NORTH BATTLEFORD — A North Battleford pioneer was among 30 hockey scouts inducted into the 2025 Wall of Honour during the Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation ceremony in Okotoks, Alta., recently.
Albert "Jeep" George, who died in 1985, is one of four North Battleford individuals now in the Wall of Honour. He joins Al Tuer (2025), Graham Tuer (2024) and Ron Delorme (2024).
George’s son, David George, accepted the award posthumously on his father’s behalf at the banquet ceremony on July 29.
"It's awesome," David said. "He was one of the hardest workers I've ever known. He worked his tail off to do everything right."
According to his biography from the Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation, Albert "Jeep" George (May 1, 1925 — June 1, 1985) was born in North Battleford and worked with the New York Rangers, NHL Central Scouting and Hartford Whalers.
The Rangers hired him in September 1969 as the Western Canadian director of scouting, filling the spot created when Denis Ball was promoted to assistant GM.
George moved to Central Scouting in 1975, then joined Hartford from 1981-84.
With his brother William (Moe), George founded Battlefords’ first junior hockey program, the Beaver Bruins, in 1954.
He was a prolific scorer in intermediate and senior ranks with the North Battleford Beavers in the late 1940s and into the 1950s.
George was inducted into the SJHL Hall of Fame in 2024, along with his son, David, and David’s son, Michael.
He earned his nickname while working in Thunder Bay during the Second World War, picking up and installing cockpit parts. When doing the pickups, he always drove a Jeep.
David George noted scouts are an integral part of hockey.
"If you don't have scouts, you don't have players," he said. "What's most important is you get the good report on the player your team potentially wants. And if there's not a good report, you don't draft them."
He said what his dad enjoyed most about scouting was simply the game.
"He just watched hockey," he said. "He loved the game. Our family has been involved since forever. My dad played, my uncle played, we all played."
Another 2025 inductee from North Battleford is Al Tuer.
According to his biography, Tuer was born in North Battleford and began his scouting career (1999-2000) with NHL Central Scouting.
He joined the Calgary Flames as an amateur scout (2001-10).
Tuer followed that with 11 seasons with the Florida Panthers as a pro scout, then head pro scout and director of professional scouting.
He has been a pro scout with the New York Rangers since 2021.
As a player, Tuer spent two-plus seasons with the WHL’s Regina Pats, racking up 486 penalty minutes in 1981-82.
His 12-season professional playing career included one goal in 57 games split between the Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota North Stars and Hartford Whalers.
After retiring as a player, Tuer spent five seasons (1993-98) as GM/head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors and one with the Tri-City Americans.
His father, the late Graham Tuer, was a 2024 Wall of Honour inductee.
