Confirmed with Link: Kings signing Cammalleri to 1/yr deal, 1m + bonuses

[DryIslandBartender]

Lombardi didn't pick up Kopitar, Brown or Quick. Knowing his overthinking style, he would've passes on Kopitar had he been GM in 2005 and gone with Marc Staal over Kopitar. Just like he did in 2007 with Hickey over Voracek.

I'm sure Dave Taylor or some other AEG stand in GM would have signed Mitchell with his injuries, or traded for Stoll, Greene, Richards, Carter etc. or hired a great development staff. Remember it was Ranford that got on Quick for being late to practices and changing his work ethic.

Secondly, those guys you listed have bloated contracts that they aren't living up to. DL paid them handsomely and in return they play like garbage. Quick I think can return to form but his style of play as a goalie is going to break him down much faster than the length of his contract. I've always said he reminds me of Mike Richter of the Rangers. Terrific goalie that got overworked and broke down fast. DL had the right idea to trade for Bishop to protect the teams investment in Quick. Kuemper

The elephant in the room is Kopitar. Nobody seems to want to talk about him. I'm very concerned about him with that contract and his extremely poor play. He doesn't return to form and it doesn't matter what Blake does. I don't think Cammy is the answer, the answer is Kopitar himself and whether he's dedicated to the game.

Time will tell but I don't think this coming season will be any good with the rest of the Division/Conference having a good offseason, we'll be competing with the likes of Vegas. Then Doughty won't want to be a part of a rebuilding project helmed by Luc/Blake. Just look at Colorado with Sakic, not a clue of what's going on over there, a disaster.

 

[Kings4thecup]

I'm sure Dave Taylor or some other AEG stand in GM would have signed Mitchell with his injuries, or traded for Stoll, Greene, Richards, Carter etc. or hired a great development staff. Remember it was Ranford that got on Quick for being late to practices and changing his work ethic.

Secondly, those guys you listed have bloated contracts that they aren't living up to. DL paid them handsomely and in return they play like garbage. Quick I think can return to form but his style of play as a goalie is going to break him down much faster than the length of his contract. I've always said he reminds me of Mike Richter of the Rangers. Terrific goalie that got overworked and broke down fast. DL had the right idea to trade for Bishop to protect the teams investment in Quick. Kuemper

The elephant in the room is Kopitar. Nobody seems to want to talk about him. I'm very concerned about him with that contract and his extremely poor play. He doesn't return to form and it doesn't matter what Blake does. I don't think Cammy is the answer, the answer is Kopitar himself and whether he's dedicated to the game.

Time will tell but I don't think this coming season will be any good with the rest of the Division/Conference having a good offseason, we'll be competing with the likes of Vegas. Then Doughty won't want to be a part of a rebuilding project helmed by Luc/Blake. Just look at Colorado with Sakic, not a clue of what's going on over there, a disaster.

Wow, I do not see this. What teams in our division had a good offseason? We will be competing with Vegas? There is tons of talent still on this team. Hopefully a full season of Quick should make a difference alone.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

I think both of you guys are taking the extremes, I mean would Taylor have been able to finish the job and build around Kopitar and Quick? Would Lombardi have won a cup here without a 19 year old #1 center to build around?

But you do have to give him credit, he added to the wonderful young pieces DT left him and won two championships, and no one can ever take that away from him. What doomed Dean here in LA was the same thing that doomed him in SJ, the inability to draft enough elite players. Dean was usually really good with his trades, but there was just an inability to stack those high end players you have to hit on in the 1st round.

Andrei Zyuzin
Marco Sturm
Patrick Marleau
Scott Hannan
Brad Stuart
Jeff Jillson
Marcel Goc
Mike Morris
Jonathan Bernier
Trevor Lewis
Thomas Hickey
Drew Doughty
Colten Teubert
Brayden Schenn
Derek Forbort
Tanner Pearson
Adrian Kempe

Leaves a lot to be desired.

Edit: I think the best situation for Lombardi and any team hiring him would be to either have the very young pieces in place like the Kings did and let Dean add to that or a situation like the Caps or Ducks are in right now, where they have plenty of talent in place just may be a move or two away from winning. I don't think a situation like Vegas where it has to be built from scratch or a situation like Colorado where it needs to be blown up and rebuilt through the draft would be a good situation for DL.

It's hard for any team to draft elite talent, unless you are the penguins or Blackhawks drafting in the top 5 in consecutive years. So DL's problem wasn't drafting, he's done very well in the middle rounds. His problem was being too loyal to the players rather than what's right for the org. And essentially his players screwed him over with laziness, domestic violence, popping mollys, getting caught with pain meds at the border etc. It really screwed the roster construction and we're paying for it now. The one person that could get us out of this mess, AEG/Luc canned. Now we have some amateurs in charge.

And I don't see why he wouldn't or a team shouldn't hire him if they need to be built from scratch. He essentially built the Kings organization from scratch from top to bottom he made wholesale changes to everything from nutrition to new off-season workout programs that were never in place before he was hired.

 

[Reclamation Project]

After the disastrous last 3 seasons, he had to go. He dug his own grave.

 

[KingsFan7824]

The elephant in the room is Kopitar. Nobody seems to want to talk about him. I'm very concerned about him with that contract and his extremely poor play. He doesn't return to form and it doesn't matter what Blake does. I don't think Cammy is the answer, the answer is Kopitar himself and whether he's dedicated to the game.

Other than Brown, who else have people talked about besides Kopitar? Not just when he hibernates for the winter, but especially so since his 14-15 season. He's constantly talked about. What's left to say? If he has another 12 goal season, then yeah, they're not going anywhere.

Time will tell but I don't think this coming season will be any good with the rest of the Division/Conference having a good offseason, we'll be competing with the likes of Vegas. Then Doughty won't want to be a part of a rebuilding project helmed by Luc/Blake. Just look at Colorado with Sakic, not a clue of what's going on over there, a disaster.

How much worse does everyone have to be in order to be competing with the likes of Vegas? How much worse do you expect everyone to be?

 

[KINGS17]

It's hard for any team to draft elite talent, unless you are the penguins or Blackhawks drafting in the top 5 in consecutive years. So DL's problem wasn't drafting, he's done very well in the middle rounds. His problem was being too loyal to the players rather than what's right for the org. And essentially his players screwed him over with laziness, domestic violence, popping mollys, getting caught with pain meds at the border etc. It really screwed the roster construction and we're paying for it now. The one person that could get us out of this mess, AEG/Luc canned. Now we have some amateurs in charge.

And I don't see why he wouldn't or a team shouldn't hire him if they need to be built from scratch. He essentially built the Kings organization from scratch from top to bottom he made wholesale changes to everything from nutrition to new off-season workout programs that were never in place before he was hired.

I am as big a fan of Dean's work as anyone. He did have 3 consecutive Top 5 picks in Hickey, Doughty, and Schenn.

I don't like Blake's history with the Kings, but I am willing to give him a chance.

My biggest concern is how involved Luc Robitaille will be in player personnel decisions.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Wow, I do not see this. What teams in our division had a good offseason? We will be competing with Vegas? There is tons of talent still on this team. Hopefully a full season of Quick should make a difference alone.

Quick alone isn't going to carry the load anymore, and that was with a bonafide defense. Now we don't even have that.

Coyotes did very well this offseason, getting Stepan, Raanta, Hjarlmarsson. Dumping an aging Mike Smith for prospects and a 2018 first rounder. Canucks signing Gagner, Del Zotto, and Nillson. They had a quality FA haul. Don't think Canucks will make the playoffs but they aren't shoo-ins to get the # 1 pick next year either. That's just non-playoff teams in the division, and I don't see anyone else falling out of the playoffs in favor of the kings.

 

[lexlavender]

There is absolutely no evidence at all that Luc is involved in anything other than being the face of the business side of the franchise. Unless we also think that Luc was involved in Dean's player acquisitions as well, and there is no report that has even suggested anything like that.

Compare that to Shanahan's involvement in Toronto which is constantly referred to by numerous articles, rumors, and discussions.

 

[lexlavender]

People can complain about Blake not overpaying for Free Agents all they want, or not trading the farm for a savior forward. But the fact of the matter is that we would be in same situation even if Blake did any of those things. Since the 2014 cup, our vet leadership went from:

Richards
Greene
Mitchell
Williams
Brown

to

Kopitar
Doughty
Carter
Muzzin
Martinez

The above players need to take a step forward in leading the team on and off the ice. That means dictating play, leading the team through the highs and lows of the season. It means no taking nights off, or looking to others for help. If the above players don't step up, we're screwed no matter what. Even if Thornton was brought in, these responsibilities wouldn't change.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

I am as big a fan of Dean's work as anyone. He did have 3 consecutive Top 5 picks in Hickey, Doughty, and Schenn.

I don't like Blake's history with the Kings, but I am willing to give him a chance.

My biggest concern is how involved Luc Robitaille will be in player personnel decisions.

It's not like DL drafted Aki Bergs but yeah aside from Doughty they aren't elite.


I share your concerns as well regarding Luc, who probably was behind the firing of DL and bringing the country club/retirement on the beach culture back.

 

[Brodeur]

Dean was usually really good with his trades, but there was just an inability to stack those high end players you have to hit on in the 1st round.

Andrei Zyuzin
Marco Sturm
Patrick Marleau
Scott Hannan
Brad Stuart
Jeff Jillson
Marcel Goc
Mike Morris
Jonathan Bernier
Trevor Lewis
Thomas Hickey
Drew Doughty
Colten Teubert
Brayden Schenn
Derek Forbort
Tanner Pearson
Adrian Kempe

Leaves a lot to be desired.

To be fair, 1996-2002 won't be on many GMs/scouts highlight reels. In particular, 1996 was known to be awful ahead of time. DL mentioned years after the fact how he didn't have the nerve to not pick Zyuzin who was the consensus #2 prospect, even though he wasn't a big fan. He happily traded Zyuzin three years later.

And I always feel like the term "first rounder" can imply a higher upside that there really is, namely for the guys taken at the end of the first round. Marcel Goc wasn't a world beater, but he had a reasonable NHL career which was better than most of the guys taken immediately behind him.

 

[BigKing]

I have no issues with what Blake has done so far and I'm glad there weren't any huge moves made solely for the sake of making them in order to "put his stamp" on the team.

I like Lombardi and completely understand his track record since 2014; however, I disagree with the thought process of "he had to go".

DL "has to go" but they basically retain his staff and give the coaching job to DL's eventual Sutter replacement. Blake does the same thing Lombardi did last season except there is success in signing free agent prospects along with the Dave Taylor special at the draft where they sit in the low teens and take whoever ISS/CSB has remaining as the top player. Even then, it's DL's scouts that really manned that draft.

I believe that Lombardi would have kept the #11OA and they would of tried to sign the prospects that wound up signing here. Credit to Blake for closing the deals, but this isn't an instance of Blake having his first meeting with the staff and saying "Hey guys...have you ever thought about NCAA free agents?".

It's funny that there is bickering over this because I feel a 2017 Lombardi off-season would look extremely similar to what we are looking at right now. It's the same staff, culture and system in place and basically the same team.

Sutter "had to go". Lombardi did not.

I'll give credit to Blake for not hijacking things and going buck wild. I can't really say much more at this point as he hasn't done anything that requires any real thought. Free prospects? Draft the highest rated player left? Don't sign any big UFAs and sign a scrap-heap guy and hope he rewards you since the cap is effed?

The biggest thing is probably the TP/TT signings which were great but it also takes two to tango so credit to the players for not dragging things out and betting on themselves to cash in later.

I believe Blake is relying on the staff that has been in place so I take comfort in that. I think DL would have realized after last season that band-aids aren't the answer anymore but, hey, they wanted to retain Blake and didn't want to risk having to fire DL after another bad season and have Blake already GM'ing another team.

It's just funny that DL continues to get **** on while Blake keeps getting praised for basically no doing anything stupid so far. Glad he hasn't but I'm interested to see what he does when a real decision needs to be made. Right now, we are going to see DL's team out there next season. If they suck again, it will be DL's fault. If they rebound, I'm pretty sure Blake will be getting the credit for it. Going to be fun.

 

[damacles1156]

I have no issues with what Blake has done so far and I'm glad there weren't any huge moves made solely for the sake of making them in order to "put his stamp" on the team.

I like Lombardi and completely understand his track record since 2014; however, I disagree with the thought process of "he had to go".

DL "has to go" but they basically retain his staff and give the coaching job to DL's eventual Sutter replacement. Blake does the same thing Lombardi did last season except there is success in signing free agent prospects along with the Dave Taylor special at the draft where they sit in the low teens and take whoever ISS/CSB has remaining as the top player. Even then, it's DL's scouts that really manned that draft.

I believe that Lombardi would have kept the #11OA and they would of tried to sign the prospects that wound up signing here. Credit to Blake for closing the deals, but this isn't an instance of Blake having his first meeting with the staff and saying "Hey guys...have you ever thought about NCAA free agents?".

It's funny that there is bickering over this because I feel a 2017 Lombardi off-season would look extremely similar to what we are looking at right now. It's the same staff, culture and system in place and basically the same team.

Sutter "had to go". Lombardi did not.

I'll give credit to Blake for not hijacking things and going buck wild. I can't really say much more at this point as he hasn't done anything that requires any real thought. Free prospects? Draft the highest rated player left? Don't sign any big UFAs and sign a scrap-heap guy and hope he rewards you since the cap is effed?

The biggest thing is probably the TP/TT signings which were great but it also takes two to tango so credit to the players for not dragging things out and betting on themselves to cash in later.

I believe Blake is relying on the staff that has been in place so I take comfort in that. I think DL would have realized after last season that band-aids aren't the answer anymore but, hey, they wanted to retain Blake and didn't want to risk having to fire DL after another bad season and have Blake already GM'ing another team.

It's just funny that DL continues to get **** on while Blake keeps getting praised for basically no doing anything stupid so far. Glad he hasn't but I'm interested to see what he does when a real decision needs to be made. Right now, we are going to see DL's team out there next season. If they suck again, it will be DL's fault. If they rebound, I'm pretty sure Blake will be getting the credit for it. Going to be fun.

Kings miss the playoffs again (good chance of that happening) you will get to see what Blake is made of.

John Stevens no doubt will be fired, that's step one.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Kings miss the playoffs again (good chance of that happening) you will get to see what Blake is made of.

John Stevens no doubt will be fired, that's step one.

So we'll just keep churning out HCs until the players approve of one?

 

[DryIslandBartender]

I would think step one is dumping some core players and begin finding new ones.

 

[damacles1156]

I would think step one is dumping some core players and begin finding new ones.

That's the tough choice Blake will face.

Do I keep firing coaches, or get rid of core guys ?

 

[Reclamation Project]

Core guys, no hesitation. The problem is they aren't tradable. Carter isn't the problem and he's one of few with value. His entire line isn't the problem. If Kopitar takes another giant **** this year we're in serious trouble. The failures of last year were largely in part of his lazy, boring, and lifeless play.

 

[Fishhead]

If the Kings miss the playoffs, why they miss is what's important to Stevens' future. If he continues the same type of predictable style, odds are good he will be gone. But if he changes things, adapts, and does everything he can and the players don't respond, I think we will see some serious roster changes.

 

[damacles1156]

If the Kings miss the playoffs, why they miss is what's important to Stevens' future. If he continues the same type of predictable style, odds are good he will be gone. But if he changes things, adapts, and does everything he can and the players don't respond, I think we will see some serious roster changes.

Kind of like Sutter telling the entire roster (Go to the net) and no one does.

Pretty sure coaches still get fired, lot easier to fire coaches.

You guys are pinning all of your hope on John Stevens having some SUPER DUPER secret hockey system.

It's the players, always has been, always will be.

 

[damacles1156]

Core guys, no hesitation. The problem is they aren't tradable. Carter isn't the problem and he's one of few with value. His entire line isn't the problem. If Kopitar takes another giant **** this year we're in serious trouble. The failures of last year were largely in part of his lazy, boring, and lifeless play.

The entire season will rest on Kopitar/Doughty/Quick.

Any bad stretches from them, and the Kings are done.

 

[BigKing]

The entire season will rest on Kopitar/Doughty/Quick.

Any bad stretches from them, and the Kings are done.

It's the same as last year but with a little bit more faith in the youth.

-Studs have to stud
-No significant injuries to 8/11/32/77/70/73
-Young guys on ELCs or small contracts have to produce well above their cap hit.

There will be more speed to start the year than last season which hopefully helps. The Stevens Effect won't be a super-secret system but rather these guys enjoying their jobs again. They might listen to Stevens when he says to go to the net; however, I agree with the premise that Stevens isn't going to reinvent the wheel.

 

[damacles1156]

It's the same as last year but with a little bit more faith in the youth.

-Studs have to stud
-No significant injuries to 8/11/32/77/70/73
-Young guys on ELCs or small contracts have to produce well above their cap hit.

There will be more speed to start the year than last season which hopefully helps. The Stevens Effect won't be a super-secret system but rather these guys enjoying their jobs again. They might listen to Stevens when he says to go to the net; however, I agree with the premise that Stevens isn't going to reinvent the wheel.

I actually think the team is slower.

Everyone of the (core) is a year older, and the Kings did not add a significant Forward that has superior skill/speed.

 

[johnjm22]

That's the tough choice Blake will face.

Do I keep firing coaches, or get rid of core guys ?

I don't think that's Blake's descion to make.

 

[KINGS17]

Core guys will have to be moved if the Kings don't make the playoffs AND do well this coming season. It's not acceptable with one of the highest paid rosters in the NHL to get bounced 1-4, or 2-4 in the 1st round.

If the Kings do not have a relatively succesful season, Carter gone, Muzzin gone, Martinez gone, possibly Lewis and Doughty as well.

Will Blake have the balls, and even more importantly the blessing of ownership to do what needs to be done?

It was mentioned earlier, Hoven said Blake and Robitaille came in at some point in the Kopitar negotiation to get things moving again after Dean had said they weren't even in the same ballpark. I would be interested in knowing how it really went down, and if Dean was happy about it. Maybe this is one of the major disagreements Lombardi had with those surrounding him?

 

[Reclamation Project]

Core guys will have to be moved if the Kings don't make the playoffs AND do well this coming season. It's not acceptable with one of the highest paid rosters in the NHL to get bounced 1-4, or 2-4 in the 1st round.

If the Kings do not have a relatively succesful season, Carter gone, Muzzin gone, Martinez gone, possibly Lewis and Doughty as well.

Will Blake have the balls, and even more importantly the blessing of ownership to do what needs to be done?

It was mentioned earlier, Hoven said Blake and Robitaille came in at some point in the Kopitar negotiation to get things moving again after Dean had said they weren't even in the same ballpark. I would be interested in knowing how it really went down, and if Dean was happy about it. Maybe this is one of the major disagreements Lombardi had with those surrounding him?

I don't believe Hoven on this at all.