Kings Article: LA Kings Director of Amateur Scouting Mark Yannetti on the 2023 NHL Draft: “We’ve Got to Get a Little Creative”

[Sol]

So your head scout tells you to pick Stutzle and Cozen, and the GM picks Byfield and Turcotte. How is it his fault?

Yanetti wanted Stutzle?

 

[KINGS17]

I think its Luc wanted someone to speak a little francais and tick the diversity checkbox .. with bergovin now he has a little group of quebecois expats to hang with

I wonder, is Luc a separatist? You know, Quebec for Quebecers.

 

[AbsentMojo]

I'll never, ever understand why any time a woman gets hired it's only because of diversity. It's wild.

Well its based on stuff I read in KP's post to arrive at that conjecture.. anyways may she have success in whatever she is doing for LAK.. Kings Article: - LA Kings Director of Amateur Scouting Mark Yannetti on the 2023 NHL Draft: “We’ve Got to Get a Little Creative”

 

[SmytheKing]

Well its based on stuff I read in KP's post to arrive at that conjecture.. anyways may she have success in whatever she is doing for LAK.. Kings Article: - LA Kings Director of Amateur Scouting Mark Yannetti on the 2023 NHL Draft: “We’ve Got to Get a Little Creative”

I understand what it's based on, but why is "diversity" the conjecture? She's been friends with Luc for a while according to that same post. How come it's not just nepotism?

I'm not saying "you" are doing it either. I'm saying it's a constant. A black guy or a woman gets hired and it's "well I just hope they're picking the best candidate and it's not to appear woke" when there's decades of evidence that they never pick based on who "the best candidate" is. Whatever that even means.

 

[AbsentMojo]

I understand what it's based on, but why is "diversity" the conjecture? She's been friends with Luc for a while according to that same post. How come it's not just nepotism?

I'm not saying "you" are doing it either. I'm saying it's a constant. A black guy or a woman gets hired and it's "well I just hope they're picking the best candidate and it's not to appear woke" when there's decades of evidence that they never pick based on who "the best candidate" is. Whatever that even means.

There is now that question always hanging in the air because of quotas - e.g. the Oscar's wont allow a movie to be nominated unless certain group quotas are met in the cast. I hope the geniuses that are implementing this kind of social engineering realize they are just creating a new group of victims.. ie those that were better but didnt get cast because their genetics or gender were already at quota... I dont think anyone else wants to read this so PM if you want to discuss further....

 

[DoktorJeep]

Here’s the thing with staffing hockey ops with a bunch of retired NHL players. These guys secured a fat bag during their playing career. So they’re happy to take whatever wages if it keeps them in town and out of the house during the day, so the wife isn’t pissed off.

Why spend $350k on Mike Futa when Emmer is willing to fill a no show job for like $250k.

 

[Bandit]

Do I have a single link to verify her friendships....no....can't say I do....

Do you have a single link to verify Glen Murrays friendship with Blake?

Lol. This has got to be the most clueless thing you have ever posted, and that is REALLY saying something.

 

[Surf Nutz]

Yanetti wanted Stutzle?

So your head scout tells you to pick Stutzle and Cozen, and the GM picks Byfield and Turcotte. How is it his fault?

This was mis overheard.
At the draft table Yanetti said he wanted "strudel" and then told Blake he would "get a dozen."

 

[King'sPawn]

Well its based on stuff I read in KP's post to arrive at that conjecture.. anyways may she have success in whatever she is doing for LAK.. Kings Article: - LA Kings Director of Amateur Scouting Mark Yannetti on the 2023 NHL Draft: “We’ve Got to Get a Little Creative”

Sorry, I never meant to imply that Rheaume was a diversity hire. I more meant to imply that as she wasn't directly involved with the Kings and not a pure nepotic hire by virtue of being buddies with executives on the Kings, that she does provide a good, unique perspective. But it's unclear as to how her perspective has been utilized.

 

[funky]

Yanetti wanted Stutzle?

In a couple of interviews done by Yanetti last year he said they had two players valued equal and Blake made the final decision on the pick. No we can assume one was a Byfield, as that is who they took, but he did not say if the other one was Stutzle, Raymond etc.

In his latest interview, he did say that if Clarke was gone, they would’ve took a wallstedt

I haven’t heard him say anything about the Turcotte pick but the look on their face is when Colorado took Byram made me feel that that was the pick the kings wanted all along

 

[bland]

I understand what it's based on, but why is "diversity" the conjecture? She's been friends with Luc for a while according to that same post. How come it's not just nepotism?

I'm not saying "you" are doing it either. I'm saying it's a constant. A black guy or a woman gets hired and it's "well I just hope they're picking the best candidate and it's not to appear woke" when there's decades of evidence that they never pick based on who "the best candidate" is. Whatever that even means.

There is no such thing as Best Candidate Available...

 

[BigKing]

In a couple of interviews done by Yanetti last year he said they had two players valued equal and Blake made the final decision on the pick. No we can assume one was a Byfield, as that is who they took, but he did not say if the other one was Stutzle, Raymond etc.

In his latest interview, he did say that if Clarke was gone, they would’ve took a wallstedt

I haven’t heard him say anything about the Turcotte pick but the look on their face is when Colorado took Byram made me feel that that was the pick the kings wanted all along

I think they liked Byram and Dach more than Turcotte.

 

[apadilla]

I wish he was asked who was the one (or was it unanimous) pushing for the Kings to select Hughes at 51 last year. The Ducks pick a 6'5 hard hitting defenseman at 42, and the Kings go with a 6' average skating forward at 51. The scouts get paid good money. This kind of bad a choice should matter.

 

[mysterman2]

And then use that pick to draft a 5'10" C

but he has a motor and plays the game the right way...

 

[Ollie Weeks]

 

[Statto]

So your head scout tells you to pick Stutzle and Cozen, and the GM picks Byfield and Turcotte. How is it his fault?

With Stützle and Byfield they (the scouting team) had them both in the same tier and Byfield better fitted what Blake was trying to put together so they (Blake) picked QB. Yanetti talked about that in a prior podcast, I forget which one though.

EDIT: Just saw the (better) reply from @funky

 

[Statto]

I think they liked Byram and Dach more than Turcotte.

Byram definitely was their preferred guy, it was crystal clear at the draft table. They were clearly disappointed.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Byram definitely was their preferred guy, it was crystal clear at the draft table. They were clearly disappointed.

Notwithstanding the player they may have wanted to fall to them, pretty sure the reporting earlier this spring was that Blake overruled Yannetti and picked Turcotte instead of Zegras at 5.

Yeah, found the Rosen report:

All honest indications are that Turcotte has soured into a missed pick, and the Kings will have little to show for the pain of enduring a dismal 2018-19 season in which they entered the lottery with the second-best odds. Plenty of Stanley Cup winners swing and miss with high draft picks; Los Angeles weathered going off the board to select Thomas Hickey fourth overall in 2007 just fine.

The concern here is that Blake diverged from his scouts, and according to three sources, chose Turcotte when Director of Amateur Scouting Mark Yannetti had Trevor Zegras, who has 139 points in 180 career games down the road in Anaheim, ranked higher on the draft list. There have also been whispers that Tony Granato, who would coach Turcotte for one year at Wisconsin, strongly advocated for his incoming freshman prior to the draft.

 

[Statto]

In a couple of interviews done by Yanetti last year he said they had two players valued equal and Blake made the final decision on the pick. No we can assume one was a Byfield, as that is who they took, but he did not say if the other one was Stutzle, Raymond etc.

In his latest interview, he did say that if Clarke was gone, they would’ve took a wallstedt

I haven’t heard him say anything about the Turcotte pick but the look on their face is when Colorado took Byram made me feel that that was the pick the kings wanted all along

@Sol Im surprised this stuff passed you by. You should listen to his interviews over the last 2-3 years as they provide some very good insight to the draft process. I’m assuming you haven’t as the Stützle stuff was discussed properly. It may not change your view but it is interesting, he’s very candid and if anything can over share a little.

Notwithstanding the player they may have wanted to fall to them, pretty sure the reporting earlier this spring was that Blake overruled Yannetti and picked Turcotte instead of Zegras at 5.

Yeah, found the Rosen report:

I remember seeing something to that effect but do not know what the source was.

The thing with Turcotte, even if he wasn’t the best pick a #5 he is/was first round talent. I don’t think his injury issues could have been forseen… not to the extent they have occurred.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[BigKing]

Notwithstanding the player they may have wanted to fall to them, pretty sure the reporting earlier this spring was that Blake overruled Yannetti and picked Turcotte instead of Zegras at 5.

Yeah, found the Rosen report:

Blake has been like Dave Taylor at the draft table, right? Take the CSB guy that falls to you. Have to take Turcotte since he "fell" to #5 instead of a guy that is ranked a little bit lower. "Don't fire me if the guy busts...he was ranked right where I drafted him...or even higher!!!"

Now, I'm not saying you reach for Hickey at #4 but the jumps for Simmonds and Clifford were pretty nice.

 

[Herby]

Blake has been like Dave Taylor at the draft table, right? Take the CSB guy that falls to you. Have to take Turcotte since he "fell" to #5 instead of a guy that is ranked a little bit lower. "Don't fire me if the guy busts...he was ranked right where I drafted him...or even higher!!!"

Now, I'm not saying you reach for Hickey at #4 but the jumps for Simmonds and Clifford were pretty nice.

Yup, that is exactly what Taylor would do.

Grebeshkov, Karlsson, Kopitar, Brown, Tukonen. The Kings would take the CSB faller every year, that is why everyone on here would always call the Kings the “draft winners” around back in the day. DT would mix in some of his beloved 6’4+ project picks like Steckel and Boyle in there.

With Turcotte it’s just time to come to reality. There certainly is some bad luck in that nobody saw him being this bad, but there is still blame to go around that the scouts had the right pick and the GM made a huge mistake and overruled them. And it’s not injuries, even when he has played he has struggled to produce offense at any level since being drafted. 1 goal in 21 B10 games, 18 goals in 97 AHL games, 0 points in 12 NHL games.

Look at those numbers and then realize LA used a #5 pick to get those. It was one of the worst decisions in the modern history of the franchise to override those scouts.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Wait….Blake picked Turcotte because he listened to Granato rather than his staff which wanted Zegras?

 

[Herby]

Wait….Blake picked Turcotte because he listened to Granato rather than his staff which wanted Zegras?

That was one of the reasons that Rosen gave in his end of the season report.

The frustrating thing is WI had Caufield, K’Andre Miller and Frederic with Granato as HC, all would be playing important roles on the Kings.

 

[BigKing]

Yup, that is exactly what Taylor would do.

Grebeshkov, Karlsson, Kopitar, Brown, Tukonen. The Kings would take the CSB faller every year, that is why everyone on here would always call the Kings the “draft winners” around back in the day. DT would mix in some of his beloved 6’4+ project picks like Steckel and Boyle in there.

With Turcotte it’s just time to come to reality. There certainly is some bad luck in that nobody saw him being this bad, but there is still blame to go around that the scouts had the right pick and the GM made a huge mistake and overruled them. And it’s not injuries, even when he has played he has struggled to produce offense at any level since being drafted. 1 goal in 21 B10 games, 18 goals in 97 AHL games, 0 points in 12 NHL games.

Look at those numbers and then realize LA used a #5 pick to get those. It was one of the worst decisions in the modern history of the franchise to override those scouts.

Blake has been a complete p***y of a GM until the Quick trade. "Got to grab this guy before some other team gets him". Hilarious.

Very paint-by-numbers with all the non-Quick moves generally being ones "Nobody will fault me if this doesn't work out". Very much the look of a "keep my job" v. the supposed genius they had to get in the GM chair ASAP before he was snapped up. Furthers the old boy's club throughout the management team. He gets credit for good signings but then he has horrible ones. Just painfully, painfully mediocre.

I don't like the guy. Not a secret. I want him to be the greatest GM in the history of the team and it sucks that were this far into the Blake era and it is generally playing out like one would expect. This guy was put on this planet to f***ing torment Kings fans.