Scouting Changes

[Freeptop]

So I poke around the Pens' Hockey Ops page from time to time, and just look at what has changed in the listings there, since many of those positions don't get announced. I noticed a few things:

1) Erkki Rajamaki is no longer listed as a scout.
2) Tommy Westlund is now officially listed as a European Scout again (instead of just "Amateur Scout").
3) Jay Heinbuck is now just an "Amateur Scout", instead of a Co-Director of Amateur Scouting.
4) Randy Sexton is now the sole Director of Amateur Scouting (he was originally hired as an Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting in 2010, then promoted to co-director last year).

It's interesting to see the change over from Jay Heinbuck to Randy Sexton. They may not have changed the personnel, but by changing management, they certainly seem to have changed how they draft (albeit only looking at a small sample size under Rutherford vs Shero's tenure).

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[Jacob]

Seems like a re-shuffling similar to what they're doing on the radio. Eliminating redundant positions and combining others perhaps? Just to save money and make the team look more efficient before a sale.

Only slightly related but I wonder what the deal is with Conte in NJ? That guy was considered up there with Hakan Andersson as far as amateur/prospect scouting about a decade ago. NJ's drafting and developing has been in the toilet for about 5 years though, not sure how much of that is on him. Probably not much. They trade a lot of picks, their farm system is garbage and they don't play prospects at the NHL level. He'd be a good guy to bring in IMO.

 

[Zen Arcade]

Shero let Conte go, I haven't heard anything about him since then.

 

[Asuna]

Lamourillo may bring him to Toronto in a scouting position.

 

[clefty]

Randy Sexton had been the one giving most of the soundbites on the last two drafts, not Heinbuck. Instead of firing him and paying him out, they're probably reassigning him with the intention of simply letting his contract expire, like they did with Andre Savard.

Jay Heinbuck really seemed like a waste of 8 or 9 years. I guess that's what happens when you choose to headhunt from a staff compiled by Mike Milbury.