Remember like 48 hours ago when we were discussing how the Las Vegas front office is filled with a bunch of older, heavily experienced guys, and that we would like to see some younger fresher blood? Well, either George McPhee read the article (likely) or they had been planning a new scout hire for a while and the timing is just a nice coincidence (unlikely). Either way, that average age of 55 just took a pretty significant hit.
Raphaël Pouliot, formerly of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL) has been brought to Vegas as the team’s fifth Amateur Scout. He’s a whopping 25-years-old and has already gone from player at the University of Moncton to Head Scout of the Huskies to NHL scout in less than three years.
This is exactly what Jason was speaking about in his previous article and what we discussed a bit on the podcast last night. Age diversity was necessary in the Las Vegas front office as a way to embrace a newer style of thinking younger hockey minds tend to bring to the table.
On June 23rd, the day after Las Vegas was awarded its NHL franchise, Pouliot was promoted from Head Scout to Deputy Director General (or something like that, you just never know when translating French to English), further proving he was highly regarded.
Pouliot’s Huskies also beat Kelly McCrimmon’s Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2016 Memorial Cup. Can’t wait to hear some good old fashioned Canadian Hockey League trash talk!
Thumbs up GMGM, thanks for reading and listening to SinBin.vegas. Yay young people!
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Jason Jamieson
While I appreciate their attempt at youth, I have to ask what do George McPhee and Las Vegas Hockey truly see in Mr Poulliot? What about him, isn’t present in pretty much every other young hockey player? Yes, he went to University…that’s nice. Certainly if his pedigree is connected to either Benoit or Derek Pouliot of the #NHL, he may offer a small window of connections, but education and nepotism aside, his ability to connect with his own generation may be a little over blown. Obviously all hopeful players will see him as an NHL scout and an opportunity at their ultimate dream. How many 25 year old scouts though, are able to give those players (plus their families/agents) a sense that their professional future is in the best possible hands?
The ability to recognize a hockey player’s inner character and then guide them into a belief that they need to embark on a long term journey with you is rare. Good, coaches and good gm’s know it and they find a way to constantly kindle this ability in those working around them. They understand the selflessness, the patience and the focus required to survive battles that you really believe in despite all obstacles. They also understand the tenacity to win when others would have quit. It comes less from youthful exuberance, than from experience …real life experience.
In my own 30 plus years of hockey experience and that Canadian boys dream I only wish I could have lived, I’ve seen many forms of team structures and management over the years. Owner/manager, coach/player, manager/coach, scout/trainer/player… The difference between good hockey decisions that work and the bad ones that don’t, is often simple human connection. Each person involved deals with situations in a different way. The ability to draw out a player’s absolute potential when it matters most comes from deep inside. A place where you’ve lived and died so many times in life, that it is part of your character; where you know so much about the emotions of competition and life that there are no surprises in the joy and sorrow you might find. Pro scouts need to know how to see a person both inside and out
It’s my personal belief that this scouting choice may be a bad decision. Players should be a little bit concerned about putting their career in the hands of a franchise, who has handed over a big piece of it’s own future to Raphael Pouliot. I’m sure he’s a wonderful man, but a man with very limited life experience in relative terms. I’m afraid that while he may have potential, he may not yet have all the pieces required for such a major step. I wish him luck