Sometimes we would all like to think we might just be a little bit smarter than the guy sitting next to us. No statement could be more true when it comes to scouting hockey players.
All of us who spend the better part of our lives in the arena’s drinking bad coffee and eating less than athlete quality food are there for the same reason. We are all looking for talented players.
Sometimes its easy. I knew who Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel were long before they were being talked about as generational players.
Sometimes though its not so easy, and those are the times that scouts get to have the “Ah Ha” moment. Its when we find or see that player who has been overlooked for one reason or another.
Well, someone just had an “Ah Ha” moment with Hungarian Goaltender Adam Vay. I wish I could say it was me, but I only saw him twice. Someone in the Minnesota Wild organization is going to be able to claim that moment, and who ever it is should take a minute to enjoy it.
From the Wild Press Release;
“Vay, 22 (3/22/94), posted a 3.67 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage (SV%) in three games for Hungary at the 2016 IIHF World Championship in Russia. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound native of Budapest, Hungary, made 35 saves in a 5-1 loss to the United States on May 13, made 48 saves in a 3-0 loss to Finland on May 11 and stopped 11-of-12 shots in relief on May 8 against Canada. He appeared in 39 games with Debreceni HK in the MOL League in 2015-16 and posted a 2.77 GAA, a .927 SV% and two shutouts. Vay led the league in SV% and ranked fifth in GAA amongst goalies that played a minimum of 30 contests.
Vay went 28-4-0 with a 2.03 GAA, a .923 SV% and five shutouts in 32 games with the El Paso Rhinos in the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) in 2014-15. He ranked T-1st in the league in shutouts, third in SV% and fourth in GAA as the Rhinos advanced to the Thorne Cup Final. Vay went 25-1-0 in 26 games with El Paso in 2013-14 and led the WSHL with a 1.76 GAA, a .936 SV% and ranked T-1st with five shutouts as the Rhinos won the 2014 Thorne Cup and National Championship.”
Yes, this is the same player I wrote a piece on last week. It is the same player who only 12 months ago was playing in the WSHL. The same WSHL that so many people have in the past looked down upon.
Congratulations to Adam Vay for taking the road less traveled and never giving up his dream. Congratulations to El Paso for finding the young man. Congratulations to the Western States Hockey League.
Anyone want to continue questioning the WSHL level of play now? I didn’t think so.
Joseph Kolodziej – Publisher
