Scott Wheeler’s path to the NHL Media has been far from a traditional one. Growing up in Aurora, Ontario just outside of the hockey-mad Toronto. From an early age, Scott knew he wanted a career as a hockey writer. A former staff writer of the Toronto Sun, he has written for The Globe and Mail, SB Nation and he has interned for the PGA. Today, he is one of the top writers of The Athletic when it comes to the NHL Draft and the Toronto Marlies.
Scouting hockey has always been a passion of his.
“I was always super interested in tactics and structure, just the way that the game was coached or played. I coached my high school team when I was in high school, and we had a couple of players from that team that has gone on to play in the NHL and that was big for me. From there on even before I knew I wanted to write about prospects back in the day. I was just fascinated by prospects.”
Knowing that, if he were to set himself apart from every other hockey writer, he would have to find a different approach.
As a hockey fan, Carleton University presents a unique opportunity in terms of the proximity of teams. Of course, the Ottawa Senators are nearby but as a fan of the game, you'd be be rewarded with having the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s and the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques. As two of the top junior leagues are right at your doorstep.
Scott knew this and took full advantage. Already writing online for hockey blogs he seized the opportunity that was in front of him and reached out to a few scouting websites.
“I approached McKeen's about helping them with their to annual yearbooks, and with their monthly meetings for their rankings. So, I began filing reports for them. Again, I was really lucky because I was in Ottawa. The 67’s are right there, but then I also had access to Gatineau and their junior team.”
Taking what he already established at hockey blogs, Scott took off with McKeen’s. His writing there was an early mold into what he would he be eventually doing with The Athletic.
Established in 2016, The Athletic is showcased as the sports section of a newspaper catered to the individual in the palm on your hands. They cover a wide variety of sports, from football to soccer, basketball to hockey with the industry's top journalists.
“Honestly, I couldn't have asked for a better career, I feel really lucky. I got the job in the first place by what I would say is complete luck. I was working for Escalation that blog site and I was covering the Centennial Classic between Detroit and Toronto and James Mirtle just happened. The guy who's sitting next to me in the press box and that was right after The Athletic just started so he kind of turned to me and said hey, you're young. We need help, and we need cheap, and we need someone who can edit for us part-time. I left for the Toronto Star for a bit but I kept pitching stories to Mirtle in my spare time and got a few stories up and then one thing led to another and now it's my full-time career."
Since joining The Athletic full time, two years ago, he has become one of their premier writers on the draft. Not only does he write features on players and put them into rankings, he puts himself into the players' shoes. He’s not just a writer he’s an immersive journalist. On several occasions, he has taken part in the daily lives of these hockey players. Not only to better understand their game but to understand who the person behind the prospect is.
These Day-in-the-life pieces set Scott’s writing apart from so many. Comprehending a prospect’s ability can take one’s evaluation of a player far, but to realize where this person comes from and how they develop their drive is the kind of information Scott seeks and what keeps his readers on the edge to find out.
“I did one with the Newfoundland Growlers, the Brampton Beast and, with the Wisconsin Badgers with Cole Caulfield, Miller and all of those guys. But the one with Brampton was unique just because I went on a four-day road trip with them. I spent months and months before that trying to earn their trust, trying to just give them an understanding of what I was trying to do with the story, and that I was just trying to sort of tell an untold story, and I even went and practiced with them, got on the ice and everything.”
Players come and go but Scott values each one on a personal level. His compassion for the each individual is highlighted in his work. Understanding that these players and organizations are doing him a favour, he hopes to return the favour with his stories.
“I ruffled some feathers for them because they were also an organization that was in major financial trouble and that was a huge part of the story, and how hard their wives were and all that. It was bold of them to sort of give me any kind of access that they did, and it turned out really well. I hope for both sides.”
When I phoned Scott for this interview, I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I got was a writer who cares not only about his work, but about what he’s saying through his work. Not only is he telling the story of others, but with each piece a part of his story is being revealed, and he’s only getting started.
Written by: Will Shelleau, April 9, 2020
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