Finding Future Petes: Chris McNamara
Born and raised in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the Peterborough Petes Director of Scouting, Chris McNamara, has maintained a lifelong passion for hockey. Following his childhood marked by minor hockey, McNamara has continued to pursue his love for the sport and has worn several hats in the hockey industry since graduating from St.Francis Xavier University.
McNamara began his scouting career in 2001 as Head Ontario Scout for the International Scouting Services (ISS).
“I have always been a big hockey fan. I was playing Junior B hockey in Nova Scotia, and one of my teammate’s dad started a company called International Scouting Services, and when I moved into Toronto, I was working with and training athletes. I wanted to get back into doing something with hockey. He approached me and asked if I would be interested and I jumped at the opportunity,” McNamara explained.
Simultaneously, McNamara worked at the Canadian Ice Academy where he now resides as their manager of the elite athlete training centre 20 years later. This role assisted him with his part-time position as a scout with ISS, as it provided him with a front-row seat to elite-level hockey players through the training centre.
“I had a pretty good relationship with Mike and we had kept in touch. It sounded like it was going to be a fresh start with a brand new staff. We had some mutual friends we were going to bring in as well. It seemed pretty intriguing, so I decided to make the jump.”
McNamara fondly reflects on his first draft with the maroon and white as it was the year the Petes selected Nick Ritchie, 2nd overall in 2011 OHL Priority Selection. Eleven drafts later, and McNamara has been at the forefront of putting together some incredibly talented Petes rosters.
Working closely with the GM and scouting staff spread across Ontario, McNamara and the Petes ensure there was proper coverage of all teams, leagues, and players. In a typical year, McNamara can spend up to 30 hours per week inside the arena.
“If I am at a tournament, I could watch up to 20 games of hockey.”
“I go into a rink at seven in the morning at a hockey tournament and I don’t leave until 10 at night. So I am there Friday, 13 hours on Saturday, and 13 more on Sunday. You have some long weekends.”
With over a decade of scouting under his belt, McNamara notes that there has been an on-ice evolution that has dramatically affected how teams scout.
“When I first started scouting in the OHL, it was a bigger and tougher league. Now more emphasis is put on skill, hockey smarts, and skating. It is a faster game and it is a more skilled game. There is more depth of skill on teams where in the past every team had some tough guys and played more physically, you had to be a bit stronger. Now, you’re making sure you have speed and skill, it has moved in that direction even in the pro levels.”
This analysis of skill is done through a checklist format the scouts use when watching future players. The Petes are looking for players who are highly skilled, have great hockey sense, great hockey IQ, size, and skating skills, as well as leadership, character, and work ethic.
“It is impossible to find a perfect player, there are not too many of them. We try to find somebody who is going to check off as many of those boxes as possible.”
The Petes scouts also place extra emphasis on an interview process consulting with coaches, teammates, the families, and the entire group of scouts. In preparation of draft day the Petes scouting squad examines all evaluations meticulously before arriving at a list of players they believe would best wear the mighty maroon and white.
“We try to get to know the player and the family to get a sense for their character.”
This year, the entire process takes place virtually through hockey streaming services, video footage, and of course, Zoom.
During a typical season, draft day would be right around the corner. Filled with a buzz of excitement the day includes Oke announcing his next round of players to join the Petes, and prospects arriving at the arena following their selection to pick up their jerseys and receive a tour of the Memorial Centre. This year due to COVID-19 restrictions, draft day is anticipated to take place in June, and will look different, draft picks will be unable to come to Peterborough following the announcement.
“We are still excited because we are happy to get good players from the draft and believe doing it virtually presents a unique opportunity.”
Despite these unexpected changes, McNamara continues to find joy and takes pride in his work.
“We have such a good groups of scouts and coaches, there is a real tight-knit relationship. I am always in communication with Mike, the coaches and our scouting staff. We are just a tight group of friends who have been together for so long that the communication is there and we help each other out. It has been pretty comfortable, pretty good, and everybody seems pretty happy.”
“It is like a family atmosphere.”
Click here to catch up with Petes Head Trainer Brian Miller, and learn about what he has been up to during the postponed season.
