WHL Prospects Draft Preview: Scout’s Edition (Part 8)
The 2024 WHL Prospects Draft Preview Presented by Windsor Plywood Prince Albert continues with Part 8. Today we hear from a Manitoba scout with four decades of scouting experience, Frank Harding.
“I’ve been with the Raiders for three years now, and I scout the Eastern part of Manitoba, and most of Winnipeg. I’d say I scout around 100 games a season,” Harding said.
“I’ve actually been scouting for 40 years. I spent 28 years with the Wheat Kings before I came over to Prince Albert. I was in Victoria for a few years before that, too. When I was in Victoria, I ran into a scout from Brandon, and they had an opening, so I talked to Kelly McCrimmon, and they offered me a job.”
With 40 years spent on the road, in the rinks, and everywhere in between, it’s clear that Harding is one of the grizzled vets in the scouting business. When asked why he wanted to become a scout, he explained it was his start in coaching that led to his introduction to becoming a scout.
“Why I got into scouting was because I was originally coaching, and I started meeting scouts, and what they did sounded interesting. I like all things hockey, so I got an opportunity to scout in Victoria at the time, and I’ve just been going since then.”
Harding played hockey for a bit growing up, but knew he wouldn’t be able to make a full time career out of playing. Instead, he became a sponge, soaking in all of the practices, advice, and experience that he could. At the end of the day, all of those things became qualities he used to his advantage to kick the door open to the scouting world.
“I played hockey in Winnipeg, but I didn’t play at a very high level. I wasn’t a very good hockey player, I was a goalie. But I used to really pay attention to the coaches. I would watch and see all the mistakes happening in front of me, and I got to know the game pretty good that way. I was a student of the game.”
In Manitoba, Harding has a couple of fellow scouts to share notes and opinions with. With Troy Hickman and Director of Player Personnel Bruno Zarrillo, his job becomes easier, as the three of them are able to watch the same players and have a more in depth understanding of who they draft out of Manitoba.
“At least here in Winnipeg with Troy and Bruno, it’s a team effort. And it was that way with me in Brandon also. It’s a team effort. If I was the only scout in Manitoba, then I could take credit for our drafted guys. Here, one of the three Manitoba scouts will see a guy, then the others will go see him too. Through the season you kind of come to a consensus.
“One of the guys we watched last year was Oli Chenier. I remember sitting with Bruno at a tournament and we really liked him big time. I think he’s going to turn out to be a good player. And don’t get me wrong, we really like the other guys we took in that draft, too. He’s the one that’s farthest along right now.”
With the experience of 40 years in the league and an ever changing game, Harding described what he looks for in a player looking to make the next step into the WHL.
“The competitiveness of a player is very important. That’s one of the three main things we look for; we look for hockey IQ, competitiveness, and skating ability.”
With the hockey season in the books, Harding says the summer is a time for him to wind down, while attending a few spring and summer tournaments when they come around.
“My summers I get to relax. I don’t do a whole lot, that’s for sure. There’s a couple of events that are on late in the spring, but that’ll be after the draft. And then there’s another tournament in June that we see, and that’s about it until training camp.”