Our scout beat Detroits scout?? cant say that often

mattola · Post by **mattola** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:19 am

SUPER SCOUT LET EDLER ESCAPE

Detroit scout Hakan Andersson is famous for unearthing talented Europeans in unlikely places and stealing them in the cheap rounds of the draft (Henrik Zetterberg, 210th in 1999; Pavel Datsyuk, 171st in 1998). But he admits a spell of laziness opened the door for Vancouver to steal away Alex Adler.

"He said the best player on their men's team was this kid," Andersson says. "I said to find out how old he is, and my friend called me back and said he was born in 1986, which was that draft year (2004). I didn't have time to go see him until late January or early February. It's a seven- or eight-hour drive."

But Andersson liked what he saw enough that he wanted a second look at Edler, during the Third Division playoffs.

"The second time I went to see him, I called the coach first, just to make sure [Edler] was playing," Andersson says. "It turned out the coach was friends with an agent, and the agent starts sending e-mails to scouts, saying you should come and see this kid. When I think back - and this has been on my mind many times - I think that was my mistake. I never should have phoned the coach. It was just me being a little lazy."

Four years ago, Edler was playing for a senior men's team called Jamtland, which no longer exists, in the Swedish Third Division. The Swedish Third Division is full of prospects -- teachers, foresters, mill workers, bureaucrats, Volvo makers. Hockey prospects? Not so much.

The 21-year-old Edler competes here in the YoungStars game during the NHL's All-Star Weekend, skating on the Western Conference blue line with Johnson and Johnson -- Erik and Jack -- who were merely the first and third overall picks in 2006 and 2005, respectively. That's the company Edler is in now.

Fred · Post by **Fred** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:22 am

Vancouver selected before Detroit and as i heard they got wind of Detroits intentions and took him earlier than they thought necassary

NKCTB7 · Post by **NKCTB7** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 7:56 am

This kid is truly amazing and he hasn't even begun to tap in to his potential. Here is the entire read.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news ... k=7839&p=1

jchockey · Post by **jchockey** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:24 am

Fred wrote:Vancouver selected before Detroit and as i heard they got wind of Detroits intentions and took him earlier than they thought necassary

We should use that strategy from now on.

Fred · Post by **Fred** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:46 am

jchockey wrote:
Fred wrote:Vancouver selected before Detroit and as i heard they got wind of Detroits intentions and took him earlier than they thought necassary
We should use that strategy from now on.

sk8er · Post by **sk8er** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 12:19 pm

Thomas Gradin is worth his weight in gold!
According to the article, it was his persistence that caused the Canucks to draft Edler.

antro · Post by **antro** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 4:18 pm

what a great read that article is!

i'd totally forgotten that gradin use to wear 23...that's awesome: wearing the old number of the scout who believed enough in you to convince the team to make a move to draft you...and one of those canucks from the cinderella '82 team...here's hoping that edler will be there soon to flash the 23 again.

ClamRussel · Post by **ClamRussel** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 5:31 pm

The Canucks did this to Detroit before as well. Ernie "Punch" McLean, the coach of the New Westminster Bruins was also a scout for the Red Wings & he was begging the Wings to take this sparkplug "future captain" named Stan Smyl....Detroit was asleep at the wheel, obviously not thinking much of McLean's constant pleading and Vancouver took Steamer in the 3rd round.

If Smyl played on the Oilers in those dark days of the 80s (Sather was rumoured to be after him in trade talks) then he'd be in the Hall of Fame. Its the luck of the draw sometimes, where you play and who with....no question Smyl was a great hockey player!

mattola · Post by **mattola** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:35 pm

its nice to see that we can beat detroit to the punch once every 30 years.........

randymeeks · Post by **randymeeks** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:23 pm

its nice to see that we can beat detroit to the punch once every 30 years.........

Jovorock · Post by **Jovorock** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:22 am

Alex has come so far in just 2 years. Two years ago his first game in Kelowna he was so raw and didn't know anything about playing North American defense.

The Canucks and the Rockets thought he would have to play one more year, last year in junior hockey. But instead he spend the year with the Moose and playoffs with the Canucks.

Alex has played his way onto the Canucks as a regular d-man and if the team ever gets a healty core of defense they will have to make a trade. No way is Alex a 7th defenseman on this team or any team.

Great job by Gradin in scouting.