Galioch: Longtime NHL scout John Stanton Sr. has left his mark on the world of hockey

walterpalladDecember 2, 2022

Former NHL scout John Stanton Sr. post media

Even if you don’t know the person well, sometimes it’s easier to put their life down on paper.

Talk to friends and family you’ve spent time with to better understand who they are, what they mean, how they contributed to the community, and the imprint they left in a given time period on Earth. to understand.

It feels different for me to sit down to write about the loss of longtime former NHL scout John Stanton Sr., who died Nov. I never liked spending the night in

This is not just a newspaper name. This was someone I knew well, someone I had spent a lot of time with over the years, and although Stanton never took center stage in his work, he was well known. rice field. He is well respected in the hockey world.

“He loved coming to our games,” said legendary former 67 general manager and coach Brian Kilaire, a longtime friend and golfing partner of Stanton since his time at the Mississippi Golf Club. rice field. “He always had someone to talk to. He was just a nice guy and he will be remembered fondly.”

It is sad to see Stanton no longer with us, but after a long illness he is no longer in pain.

The good news is that most of the time he was here, he was living life to the fullest.When he wasn’t out, he loved spending time with his late wife Marie and family.

A former coach of East Ottawa, Stanton built his career in the city of Ottawa and was first recruited part-time with the Washington Capitals with the help of the late Brian Murray and former Kings general manager Sam McMaster. I got a job at

Stanton followed Murray to Detroit as a part-time scout before quitting his job at City to take on a full-time role with the Kings. He liked big guys who could skate, he liked guys who had an edge to their game, and there was no shortage of his opinions.

He is well respected in the hockey world and has helped coach many successful young scouts, including Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorion.

“John had a great passion for the game of hockey,” Dorion said Thursday. “He was someone I coached when he was younger, but I only knew him as a scout. He had a great passion. He wanted to go to the rink early.

“He wanted to know what was going on. He was good. He loved the hockey game. He was someone we spent a lot of time with.We drove to a lot of games together.He could be grumpy at times, but he liked a good hockey player and was a good hockey player. I knew an old hockey player.”

Just a week before the 1994 NHL Draft in Hartford, Stanton asked Dorion when he took up a part-time scouting job with the Montreal Canadiens shortly after the death of his father, Pierre Dorion Sr. It makes sense to lend a hand.

Dorion Sr., director of player personnel for the Toronto Maple Leafs, spent most of his career with the Central Scouting Bureau. He and Stanton spent hours together at airports and highways, searching the world for good players.

They may have worked on different teams, but first and foremost, they were friends. When Stanton first got into the business, it was only natural that he would lend Dorion Jr. a hand.

They trekked down Highway 7 to play a game in Peterborough on Thursday night, headed to the Toronto Airport Marriott for the weekend, watched a game in the area, and then took Hightail to Ottawa on Sunday night. came back.

In the summer, they would get together on the golf course with Tim Murray, Todd Harty, Fred Parker, Tim Higgins, and more to hit a ball while making some stories.

“Our world has changed a lot since then,” Dorion said. “There was a strong sense of camaraderie back then. You worked, but you couldn’t wait for breakfast the next morning and always had dinner together before the next game.

“Whether it was in Ottawa or Toronto, we always enjoyed being together. John was a character, but he was a wholesome character. You knew he loved games and loved being around the rink.

“He was a lot of fun to be with.”

Stanton, who has three surviving children, John Jr. (Wendy), Kelly (Stephen Lavoy), and Geoffrey (Stephanie), will be joined by five children at a service at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church on St. Laurent Boulevard on Friday. It will be fondly remembered by grandchildren. 11 am.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/sungarrioch

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