Former professional hockey player Mark Mowers understands the often lonely life of an NHL scout.
During the NHL regular season, Mowers’ assignments consist of watching and reporting on several teams and their primary minor league affiliates. He’s the eyes and ears for the Minnesota Wild as one of the team’s three pro scouts.
From Boston to Buffalo, and all points throughout the northeast and down to Florida, Mowers is charting the future opponents of the Wild. Through his trained hockey eyes, the nuggets of information Mowers relays back to the home office in Minnesota after each game will hopefully give the Wild an advantage next time the teams meet.
Living out of a suitcase, visiting multiple cities weekly, without any coworkers to exchange ideas or offer suggestions, the life of a scout is often difficult at first. As a “one man office,” no day is the same as the next. There is no time card to punch or two similar schedules to follow.
Earlier this week, Mowers’ scouting duties took him from his home base in Boston to Cleveland. After his flight touched down at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Mowers hit the road, driving nearly 150 miles west to Columbus. The Dallas Stars were the evening’s opponents of the Columbus Blue Jackets. After analyzing the 6–4 Blue Jackets win, after a few hours’ sleep, Mowers was up and on the go, again.
“I flew into Cleveland and drove to Columbus. After the game, the next day I flew home to Boston,” Mowers told The Epoch Times.
“Both my daughters are away at college, so on Wednesdays, me and my wife Jana have dinner together. Then, this Thursday I‘ll fly to Raleigh [N.C.] to watch the Hurricanes-Buffalo Sabres game. From Raleigh, I’ll be driving west to South Carolina to watch my daughter compete for her college’s gymnastics team. Friday, I’m off to Buffalo for Saturday’s game with the Sabres and the Canadiens.”
Given the professional pedigree of Mowers as a skater in the NHL and European elite leagues, and being detached from traveling with a group of players, a scout could feel like a staff of one—a lone wolf. Being on the road alone is the worst part of scouting. On the upside, as an NHL scout, Mowers said he can manage his schedule the way he wants.
It’s difficult to build relationships with those on the Wild’s roster for the scouting staff. Although he doesn’t see the team on a regular basis, Mowers finds ways to strengthen his familiarity with them.
“It’s games every night,” said Mowers, who during his 13-year pro career skated with the Nashville Predators, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, and Anaheim Ducks. “The whole point of the season is for the team to win. If you don’t win, it could feel like a very long off-season.”
Gone are the days of using paper maps for directions. Flying from NHL and American Hockey League (NHL’s primary affiliate league) cities has cut down on travel time dramatically over the years. With the availability of satellite and celestial radio to pass time while traveling to arenas, Mowers can choose to listen to audio books, podcasts, various apps, and of course, speaking to members of his family or exchanging game notes with other members of the Wild’s scouting team by cell phone. A scout’s office is often a temporary seat in a press box, and while on the open road, most of the time without walls.
In observing his regular ensemble of teams throughout the regular season, from October through mid-April, Mowers assembles a “book” on each player. Their skills become obvious as the season progresses, and Mowers’ attention to what’s going on from one end of the rink to the next remains focused.
Beginning his scouting career in 2012 with Montreal for five seasons, Mowers moved on for a season with the Sabres organization and joined the Wild’s staff in 2019. Having been a teammate of some of the NHL’s greatest of all-time, including Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, and Zdeno Chara, Mower’s scouting reference is clear. He understands who should be doing what and where at any given time during a hockey game.
This coming weekend’s schedule for Mowers promises to be more challenging than most. The Wild is visiting the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Friday. After that evening match-up, the following morning Mowers departs from Denver International Airport for his home hub of Boston Logan International Airport. On Sunday, March 2, at 2:00 p.m., Mowers is in Beverly, Mass., at the Ray Bourque Arena. As an active member of the Boston Bruins’ Alumni team, he will play in Sunday’s game, which will benefit the Beverly Youth Hockey program.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Mowers says about skating with friends for worthy causes. “The camaraderie we have is incredible. Skating with the guys is a welcomed release from all the traveling that I do.”
Another gratifying release for Mowers from his long hours on the road is participating as an ambassador for the Warrior For Life Fund. The Fund’s purpose is to support military families, active duty and veterans, as they transition through the unique challenges of combat service and coming back home.
A scout’s life isn’t for everyone. The lifestyle required is unique, but as Mowers continues to experience, it can be rewarding, and it’s important to the overall success of an NHL organization. Being a scout is a privilege Mowers is grateful to have.
