Manitoba pro hockey scouts to be honoured

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This article was published 24/07/2024 (777 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitobans are going to be in the spotlight in Okotoks, Alta. on July 30. The occasion is the inaugural Wall of Honour induction dinner organized by the Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation (WCPHSF).

When the Wall of Fame is unveiled in the community’s Centennial Arena prior to the dinner, 45 past and present scouts will be recognized.

The honourees are divided into three categories: Pioneers, for scouts active prior to 1967; Early Era, covering the years 1968-1980; and Modern Era, spanning 1981 to the present day. Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame member Danny Summers is one of the five pioneers to be inducted. Summers, who died in 1999, spent 20 years scouting for Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and San Jose Sharks after his playing career, which included time with the Winnipeg Warriors of the WHL.

The list of early era scouts includes former Flin Flon Bombers Gerry Ehman, Teddy Hampson and Paddy Ginnell. After his pro playing career, Ehman was on the scouting staff of the New York Islanders when they won four Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983. Hampson and Ginnell were linemates when the Bombers won the Memorial Cup in 1957.

After playing in the NHL and WHA, Hampson scouted for NHL Central Scouting and three teams until he retired in 2022. After his playing and coaching career, Ginnell scouted for the St. Louis Blues until his death in 2007. Saskatchewan native Gerry Melnyk was the scout who threatened to quit his job with the Philadelphia Flyers if the team didn’t draft Bobby Clarke from Flin Flon in 1969.

Former Winnipeg Jets forward Bill Lesuk served as director of scouting for the Jets and the Phoenix Coyotes for 13 years and then spent three with Chicago Black Hawks as director of amateur scouting. Longtime pro goalie Charlie Hodge spent six seasons as the Western Canada scout for the Jets and 16 more years with Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning. Winnipeg native Bob Owen worked for Central Scouting, the Los Angeles Kings, and Atlanta Thrashers before completing his scouting career with the Jets.

Earl Ingarfield Sr., who played two seasons for the Winnipeg Warriors before a 13-year NHL career, served as a Western Canadian scout and director of scouting for the Islanders. Marshall Johnston, who played for the Winnipeg-based Canadian national team in the 1960s, had a lengthy NHL coaching and administrative career, which included 11 seasons as the Carolina Hurricanes’ director of professional scouting

Modern era inductees include Vaughn Karpan, Peter Sullivan, Al Murray and Bruce Franklin. Karpan, from The Pas, began scouting for the Jets and after time with Phoenix and the Montreal Canadiens joined the Vegas Golden Knights, where he now is an assistant GM. Former Jets centre Sullivan scouted part-time for the team while coaching in Switzerland and later spent 27 seasons with NHL Central Scouting.

Murray and Franklin both were born in Winnipeg. Murray’s scouting career included lengthy stints with Los Angeles and Tampa Bay plus three seasons as Hockey Canada’s head scout. Weston product Franklin, who played, coached and officiated minor hockey in Winnipeg, spent 16 seasons as a scout in the WHL. He also scouted for Montreal for a season and then was with Chicago for 24 years including six as chief scout.

Golden Knights Western Canada scout Erin Ginnell, who spent his early years in Flin Flon when his father Paddy was coaching there, is the first president of the foundation. He had scouting experience with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche before a 12-year stretch with the Florida Panthers that included six as the director of amateur scouting. Kamloops resident Gregg Drinnan, who was a sportswriter for the Winnipeg Tribune and the Brandon Sun, is the organization’s historian. While playing minor hockey in northern Manitoba, he was known as Lynn Lake Lightning.