For years, Don Cherry has been telling the top prospects in the NHL Draft to skip the NHL Scouting Combine. The reason is simple. The best draft eligible players don't have anything to prove to the 30 NHL teams who have scouted them for a year or two prior to the entry draft.
Gang's all here. #NHLCombine selfie with @Jake_Virtanen, @ritchboiii, @MDalColle71, @SBennett93 and @EK5Colts. pic.twitter.com/uRJM3jQqEn
— NHL (@NHL) May 30, 2014
Cherry is a big proponent of having the top prospects skip the combine. They have nothing to prove by participating in performance testing. Cherry's okay with prospects being routinely interviewed by NHL teams at the combine in Toronto. I happen to agree with Cherry.
On Saturday, Kingston Frontrenacs center, the #1 rated North American skater according to Central Scouting, failed to complete one pull-up during his fitness testing. Big deal, right? Wrong. Bennett immediately became fair game for critics and mock draft geeks from Moncton to Buffalo. At 17 years of age, Bennett became the object of unnecessary criticism and smack talk. Bennett will be a top three draft choice on June 27th in Philly. There's enough pressure and anxiety on the top prospects who are invited to participate at the Scouting Combine. Why ask for trouble by having a poor performance or a poor showing?
Has Bennett hurt his draft stock by failing to complete one pull up? That's crazy talk. When was the last time that a pull-up scored a game winning goal in the NHL or broke up a scoring chance with a ferocious back check?
I'm still confident that the Buffalo Sabres will invest the second overall pick in the draft in Sam Bennett, provided the Florida Panthers select D-man Aaron Ekblad with the first overall pick.
Moments after "Coach's Corner" ended, Bennett tweeted a high-five to the Mayor of Kingston, Ontario.
Thanks Don! @CoachsCornerCBC
— Sam Bennett (@SBennett93) June 5, 2014
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The stars were out en masse for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals at Staples Center in LA on Wednesday night, and none were bigger than "The Great One" Wayne Gretzky.
The Brantford, Ontario native played for the Kings and the Rangers during his Hall Of Fame career. He told Ron MacLean that he has always hoped for an LA-NY, Hollywood vs. Broadway Cup Final. It took 20 years, but Gretzky finally gets his wish.
I've been saying for years that Gretzky's calling is not the front office of an NHL team. His real talent is analyzing and talking about NHL games. Gretzky would make an excellent hockey broadcaster, much the same way that Troy Aikman has become a top-flight NFL analyst. Gretzky's analysis is impeccable. His takes are precise, factual, humorous, and accurate.