The Florida Panthers, for example, have been steadily cutting their scouting budget for at least a year. Their scouts travel less than they used to but the team tries to make up for it through regional coverage, a tactic other teams have adopted. Each of the Panthers' three pro scouts covers a region, with one doing the East, one the Midwest and another the West.
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The haves and have-nots in scouting - This article appeared in The Globe and Mail over the weekend. While the Panthers are pointed out as cutting their budget it also notes many other teams do the same things. Only time will tell how these decisions (for all NHL teams) eventually effect the product on the ice.
