Coaldale NHL scout lifts the Stanley Cup

By Lethbridge Herald on July 8, 2022.

Submitted Photo Colorado Avalanche director of amateur scouting Wade Klippenstein and defenceman Cale Makar share a moment with the Stanley Cup. Klippenstein was the scout that recruited Makar to Denver.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Colorado Avalanche’s director of amateur scouting and Coaldale resident Wade Klippenstein is a Stanley Cup champion after the team won in the sixth and decisive game over the Tampa Bay Lightning on June 26.

It was the first cup for the Avalanche since 2001.

“I think it’ll be something that’s best enjoyed in reflection, whether it’s a month from now or 10 years from now,” said Klippenstein.

“It was quite a hectic year as you know the schedule that changed coming out of COVID and this is the first almost regular hockey season in three years. So for our group to get through what we did and have the regular season and finish it off with a playoff, and obviously a championship, it’s a pretty special year.”

The amateur scouting staff didn’t travel to Tampa Bay and decided to stay back in Denver and cherish the moment together.

“We had a real good opportunity to share that moment just as an amateur staff,” he said.

“We watched the game together and when the team returned, that’s when we spent a lot of time with the management, players and the rest of the staff. So it was really unique, it was special for our group; we’ve been through a lot together and to have that moment with the 15 of us together, it was a special evening for all of us.”

He rates this win at the top of his list.

Klippenstein was the scout that landed now all-star defenceman Cale Makar to the team when he was drafted in 2017.

When Klippenstein came to the Avs in his very first year, Makar was playing for the  Brooks Bandits and part of his assignment was to watch the Alberta Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League and pretty much all the hockey that happens in the west.

“Just more geographically based,” said Klippenstein.

“I got to get to know him pretty good as a player … Every player we select, it goes through a process with our entire staff. There’s no one player that gets selected by one person — it doesn’t work that way. But he was a player in my area that I was able to identify early on and get the rest our staff excited about selecting Cale.”

Klippenstein said he became that special player and there’s more to come.

“I think people called him special four to five years ago, I don’t know what the next word is,” said Klippenstein.

“But he’s obviously trending towards being a very unique generational player that we’re fortunate to have (as) a part of our group.”

Klippenstein said it was a pretty solid year from start to finish.

“We put together a few pretty impressive streaks along the way,” he said.

“But as we’ve seen in years past it doesn’t guarantee anything. We were a really good team last year and had trouble getting out of the second round. And for our group, even looking back five, six years ago  when we were the absolute worst team in the NHL, to get to the top of the mountain six years later as the No. 1 team in the league, it’s been quite a journey.”

He hopes to bring the Cup back to Coaldale.