The Athletic’s Max Bultman hazards an educated guess as to why the Red Wings made significant changes to their amateur scouting staff, and Bultman discusses the team’s priorities under Kris Draper’s regime:
Two months later, as the final days before the start of prospect camp drift away, there is some clarity on the image in which Yzerman is building his front office. The team has updated its hockey operations roster to reflect what ended up being a healthy amount of turnover. Some came from within, namely Kris Draper, previously a special assistant to the general manager, being promoted to the director of amateur scouting. And some came from outside, including the hirings of Ryan Rezmierski and Jesse Wallin, from Nashville and St. Louis, respectively, as chief amateur scouts. The hiring of Mike Barwis as director of sports science and human performance added some additional big-name flair as well.
It’s easy, of course, to get lost in the sea of new names, but make no mistake: Many of the additions made public last week will play substantial roles in determining the success of Yzerman’s tenure as Red Wings general manager. And for a team that has signaled a desire to build through the draft, that all starts with the amateur scouting department.
Continued (paywall)
