Interview with Philadelpia Flyers' Scout Pat Burke

Please give the readers a little background information on yourself. 

I am in my fifth year as an NHL scout for the Philadelphia Flyers.  Over the last four years my primary scouting area has been the NCAA, although in the last year or so I have changed to doing more AHL and NHL

What are the 3 biggest things you look for in a player (on ice) when scouting for the Flyers?  

Skating, intelligence, and work ethic.

What are the 3 biggest things you look for in a player off of the ice?
 
I think I can sum it up in one word- character.  Work ethic and leadership are probably the two biggest components of that.  At lower levels, if a player does not outwork his teammates, he has no chance to succeed at higher levels. 

Can you give us some insight into the scouting process for the pros? How does it work?  

Essentially we have amateur scouts (who cover draft eligible players) and pro scouts (who cover drafted players at the college, AHL, and NHL levels).  Beyond that, it's not overly complicated- we go out and see as many teams as we can as many times as we can.  Our scouts all cover their own areas, then cross over into other areas as needed to get more eyes on more players. 

What should college players do to help get noticed by pro teams? Will you simply find the talent or can college kids set themselves up for maximum exposure somehow?
 
I think the first thing is to out-work other players.  One of the ways scouts cull their lists is by calling or meeting with college coaches.  If players are hard workers and character kids, a coach is far more likely to bring them up to a scout because they know those players won't let them down at the next level.  While we do generally take pride in being able to "find the talent" no matter where they play, a player's work ethic on and off the ice is something within his control that can increase his exposure.

Please explain what the pros and cons are of a top prospect going to an american college vs. major juniors in terms of making the NHL one day.
 
It really depends on the player.  For top players such as Jeff Carter or Chris Pronger who stepped into the NHL at young ages and played well, there was no need for them to worry about taking classes and doing anything other than playing hockey.  For kids who need more time to develop physically and mentally, the extra time in college may be significant for their development. We can see this in the amount of NCAA players who go undrafted then become highly sought after free agents at the end of their college career.  Essentially, there are pluses and minuses to both systems, and players should take a close look at both options and do what is best for them.

What is your biggest advice for someone who loves hockey and is looking to dive in and make their living in hockey?  

Simply to dive in (and this will go to your next question as well).  Most people who ask me about what it takes to work in hockey don't like my answer- either be a former NHL player or start working at the low levels and work your way up.  AHL teams and college teams constantly need energetic, motivated people who are willing to work long hours (often for low pay) in order to build up a resume.  Too many people think that just by calling an NHL team, they can step into an NHL job.  If you're a college student, you should be playing or working for your school's team.  If you're out of school, I would suggest looking into internships with NCAA, AHL, or, if you're lucky, NHL teams.  I was lucky because of my upbringing- most people will not be able to step right into a job with an NHL team.

How would one go about getting an NHL scouting job?

What are your career goals? How are you going about attaining them?   

While I would love to run my own team someday, my goal on an everyday basis is just to do whatever I can to help the Flyers win.  I feel that by working hard and doing that, I will improve, and that by being associated with a winning team I will learn a great deal about building a winner.  In addition, I am currently in law school to increase my value to a team in terms of contract negotiations.

How does a scout improve his skills?  

Simply by going to games.  Every time you go to the rink, you learn something.  The more games you see (at any level), the more you learn about hockey.  You get to see how kids progress from year to year and level to level, and you learn from the kids you identified correctly and the kids you misidentified. 

What is your best advise for a young player who is on the border of being talented enough for the pros? 

Work.  However hard you think you're working, I promise you do not work as hard as the laziest player on the Flyers.  Some nights you feel sore, or the puck is bouncing the wrong way, or the other team is just better- but the one thing a player can control every night and every shift is how hard he works.