouting at the NHL level,” said Garth Malarchuk, the chairman of the Foundation’s board of directors. “He was very respected for his accomplishments and successes within the hockey world. There was always lots of humour and laughter when Ace was around; he was such a fun person to be around.

“No question that it tore a piece out of everyone who knew Ace on the day we lost him during the terrorist attacks. That was a sad, sad day and a tragic loss.”

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The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation in a non-profit organization comprising NHL scouts from Western Canada and a group of committed individuals from the hockey community. It feels a strong obligation to honour scouts, past and present, and a commitment to give back to charities, communities and individuals who could benefit from the support and financial assistance.

————

Erin Ginnell, WCPHSF president

eginnell@vegasgoldenknights.com

Garth Malarchuk, WCPHSF chairman of the board

gmalarchuk@torontomapleleafs.com

Gregg Drinnan, WCPHSF editor and historian

greggdrinnan@gmail.com

Scouts’ Wall of Honour to open with 45 inductees

The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation will induct 45 members of the scouting fraternity into its Wall of Honour this summer.

The banquet is scheduled to be held in Okotoks, Alta., on Monday, July 29.

Comprising three Matrix screens, the WCPHSF Wall of Honour video presentation will be on permanent display at the Centennial Arena in Okotoks.

The first inductees feature five pioneers of the scouting fraternity, including Danny Summers, who returned from the Second World War to play for the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers before getting into scouting, and Murray (Torchy) Schell, who spent summers as an assistant equipment manager with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders while he was scouting.

Also being inducted will be 17 scouts from the Early Era (1968-80), including Elmer Benning, who put more than 1 million miles on one car while on the scouting trail; Pat (Paddy) Ginnell, who was a legendary junior coach before turning to scouting; and Del Wilson, a long-time scout who also was a founding father of the major junior WHL.

There also will be 20 scouts from the Modern Era (1981-present) inducted, including Vaughn Karpan, who has been a key figure with the Vegas Golden Knights; Al Murray, one of the architects of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s success; and Barry Trapp, who retired in August 2023 after more than 60 years in the game.

Rounding out the inaugural class will be Lorne Frey and the late Graham Tuer, both of whom had lengthy scouting careers in junior hockey.

Garnet (Ace) Bailey also will be honoured. Bailey scouted for the Edmonton Oilers and then the Los Angeles Kings. He was en route to the Kings’ training camp aboard United Airlines flight 175 when it crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001.

“Our selection committee did an excellent job of recognizing these candidates for the Wall of Honour,” Foundation president Erin Ginnell said. “These scouts are not only builders of the game that put thousands of players into the NHL and pro ranks, but also represented their teams and the game with class, professionalism and determination to succeed.  “A lot of these honorees were real mentors to people like myself when I first started; they were always there with help travelling, directions, and generally just made you feel a part of the fraternity.”

The complete list of inductees (* – denotes deceased):

SPECIAL RECOGNITION: *-Garnet (Ace) Bailey.

PIONEERS: *-George Agar, *-Frank Currie, *-Murray (Torchy) Schell, *-Danny Summers, *-Cecil (Tiny) Thompson.

EARLY ERA (1968-1980): *-Elmer Benning, *-Bart Bradley, *-Lorne Davis, *-Gerry Ehman, *-Barry Fraser, *-Pat Ginnell, Ted Hampson, *-Charlie Hodge, Earl Ingarfield Sr, *-Lou Jankowski, Marshall Johnston, Bill Lesuk, *-Ian McKenzie, *-Gerry Melnyk, Bob Owen, *-Clare Rothermel, *-Del Wilson.

MODERN ERA (1981-present): Scott Bradley, Craig Button, John Chapman, George Fargher, Tony Feltrin, Bruce Franklin, Bruce Haralson, Archie Henderson, Les Jackson, Vaughn Karpan, Ross Mahoney, Bert Marshall, Wayne Meier, Al Murray, Gerry O’Flaherty, Kevin Prendergast, Blair Reid, Glen Sanders, Peter Sullivan, Barry Trapp.

JUNIOR: Lorne Frey, *-Graham Tuer.

As well, five scouts from Western Canada were honoured at the Sept. 30 startup banquet in Okotoks with the WCPHSF’s Recognition and Dedication Service Award. Those five are Ron Delorme, Glen Dirk, Garth Malarchuk, Don Paarup and Mike Penny.

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“Our committee’s selections were primarily based on years of combined service as a scout and/or an association to the scouting process,” Garth Malarchuk, the Chairman of the Foundation’s board of directors, said. “I think everyone who has been associated with the scouting fraternity will agree that this is a pretty impressive group of individuals that we will be honouring. “Trust me, our committee could easily have added another 15-20 deserving individuals to this list, but we had to cut it off somewhere.” Moving forward, we certainly don’t want to miss anyone and the plan is to keep adding individuals to our Foundation’s Wall of Honour on an annual basis.”

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The startup banquet on Sept. 30 was a rip-roaring success, highlighted by a roast of Hockey Night in Canada host Ron MacLean, along with silent and live sweater auctions. If you weren’t fortunate enough to attend, you are able to find a highly entertaining video of Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman roasting MacLean at hockeyscoutsfoundation.com.

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Planning is well underway for the inaugural induction banquet on July 29 in Okotoks. Banquet details, including information on tickets, will be announced in the near future.