NHL News: Oilers Fire Scouts Before Draft, $180,000 Fake Merchandise Seized Around Stanley Cup Final
Edmonton Oilers fired four members of the team’s scouting on Saturday night just six days before the first round of the 2015 National Hockey League Draft.
Stu MacGregor, who served as a head amateur scout for Oilers since 2007, head pro scout Morey Gare, and other two members not named were terminated per reports of Bob McKenzie of TSN and sportsnet. Both Macgregor and Gare were with the Oilers for more than a decade.
The move came at a time when the Oilers, which have not made the Stanley Cups playoffs ever since losing a best-of-seven series against Carolina Hurricane in 2006, were committed in bringing changes to the organization this summer due to the franchise’s longtime struggles.
Edmonton Oilers General manager and president of hockey operations Peter Chiarelli, who was hired on April 24 this year and had been the GM of Bruins, expects the team to select Ontario Hockey League Erie Otters center Connor McDavid as the no.1 pick. The 18-year old prospect, who led all players in the OHL playoffs with 21 goals and 49 points, ranked top in NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking of the top North American skaters ready for the draft.
The Oilers have the No.1 overall pick for four times in six years, including the upcoming 2015 NHL draft on June 26 and 27 at BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida. They also have two-first and two-second round selections. United States NBC Sports, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports in Canada will televise the first round draft on June 26 at 7 p.m. ET, while NHL Network and TVA will cover round two at 10 a.m. ET.
The organization appeared to be dedicated in reconstructing their managerial department after new chief executive and vice chairman of Oilers Entertainment Group Bob Nicholson hired Chiarelli as GM on April, and then led to the hiring of Todd McLellan as head coach on May 19.
Meanwhile, federal authorities seized fake NHL merchandise, which estimated to have worth $180,000, in the days surrounding the Stanley Cup Final between Tampa Bay Lightning and Chicago Blakchawks. Homeland Security Investigations unit of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which focused on catching illegal vendors at Blackhawk’s home ice in United Center and Lightning’s home court in Amalie Arena, handled the operation and seized thousands of fake items including jerseys, caps and other memorabilia.