Dean Lombardi Appreciation Thread

[KINGS17]

I know we have a thread with all the reasons Dean was let go. I want to thank Dean for all he did for the Kings and their fans.

I was a season ticket holder Dean's first year with the franchise. When we went to the select a seat event one evening Dean was there and gave a talk to a group of 50 fans or so with a Q&A at the end.

I was there with one of my daughters and had some more questions. Dean noticed us kind of milling around after the talk was over and waved to us to come over saying, "You have some more questions?"

The talk was held on a concourse at Staples Center. With redcoats waiting and obviously wanting to go home Dean spent the next 45 minutes discussing his plan. How he would categorize players as tattoo guys (Brown being the most obvious example), transition players that the young guys could lean on (Handzus probably the best example), and mercenaries (vets he would sign at the beginning of a season and trade at the deadline for picks and prospects - a guy like Stewart being a prime example).

I left very impressed and thinking, finally someone with a plan. Not only someone with a plan, but someone willing to share his plan with the paying customers.

Over the course of the next couple of years I was fortunate enough to run into Dean at various team events and would ask him how he felt the plan was progressing. One of these times at the practice facility he invited me to his office and showed me his famous 5 year plan board. Again, I left impressed as he had laid out every position and what he felt he needed and how he expected to get it.

Thanks Dean for bringing the fans two Stanley Cups and for sharing your plan. It was a great ride.

Click to read more...

 

[Fat Elvis]

I'm a big DL fan. He gave me 2 Cups when I couldn't believe we'd ever get 1.

Thanks DL, thank you very much!!

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Also want to echo that beyond the on-ice success having had the same experiences of running into DL and him being beyond friendly--was open, honest, and fearless about the direction of his plan.

Everything runs its course, and I'll be forever happy for what he did here. Let's not forget how much he put into building the business/development side of the franchise, as well--off-ice success as well as on-ice.

 

[HowDareYou]

in dean we trusted

 

[Little Psycho]

We wouldn't have two cups if he wasn't a risk taker. Very grateful for his time here.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

The greatest GM/President we'll ever have. Truly a hockey encyclopedia and a mad scientist with scouting. His trades for Greene and Stoll, Justin Williams, signing a Willie Mitchell that many thought was terrible because he had too many hits to his coconut. Just an incredible way he built the team and the hiring of Sutter was great.


Sorry you got stabbed in the back by a corporate lackey.

 

[KingsKnight]

Incredibly shrewd and smart businessman and negotiator. He executed his plan, and it worked. His effectiveness may have waned in the last couple years, but when it counted he brought us not one, but two Cups. Can't ever thank him enough for that. I wish we could have kept him in some capacity to lend his expertise, even if he wasn't making the final call.

 

[Quattro]

Dean is one of the most interesting people ever in sports. Listening to him talk (and boy could he talk ) was always a treat. Just a fascinating and thoughtful guy.

Forever grateful for what he accomplished with our beloved but hapless franchise. I hope the separation was not too bitter and we see him again at future events.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

Followed the Kings as best I could since I was a little kid, well before Lombardi was around, but happened to get hardcore about it the season he was hired.

It's really off-putting that I basically stepped into my 20's with him as the new boss of my favorite hockey team/obsession, and as I leave them he's staying behind as well.

Lombardi made the Los Angeles Kings a winner. That's more than can be said for any team exec, never-mind just our team, where I suspect he will be the measuring bar for success a long, long time.

Happy trails, Dean.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Best trade?

The 12 month period from when he knew they had Doughty. That's when he traded Visnovsky for Stoll and Greene, traded for Williams, signed Scuderi, and traded for Smyth. 5 of those 6 guys were on the first Cup team.

The Richards deal was a massive move that would define his time as GM. If it worked, it would be the keystone trade. If it didn't, and especially only getting 2.5 solid seasons from the guy, it would've gone down as one of the worst trades in franchise history.

Voynov messed everything up. I think that was the first time Lombardi was no longer confident. The 14-15 season will always be the biggest what if for him. Having the defending champs win a bunch of games in a row before the deadline, and wanting to give them a chance, and trying to replace Voynov with Sekera, he went for it, and then they actually didn't make the playoffs. If they had made it, and if they went out in 5 games, I don't think you see the Lucic deal. I think he would've started what he started after last year back in June of 2015. No more big contracts. Bringing in younger guys. The only problem was the 2016 pick that went to Carolina, since they missed in 2015, could've turned into Matthews or Laine, had a retooling season happened in 15-16.

Losing Voynov, and then wanting to give the team a chance later that season. To me, somewhere between those two events is when the tide turned, more than Richards, Greene, and Gaborik in June of 2014. We'll never know what would've happened if Voynov hadn't done what he did, or if Lombardi hadn't traded for Sekera, and just accepted fate that year. Again, 14-15 will always be the what if season.

 

[BigKing]

Put together the team(s) that gave me the greatest joy of my life: especially 2012. I'm not married and don't have any kids so, yeah, being there for every game of the 2012 and '14 runs after so many trips to Staples for non-playoff teams is the highlight of my sports fandom and easily up there for just overall life events.

The last three years of disappointments pale in comparison to the joy of 2012-14 so I have no ill will towards the man and hate the fashion in which he was shown the door, although I understand it is a business.

Put a statue of him outside Staples, title the work "Coulombs" and I'll be satisfied.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

I appreciated him so much, the only jersey I ever bought in 23 years was customized with his name.

 

[kingscups]

Thank you Dean for pulling us Kings fans out of the dark ages, and bringing two cups to Los Angeles! Appreciate all the hard work it took to turn this franchise into a winning organization, form the teams constructed, to the training, and mentality put in place, you will be missed!

 

[Basilisk]

And with Dean's departure, our Cup Window is officially ***CLOSED***


.....The End.

 

[King'sPawn]

Thank you for all you did, Dean. During development camp you would share thoughts and insights as well.

Just because I feel it was his time to go doesn't mean I thought he was bad at his job or anything like that. He's great. He just got burned with his loyalty, and right now the Kings need someone who will make the tough decisions.

 

[cyclones22]

Better be a legends night for him someday. At both rallies, Sutter got the louder cheers, but I always felt like Dean should've been cheered just as loudly.

 

[theMajor]

always loved listening to Lombardi talk; so many anecdotes about other sports (usually baseball), war/battle, loyalty,etc that always seemed to tie in to the Kings in a funny way and that will be sorely missed. he was a real thinker and a genius behind the scenes. the loyalty he showed to his players was incredibly endearing to me as a fan and not something you see much in pro sports these days. I really cant say enough good things about Dean. I will be forever thankful for everything hes done for this organization and still think he deserved at least one more season. he is a true professional and whatever team he ends up on (which Im sure will happen) will be better off because of him.

 

[KingsCourt]

In Dean we trusted. Thanks for the memories!

 

[LAKings88]

I met Dean once back after they drafted B.Schenn. He nearly crushed my hand when he shook it.

Grateful for what he accomplished here. Wish he had another season to turn it around. Seems like he had the right idea going forward. I wish him the best going forward.

Props to Sutter as well. Best three years I've experienced as a Kings fan.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Hopefully one day he writes a book. He's the best GM this team has ever had. I do wish he would've been moved into some advisory role but he probably wouldn't have accepted a demotion.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

And with Dean's departure, our Cup Window is officially ***CLOSED***


.....The End.

dumb

 

[fsanford]

He changed the culture of the franchise and understood you can win a cup in Los Angeles

 

[Tadite]

Maybe the most important non-player in Kings history.

 

[goosh]

Helped turn a franchise entrenched in mediocrity into one that's respected league-wide and expected to compete every year. He belongs on the forefront of the Kings' Mt. Rushmore. Forever grateful for DL.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Yeah I think no one can debate that he's just one really interesting dude. a pretty colorful personality as far as NHL GMs go!