ATKM - Chat w/ Luc Robitaille COMING SOON

[Little Psycho]

I was gonna comment on the hideous jerseys but it seems like you guys have it covered. Bring back the purple/yellow!

 

[Statto]

I think like most of us the colour scheme is a big part of what I’d like to understand. The forum blue is a wonderful colour that really pops. Even just adding touches of it, almost like a highlight sound really enhance the jerseys beyond the Black and White if they want those to be the primary colours.

I think the colours really should reflect what the fans, from a corporate perspective the customers, really want. I’d wear Kings merchandise (and therefore buy more) all day every day if there was more colour in it. I think it’s a good area to press him on.

Trades and the like is more of a Blake area, although the wider development strategy and approach is an area where his view would be interesting.

I do have one other question. Are there ever things that he and Rob argue about, fundamentally disagree with? I’m interested to know about what creative conflict there is at times as that’s how we get to better decisions.

So I‘d like to know one examples of each were Luc persuaded Rob, where Rob persuaded Luc and where they met in the middle. I’d be worried if an answer did not exist. If it exists but he can’t share for whatever reason then I’d live with that.

 

[David Lunch]

Thanks Jesse, always appreciate you fielding questions.

I’m curious if, as President of the club, Luc has any interaction with the players, and if so, in what capacity? I know his role has much to do with the business side of things, but since they’ve merged the two business/hockey ops president rolls post-Lombardi, it would be interesting to hear how his roll has evolved on hockey ops side of things. Does he ever meet with players in formal or informal meetings?

 

[kilowatt]

This is a broad question that he may not want to answer but is something I’ve always wondered: why are NHL teams seemingly averse to wearing more unique jerseys throughout the year? The Reverse Retro jerseys are some of the coolest in our team’s history. Why was that a single run? Why don’t we do more collaborations with the Lakers and Dodgers and actually wear them during the game?

Turns out this question was timely

 

[Statto]

I have one… who is the target audience for the shiny helmets? They are universally, and rightly, derided as awful. Who in the organisation actually likes them and who thinks the fans like them?

 

[YP44]

low priority question but I wonder about the design of the jersey retirement banners. I remember originally Luc's banner was the Purple and black coloring, but it has been swapped for Black and Grey. Who decides this and puts resources to this change, and what happened to the old one (I hope it is used by Luc as a bed sheet or something)

I have one… who is the target audience for the shiny helmets? They are universally, and rightly, derided as awful. Who in the organisation actually likes them and who thinks the fans like them?

Seconded

 

[lexlavender]

My Question for Luc is "What is your role with the team management side of the organization. How much input do you have on line-up, player development, etc.? Do you prefer to be hands on, or do you allow your GM and coaches to operate independently?"

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

*raises hand sheepishly*

I like the chrome helmets when used sparingly

 

[Statto]

*raises hand sheepishly*

I like the chrome helmets when used sparingly

So…. You’re the one… curse you!!!

Do you know what, maybe I‘m too harsh… I didn’t mind them when they first debuted but now… but because they lost the wow factor from being different they just look cheap to me.

 

[Matt13]

So…. You’re the one… curse you!!!

Do you know what, maybe I‘m too harsh… I didn’t mind them when they first debuted but now… but because they lost the wow factor from being different they just look cheap to me.

+1

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

*raises hand sheepishly*

I like the chrome helmets when used sparingly

Boooooooo

 

[FSL KINGS]

Does Luc regret the Blake extension given the current state of team defense & goalie situation?

 

[ZJames]

*raises hand sheepishly*

I like the chrome helmets when used sparingly

They should combine them with a Burger King throwback jersey. That would be the most horrendously awesome jersey/helmet combo in the league.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

For all the bitching and whining on this board over our horrible jersey, I thought Jesse did a good job asking questions about the topic.

 

[kilowatt]

Finally got a chance to listen to this episode — thanks for asking my question, @All The Kings Men. Really interesting answers. I figured it was a question if logistics, but I wasn’t aware of how much influence the league has in jersey decisions.

It does bring up another interesting thought though. We as fans have a lot of interaction with teams but almost zero (that I’m aware of) with the league itself, who appear to have a significant say in the direction that teams can take. How does the league check the pulse, so to speak, of their customers, us fans?

 

[All The Kings Men]

Finally got a chance to listen to this episode — thanks for asking my question, @All The Kings Men. Really interesting answers. I figured it was a question if logistics, but I wasn’t aware of how much influence the league has in jersey decisions.

It does bring up another interesting thought though. We as fans have a lot of interaction with teams but almost zero (that I’m aware of) with the league itself, who appear to have a significant say in the direction that teams can take. How does the league check the pulse, so to speak, of their customers, us fans?

A few years ago I interview Mike Murphy (Senior VP of Hockey Operations for the NHL) and asked him why we place so much control over the league in the hands of GMs, men who are routinely fired, many of whom never work in hockey again.

Like who decides who should be the "custodians of the game"?

Cus I'm not sure it should be so heavily weighted towards former players particularly now that the wealth disparity is going to be getting bigger and bigger moving forward.

But what do I know...