Former Calgary Flame Scout Is Hired by Mighty Ducks

The Mighty Ducks have hired their first scout, Al Godfrey, and assigned him to cover college, high school and junior hockey in the Midwest, General Manager Jack Ferreira announced Thursday.

Godfrey, 58, is a former Calgary Flame scout and Minnesota high school coach who is a member of the NHL Central Scouting staff. He will begin working for the Ducks after returning from the European Junior Championships in Poland.

The addition of Godfrey gives the Ducks three employees who have spent the majority of the season scouting. As the team prepares for the expansion and entry drafts in June, it can rely on reports compiled by not only by Godfrey, but by Ferreira, who had been scouting the NHL and minor leagues for the Montreal Canadiens, and assistant general manager Pierre Gauthier, who as chief scout for the Quebec Nordiques focused on players who will be eligible for the entry draft.

Ferreira, who once worked with Godfrey on the Calgary scouting staff, had said the Ducks might find it difficult to hire scouts away from other NHL teams before the draft. But the NHL agreed to release Godfrey as long as he completes his final duties. Ferreira said he is continuing to try to hire additional scouts before the draft.