October 6, 2025 • 5 mins
From October 5th, 2025
Cape Breton Eagles scout Sam Foster joins FFM Radio Nova Scotia during a U18 Major Hockey League intermission. He shares insights on scouting priorities—hockey sense, compete level, and skating—and praises the league’s improved training and goaltending. Foster highlights the Eagles’ strong team culture and singles out Jacob Hartland as a rising talent.
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Cape Breton Eagles scout Sam Foster joins FFM Radio Nova Scotia during a U18 Major Hockey League intermission. He shares insights on scouting priorities—hockey sense, compete level, and skating—and praises the league’s improved training and goaltending. Foster highlights the Eagles’ strong team culture and singles out Jacob Hartland as a rising talent.
Visit the NSU18MHL
Check out FFM Radio
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
The following is an FFM Radio Nova Scotia U eighteen
Major Hockey League intermission interview.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome back to the Zatsman Sportsblocks. After twenty minutes of play,
Steele Suberu and the visiting Valley Wildcats tied one to one.
Really please to be joined by Sam Foster. Sam is
the Maritimes scout for the Cape Bretton Eagles of the
Quebec Maritimes Major Hockey League. Sam, thanks for taking the
time to join us here. Just your thoughts overall on
that first twenty minutes.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
I thought it was very competitive. They're both quick teams,
lots of competition out there and a little bit of skill.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Gold Ender's making some saves, so good game it is. Indeed,
I won't put you on the spot and ask you
specifically if there's anyone you're watching, but in general, what
types of things in your role with the Eagles are
you looking for when you come out and watch teams play.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
The first three things I look for every time are skating,
compete and hockey since actually hockey since and compete and
then skating.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
For me, I know, covering minor hockey over the last
couple of decades, you know, I've seen such an improvement
in the skill level in off ice training, in skill training,
and the players have gotten bigger and better. What are
some of the biggest changes you've seen at this level
over your time watching hockey.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Well, I think kids just they're they're doing it year
round as compared to years ago, you've only done it
so months a year, so many months a year.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
They have better.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Training, they're better training and the kids have they eat better,
they train better, you know. So it's definitely come a
long way.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
When I was first in broadcasting, I worked with Eastling
Television and I was for my first two years were
down in Cape Bretton in the early two thousands and
I covered the Cape Bretton Eagles and it was such
a great organization to be around. The community. Loved them
so much. What does it mean to you to be
part of the Cape Britton Eagles franchise? Oh?
Speaker 1 (02:02):
I love working for the Eagles. You know, the organization
from top to bottom. I mean we're all we're like family.
Like I can call the GM, we can talk you know, personally,
or you know, the fans they're just they're true Eagle fans.
I mean they're Cape Brettner's and they're Eagle fans and
they love their team and it's an easy place to work.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Without getting into too much detail, you mentioned the things
that you're looking for as a scout, but when you're
talking to the Eagles GM or any of the staff,
what kind of questions do they ask you? Do they
want you to expand on the things you talked about,
or do they have maybe other specifics that they want
to know as well? Well?
Speaker 1 (02:44):
The higher up sauce all you, the GMS and the
assistant gms, they also watch quite a bit hockey themselves,
so they have a fair idea. Maybe not as in
depth as I do, but they asked a lot of questions,
and I mean it's the same old Well, you want
a kid that competes, You want a kid that's you know,
you know he's he can skate and he can think
(03:08):
the game, and you know that's those are the things
they asked me. We'll wrap up with you here in
a second.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Sam I commented in the first intermission that so far
in the early season, there's a lot of really good
talents in the Nova Scotia eighteen Major Hockey League, but
it's been the goaltending that has stood out for me,
some really good quality goaltending at this level. From your perspective,
why do you think that the goaltending game in this
league has improved to the point now where every team
(03:35):
has a couple of really great goalis.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
I don't know. I guess they're just training properly. There's
better trainers nowadays, and there's so much more for them.
I mean, I mean, I mean to me, goaltending is
mostly between the head. I mean, the skills are one thing,
but you've got to have that certain bit inside, and
it seems like whoever's training them nowadays is making them
(03:59):
more focused and that's a big thing.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Last thing for you over your time, whether it's been
scouting or just watching the game at the Nova Scotia
A teen major Hockey league level, is there a player
that pops to mind that you were watching that when
you see where they've gone now the next level, whatever
level that is, that you think I knew watching that
player back then that they were going to become this.
What player, if any pops to mind.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Well, that's a hard one. Well, just recently, a guy
like Jacob Hartland, you know, like he's where he started
he was an average skater his first year, and he
spent so much time working on it and now skating's
not an issue, it's actually a strength and I think
he's going to be a good player for us.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Well. Sam Foster, listen, we appreciate you taking the time
to join us around the broadcast. Always interesting to get
the insights from a scout's point of view, and wish
you lots of luck scouting the rest of the year,
and of course lots of luck to the Cape Brighton
Eagles as well. Thank you very much, been a pleasure.
That is Sam Foster. He's the maritime Scout for the
Kpwright Egles. This has been a production of the Firm
(05:04):
Foundation Media Radio Network. You can follow us on Facebook
and Mixler.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Thank you for tuning in. Elderdog Canada has spent sixteen
years strengthening the bond between seniors and their beloved dogs.
From helping older adults keep their companions at home to
finding new families for aging pups their coast to coast
volunteers make it all possible. Here's to more wagging tails
and heartwarming connections. Learn more at Elderdog dot c
The following is an FFM Radio Nova Scotia U eighteen
Major Hockey League intermission interview.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome back to the Zatsman Sportsblocks. After twenty minutes of play,
Steele Suberu and the visiting Valley Wildcats tied one to one.
Really please to be joined by Sam Foster. Sam is
the Maritimes scout for the Cape Bretton Eagles of the
Quebec Maritimes Major Hockey League. Sam, thanks for taking the
time to join us here. Just your thoughts overall on
that first twenty minutes.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
I thought it was very competitive. They're both quick teams,
lots of competition out there and a little bit of skill.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Gold Ender's making some saves, so good game it is. Indeed,
I won't put you on the spot and ask you
specifically if there's anyone you're watching, but in general, what
types of things in your role with the Eagles are
you looking for when you come out and watch teams play.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
The first three things I look for every time are skating,
compete and hockey since actually hockey since and compete and
then skating.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
For me, I know, covering minor hockey over the last
couple of decades, you know, I've seen such an improvement
in the skill level in off ice training, in skill training,
and the players have gotten bigger and better. What are
some of the biggest changes you've seen at this level
over your time watching hockey.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Well, I think kids just they're they're doing it year
round as compared to years ago, you've only done it
so months a year, so many months a year.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
They have better.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Training, they're better training and the kids have they eat better,
they train better, you know. So it's definitely come a
long way.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
When I was first in broadcasting, I worked with Eastling
Television and I was for my first two years were
down in Cape Bretton in the early two thousands and
I covered the Cape Bretton Eagles and it was such
a great organization to be around. The community. Loved them
so much. What does it mean to you to be
part of the Cape Britton Eagles franchise? Oh?
Speaker 1 (02:02):
I love working for the Eagles. You know, the organization
from top to bottom. I mean we're all we're like family.
Like I can call the GM, we can talk you know, personally,
or you know, the fans they're just they're true Eagle fans.
I mean they're Cape Brettner's and they're Eagle fans and
they love their team and it's an easy place to work.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Without getting into too much detail, you mentioned the things
that you're looking for as a scout, but when you're
talking to the Eagles GM or any of the staff,
what kind of questions do they ask you? Do they
want you to expand on the things you talked about,
or do they have maybe other specifics that they want
to know as well? Well?
Speaker 1 (02:44):
The higher up sauce all you, the GMS and the
assistant gms, they also watch quite a bit hockey themselves,
so they have a fair idea. Maybe not as in
depth as I do, but they asked a lot of questions,
and I mean it's the same old Well, you want
a kid that competes, You want a kid that's you know,
you know he's he can skate and he can think
(03:08):
the game, and you know that's those are the things
they asked me. We'll wrap up with you here in
a second.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Sam I commented in the first intermission that so far
in the early season, there's a lot of really good
talents in the Nova Scotia eighteen Major Hockey League, but
it's been the goaltending that has stood out for me,
some really good quality goaltending at this level. From your perspective,
why do you think that the goaltending game in this
league has improved to the point now where every team
(03:35):
has a couple of really great goalis.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
I don't know. I guess they're just training properly. There's
better trainers nowadays, and there's so much more for them.
I mean, I mean, I mean to me, goaltending is
mostly between the head. I mean, the skills are one thing,
but you've got to have that certain bit inside, and
it seems like whoever's training them nowadays is making them
(03:59):
more focused and that's a big thing.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Last thing for you over your time, whether it's been
scouting or just watching the game at the Nova Scotia
A teen major Hockey league level, is there a player
that pops to mind that you were watching that when
you see where they've gone now the next level, whatever
level that is, that you think I knew watching that
player back then that they were going to become this.
What player, if any pops to mind.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Well, that's a hard one. Well, just recently, a guy
like Jacob Hartland, you know, like he's where he started
he was an average skater his first year, and he
spent so much time working on it and now skating's
not an issue, it's actually a strength and I think
he's going to be a good player for us.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Well. Sam Foster, listen, we appreciate you taking the time
to join us around the broadcast. Always interesting to get
the insights from a scout's point of view, and wish
you lots of luck scouting the rest of the year,
and of course lots of luck to the Cape Brighton
Eagles as well. Thank you very much, been a pleasure.
That is Sam Foster. He's the maritime Scout for the
Kpwright Egles. This has been a production of the Firm
(05:04):
Foundation Media Radio Network. You can follow us on Facebook
and Mixler.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Thank you for tuning in. Elderdog Canada has spent sixteen
years strengthening the bond between seniors and their beloved dogs.
From helping older adults keep their companions at home to
finding new families for aging pups their coast to coast
volunteers make it all possible. Here's to more wagging tails
and heartwarming connections. Learn more at Elderdog dot c
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