Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Press Release - Habs Hire Scott Mellanby as Director of Player Personnel

10:22 AM  Unknown  4 comments

CANADIENS APPOINT SCOTT MELLANBY DIRECTOR OF PLAYER PERSONNEL

MONTREAL (May 28, 2012) – Montreal Canadiens executive vice president and general manager, Marc Bergevin, announced today the appointment of Scott Mellanby to the position of director of player personnel.

“We are extremely happy to have Scott Mellanby joining the Canadiens organization. Scott has an impressive background and a commanding knowledge of the league, having played for 21 seasons in the NHL before holding various management positions over the last four years. Scott is known for his character and his leadership, which made him a great team captain during six seasons with the Florida Panthers and the Atlanta Thrashers. He has extensive knowledge of the game, is well respected in the hockey circles and will become an important asset for our organization,” said Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin.

A native of Montreal, Scott Mellanby, enjoyed a successful 21-year career in the NHL with five different teams. Suiting up for 1,431 games in the National Hockey League, ranking him 23rd on the all-time list for most games played, he recorded 840 points (364 goals and 476 assists) and served 2,479 penalty minutes, also 23rd on the NHL all-time list. He played in 136 career playoff games, and totaled 53 points (24 goals, 29 assists).
Mellanby sparks a trend

Mellanby retired as an active player after the 2006-07 season. Following his playing career, Mellanby joined the Vancouver Canucks organization, working as special advisor to general manager Mike Gillies (2008-09) and as a professional scout (2009-10). On June 1, 2010 he returned to St. Louis to take on the position of assistant coach over the last two seasons (2010-11 and 2011-12).

“This was an easy decision for me. It’s an honor for me to get a chance to be a part of the Canadiens organization,” said Mellanby via conference call from St. Paul, MN. “I was born in Montreal and I grew up idolizing the Canadiens – Guy Lafleur in particular. It’s really a thrill for me to get this opportunity. Marc talked to [Blues GM] Doug [Armstrong] to get permission to talk to me and when he talked to me, it was automatic.”

Signed as an unrestricted free agent by Atlanta in July 2004, Mellanby would go on to play two seasons as the Thrashers team captain (2005-06 and 2006-07). Prior to joining the Thrashers, he played with the St. Louis Blues from 2001 to 2004. He reached the postseason in each of his four seasons in St. Louis, reaching the Western Conference Final in 2001. Mellanby spent seven seasons with the Florida Panthers, including the last four, from 1997 to 2001, as the Panthers’ captain, recording 157 goals and a total of 354 points. In 1996 he was selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game before leading his team to the Stanley Cup Final against the Colorado Avalanche that same year. Mellanby also donned the Oilers jersey from 1991 to 1993 playing 149 games and recording 82 points. Drafted in the second round, 27th overall, by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1984, Mellanby earned a spot on the Flyers roster in 1986-87 and would go on to spend five seasons in Philadelphia, where he registered 227 points in 353 career regular season games.

Now 45, Scott Mellanby played his junior hockey with Don Mills, in the Metro Toronto Hockey League, and the Henry Carr Crusaders of the Ontario Jr. B League before joining the Wisconsin University Badgers (WCHA) in 1984-1985. On the international level, he helped Canada capture the silver medal at the 1986 World Junior Championships, notching nine points (5 goals, 4 assists) in seven games.

Scott Mellanby and his wife Sue have three children, sons Carter and Nicholas and daughter Courtney.

Posted in: ,,,

4 comments:

I guess, cant hurt to hire him? I know dick all about his qualifications, other than your outline of his history.

What % of unemployed/available coachs are not good enough (only cause cant speak french) and are immediately eliminated; 75%, of higher?
So we get a tiny wading pool of canditates to pick from eh, which was my main objection to Martin hire; who was best of a tiny group.

@anon: I think Mellanby is actually a pretty well qualified individual.

I fully expect Bergevin's next hire to be Martin Lapointe, as he continues to round out his management team. What I like about the team he is putting together is that there is a nice blend of experience and (relative) youth.

People who think the game in the "new" way...not hold on to dinosauric philosophies like Gainey and Gauthier.

You're right that the Habs pool of candidates is small if speaking French is a requirement, but that doesn't mean the people who have been hired and no good.

Oh and on Martin, he was the GM of the Panthers at the time of him being hired by Montreal as coach. He wasn't even in the market!

Anon1

Kamal, i do think the whole remix of managemnt group should be very interesting to see how meshes and no doubt will be quite different than Bob/Pierre.
But like i said i have zero feel for who would make a good Coach, GM, AGM (Carriere? what does he actually do? vs what Dudley will do as other AGM?).
I respected Mellanby and LaPoint as players, but know little about Dudley/Hartley/Crawford or even Bergevin; but have the pet peeve of stupid french-handcuffs in hiring policy, which can do nothing but hurt on-ice product.
But dosent mean wont hire good people, just unlikely to hire cream of crop is all. Wouldnt Sutter/Renney be a preferred choice to Hartley, most likely yes, but we will never know will we?
But I am always optimistic and Bergevin seems to have a good reputation, so hope for the best.

@Anon: Yep, I for sure see your point. The Habs are a little hamstrung when it comes to the pool or potential.

On Carriere, this guy is Uber-qualified! He's the guy who built and developed the Caps' player development program. He is a shrewd talent evaluator, has worked in all levels of management and knows how to run player dev...

...and that's a good thing too, since the Habs player development has been suspect for at least the last decade (although it's gotten better of late)...

Post a Comment