The NHL Central Scouting Bureau released their final rankings this week.
I’m happy for the three Owen Sound Attack players who have been listed on the year-end rating.
Jordan Binnington, Andrew Fritsch & Keevin Cutting of the Attack are on the final release and for all of them, their inclusion represents a remarkable accomplishment.
But this release is also a bitter-sweet affair for almost every member of the scouting fraternity as it follows the passing of two long time and highly regarded scouts.
The head of NHL Central Scouting, E. J. McGuire passed away in the last week, seemingly just a few days after the tragic death of longtime scout Luke Williams.
E.J. McGuire, the NHL’s VP of the Central Scouting Bureau had a real passion for hockey and in our last conversation, he displayed a great sense of humour, even if the joke was on him and his CSB Rankings
And Luke Williams of the Florida Panthers, he sat with Manny Paiva & I in Kitchener in mid March, just days before his passing.
As always he asked about Brad Tiley, who he drafted to the Sault Greyhounds, he asked about Garrett Wilson who is property of the Panthers and he asked about ” Digger “, his old friend Dale DeGray, now General Manager of the Attack.
The NHL Entry Draft will go June 24th & 25th in Minnesota, but without E.J. McGuire and without Luke Williams, there will be a significant void.
I’m Fred Wallace