Inside the Avs War Room
| 28 Jun 2010
Many people don't know this, but I actually had a bug inside the Avs war room for the recent NHL entry draft, and I decided to transcribe everything from the draft. Without further adieu, here's what happened during the draft.
Large corporate looking conference room in Los Angeles called the Bridge. Inside the conference room the Avalanche scouting staff are discussing potential players to take in the first round:
General Manager: Greg Sherman
Director of Player Personnel: Brad Smith:
Director of Hockey Operations: Eric Lacroix
Director of Player Development/GM, Lake Erie Monsters: David Oliver
Director of Amateur Scouting: Richard Pracey
Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting: Alan Hepple
Pro Scouts: Garth Joy, Terry Martin
Scouts: Anders Carlsson, Joni Lehto, Guy Perron, Neil Shea
Head Athletic Trainer: Matthew Sokolowski
Intern: Matt
Act 1 - Somewhere in the first round
Sherman: Ok folks, it's a big day as we need to make sure we get good players to help with this rebuild. The first round is underway, who's been taken Matt?
Matt Sokolowski: Damnit, Greg, I'm a doctor not a hockey scout
Sherman: Yeah... I was actually asking the other Matt, the intern who's watching the draft and marking off whose been taken by other teams.
More after the jump
(Matt hands Sherman a list)
Sherman: McIlrath is off the board, bummer. This means we have a decision to make. Senior staff to my ready room. Hepple you have the bridge
Hepple: Bridge?
(they all leave and go to the ready room)
Sherman: Hishon is still on the board, and even though central scouting has him low, most of you guys think he's going to be an excellent player.
Brad Smith: Yes, Hishon is the best player available, it's clearly a logical pick.
(enter Avs Prospect Kevin Shattenkirk)
D. Oliver: Hishon was voted best stick handler in the Western Conference last season, and at one point was the 8th best player according to several sources. He's small for a hockey player, but many small players have made an impact at the NHL. A current list of active players who played more than twenty five games last season and are shorter than six foot tall Currently players shorter than six foot tall include are Brian Gionta Montreal Canadiens: five foot seven, Steve Sullivan Nashville Predators: five foot eight, Sergei Sampsonov Carolina Hurricanes: five foot eight, Francis Bouillion Nashville Predators: five foot eight, Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning: Five foot nine...
Sherman: That's quite enough Oliver. What do you think Pracey?
Shattenkirk: We should (pauses for dramatic effect) take Hishon.
Sherman: Shattenkirk, what in the hell are you doing here?
Shattenkirk: Showing... the kind of... bold initiative... necessary... for a .... future Captain
Pracey: Well Hishon is rated pretty highly and despite his size, he's given it all he's got
Eric Lacroix: He could at least replace Darcy Tucker
Pracey: I think he's got a long ways to go to replace Darcy Tucker.
Sherman: Pracey is right. (gets on intercom) Matt, open a hailing fequency to Brian Burke, let's see if we can get the Leafs to pay Hishon to not play for them
Matt Sokolowski: Damnit Greg, I'm a doctor not a communications director.
Sherman: I meant the intern, again. (talks on phone while others chat) Ok Well Burkie's not going for it. Who's your recommendation? Hishon?
Brad Smith: Affirmative
Various: Yes Sherman
Sherman: Ok, Make it so (points finger towards the draft board)
Act 2
Sherman: Ok we're getting ready for the second round. Hey whatever happened to Don Paarup, didn't he scout for us. Where has he been.
Pracey: We gave him the special red scouting shirt, and asked him to go scout with the away team. He never returned.
Matt Sokolowski: He's dead Greg.
Sherman: That's awful. We'll have to do something for his family after the draft. Who are we looking at today?
Hepple: One goalie I like is this Pickard kid. He's still on the board
Shattenkirk: Pickard. I... know that guy. His calm practicality .....will perfectly... contrast..... my bold.... impulsive nature.
Sherman: Get the hell out of here Kevin. Matt, could you go get us some coffee's. Here put on this red staff shirt so they let you back in.
Matt Sokolowski: Dammnit Greg
Sherman: Damnit for the last time, Matt the intern.
(time goes by, Avs pick approaches)
Sherman: Where the hell is Matt, the intern, with our coffees?
Lacroix: He never returned sir
Brad Smith: Fascinating
Sherman: Damnit, that's the 6th intern I've lost in the last year. I'm beginning to think these special red intern shirts may have something to do with it.
Ok we're closing in on our pick, this Pickard guy is still on the table. You guys think we should takie him.
Brad Smith: He's our top rated prospect still on the board. It's the logical pick.
Others: We agree. Best pick
Sherman: Ok. Make it so