Kent Hughes spent the months leading up to the draft being asked if he would draft his son Jack, seen as a late first-round prospect. He ultimately didn’t, but a similar scenario happened in Philadelphia.
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
At the very end of the seventh round, while most scouts were collecting papers, pencils and laptops, the Flyers selected Alexis Gendron, a forward from the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, at 220e rank. However, he is the son of Martin Gendron, recruiter for the Flyers in Quebec.
Thoughtful choice
If we rely on the father, the selection of Alexis Gendron had nothing symbolic, unlike for example the Devils in 2013, who had drafted Anthony Brodeur – the son of – at 208e rank.
“We were watching the repechage go. At one point, Brent Flahr, our assistant GM, said, “Enough is enough.” They had him a little higher than that on their list. I knew it five seconds before it was announced! »
“He clearly deserved to be drafted, confirms Todd Hearty, another amateur scout for the Flyers who criss-crosses Quebec. He was even higher on my list than where he was drafted.
“It’s not easy to fish out a loved one. There is a negotiation process, things you don’t want to experience. But it was hard to watch him tumble. I saw him go out from the fourth round. He leaves with two strikes against him, because he is small and was born late in the year. But I was pushing so that we wouldn’t let him pass. »
PHOTO FROM TWITTER ACCOUNT @ALEXGENDY30
Alexis Gendron
Hearty is important in this story, because he was the one who produced the reports on Alexis Gendron. “I made no report on Alexis, assures Martin Gendron. I excluded myself from meetings when we talked about him. »
Except that he still found himself attending son’s games. Fifteen times, by his count. But he had to focus on the other players. ” It is not easy ! suits the former glory of the Saint-Hyacinthe Laser. You try to make sense of things, but I’m still his father. Like any father who watches his guy play. »
Hearty was charmed. He saw it in particular during a game where he was constantly opposed to Maveric Lamoureux, a 6 ft 7 in defenseman from the Drummondville Voltigeurs, drafted in the first round by the Arizona Coyotes.
“I loved Alexis all year,” agrees the man based in Shawville, Outaouais.
People will say that it is uncomfortable, that there is nepotism. But every time I went, my reports were positive. He has character. He is a good winger, who plays in a straight line. He has his father’s shot.
Flyers scout Todd Hearty on Alexis Gendron
best era
Martin Gendron had a meteoric career at all levels, except in the NHL. In Saint-Hyacinthe, he had two straight seasons of at least 70 goals and 130 points. In 1992, after the first of those two seasons, he was drafted 71e rank by the Washington Capitals.
He will remain very productive in the American League, the International League, then in Europe. But in the NHL, his experience will be limited to 30 games. At 5’9″ and 176 lbs, he was too small for what teams were looking for at the time.
Alexis Gendron is listed at 5’10” and 175 lbs. “He has to keep growing. I don’t think he continues to grow, there aren’t too many giants in the family! “says the father, laughing.
He finished first in the Armada this season with 30 goals in 66 games. He added 16 assists. However, his differential of -21 was the worst on his team.
“Hockey has changed, there are a lot less clashes and it’s faster, recalls Martin Gendron. Even big guys skate. »
He has as many chances as any other player. It’s up to him to take his chance and develop.
Martin Gendron, about his son
Hearty is hopeful that his new protege will take a good tangent.
“He’s a little taller, he’s gaining in maturity, he has an excellent shot and he’s not afraid of anything,” he sums up. These young people develop a little more than those who play on the periphery. »
We wish the Flyers more success than the Canadian, who drafted Daniel Audette, Donald’s son, in the fifth round in 2014. The small forward never found his place in the American League, but he has been experiencing a productive career in Europe.