WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – Mark Yannetti was one of the fiercest competitors to put on a purple sweater for the Williams men's ice hockey team in the early 1990s and according to Eph head coach Bill Kangas, "Mark was a true rink rat and a total team guy who logged many, many minutes. It seemed like Mark was always on the ice for us."
"It was a great moment for the Kings and very exciting for the Williams hockey family to see Mark hoist the Cup over his head," continued Kangas. "I knew he would stay in hockey when he left Williams and I think it's great that he followed his dad's footsteps into scouting. He really works at it and it has paid off. Mark is with a great organization that now has a tremendous upside."
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| An ecstatic Mark Yannetti '94 |
Yannetti is in his sixth year with the Los Angeles Kings and is currently in his fifth year as Director of Amateur Scouting for the Kings after serving his first year as a pro scout in Los Angeles. Yannetti turned his stellar Eph career as a standout defenseman and his All-America selection as a senior into a six-year stint in hockey's minor leagues.
His first NHL scouting opportunity came with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Yannetti spent six years with Toronto serving the Maple Leafs as a pro and amateur scout situated on the east coast.
While he lives in Boxford, Mass., and his employer resides in Los Angeles, Yannetti really lives on the road, the Internet, and in front of TV and video screens as he scans the eastern part of the country and Canada for emerging amateur talent for the Kings.
Yannetti's handprint on the Kings was evident in LA making a third consecutive appearance in the NHL playoffs this winter and their incredible run to the Stanley Cup from the eighth seed in the West. Yannetti was largely responsible for securing for the Kings such standout players as forwards Kyle Clifford, Andrei Loktionov and defensemen Slava Voynov, and NHL All-Star Drew Doughty.
Little wonder Yannetti was on the ice Monday night with the Kings celebrating their 6-1 win over the New Jersey Devils giving them the first Stanley Cup in franchise history and him the opportunity to hoist the Stanley Cup over his head.
Next up for Yannetti and the Kings is the NHL Draft, which will be held on June 22 and 23 in Pittsburgh. Barring a last minute trade, for the first time in the 45-year history of the LA Kings they will have the last pick in the first round as the Stanley Cup champions.
