Kings News: Rob Blake to replace Hextall as Assistant GM

[Fishhead]

I want Futa right where he is. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

I want Futa right where he is. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

If he is qualified and the kinds don't offer him, someone else will

 

[Choralone]

I want Futa right where he is. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Don't forget the Peter Principle either: don't promote a guy until he's reached a level where he's no longer effective. As others have said, Futa may like what he's doing now and not want to get involved with all the contract and cap B.S.

I'm not saying that's what happened here, but there's plenty of reasons that Futa may have not gotten the nod - reasons that both Futa and the team could agree upon.

 

[KingsFirstCup]

Hextall was a scout and was Director of Professional Player Personnel for the Flyers prior to joining the Kings. He had the credentials. Blake does not, certainly not over Futa.

How does being a scout for Philly give you more credentials for being a scout for team Canada and working for the NHL rules and safety committee? Neither one has anything to do with being a GM. You're really reaching to find something to discredit Blake and his ability to learn to be a GM. My guess is you've never met him or been around him at work so I'm not sure how you are able to judge this hiring. Sounds like it's just because you don't like him.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

How does being a scout for Philly give you more credentials for being a scout for team Canada and working for the NHL rules and safety committee? Neither one has anything to do with being a GM. You're really reaching to find something to discredit Blake and his ability to learn to be a GM. My guess is you've never met him or been around him at work so I'm not sure how you are able to judge this hiring. Sounds like it's just because you don't like him.

Serious question, do you know what the director of player personnel job entails?

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Yzerman and Sakic and Messier were put into hockey exec roles without much experience outside of playing the sport for many years. It's not like they're putting Blake in a decision making position like Gretzky had behind the Coyotes' bench. I wouldn't be too concerned over the title given to Blake. He'll learn the ropes under much more experienced people.

 

[Primakov!]

There are two sides to every story, but Blake doesn't do his credibility any favors when he puts a delay on the rebuild by invoking his NTC, because he wants to stay with the organization; then he signs with another team 3 months later, because the money wasn't scrounged up fast enough. That's why I question his character and credibility.

It's interesting that you bring up the NTC incident since I talked about that on the Mayor's website along with a blurb about how Blake claimed in a conference call that he never got a contract offer from the Kings so he had no choice but to sign with San Jose.

He replied by saying that I didn't have my facts straight and when I said I'm willing to admit I'm wrong if he would correct me and posted articles from Bob McKenzie and Rich Hammond that seemed to indicate otherwise he decided to remove my post.

So it's an example that there's just going to be people like him and Ziggy with strong opinions on one side of the issue and they're confident with their stance. While I don't necessarily agree with it, I'm going to try to respect their opinions on the matter and try not to let it bother me from here on out.

Unfortunately it's just going to play out to be one of those "agree to disagree" topics where Kings fans are going to line up on one side of the fence or the other.

 

[KingsFirstCup]

Serious question, do you know what the director of player personnel job entails?

Yes. Do you know what the job of an assistant GM entails?

 

[Winger23]

Yes. Do you know what the job of an assistant GM entails?

I know it means that every time we used to see hexy in interviews we now get to see this loser instead, and that in itself sucks major donkey balls.

 

[KINGS17]

Yzerman and Sakic and Messier were put into hockey exec roles without much experience outside of playing the sport for many years. It's not like they're putting Blake in a decision making position like Gretzky had behind the Coyotes' bench. I wouldn't be too concerned over the title given to Blake. He'll learn the ropes under much more experienced people.

...and Blake gets to skip all the steps that guys like Emerson and Donnelly have done, why? Because he is Rob Blake?

One of my major objections to this, if it happens, is that Blake has not paid any dues at all. The other guys have been busting their ***** for Dean for 7 years. I thought the new Kings' culture was about rewarding hard work and talent. Blake has not demonstrated a capacity for either in the area of player personnel selection or development.

 

[YP44]

...and Blake gets to skip all the steps that guys like Emerson and Donnelly have done, why? Because he is Rob Blake?

One of my major objections to this, if it happens, is that Blake has not paid any dues at all. The other guys have been busting their ***** for Dean for 7 years. I thought the new Kings' culture was about rewarding hard work and talent. Blake has not demonstrated a capacity for either in the area of player personnel selection or development.

Blake's work with hockey Canada is being discredited on this thread. Not saying it puts him above some of those guys, but it still counts for something.

 

[Riofan]

Lets see if any on the front office decide to move for being passed up for the position.

 

[NikF]

Yzerman and Sakic and Messier were put into hockey exec roles without much experience outside of playing the sport for many years. It's not like they're putting Blake in a decision making position like Gretzky had behind the Coyotes' bench. I wouldn't be too concerned over the title given to Blake. He'll learn the ropes under much more experienced people.

Seems to be working out for those teams.

 

[jt]

Blake's work with hockey Canada is being discredited on this thread. Not saying it puts him above some of those guys, but it still counts for something.

I don't follow hockey Canada that much. What exactly did he do with them?

 

[tigermask48]

Yzerman and Sakic and Messier were put into hockey exec roles without much experience outside of playing the sport for many years. It's not like they're putting Blake in a decision making position like Gretzky had behind the Coyotes' bench. I wouldn't be too concerned over the title given to Blake. He'll learn the ropes under much more experienced people.

The amount of sense Ziggy is making in this thread with posts like this is incredible. Almost as much as the irrational hatred of Blake being spewed... People are over-reacting thinking Blake is going to have little to any control over major decisions and it probably isn't going to happen. People need to lighten up, this isn't the end of the world. Do I like this choice? No. Can I live with it? Sure. Do I have faith that with the people DL put in place? Absolute 100% faith.

As far as Futa goes, what do people think of keeping him in his current role but also giving him the GM job for the Monarchs?

 

[KINGS17]

I don't follow hockey Canada that much. What exactly did he do with them?

My understanding is that Blake was on the selection committee for the Canadian team that participated in the last 3 WCs.

To me that's not even close to the day-to-day player development responsibilities that other people in the organization have had for the last 7 years.

Lets see if any on the front office decide to move for being passed up for the position.

I agree, this will be an interesting thing to watch.

The amount of sense Ziggy is making in this thread with posts like this is incredible. Almost as much as the irrational hatred of Blake being spewed... People are over-reacting thinking Blake is going to have little to any control over major decisions and it probably isn't going to happen. People need to lighten up, this isn't the end of the world. Do I like this choice? No. Can I live with it? Sure. Do I have faith that with the people DL put in place? Absolute 100% faith.

As far as Futa goes, what do people think of keeping him in his current role but also giving him the GM job for the Monarchs?

Nothing that happens in the NHL is the end of the world. How is it irrational to question Blake's credentials? I don't think Ziggy makes much sense at all, other than he is willing to give Blake a pass and reward him with a position that was not earned, while others are not. This whole thing kind of goes against everything the Kings' organization has stood for during Dean's tenure.

 

[King'sPawn]

Blake's work with hockey Canada is being discredited on this thread. Not saying it puts him above some of those guys, but it still counts for something.

He was part of Canada's WC selection committee which hasn't won a medal since he joined the committee. Is this something to really brag about?

 

[Butch 19]

He was part of Canada's WC selection committee which hasn't won a medal since he joined the committee. Is this something to really brag about?

Has anyone ever been aware of who is on a selection committee?

I think I see a trend of what the main line of questioning may be at the next GM's breakfast ...

 

[jt]

Has anyone ever been aware of who is on a selection committee?

I think I see a trend of what the main line of questioning may be at the next GM's breakfast ...

Can't wait to go...

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Yes.

Do tell.

 

[kingsfan]

...and Blake gets to skip all the steps that guys like Emerson and Donnelly have done, why? Because he is Rob Blake?

One of my major objections to this, if it happens, is that Blake has not paid any dues at all. The other guys have been busting their ***** for Dean for 7 years. I thought the new Kings' culture was about rewarding hard work and talent. Blake has not demonstrated a capacity for either in the area of player personnel selection or development.

Not to really dispute your main point, but not one of us (well, maybe TG) knows if anyone was offered the position or not before Blake was.

Think about it. Hextall steps down and goes straight to Philadelphia, and then 24 hours later Blake is in as Asst. GM

Doesn't that all seem a little to perfect for you all?

I'd wager Hextall told DL/the Kings that at some point he wants to be a GM in the league, and he fully knows (and respects) that it won't be in LA, considering DL just won a cup and lead LA back to the 3rd round of the playoffs this year. So instead of signing a contract extension in LA, he told the Kings he's moving on and gave DL time to find a replacement.

Once DL found Blake, Hextall moved on and Blake came in.

So this could have been in the works for months. Heck maybe even as far back as last year when LA won the cup. the writing was on the wall after that that DL was basically guaranteed to be LA's GM for the next 3-5 years after that moment alone.

As such, odds are DL did do a lengthy search, or at least spoke with those in his core he respects/trusts (Futa would likely have been in the first handful of people he spoke to) and it was decided Futa would stay where he is.

Really, until someone comes up with an article or link of some sort that says DL ignored others in the organization and went straight to Blake, all this nonsense about DL screwing over Futa, etc. is all a bunch of BS. There is no proof whatsoever that says DL didn't speak to those guys first. It's just the negative nancy's on here jumping immediately to the bad conclusion that somehow DL's head imploded and he forgot all about how he's handled things around here the past seven years (which has mostly been proven to be the correct way).

 

[KINGS17]

Not to really dispute your main point, but not one of us (well, maybe TG) knows if anyone was offered the position or not before Blake was.

Think about it. Hextall steps down and goes straight to Philadelphia, and then 24 hours later Blake is in as Asst. GM

Doesn't that all seem a little to perfect for you all?

I'd wager Hextall told DL/the Kings that at some point he wants to be a GM in the league, and he fully knows (and respects) that it won't be in LA, considering DL just won a cup and lead LA back to the 3rd round of the playoffs this year. So instead of signing a contract extension in LA, he told the Kings he's moving on and gave DL time to find a replacement.

Once DL found Blake, Hextall moved on and Blake came in.

So this could have been in the works for months. Heck maybe even as far back as last year when LA won the cup. the writing was on the wall after that that DL was basically guaranteed to be LA's GM for the next 3-5 years after that moment alone.

As such, odds are DL did do a lengthy search, or at least spoke with those in his core he respects/trusts (Futa would likely have been in the first handful of people he spoke to) and it was decided Futa would stay where he is.

Really, until someone comes up with an article or link of some sort that says DL ignored others in the organization and went straight to Blake, all this nonsense about DL screwing over Futa, etc. is all a bunch of BS. There is no proof whatsoever that says DL didn't speak to those guys first. It's just the negative nancy's on here jumping immediately to the bad conclusion that somehow DL's head imploded and he forgot all about how he's handled things around here the past seven years (which has mostly been proven to be the correct way).

If it wasn't for Hextall saying in his recent interview that he was approached by Homer at the draft about the possibility of returning to the Flyers and that it was done on a gut feeling, yeah sure.

None of us know the timeline or who was offered what, I simply said that there are better candidates than Blake within the organization. Maybe Dean talked to all of them, maybe he spoke to none of them. I find it hard to believe that with the number of possibilities within the organization that not a single one of them wanted the job, that's all.

 

[CNS]

The Mayor John Hoven ‏@mayorNHL now
#LAKings have officially announced Rob Blake as Asst GM. Sounds familiar.

 

[kingsfan]

If it wasn't for Hextall saying in his recent interview that he was approached by Homer at the draft about the possibility of returning to the Flyers and that it was done on a gut feeling, yeah sure.

None of us know the timeline or who was offered what, I simply said that there are better candidates than Blake within the organization. Maybe Dean talked to all of them, maybe he spoke to none of them. I find it hard to believe that with the number of possibilities within the organization that not a single one of them wanted the job, that's all.

With the comment you bolded, I was more meaning that Hextall could have said he was leaving months ago, not that he was specifically going to the Flyers.

 

[tigermask48]

If it wasn't for Hextall saying in his recent interview that he was approached by Homer at the draft about the possibility of returning to the Flyers and that it was done on a gut feeling, yeah sure.

None of us know the timeline or who was offered what, I simply said that there are better candidates than Blake within the organization. Maybe Dean talked to all of them, maybe he spoke to none of them. I find it hard to believe that with the number of possibilities within the organization that not a single one of them wanted the job, that's all.

Hextall had been doing interviews and on teams' list of candidates for almost a year before Homer talked to him. Plus it's the draft Futa, and company are literally AT THE SAME TABLE as DL... I mean really pretty much a perfect time to pull guys aside in the later rounds or during downtime and talk to them. I find it extremely far-fetched that DL wouldn't at least talk to the rest of his staff and explain to him what his plan was.