Confirmed with Link: Conte Out as Director of Scouting

[Richer's Ghost]

Thanks David for decades of great work, and helping put this team's name on the cup several times. Your rosy cheeked grin will be missed at the draft.

Now pray nobody from the Pens organization fills his slot.

 

[Wingman77]

Yup, the man was a legend and an amazing head scout.... but it's not hard to notice that none of those names were acquired after 2002...

Obviously very difficult to top the names mentioned in that list pre-2002 as most of those guys were for long parts of their careers among the top tier in the league consistently.

But in time and as some have already mentioned - the likes of Greene, Clarkson, Parise, Zajac, Fayne, Henrique, Larsson, Gelinas, Merrill, Severson and likely a few more may very well make their names onto the resume of Conte as being successful picks and several already had strong shares of success already, post-2002.

 

[Captain Lou]

When you measured against your own success (of which there was a boatload in David's case) it is only natural that the minute you don't produce what you once did, people form a negative opinion of your work.

His homeruns from the 80's/90's more than overcompensate for a few drafts that didn't work out later on. His legacy is New Jersey lives on in the form of 3 Stanley Cups, 2 other Finals appearances, a ****-ton of Division Titles and upwards of 5 HHOF'ers that he drafted.

This is no doubt a huge loss for the organization and while probably a necessity at this point, I feel that he is being ragged on far too much by the youngins around here who have no perspective.

Best of luck to David and I know he will land on his feet wherever he wants.

 

[Devils Dominion]

In Lou We Trust writer's take

http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2015/7/9/8923503/contes-contract-not-renewed-by-shero

 

[DevilsFanInFla]

I've got mixed feelings on it all. On one hand, it was time for a change. Conte did fantastic work for the majority of his career. He didn't draft perfectly but I've yet to see a scouting department that does. However, since we are moving in a different direction in terms of style of play, I would question if he would be capable of drafting players to fit that mold after drafting players to fit the classic Devils style of play for so many years. On the other hand, it's foolish to dismiss his legacy and the impact he had on this franchise. I'm thankful for all the work he did for us and wish him nothing but continued success in whatever he pursues. It's still kind of surreal what has happened over the past few months. This feels like the last link to the Devils I've always known has been severed and though it was necessary, it remains bittersweet.

 

[Rhodes 81]

It sure is weird. I'm honestly curious how patient our fan base will be with all of this change...

I always thought it was strange how harsh so many people were after so many years of success...as an organization we really haven't gone through tough times relatively speaking. Even our early years weren't as bad as what teams like LA had to endure for a generation.

It's funny, because I'm always shocked by how much some people ragged on Lou and Conte. As far as sports go, I'm used to having it much worse I suppose.

The Falcons have never won a Super Bowl. The only time they've played in one, they got demolished, and I was a child that barely remembers it. They never had back-to-back winning seasons until a few years ago, and then two seasons ago, they were a dropped pass by one of the most sure-handed receivers in the league from going to another Super Bowl, and it seemed they had finally turned it around, only to end up going 10-22 in the two seasons since, and it appears they will toil away for several more season while wasting the twilight and prime of the careers of the two best players in franchise history in Roddy White and Matt Ryan.

The Braves may have won their division 14 years in a row, but only a few of those seasons were they legitimate World Series contenders. In the last year of Bobby Cox's managing career, they seemed poised to make a World Series run, only to be decimated by injuries at the end of the season. They lost in the first round of the playoffs when Brooks Conrad - a bench player who was only starting because so many players in front of him were hurt - committed 3 errors in one game and 2 in another, costing them the series against the eventual champion Giants.

Georgia Tech is traditionally just good enough to be relevant every year without ever actually having a chance to win anything. Even their biggest achievement in the last 20 years, their 2009 ACC Championship, was stripped because one player got $10 he wasn't supposed to.

The Thrashers, while they were in Atlanta, never won a playoff game despite having Heatley, Kovalchuk, Savard, Hossa, and other All-Stars on the roster. Their first ever draft pick, Patrik Stefan, was the biggest draft bust since Daigle. Even when they finally made the playoffs, they got swept by the ****ing Rangers.

This is the first season anyone has even cared about the Hawks in my lifetime.

Hell, even my freaking high school football team was ****.

Compared to the futility I've otherwise witnessed in my sports teams, the Devils having a couple lousy seasons really doesn't seem that bad. Cheering for a team outside of Atlanta, not at all associated with the city Sports Illustrated name Loserville, is like breathing fresh air. This team has won something before. In fact it's won a lot. It's been one of the model franchises for the NHL. That doesn't mean we, as fans, can't want and embrace change, but it should mean we don't have to get so angry over a few down seasons. The organization doesn't look so great right now, but there is an actual winning history here, greater than any other team I've ever rooted for. That really ought to stand for something moving forward.

 

[JimEIV]

It's funny, because I'm always shocked by how much some people ragged on Lou and Conte. As far as sports go, I'm used to having it much worse I suppose.

The Falcons have never won a Super Bowl. The only time they've played in one, they got demolished, and I was a child that barely remembers it. They never had back-to-back winning seasons until a few years ago, and then two seasons ago, they were a dropped pass by one of the most sure-handed receivers in the league from going to another Super Bowl, and it seemed they had finally turned it around, only to end up going 10-22 in the two seasons since, and it appears they will toil away for several more season while wasting the twilight and prime of the careers of the two best players in franchise history in Roddy White and Matt Ryan.

The Braves may have won their division 14 years in a row, but only a few of those seasons were they legitimate World Series contenders. In the last year of Bobby Cox's managing career, they seemed poised to make a World Series run, only to be decimated by injuries at the end of the season. They lost in the first round of the playoffs when Brooks Conrad - a bench player who was only starting because so many players in front of him were hurt - committed 3 errors in one game and 2 in another, costing them the series against the eventual champion Giants.

Georgia Tech is traditionally just good enough to be relevant every year without ever actually having a chance to win anything. Even their biggest achievement in the last 20 years, their 2009 ACC Championship, was stripped because one player got $10 he wasn't supposed to.

The Thrashers, while they were in Atlanta, never won a playoff game despite having Heatley, Kovalchuk, Savard, Hossa, and other All-Stars on the roster. Their first ever draft pick, Patrik Stefan, was the biggest draft bust since Daigle. Even when they finally made the playoffs, they got swept by the ****ing Rangers.

This is the first season anyone has even cared about the Hawks in my lifetime.

Hell, even my freaking high school football team was ****.

Compared to the futility I've otherwise witnessed in my sports teams, the Devils having a couple lousy seasons really doesn't seem that bad. Cheering for a team outside of Atlanta, not at all associated with the city Sports Illustrated name Loserville, is like breathing fresh air. This team has won something before. In fact it's won a lot. It's been one of the model franchises for the NHL. That doesn't mean we, as fans, can't want and embrace change, but it should mean we don't have to get so angry over a few down seasons. The organization doesn't look so great right now, but there is an actual winning history here, greater than any other team I've ever rooted for. That really ought to stand for something moving forward.

I like this post a lot. All of it...Especially the Atlanta perspective. Thanks.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Obviously very difficult to top the names mentioned in that list pre-2002 as most of those guys were for long parts of their careers among the top tier in the league consistently.

But in time and as some have already mentioned - the likes of Greene, Clarkson, Parise, Zajac, Fayne, Henrique, Larsson, Gelinas, Merrill, Severson and likely a few more may very well make their names onto the resume of Conte as being successful picks and several already had strong shares of success already, post-2002.

And technically, you should include 'Cory Schneider' and 'Ilya Kovalchuk' as pieces obtained with our first round draft picks (#9 for Cory, Bergfors and a 1st for Kovy)

 

[Wingman77]

And technically, you should include 'Cory Schneider' and 'Ilya Kovalchuk' as pieces obtained with our first round draft picks (#9 for Cory, Bergfors and a 1st for Kovy)

I'm sure there are even more cases like this out there as well on trade chains.

 

[Wingman77]

“I was looking forward to a succession plan, but, the succession plan, I wasn't part of it,” Conte said. “And I think the opportunities were available if I wanted to do something (with the Devils), but I didn't really want a courtesy job. Something could be revisited, for sure, but they need to put someone in place (as the new director of scouting) and that process, which I'm told, hasn't begun.”

That Shero wanted to bring in his “own guy” as director of scouting is something Conte understands and says he holds no bitterness about.

“I'd rather focus on the good part and get excited about the next part,” Conte said. “I'm OK with it. I get it. People want their own thing, I guess.”

Still, Conte says he wasn't given a specific explanation for why he was let go.

“I think it was difficult for Ray. He handled it was well as he might have,” Conte said. “I don't know the exact reasons. They've never really been explained and I don't see the point in asking. If this is a change for procedural (reasons) or because you want your own people, those are questions for Ray.”

Shero said “the situation was more about me than him and kind of moving forward” and also, “to me, it's about bringing in my own guy.”

“It's their prerogative to do what they think is best for the organization,” Conte said.

If you think they handled Lou's "stepping aside" process any differently, you are kidding yourself. Difference is Lou chose to stay, Conte did not. Conte took the high road, but you can pretty clearly tell he isn't thrilled with how things have been handled.

http://fireandice.northjersey.com/fire-ice-1.174987/david-conte-focused-on-positives-of-31-years-with-devils-after-being-let-go-not-ready-to-retire-1.1372301

 

[GhostofKenKlee]

LL told Chere that he could of done another seven years and feels great.

I get that Shero wants his own guy, I just hope it's not "his guy" from his previous employ.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

LL told Chere that he could of done another seven years and feels great.

I get that Shero wants his own guy, I just hope it's not "his guy" from his previous employ.

If Shero brings in someone from the Penguins to be Director of Scouting here, he'll lose all the "Good GM" points I gave him for the Palmieri trade.

 

[Emperoreddy]

New GM is entitled to his own staff. This is nothing new.

Nothing disrespectful or secretly dastardly about it

 

[Cowbell232]

If Shero brings in someone from the Penguins to be Director of Scouting here, he'll lose all the "Good GM" points I gave him for the Palmieri trade.

What does it matter who Shero brings in - doesn't the job they do over the next 3, 5, or even 10 years matter?

I'm sure he's waiting on baited breath to know what we think too...

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

What does it matter who Shero brings in - doesn't the job they do over the next 3, 5, or even 10 years matter?

I'm sure he's waiting on baited breath to know what we think too...

I think who Shero brings in will determine the quality of the job that person does, and I question the quality of the Penguins scouting staff based on their recent drafting record.

The second part of my comment was intended to be more light-hearted, but I guess it didn't come across that way.

 

[Cowbell232]

I think who Shero brings in will determine the quality of the job that person does, and I question the quality of the Penguins scouting staff based on their recent drafting record.

The second part of my comment was intended to be more light-hearted, but I guess it didn't come across that way.

http://thehockeywriters.com/ray-shero-can-trade-but-can-he-draft/

Interesting read on the subject, even if it's not recent.

I don't see how the Pens picks could be worse than ours, and there's so many variables that I don't think we can or should judge someone until they have a few years worth of proof behind them.

 

[JimEIV]

Betcha Conte is with another organization before the end of the month.

 

[GhostofKenKlee]

Betcha Conte is with another organization before the end of the month.

I sure as hope so, he's one of the best in the game.

 

[NJDevs26]

“I'm going to do something. I don't know what,” Conte told North Jersey Media. “But, I don't want to do the same thing either.”

...

“This is a pretty demanding job,” he said.” When you asked me if I thought about retirement, I said, 'All the time.' I don't really want to retire, I also don't want to stop working, but I'd also like to have more time. But, I don't know if I can have it all ways.”

I don't think he's interested in being a head scout somewhere else judging by this...perhaps maybe a consultant near home wherever that is (Boston?)

 

[GhostofKenKlee]

He's sending mixed messages. On one hand he states he wants more time off and to TG he also stated he didn't want a ceremonial job either.

I think he gets a role like Feaster has or an Tom Hagen type job to a younger nebbishy GM stat type guy.

He's from Maine.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

http://thehockeywriters.com/ray-shero-can-trade-but-can-he-draft/

Interesting read on the subject, even if it's not recent.

I don't see how the Pens picks could be worse than ours, and there's so many variables that I don't think we can or should judge someone until they have a few years worth of proof behind them.

When bringing in somebody new to fill a position, I'd hope the standard is that they would be better (at least in recent work) than the person they were replacing, so the can't be worse than Conte logic doesn't really comfort me since Conte's recent track record was apparently deemed substandard enough that this organization sent him packing. If Shero doesn't bring in someone better than Conte (and one believes that Conte wasn't very good in recent years) then hiring a new Director of Scouting is merely leaping from one wounded horse to another in the middle of a battle--in other words, a totally pointless exercise. Whoever Shero brings in needs to be better than Conte. I'm not sure the Penguins Scouting Department is the best place to find such a person.

 

[JimEIV]

When bringing in somebody new to fill a position, I'd hope the standard is that they would be better (at least in recent work) than the person they were replacing, so the can't be worse than Conte logic doesn't really comfort me since Conte's recent track record was apparently deemed substandard enough that this organization sent him packing. If Shero doesn't bring in someone better than Conte (and one believes that Conte wasn't very good in recent years) then hiring a new Director of Scouting is merely leaping from one wounded horse to another in the middle of a battle--in other words, a totally pointless exercise. Whoever Shero brings in needs to be better than Conte. I'm not sure the Penguins Scouting Department is the best place to find such a person.

Of course. You are 100% percent correct, otherwise it is just change for the sake of change.

And there is no beating around the bush, Pittsburgh has been horrific at the draft table. If someone comes from Pittsburgh I would be concerned.

I'm hoping someone out of the US Development program/USA hockey is tapped for our job.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Of course. You are 100% percent correct, otherwise it is just change for the sake of change.

And there is no beating around the bush, Pittsburgh has been horrific at the draft table. If someone comes from Pittsburgh I would be concerned.

I'm hoping someone out of the US Development program/USA hockey is tapped for our job.

I really think that's probably Shero's best option. I hope he takes advantage of one of his contacts there.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I don't think he's interested in being a head scout somewhere else judging by this...perhaps maybe a consultant near home wherever that is (Boston?)

Does change the narrative that he is just being "pushed aside"

 

[JimEIV]

Does change the narrative that he is just being "pushed aside"

Well he was obviously just pushed aside and he pretty much said exactly that.... not sure how you can see it any different?

It's not a big deal, Shero deserves to choose his people. But there is no need to try and spin it.