What a Scout Looks For
Players and parents often ask what a scout looks for when they evaluate players. I’ve gotten to know several scouts through the years, and had the opportunity to ask one up-and-coming scout what he looks for in a player. This perspective is courtesty of Pierre-Olivier Rondeau, a scount for Selects Hockey and Co-Director of the Kingston International Youth Hockey Festival. Pierre is also involved with several organizations and coaching AA hockey.
First criteria is; skating skills: skating acceleration, skating stride, skating agility, mobility skating, backwards skating.
Second test: Puck handling: Passing game, controls the play, give and receives passes, win faceoff.
Third test: Hockey Sense: Vision, Playmaker, Anticipation, Plays good position, with relexed puck.
Fourth criteria: Scoring / shot: Sniper finisher, slap shot, wrist shot, natural goal scorer.
Fifth criteria: Competitive and agressivity: aggressive, tough and respected, intimidating.
Sixth criteria: Character / Leadership and attitude: Natural leader, a team player, a warrior, a grinder, a maintenance player
Seventh Criteria: Offensive and defensive skills: Backchecking game, forechecking game, power foward, can play the point and power play, can play on penalty kills, good rushing defenseman, cover well his player.
To finish the evaluation of a goalies: Lateral agility movements, quick up-down, control rebounds well, puck control, recovers quickly when the goes down, plays angles well and good outside the crease, quick gloves years challenge the shooters.
