EL SEGUNDO, CA — While many who follow the Los Angeles Kings were glued to the World Wide Web and Twitter to follow the news about what unrestricted free agents were going where, most notably, superstar left wing Ilya Kovalchuk (who is still unsigned as of this writing), the Kings were busy conducting their annual Development Camp for their young prospects, which began on June 28 and ran through July 3.
Three days of the six-day camp were open to the public and the media, comprised of a scrimmage game sandwiched between two practice sessions, featuring prospects ranging from those who have been in the system for awhile to their most recent draft picks.
“I’ve been impressed with some of these players, and, certainly, everybody as far as the work ethic,” said head coach Terry Murray. “It’s been outstanding with the conditioning level and what they’ve been through over the past several days, on and off the ice.”
“A lot of focus, a lot of digging in, hungry and they want to learn,” added Murray. “Attitude. It’s really coming along well. As a group, it’s been tremendous.”
Murray also took note of his team’s five 2010 draft picks, who were all present at the camp.
“All the draft picks seem to be really good kids,” he said. “They’re good people with good character.”
For the 2010 draft picks, who were selected by the Kings just days before during the 2010 National Hockey League Entry Draft on June 25-26, 2010 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, the camp was the culmination of a whirlwind couple of weeks that opened their eyes to what lies ahead.
“The draft picks who came—they had no idea what was going to happen,” Murray noted. “Surprise! You’re coming to a development camp and we’re going to do a lot of hard off-ice work, we’re going to have some games going on. They’ve really stepped in and have done an excellent job.”
“The tempo was great,” defenseman prospect Derek Forbort said about the scrimmages. “The guys out there are unreal hockey players. I was just doing my best to keep up.”
“[The camp has] been a great experience so far,” added Forbort, a 6-5, 198-pound defenseman out of the United States Under-18 National Team Development Program. “I’m starting to get the hands back after not skating for awhile. I’m starting to get used to how they do things. It’s been good.”
Forbort, 18, was selected by the Kings in the first round, 15th overall, but do not look for him to crack the Kings lineup right away. Indeed, he is expected to need at least two years to develop his game before having a realistic chance to make it to the NHL level.
“Derek is a big body defenseman, he’s got a good head on his shoulders,” said Murray. “He sees the ice, he’s got a great stick.”
“He’s going to have to catch up with his body,” added Murray. “He’s going to have to get stronger, but that’s what the purpose of this whole thing is, to understand what it takes so [Kings Strength and Conditioning Coach] Tim Adams can get some time with them and to put a program in their hands and in their heads so they can take it back home and continue to work at it.”
Center prospect Tyler Toffoli, a 6-0, 178-pound center from the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), selected by the Kings in the second round of the 2010 draft (47th overall), learned quickly that he will need to make some adjustments to his game.
“It’s tough,” he said. “It’s definitely going to be an adjustment. There’s a lot of work to do, but I’m looking forward to working and to seeing how I can compare to these guys at the end of summer.”
“[I’m] getting stronger and my skating—getting a bit faster,” he added. “I think once that improves, my game will improve a lot.”
Toffoli, 18, was impressive in the final scrimmage on July 2.
“I thought Toffoli had a real good scrimmage here today,” said Murray. “He was on the puck, very noticeable.”
“I’m a player who can find the right spots on the ice to score goals and I like to score a lot of goals,” said Toffoli.
2010 third round selection Jordan Weal was also a bit surprised at how demanding the camp was, physically.
“The workouts…they’re extremely tough,” said the 5-10. 162-pound center from the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League. “Working out at the next level is a whole new ball game. You’ve got to push yourself that much more. I was a little shocked at the first workout, at how hard it was and how hard it has been [during the camp].”
“The warm-ups we do for workouts are almost harder than the workouts themselves, added Weal. “Tim Adams pushes us really hard. That’s really going to help the organization.”
The demanding off-ice work was a revelation for Weal.
“It’s exciting,” he said. “It’s been a really tough three days here. All the guys have been working hard, but this is what you’ve got to do to get to the next level, and we’re starting to realize what kind of work has to be put into it.”
“I’m just getting a little closer every day to making my dream come true, to play in the NHL,” he added. “I just have to keep working, keep improving my game every single day and keep working on new things. I’m starting to realize that I’m going to have to push myself that much more to get to the next level.”
For all of the Kings’ young prospects, but especially their wet-behind-the-ears 2010 draft picks, Murray emphasized that they must work hard on their own this summer on their strength and conditioning.
“It’s about continuing the off-ice program,” Murray stressed. “I’ve watched these young guys with Tim, going through their program off the ice and it’s hard.”
“It’s demanding, not only on the physical side of it, but the emotional, mental buy-in to get through that dark time when it’s really hard and you want to say, ‘Oh man. I can’t do this anymore,’ and you get through it,” Murray added. “That’s what needs to continually take place the rest of the summer.”
Among the older prospects was recently acquired defenseman Jacob Muzzin, who was signed by the Kings as an unrestricted free agent to a three-year, entry level contract on January 4, 2010.
Muzzin, 20, was the captain of the Sault Ste. Marie (Soo) Greyhounds of the OHL this past season. Once his season with the Greyhounds ended, the 6-2, 216-pound native of Woodstock, Ontario joined the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League, the Kings’ primary minor league affiliate.
It did not take long for him to find his way into the lineup.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Muzzin. “I got up there, and, within a couple of days, [Monarchs head coach Mark Morris] put me in the lineup. I didn’t think I was going to get in and they put me in.”
“I played one regular season game and then into the playoffs, added Muzzin. “I kept playing and playing and I was playing well, I thought. It was a good experience for me to meet the core group at Manchester and to get to know some of the faces around the organization.”
Muzzin was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round (141st overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. But he suffered an injury and missed his entire first season in the OHL due to back surgery. He was not signed by the Penguins or selected in the draft by another NHL team and became an unrestricted free agent last summer.
“I was drafted two years before and I just got my game together, being physical and putting up points,” he said. “Being a solid, two-way defenseman was what [Kings scouts] liked.”
“I’m a bigger body, so I like to play physical in my own zone,” he added. “I also like to jump up in the rush when I can and provide that offense, but the first priority is looking after my own zone first.”
One of the older prospects in attendance could be running out of time with the Kings.
Indeed, 6-0, 199-pound center Trevor Lewis, who was selected by the Kings in the first round (17th overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, has not delivered up to expectations going into his fifth year in the Kings’ system.
This past season, Lewis made the Kings roster out of training camp, but was their extra forward and was a healthy scratch most of the time, so much so that he was finally assigned to Manchester on October 30, 2010.
The plan was for Lewis, 23, to get more ice time. But then there’s that old saying about the best laid plans…
“I started out up here and then got sent back down to Manchester, but I separated my shoulder and had to get shoulder surgery about five games in,” Lewis lamented.
“That was tough,” Lewis elaborated. “I was out for awhile. When I came back, it took a little bit to get my legs and timing back again. But, luckily, we went on a long playoff run and I started to get it back then.”
“It was tough. I just think I didn’t get into enough games and they wanted me to play a little more. Unfortunately, I got hurt down there and didn’t get a chance to come back up. But, like I said, we went on a long playoff run and that was good for me.”
The Monarchs went all the way to the AHL’s Eastern Conference Finals, but were eliminated in six games by the Hershey Bears.
“We had a great group of guys—really close—down there,” said Lewis. “We were all just playing for each other, trying to learn how to win.”
Lewis’ biggest challenge in terms of making it to the NHL level has been improving his play along the boards and in the corners.
“[I need to] stay strong on the puck and be more gritty,” Lewis stressed. “I was trying to do that, but things didn’t work out like that. But going into this camp, I know what I’ve got to do. I’ve just got to go out and do it.”
Lewis, a restricted free agent, received a qualifying offer from the Kings, who retain his rights. However, he is not yet under contract for the 2010-11 season.
Despite being unsigned and even though he is likely running out of time to make the Kings’ roster, Lewis expressed confidence that he will finally join the Kings once and for all.
“I’m pretty confident in myself,” he affirmed. “I definitely think I can make it [onto the Kings roster] to stay. I just have to go out there and prove it to them.”
“I need to come in and have a good camp like last year. To make the team, I have to make sure I never come out of the lineup by staying hard on pucks and doing all the little things right.”
Raw Audio Interviews (edited to remove extraneous material and dead air)
Derek Forbort (1:22)
Tyler Toffoli (2:50)
Jordan Weal (2:06)
Jacob Muzzin (1:53)
Trevor Lewis (2:38)
Terry Murray (4:57)
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I’m glad that the camp was an eye-opener for these prospects. Hopefully that will get them started on the right path, even as they return to junior or the minors leagues. I’m also glad to hear that the veterans of these camps like Moller and Hickey have shown the right attitude and are leading the way for the newer draftees.
i mean all his horrible moves ……. cloutier, signing washed up blake for 6 million, mcaully, nagy, preissing, calder etc…. …… and just within the last year …… not signing gaborik , trading for garbage – jones, modin and halpren ………… i mean how is this clown still our gm and gets a two year extension ….. talk about ownership having absolutely no clue what they are doing ….. jesus …… not signing superstar in his prime gaborik was the biggest blunder – hes better player than hossa and kovulchuk …… oh thats right there were some locker room concerns …… lol funny , not hearing too much about that over in new york ……………… how about playing quick over bernier WHEN IT IS ABSOULTELY CLEAR THAT BERNIER IS A STUD AND QUICK CANT HOLD HIS JOCK …. the blunders are just nonstop ………. and the coach continuing to use dustin brown as one of his top three in shootouts …. dustin brown has some of the worst hands i have ever seen – he would be the first player id trade …. completely overrated and useless ………… id trade him for spezza or basically anybody of quality just to get hands of stone brown off this team ……… and the coach continiuing to play randy jones nonstop …….. i mean jesus is this franchise a complete joke or what ……… i mean , hey , they arent the clippers of the nhl for nothing right
oh yeah and also within the last year – trading for that washed up terd smyth at that 6 million dollar price tag – unbelievable
terd is a bad word or just censoring because u disagree with a poster gann
more coaching …… all year long that hack stoll on the point for the powerplay ….. the pp sucked and im like get jj out there he is smooth with the puck but noooooooooooooooooo just stoll stoll and more stoll with his stupid one timers from 500 feet away …………. finally playoffs start and they finally listen to me and bench stoll for jj and all of a sudden our pp is the best thing since sliced bread …. yes , i know more than the coach and gm …. sorry folks, but its true …. some clowns over on hammonds site want us to resign modin ….. lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol ……… however, knowing lombardi, modin and jones are probably viable options
hey gann, i know kovulchuck isnt coming here since dean lowballed him as usual – no surprise – but i must say i am completely exhausted from 7 days of this waiting and being on the computer for like 7 days straight – 24 hours a day …… lol lol peace bro
Hey Chris: rant much? :-)
Let me take your comments point-by-point:
1) Lombardi bears the brunt of the responsibility for signing Cloutier, although Crawford certainly twisted Lombardi’s arm on that one. But regarding the unrestricted free agents he should’ve signed back then, please tell me who he should’ve signed and why. I’d appreciate hearing your thoughts on that because the fact is, it would have made no sense at all for him to sign better, high-priced free agents at the time because the team, from the minors to the big club, was horrid. It would’ve taken Wayne Gretzky and several others just to get them into the playoffs.
2) Jones cost the Kings nothing, although he ended up being awful. Modin and Halpern were playoff rentals. Again, who was available that Lombardi should’ve signed or traded for instead that wasn’t a total pipe dream?
3) As for Quick vs. Bernier, the evidence is becoming clear that you’re one of those fans who aren’t willing to let the Kings rebuild properly. Lord knows this team has suffered for years from the mistaken wrath of fans who think quick fixes are the answer. Especially in the NHL, they’re not. The plan was for Bernier to become an adult, to grow out of that pouty, immature young player who felt a sense of entitlement coming in. That was most important for the long haul. Yes, Bernier is already a better goaltender than Quick. But Quick has earned his spot and deserved to keep it, even if Bernier looked good in two NHL games. Next season, however, Quick is going to have to be on his game all the time or Bernier will take his job. Bringing him up for good was not the right thing to do this past season, however.
4) Regarding Gaborik: He finally stayed healthy for most of a season this past year, but he remains a big, big risk. It took $7.5 million/year for…I forget how many years. He’s worth that to the Rangers, who usually just throw money at free agents, hoping to return to glory. But for the Kings last season? No. His health issues were too big a factor and yes, he’s still too fragile. Besides, he wasn’t going to make the Kings a contender and Lombardi knew then that there would be an even bigger fish available this summer. Of course, as of this moment, he’s still unsigned, although the Kings are rumored to be back in the game.
5) If you’re harping on shootouts, you’re paying way too much attention to something that’s really not very important. And although Brown will never be a superstar, your opinion of him is quite a ways off-base. Just adds to my thinking that whatever has been bugging you about the Kings in the past is badly coloring what you’re seeing. More evidence of that is that you’d trade Brown for Spezza. Do you honestly believe the Senators would do that?
6) Murray should’ve planted Jones’ ass in the press box. Agreed. However, I suspect that Drewiske may have been more seriously injured than anyone let on.
7) Stoll has a big shot and is solid in the face-off circle. That said, he did not have the season he should have had. But a “hack?” Sorry. Wrong. Is he a second-line center? No. Someday, the Kings should be able to slide him into the third-line center position where he should be.
8) Regarding the power play…and then, as soon as the Canucks made some adjustments, the Kings’ power play fell right off the map again, so there goes that point that you tried to make. :-)
9) Modin for the league minimum would not be a bad idea. Anything more than that, no.
10) Smyth wasn’t brought in to be a huge point producer, even though he was thrust into that role because the Kings lack snipers. His biggest contribution was leadership and teaching the forwards the importance of going to the front of the net, something they improved on dramatically this past season. If you expected more, you weren’t seeing things clearly.
11) Do you have a source that can document the deal that Lombardi offered to Kovalchuk? As far as I know, no such verifiable details have been released. Therefore, what you’re stating is merely your opinion. It may wind up being correct, but the fact is, no one really knows for sure.
12) As for your statement about censorship, I resent that. What the hell do you think I do? Sit in front of a computer 24/7 monitoring for comments in my moderation queue?
lol gann …., its great to hear from you ………. regarding censorship lol …… no relax i was just like why was one statement allowed to go thru while the one regarding smyth was only a few minutes later not … so i figured you would have let both go thru at same time … but later i saw u let it thru so no biggie …. i assumed u saw them both at the same time but obviously u didnt … no biggie ……… anyways on to your points ….. first off we disagree on just about everything as u are aware so lets just agree to disagree …………. point number 1…….. you sign nobody if there are no players out there who are any good …. you dont sign sucky players just for the sake of filling holes ….. u either go with your minors system to fill them or yes you trade or sign better higher priced free agents …. again if u cant make a trade or the free agents are too over the hill and not worth the money , then u just stand pat ….. u do not sign or trade for sucky players just for the sake of filling holes …. one would argue , well maybe he didnt think they were sucky …… lol, thats my point, lombardi has no clue who is any good and who is worth the money …. thats what makes him a bad gm ….. old man rob blake for 6 million, old ryan smyth for 6 million when u could have had one of the leagues best in his prime gaborik for basically the same price …… sorry he just dosent get it …………we disagree on philosphy gann, your like we are gonna suck anyway back in 06 so not even gretzky is gonna make us a contender ……….. i disagree ………….. every year your goal should be to win the stanley cup, realistic or not – and that entails making the best moves u possible can to achieve this goal for the upcoming season …………………………. point number 2 ……. how about guys who can actually play like belanger, phaenuf, wolski, hagman, stempniak … etc…. ….. none of them are great or are world beaters or anything but thats what u look for at the deadline – nice complimentary pieces that are good players that wont hurt your team – you know the 20 goal scorer types or someone like belanger who may score less goals but brings the intangibles you want ……. anyways u dont go out and get garbage like modin , halpren and jones who do nothing but hurt your team (jones was earlier) …. but anyways …….point number 3 ……………… just like everything else we disagree ……… tell me one other team in the league that knows “okay goalie x is in fact better the goalie y , but were not going to play goalie x because we want to give him a little more seasoning in the minors” ………no team would do that …. only the loser kings would ……… and if u say “well teams always put theie high draft picks in the minors first” … yes they do , and thats because they arent better that what u currently have yet ……… but in berniers case, its obvious hes is a stud and way better and still they choose to go with the worse goalie ……. again , no other team , except the kings, would put the worst product on the ice of the 2 ….. and if one argues , well maybe they think quick is better …… lol if thats the case then it just proves my point even more on how lombardi and or murray dont know how to properly judge talent ………… ………. point number 4 ……………. again disagree with your point that gaborik wouldnt have made us a contender …….. we had 101 points for god sake ……. if we had him, the sky was the limit …..110 ….115??? ……. bigger fish this summer? ..gabby is a better player coming from a lemaire two way system in minnesota than kovulchuk …. and at 7.5 for 5 years that contract is perfect … u have him only when he is in his prime …. not after its over … like a long term contract would ………….. regarding his injuries …… and ryan smyth has been injured less??? … ryan smyth has been a walking hospital …. everybody knows that ……. so youd rather have an oft injured old man smyth than a superstar in his prime with the same injury question marks …… again, ill take the superstar in his prime over an old man any day …… if its too risky for these lame brained leaders of our team then why did they go out and sign the oft injured smyth for about the same money ……… and besides, for a superstar , in his prime like gaborik, i believe its a risk well worth taking for this crappy franchise thats never done anything …… i mean could it get any worse if it didnt work out …… no ……. it cant get worse for this crappy franchise ….. only better ………. point number 5 ………………. yes, unfortunately shootout are important …….. im not saying u trade brown because he cant score in a shootout – alot of players cant , im saying u never put him in the shootout in the first place since he has hands of stone and is so bad at it and other wide open oppurtunites during the course of games in which he fans and just in general cant finish ………….. is he a good player ……. yeah hes good , but hes overrated and cant finish …. and finishing is what is needed on this team , not only no speed , but more importantly , no sniper types …… scott parse has finishing abilitty in his lil finger than brown will ever have …. so yeah brown does other things well and i like him for that, but shootouts and or finishing are not what he does well , and so our dumb ass coach who professes to have nothing to do with the shooout except stanbd and watch is , as usual, totally wrong ……. you select the players for the shootout dummy …… what shootouts have u been watching idiot – certainly not the same ones i am where handzus scores over 50 percent of the time and brown around 10 percent …… and its more than the percentages and stats……. cant u just see how smooth handzus is with the puck and stick handling with cool confidense, while brown u can tell has no confidense and its like a chore ….. its so obvious – and like i said , the stats back me up anyway ……………. regarding spezza, lol no of course i wouldnt make that trade if i were ottawa since i hate brown ……… i was saying from the kings point of view i would do it if ottawa was dumb enough to think dustin was worthy to be included in a spezza trade …….. bottom line id trade brown in a minute for spezza along with picks and prospects if need be IF OTTAWA WAS DUMB ENOUGH TO DO IT – and who knows they might be since they have kinda put themselves over a barrel saying trading spezza might have to be a reality if the team is going to move on in a positive fashion …… my point is maybe we have them at a vulnerable time – like last year with heatly ………………. and no i didnt want heatly – hes nothing – but i was just using that as an example as ottawa again appears to be at a disadvantage in getting value for their player because of the player unhappyness ………….. point number 6 ……… my god we agree …………anybody was better than randy jones however , not just drewiske, peter was wayyyyyyy better and should have been in there every day – again this was just another attempt at playing a horrible player just to justify your trade – saving face ……………….. not caring about winning – but rather saving face and covering your own ass …. same goes for modin and halpren who were total garbage and should have never been allowed to make the team worse by taking quality ice time away from parse or in modins case , totally ruining the handzus line ……….. just because the clown scored a coup-le goals in the playoffs dosent mean hes good , its a lil something called coincidense kings fans ……………. modin sucked, halpren sucked …… it was obvious after like 2 or 3 games – but here in lombardiland, we are more intersted in justifying a trade and trotting them out there every night than winning ………. becasue see if jones , halpren and modin were becnhed all season like they should have been then what does that tell management about the job lombardi is doing ……. see covering your own ass – not trying to win – but covering your own ass first, winning second …………………..point numbers 7 and 8 …………. definition of a hack is not somebody who is a bad player it is somebody that has no skill …. and stoll is not a skill player – he is a hack ….. when was the last time he scored on that point slapper he always shoots on the power play – answer – early in the season in florida when he beat vokoun – that was a long long time ago and even then vokoun banged his bloker on the crossbar because he knew it was an easy shot he should have stopped ….. i was shocked it went in and so was vokoun ……. stolls an okay player , brings an intangible or two ……… yes his shot is good if it is in close at his normal forward position – thats where his shot is effective – it is not effective playing the point that far out at the blueline ……… and then gann u say well the powerplay tailed off at the end of the canuck series – well yea there arent going to hit at that clip forever …… but im again not even talking about stats eventhough they back me up – im talking about just watch how jj is smooth and confident with the puck – a natural point man , head shoulder fakes , nice stick handling etc….. …. stoll is a hack who can do none of those things ….. just watch them play man – thats my point – cant u see the difference – its confidence with the puck man ……. something stoll will never possess ……… again, ive been a hockey player myself for 30 years now , and we throw the word hack around all the time … “oh hes a hack” … etc…. not to imply the guy is a bad player but to imply he has no skill ….. dosent mean he cant be good in other areas like faceoffs and playing defense etc…….. point number 9 ………………………… oft injured old man modin should in no way be given a contract …… he is terrible ….. completely over the hill with no legs ….. again , if you want a guy for the league minimum who is terrible – then thats whats precisely wrong with this team and management ….. thankfully, i doubt he will be back ……….. point number 10 ………………………………………………….. u dont bring a guy like blake or a guy like smyth and pay them 6 milliion just to teach – thats what coaches are for – u save the big money contracts for difference makers in their prime …………… if u want a vet to come in and teach kids thru their play on the ice then u get a cheap vet paying no more than 2 milliion to do so …… like odonnel or mark recchi …. u dont need to waste 6 million valuable dollars on that …………… yes ryan smyth is worth than 2 million because he is still a good player ………. considering his age and legs he should be getting no more than 3.5 million and when lombardi saw his price tag was 6 he should have in no way made that trade …… if u want guys to come in and lead by example – there are plenty of cheap vets out there like i have said …….. are we a better team because we have smyth rather than dont ? … probably a little…. therefore justifying a salary of no more than 3.5 …… but when lombardi saw that 6 million price tag he should he is not worth getting a lil bit better for 6 million dollars ……. you save that kind of contract for when u can get alot better, like with a gabby or kovy …………… spending your money wisely ……. again u want over the hill guys to come in and teach then u should be paying in the 1 million to 3.5 range – with smyth being at the very top of the over the hill gang because he can still play and isnt a detriment to your team …….. but again , in no way should lombardi have made that trade with smyths outrageous price tag …….. gabby should have been the choice for that kind of money ……….. and gabbys 50 times a better player in his prime ………….. so anways moving on to point number 11 ………………………………………. yeah, who knows whats the truth in this whole kovolchuck mess – lets just say i hate lombardi and you love him, enough said ………………….. well there u have it ………………………………. and yes we disagree about everything , but hey, we are still buds in my book ………………………….. nothing wrong with disagreeing ……………… after all we are on the same side – the side of the kings – eventhough we disagree ………. so no biggie ……. talk to you later gann ……. it was nice talking with you
This is not about loving Lombardi. This is about looking at things objectively, analyzing the situation and basing an opinion from that.
which is what i have been doing …. and what u have been doing ….. we just disagree thats all
BTW: you should try using paragraphs so we can actually read your entire comment…
oh yeah i had some typos ….. sorry about that ………. regarding paragraphs …. sorry this is just a way which enables me to type faster with the dots etc……… its just easier for me this way to get it out of my head onto the screen – because im typing like a hundred miles an hour ………….. it just makes it easier for myself to do it my way …………………… if you dont want to read my stuff ….. just let me know …… ill be gone ….. no hard feelings
hey gann , i kinda like this kovi thing actually . eventhough it tires me out ….. it actually gives me something to do and look forward to everyday since my life is a train wreck ……….. see cuz when its over, then theres nothiing really to do for me ………………….. except wait the next 2 months for the very slow trickle of a free agent signing on defense or trades ……. but with this kovi thing, at least its going down right now …….. so what do i care if it plays out for another month even …………. its not like i got anything better to do anyway ………………. and why u think everybodies so down on gagne …… hes still better than any forward we have except for kopitar ……….. worth the risk if u ask me …………… id take any 2 of the following ……………….gagne, ribiero , savard, spezza, kovi …………… granted im sure the kings will only go after 1 since they want a defenseman, but we need 2 in a perfect world to make us really good …….. and then just get a cheap dman like a willie mitchell discount cuz of his recent injuries .. or just a journeyman who wont be a stud but is solid like former king lilia ………….. id rather do that and get 2 of the above forwards
for example id trade brown and stoll for spezza …… the money would be about the same ….. throw in picks or prospects if thats whats needed to make ottawa happy ……. so forget kovi …… and just go with the cheaper gagne and a dman , and right there that would be the same amount of money as kovi ….. or heck sign kovi as well …. but we both know the kings arent smart enough to get spezza and kovi ……. but if they at least do the spezza gagne thing we could at least have lines like this ……….. kopi centering smyth and simmonds ………………………. spezza centering gagne and parse ……………….. stopper line – handzus centering williams and richardson ……………………………….. 4th line – westgarth and whatever other two players make the best impression in traing camp ………………. anyways, just my two cents
chris: No offense intended, but, if anything, your comments exhibit anything but objectivity. But you’re a fan…you’re entitled to be lack objectivity. Seriously. I, on the other hand, have to look at the team objectively, as a journalist.
again we disagree …… whatever gann …….. for some reason u think i dont have objectivity ………. ive given u my reasons …. youve given yours – as to why the team and or management is good or bad …………… your objectivity is no better than mine , and your opinion is no better than mine …………… and vice versa ………………………….. dont know why u cant accept that someone has a different viewpoint than you and if he does, well that must mean hes not looking at it objectively ….. gimme a break dude ………. we just disagree on just about everything ………………. so what …. big deal ……………. im not gonna convince you of anything and your not gonna convince me of anything …………. its like a heated political debate ……. we each have our own separate opinions and we are passionate about our stance ……. end of story ……. dosent mean either one of us isnt being objective …………………… its just we disagree ……………… knowing that we disagree, i was trying to move on to some hypothetic trade talk to see if maybe we can agree on something going forward …………….. but u insist on this holyier than thou attitude as if your opinion is better than mine for some reason, or because your a journalist ((whoooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa a journalist)) , i should hold your opinion or objectivity up on some pedestal ………… i wouldnt take offense if this was the first derogatory comment or so, but youve been doing it for awhile now, so enough is enough …………. dude, seriously, get over yourself
I never said that you weren’t entitled to your opinion or that it wasn’t valid. All I said was that, as a fan, you don’t have to be objective and that I doubt you really were looking at the team objectively. That’s not a bad thing for a fan. That’s a privilege of being a fan and there’s nothing wrong with that.
As a journalist, I have to look at the team objectively and I’ve literally had to train myself to do so. Does that make me better than you? No. It only means that I am able to look at the team dispassionately while most fans do not. Many can’t do it at all.
That’s really all I was saying.