Comments on: It’s A Matter Of Trust For Lombardi, Kings, AEG

By: Gann Matsuda

Gann Matsuda — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:39:00 +0000

I had a limited amount of time with Lombardi (after all, you can’t take up the guy’s entire day). I had over 20 questions for him, but I didn’t get a chance to ask most of them. One of those was the question about an internal cap. Of course, it wasn’t the highest on my list because Rich Hammond has already confirmed with him that there is.

By: DIEHARD the King Fan

DIEHARD the King Fan — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:02:06 +0000

Thanks Gann, good reporting. but it doesnt sound like he answered (or maybe you didnt ask) is there or isnt there an internal spending cap a cash budget as rich ahmmond said that has been imposed on DL by AEG. If so, then its all just bluster and hot air. the best (worst)part of it though is that as long as he keeps talking in this internet/blogsphere age, he gets quoted and then is ts easy to spot the deflections and BS. The dirty harry snow job was/is the joke of the league, and he can’t evenget his players signed, so he is scared that someone might throw an offer sheet at one of our guys soone or later. that wouldnt be the case if AEG wasnt so cheap and just paid the players we need to keep the money they ought to be making

By: Robert e Lee

Robert e Lee — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 03:06:32 +0000

So on a lighter note…lol…did anyone else catch the Calgary Herald’s report about Patrick O’Sullivan’s still having no contract? I’m probably the only one out here who is actually enjoying such stuff. Hopefully not everyone will get paranoid about such a story. I’m not leaving a link for fear of causing more disgust
But, from this old warhorse…today was a birthday for yet another of my favorite past-heroes from the Los Angeles Kings. I cannot figure any other way for the general public to access it so am just setting this forth directly (if Gann thinks it’s wrong, just delete it). I hope you like it. Don’t worry, Gann is still a far better writer ;-) RL

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=26927262913&created&suggest

By: cristobal

cristobal — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:15:13 +0000

-“I don’t recommend trading the picks or trading kids unless I’ve decided, like with [forward prospect Lauri] Tukonen, let’s flop’em because I don’t think anything’s coming there,” added Lombardi. –

Too bad he didn’t take that attitude with Crawford sooner. And Cloutier.

By: Robert e Lee

Robert e Lee — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:25:39 +0000

THX Gann…will check there again. Perhaps they have added something…RL

By: cristobal

cristobal — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:19:03 +0000

“The second part, again, it’s not what you say, it’s what you do,” he explained. “I certainly recommended not trading Doughty and [ownership] agreed with that. – Trading Doughty? Already?

I would love it if Lombardi actually said, “in all honesty, I couldn’t imagine coming into a better situation. I’ve got a billionaire owner, four of the best young forwards in the game and Boyle almost ready to go, and just need to build around Norstrom and Visnovsky at the back end. If we can get one of these goalies to perform for us, we should be in the playoffs in no time.”

Instead, he introduces his new coach to the media with, “welcome to the toughest job in the NHL.”

cheers?

By: Gann Matsuda

Gann Matsuda — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 01:28:17 +0000

Without checking around, I would suggest the NHL web site, and the Chicago Blackhawks web site.

By: Robert e Lee

Robert e Lee — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 01:24:30 +0000

Thanks Gann for an incisive article. I felt I learned quite a bit from what was said. So if DL’s answers were really true, then I can totally stand behind him in support. And if not, then the brunt of comments that have been made would likely lead me to stop following hockey after this coming season. In any case, I will try to enjoy whatever product the Kings put on ice, allow myself to become a visible hockey fan once more and share my tickets with friends. Unlike some of the others, I can afford to take a wait-and-see attitude.

Thus far, I’ve enjoyed watching Dustin Brown develop into a fine hockey player. I felt a bit of redemption at our getting Anze Kopitar into the fold-perhaps helping to erase a small part of my original views of Kings ownership when they traded Butch Goring away…And I hold out hope for Jason “barbed-wire” LaBarbera to finally break through this year and become the goalie I believe he can be-a leader. If he does so, Eric Ersberg has more than proven himself to be a fine backup goaltender. If JA does not come through, then a reverse of said two players would be just as good by thinking. We have three more goalies who can make some genuine progress if given some time and a lot of good coaching in the minor leagues.

And I remain extremely curious to see what front lines will develop/evolve (?) during training camp. There is a ton of talent on this team and I can see no reason why the [former] UFree agents cannot walk in/move right in and take the slots they were supposed to take last year. But if they do not, we have some young talent itchin’ to move in…so look out. Perhaps our “D” will be questionable, but then again, we’ve had the shittiest luck of any hockey team in history. So why couldn’t we get a break…just this once? Everyone here already knows their names, so let’s just be hopeful and see how things develop! 31 days to opening day/32 days till opening night at Staples! GO KINGS!

p.s. Gann, quick question-I know you do other things too, but I’ve had no luck thus far with this…can you give me an ideea as to who/whom I might contact regarding getting tickets to the Jan. 1st open air hockey game to be played at Wrigley Field in 2009?

Many thx.
Robert

By: Wingding

Wingding — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:27:05 +0000

What about Hall of Famer, Rob Blake?

By: An Astute Observer

An Astute Observer — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:33:22 +0000

How is Lombardi going to avoid rushing Doughty to the league, and possibly “ruining” him as happened to Pronger?

The Kings only have five defensemen — Johnson, Preissing, Greene, Gauthier and Harrold. They need two more, and have extremely limited options. And what happens when, invariably, one or two of the guys I listed gets hurt?

Doughty will be playing in the NHL this season, because Lombardi gutted this team’s depth on the blue line, and will have no choice but to play him.

And if Doughty gets “ruined” Lombardi is to blame.

For point of reference, I believe that only three defensemen in the past 10-15 years have made the jump straight from juniors to the NHL: Pronger, Hamrlik and Bouwmeester. All of those guys struggled mightily, and did not reach their potential for years (and some would argue that Pronger is the only one who reached his full potential).

By: Wingding

Wingding — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:19:19 +0000

If that is to the point, I’d hate to see him beat around the bush.

By: gumlegs

gumlegs — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:39:01 +0000

Terrific article. Very well written and to the point. Many thanks.

By: Me

Me — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:21:29 +0000

Thanks for the great article Gann!

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Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:20:52 +0000

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By: Bob Bobson

Bob Bobson — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:02:11 +0000

This much is true, the man at least talks a lot. I am not sure if he does it to get around the question or if he really does talk a lot to answer a question.