Scouting Combine discussed on 'NHL Draft Class' podcast

A special app for the 106 players that will be attending the NHL Scouting Combine presented by adidas should create a less stressful environment for the event, NHL Central Scouting director David Gregory said on the "NHL Draft Class" podcast.

The combine, scheduled for June 4-10 in Buffalo, allows the 32 NHL teams to interview some of the top prospects, as well as get physical and medical assessments, ahead of the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on June 28-29.

"This is the first year we're going to have an app, where instead of registering just with us through paper and sitting down at a table, each player will have an app in advance where everything, including their schedule and profile, will be there," Gregory said. "They're going to know everything and we're going to be able to know where they are and where they need to be once they've registered.

"In the past you've got hundreds of young men running around trying to get to testing, to medicals, and there's always somebody that's not in the right place at the right time. But with this app we'll be able to contact players, we'll be able to know where they're going to go. It's just great to see technology being implemented to make it a better process and a better experience for the players."

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In addition to the combine, Gregory also provided insight into several of the top prospects from the Ontario Hockey League.

The three top players from the OHL on Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters presented by BioSteel are Owen Sound left wing Colby Barlow (No. 12), Oshawa center Calum Ritchie (No. 13) and Sudbury left wing Quentin Musty (No. 14).

"They are three very good players, and again, teams are going to look for what their needs are at some point," Gregory said. "Some teams draft the best player available, especially in the first round. Some teams say we need this kind of player at this point. So there may be a different order that these players go, but they're very close in our rankings because they all bring a skill set that makes them worthy of a first-round pick."

Co-hosts Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale also discussed how the NHL Scouting Combine has evolved through the years, including the impact of former Central Scouting director E.J. McGuire, who died of cancer in 2011.

The podcast is free, and listeners can subscribe on all podcast platforms, including iTunes, Spotify and Google Podcasts. It also is available on NHL.com/multimedia/podcasts and the NHL app.

Listen: New episode of NHL Draft Class