During his first tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Cliff Fletcher was asked for his view on the National Hockey League Entry Draft and responded by saying "Draft, shmaft..." Looking back at some of the selections Fletcher and his staff made during his time running the Maple Leafs you can see that Cliff was pretty much a man of his word with early round selections coming in the form of Brandon Convery, Landon Wilson, Eric Fichaud and Marek Posmyk to name just a few. Since those colourful days around the Gardens of the early 1990's a lot has changed, although the Maple Leafs are still trying to master the art of landing a gem during the league's annual draft which is scheduled to commence on June 24th and 25th in St.Paul, Minnesota.
As technology has taken the game to new heights on and off the ice, it has also had a major impact on how future prospects are spotted and scouted during their journey in reaching their goal of becoming a National Hockey League player. Within seconds a scout can upload a players entire bio and stats, along with video and other information pertaining to that player abilities and personal make-up. Clearly the days of a scout finding a diamond in the rough has taken on a whole new meaning.
One area any young hockey player should be aware of is that revolving around the world of the social media. It can show a young man's true colours of who they are and what they are. It is an aspect that doesn't strictly pertain to TMZ following around fallen celebrities or embarrassed politicians, it can play a major role in the future of any young man or woman looking to find success in athletics as well. This recently can true during the recent Vancouver riots as Nathan Kotylak was spotted vandalizing a police car during the events that took place last Wednesday following game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Kotylak, an accomplished water polo player with the National Junior Team and on his way to starting a collegiate career in the fall. As quickly as you can press send on your smart phone, images of Kotylak spread around the world, not only outting him as one of the many culprits during the riot, but also putting him and his future in a serious mess.
For any young hockey player who is in the midst of fulfilling their dream next Friday and Saturday of hearing their name called out by a National Hockey League club, the best thing they can do is stear clear of the antics that can take place in the world of social media. More clubs, agents, and especially parents, are advising their children to use their heads and avoid partaking in these outlets, as just about every thing you say or do can wind up becoming public knowledge. With so much to be had and invested into one's future, it should not be a tough decision to avoid putting ones self in a situation that could end any hopes or dreams you have set out to achieve.
With so many eyes, ears and mouth being connected, teams will be looking not only to land that special player but also a special person. Focusing on what matters most in the long run should take a precedence over something that can cut you and your dreams down before you can finish looking into a camera and saying "Cheese".
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