Masters Class: Breaking down Game 6, and why I didn’t recommend Duchene to Canadiens

Latest in a series of post-game scouting reports by a real scout, Scott Masters, who has worked for several organizations in the NHL:

Game 6, Round 2, Colorado vs. Dallas
Scout’s Take –
First, let me say this about the Avalanche. I want to make a point before the outcome of the series. The future is bright. Every executive in the NHL sees the potential of this team. If the team does not win the series or does not win the Cup this season, they have a good chance in the upcoming years.
It takes time to find the right combination of players to win a Cup. Winning teams form chemistry late in the season and in the playoffs that most people cannot predict. It takes years in the playoffs usually for teams to see what they need, this or that.

When I commented on Mikko Rantanen being a piece of a line but not a “maker” of a line, that is not a shot at him. That is one scout’s opinion on what he brings to the team. I am a big fan of Rantanen. He is a special player. He deserves every penny he makes, and I would say 100% of general managers in the NHL would take him at that cap $9.25 million cap hit. Scouting reports on players should mention their possible fit with that scout’s team. Every team’s makeup is different, therefore players fit differently. So here is what I would have said on Rantanen as a member of my latest employer, the Montreal Canadiens. It is short and sweet: