KINGS17
Smartest in the Room
- Apr 6, 2006
- 32,582
- 11,767
Hate is a strong word. I'll reserve judgment until I read Dean's book, if he ever writes it, then I will tell you who I hate.
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Speculation: 2020-21 LA Kings News/Roster/Rumors Discussion Part VI
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2001 (I think) was pretty close. Tie game going into the third and just missed going up by a goal when Emerson (I think) hit the post. Could be wrong, just wingin it off memory on this one.
DoktorJeep
Luc and Rob are a waste of time and money.
As someone on the Sopranos once said, remember when is the lowest form of conversation. That being stated, there were two key actions by Rob Blake the Kings player which soured me on his integrity.
The first was when he decided to not be the Kings captain because of a contract dispute during training camp. He said he did it because he didn’t want to be a distraction. Then a couple days later he puts it back on after talking to the coach. Even though I was in favor of paying him what he was asking for, I view what he did as the actions of someone who put himself above the team for purely personal advantage.
The second was his decision to resign with the Avs for 5 guaranteed years, without hitting the open market. While with the Kings, his agent pushed for 8 years and threatened to take all offers in the summer. I view these actions as operating in bad faith while displaying a lack of loyalty.
I’m skeptical of Blake’s ability to manage this franchise to success because he has no track record and I’ve seen no evidence that he can live up to his word when it comes to major decisions. He doesn’t erase the deficit by making obvious choices after first being fatally wrong. To praise the guy for hoarding picks and shedding salary once backed into a corner is giving out medals for mediocrity.
As things sit today, I accept that the current regime should be given more time before a change is made. The only thing which keeps me from more heavily advocating for new leadership is I don’t know who I want to come in. The choice of Lombardi was clear back in the day.
I’m interested in Mark Hunters next move. But given the havoc COVID has wreaked on the world, NHL and the Kings, letting things play out isn’t the worst move from a risk perspective. But once things are back to somewhat normal, expectations will also be back, and excuses / context will go to the wayside.
The first was when he decided to not be the Kings captain because of a contract dispute during training camp. He said he did it because he didn’t want to be a distraction. Then a couple days later he puts it back on after talking to the coach. Even though I was in favor of paying him what he was asking for, I view what he did as the actions of someone who put himself above the team for purely personal advantage.
The second was his decision to resign with the Avs for 5 guaranteed years, without hitting the open market. While with the Kings, his agent pushed for 8 years and threatened to take all offers in the summer. I view these actions as operating in bad faith while displaying a lack of loyalty.
I’m skeptical of Blake’s ability to manage this franchise to success because he has no track record and I’ve seen no evidence that he can live up to his word when it comes to major decisions. He doesn’t erase the deficit by making obvious choices after first being fatally wrong. To praise the guy for hoarding picks and shedding salary once backed into a corner is giving out medals for mediocrity.
As things sit today, I accept that the current regime should be given more time before a change is made. The only thing which keeps me from more heavily advocating for new leadership is I don’t know who I want to come in. The choice of Lombardi was clear back in the day.
I’m interested in Mark Hunters next move. But given the havoc COVID has wreaked on the world, NHL and the Kings, letting things play out isn’t the worst move from a risk perspective. But once things are back to somewhat normal, expectations will also be back, and excuses / context will go to the wayside.
fivehole32
Kicking rebounds to the slot
- Jan 11, 2015
- 482
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I think this next draft is going to be a crap shoot. Because a lot of the developmental leagues have had shortened or no season at all it is going to be impossible to evaluate talent. Now with cap situations the way they are, and expansion draft and not being able to evaluate talent, I think Blake could make some moves using draft capital to get the team in a better place.
I feel for Seattle. First draft picks to organizations are milestone moments and they come in for a down draft when the pandemic impacted scouting.
I don't mind being criticized but I don't think you are being fair in this instance. You are replying to my one sentence statement about the Kings rotten foundation. I was NOT referring to the players. I was referring to the two things I've consistently referred to: (1) the losing culture (i.e. the Manhattan Beach Boys Club) and (2) a terrible management team (i.e. Blake and Luc).
I'm happy to defend my positions on those two things.
As for the players, I have most admired Doughty this year who I think is one of the few (maybe only?) players who seems to give a d@mn. It's a nice bounce back season for him after taking the last couple of years off. He deserves better than what he's dealing with now IMO.
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SFKingshomer
Registered User
Does Doughty really deserve more though? He took the last 2-3 years off and the team was shit. He lost quite a few close teammates partly due to him and the teams lack of success. Sure he’s bounced back but you can also say he’s a huge reason why they decided to rebuild. Maybe if him, Carter, Kopitar, Brown etc. weren’t so complacent then the Kings would still be contending. Same goes for the other clowns that were traded.
Actually those are very fair points. It all keeps coming back to a poisoned culture and a management team that accepts it (or perhaps worse...is part of it). All the players you mentioned still have the talent...they are proving that elsewhere. But when an entire team quits (as I'm often told is what happened in 2018) then it is more than just a player talent issue. It's an organizational issue. And now the next generation of players are being brought into that poisoned culture. The games against San Jose, Minnesota, and Phoenix were indicative that the collective compete level just isn't there. No one is stepping up and making a difference. Beating the Ducks the other night was essentially beating a minor league team (AHL level if not ECHL level). The team lost when it needed to win. They won when nothing was on the line. Will be interesting to see what happens tonight against a really bad and beaten up Ducks team.
Things will not change unless they start changing at the top. If Blake is relying on being a bottom dwelling team for the next 2-3 years AND winning the lottery to get a top 2 pick then he is the first problem that needs to be jettisoned. TMac needs to play the players who prove they WANT to win...and bench those that don't. The players need to buy into giving a maximum effort and accept nothing short of winning. And the fans need to demand accountability from the GM, coach, and players and stop defending a losing culture.
BigKing
Blake Out of Hell III: Back in to Hell
Great mentor to Jack Johnson during his second stint with the Kings.
Johnson murders Ryan Smyth, Lappy goes to fight Johnson and Blake steps in and just stops it from happening. Doesn't let Johnson fight Lappy like he should have since Johnson deserved it. He just let Johnson continue to act like a bitch.
If he was a great mentor in Colorado and SJ, that further proves my point that he shits here and then turns in to Mr. Cool Guy elsewhere.
johnjm22
Pseudo Intellectual
- Aug 2, 2005
- 21,479
- 18,924
Whatever criticisms there are of Blake, you can't deny that Dean thought highly of him.
Rumpelstiltskin
Serial Ruminator
Tony Soprano himself. As an aside: don't forget that this guy was a huge (literally) hypocrite who often reminisced about his past deeds/et al with his soldiers.
This may be splitting hairs, but I remember the Summer of '06 a bit differently - Lombardi may have been the "favorite," but there were a couple of other names that were supposedly serious candidates (foremost in my mind: Jim Nill). Obviously in hindsight, the Kings made the right choice; just saying it wasn't -- at least outwardly -- a slam-dunk decision (I will concede that it's possible ownership had locked-in on Lombardi the day after they re-assigned Dave Taylor; I just don't recall there being any indications this was the case).
Raccoon Jesus
We were right there
Fair enough.
Maybe I'm just being too naive, but I firmly believe expectations are playoffs or bust next year. We'll see if the players and organization from top to bottom respond in kind. I've been pretty protective of this regime so far because I feel like they haven't had a chance for 'the plan' to play out, but even they set the expectation that we'd be competitive this year. I know it's debatable, but it more or less happened. I think any slip ups next year means bad news for everyone as it should. I know you're big on holding them 'accountable' and I'll personally be sharpening the guillotine right next to you if next year looks like this year.
King'sPawn
Enjoy the chaos
- Jul 1, 2003
- 23,192
- 24,102
These are absurd criticisms of Blake and Robitaille, as far as insinuatingbthey were "just along for the ride" in the cup wins.
Where were Lombardi's and Sutter's cups when they were the catalyst, prior to joining LA?
You can dislike them for policy, vision, execution, etc, but the same shit you're spewing about them "not knowing about winning" can be said about Lombardi and Sutter before June of 2012.
Where were Lombardi's and Sutter's cups when they were the catalyst, prior to joining LA?
You can dislike them for policy, vision, execution, etc, but the same shit you're spewing about them "not knowing about winning" can be said about Lombardi and Sutter before June of 2012.
Ziggy Stardust
Master Debater
I seem to recall many other fans (most of whom are no longer here), showing unrest with Dean after 2009, especially after the team failed to sign Ilya Kovalchuk. Then we saw the pitchforks come out when Darryl Sutter's name was floating out there as the next possible head coach.
It took six seasons to see this team reach its max potential under the old regime. And people are calling for heads to roll when the rebuild started in 2019.
So we're up to 3 bad years for Doughty? Including his best offensive year and the Kings had the best D and PK in the league?
SFKingshomer
Registered User
Gjwrams
A Know Nothing Fool
- Mar 4, 2019
- 1,941
- 1,881
DoktorJeep
Luc and Rob are a waste of time and money.
SFKingshomer
Registered User
There was talk he blocked a trade to SJ for Nabokov when they were going to go with Toskola.
SFKingshomer
Registered User
I think we will see a lot of trades and “off the board” picks due to lack of exposure as well as teams selecting based on need. It sure be interesting for sure.
Ziggy Stardust
Master Debater
The Kings needs cojones, like this team.
Seems like Williams was on the ice for every big goal. Problem is, who can play like that nowadays that’s available?
Seems like Williams was on the ice for every big goal. Problem is, who can play like that nowadays that’s available?
Choralone
Registered User
Surely we should ask Mark Messier to be our coach, considering what a driving force he was as a player. There's no way this could fail.
All The Kings Men
Registered User
- Apr 7, 2016
- 2,366
- 5,629
Herby
How could Blake have known?
I was happy that Blake was traded, it didn't make any sense to give someone that long a contract. The Blake years had largely been a disaster (not his doing) but at 31 it was the right time to turn the page. Blake also did himself no favors with his actions during the negotiation, or in his 2nd stint with his refusal to go to SJ only to sign there that summer.
History judges that Blake trade a lot differently if any of these happen.
1. Adam Deadmarsh isn't forced to retire at age 27 and has a 5 year run as a dominant power forward.
2. The Kings take Corey Perry over one of Boyle or Tambellini. You can also include guys like Bergeron or Weber but that was further down. Perry went with the next pick. The 2001 pick was probably a lost cause, not much at that spot.
And to a lesser extent, if the Kings take the right prospect from the Avs. They took Jared Aulin over Vrbata and Liles. Neither would have had a Perry like impact, but they were both solid secondary players in the league for a long time.
History judges that Blake trade a lot differently if any of these happen.
1. Adam Deadmarsh isn't forced to retire at age 27 and has a 5 year run as a dominant power forward.
2. The Kings take Corey Perry over one of Boyle or Tambellini. You can also include guys like Bergeron or Weber but that was further down. Perry went with the next pick. The 2001 pick was probably a lost cause, not much at that spot.
And to a lesser extent, if the Kings take the right prospect from the Avs. They took Jared Aulin over Vrbata and Liles. Neither would have had a Perry like impact, but they were both solid secondary players in the league for a long time.
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