San Jose Sharks GM Calls Out Long-Time Scout After Firing Him

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Hunter Bowman
March 18, 2024 (10:34 PM)

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In a surprising move today, the San Jose Sharks announced the dismissal of their long-time Russian scout, Igor Eronko. General Manager Mike Grier wasted no time in publicly expressing his dissatisfaction with Eronko's performance.

"Igor didn't meet the standard. For whatever reason, he wasn't seeing games and wasn't doing what we were asking of them. So we felt it was best to part ways with him," Grier bluntly stated.

Under Grier's leadership, the Sharks organization has been striving to instill a culture of excellence at every level, including scouting. Grier didn't hold back in detailing the reasons behind Eronko's termination.

According to Grier, Eronko had been repeatedly warned about failing to submit scouting reports and neglecting to spend adequate time at the rinks observing players in his region.

"We gave him several warnings about getting his reports in. Cleaning up his lists. And seeing games. You can't scout or get a good feel of the players if you're not at the rinks. For whatever reason, he was given plenty of notice that he needed to improve in this area, and he didn't," Grier explained.

In the world of NHL scouting, the role is considered one of the most prestigious in a front office. When an individual in such a coveted position fails to uphold their responsibilities, it's only natural for the team to seek someone who will.

The Sharks are now in the process of selecting a new scout to cover their Russian region. In the meantime, the responsibility will be shared among the existing staff members.

Source: Houseofhockey