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

[Sol]

So let me get this narrative straight.

In 2015 Dean wanted to fire Sutter a year after winning the cup but was blocked by AEG.

Then in 2017 after one playoff win in three seasons DL refused to fire Sutter and fell on his sword for him?

Please tell me you guys don't believe this stuff.

Yeah I don't get this? I've heard it too that DL wanted to fire him after missing the playoffs and then extended him? I don't get this rumor.

 

[BigKing]

If this season isn't an embarrassment it can also be the fact that Blake wants to make the team Offensive and adapt to the new NHL, unlike Lombardi who was all defense + old NHL.

So it's not as cut and dry as you make it seem to be

Let me know when the GM sets the strategy and makes the line changes.

Any difference in the on-ice performance from the same group of players is going to be coaching related. I didn't want Sutter back to begin with; not because he is a bad coach but because the writing was already on the wall and he was not the right fit for where the team was going.

I don't have an issue with those that wanted Lombardi gone as I've been here the last three years. I get it, I really do. I personally believe that he could adapt. He talked about this last summer but, just like Blake this year, what did you want him to do? If the players play the way they are supposed to, he still has a job.

In regards to Lucic, there is nothing wrong with a $4.25MM cap hit if Lucic accepted that offer and it would of fit into whatever window we think this team had at the time. You guys are acting like he offered the Edmonton cap hit but for 8 years. ****ing Justin Williams is at a $4.5MM cap hit now. Lombardi didn't "learn" anything about contracts with Lucic. What he did learn was that he couldn't afford to trade 1st round picks or the team's top prospects moving forward, which he did not do after that. Of course, "Dean would of traded #11OA for Evander Kane ZOMG!!!" if he was still here so I guess everyone is right. ****...he could of traded the 2017 1st at the 2016 deadline for more help to a team that was sitting in 1st place at the time but he didn't do that either. Could of done it this year too in a job saving effort but he wasn't shortsighted there either, unlike Dave Taylor and his Mark Parrish acquisition.

Yes, I don't like Rob Blake. I'm not criticizing him as GM since he hasn't done anything bad yet. At the same time, he hasn't put his touch on this team and everything that has happened was already in motion via the scouts, Futa et al. It is annoying to read the Blake kudos while Dean gets backhanded and we are looking at basically the same ****ing lineup for next season and the majority of the off-season positives so far being courtesy of Dean's staff already in place.

If Blake can't be criticized for his lack of moves to improve the on-ice product for the upcoming season, then I don't want to read about how he is doing such a great job either. He does not get a free pass while the architect of pretty much the only good time to be a Kings fan continues to be ridiculed as some sort of clueless buffoon.

We know Lombardi is a smart man. Perhaps he got to the point where the music is too loud and the kids need to get off of his lawn. I happen to think he could adapt. He was the one talking about scouting differently and how they got lazy. Following off-season we see Fantenberg/Iafollo/Boko/Cal. I just feel that this off-season is very much like last year save for the Brown drama and Dean didn't get the chance to turn it around after 2016. The coaching change was the absolutely necessary move and I feel moving on from Dean wasn't absolutely necessary. I'm not holding a candle light vigil over here for him, just saying there is a lot of shiny-new-toy syndrome with Blake and "**** that guy" with Lombardi.

It's like with Gravel. Everyone raves about him during the season. "I see Willie Mitchell in him". Frolin is signed, Board decides Gravel is the one on shaky ground and there is now more criticism of Gravel than before.

 

[King'sPawn]

The biggest responsibilities of Blake to date has been managing the cap and restocking the cupboards.

Imama, Peterson, Falkovsky, Iafallo are all free agent prospects signed, refilling the cupboard in all positions. This is excluding the draft. Imama was traded for before being re-signed.

How many prospects of the same cloth has Lombardi signed (meaning, not regular AHL plugs)? Would he have signed Cal Peterson, considering the "character flaw" of going pro early and not signing his drafting team? It's possible, but it's equally possible he wouldn't pass Lombardi's sniff test.

Most notable prospect signings from Lombardi are MacDermid and Jones.

Don't forget that Lombardi was also reported to wanting to re-sign Bishop.

If you genuinely think Blake and Lombardi would have done the same thing to date, there's really nothing to discuss.

Lombardi had a lot of great qualities, and I didn't want to see him go, but Blake has done very well.

 

[LAKings88]

Let me know when the GM sets the strategy and makes the line changes.

Any difference in the on-ice performance from the same group of players is going to be coaching related. I didn't want Sutter back to begin with; not because he is a bad coach but because the writing was already on the wall and he was not the right fit for where the team was going.

I don't have an issue with those that wanted Lombardi gone as I've been here the last three years. I get it, I really do. I personally believe that he could adapt. He talked about this last summer but, just like Blake this year, what did you want him to do? If the players play the way they are supposed to, he still has a job.

In regards to Lucic, there is nothing wrong with a $4.25MM cap hit if Lucic accepted that offer and it would of fit into whatever window we think this team had at the time. You guys are acting like he offered the Edmonton cap hit but for 8 years. ****ing Justin Williams is at a $4.5MM cap hit now. Lombardi didn't "learn" anything about contracts with Lucic. What he did learn was that he couldn't afford to trade 1st round picks or the team's top prospects moving forward, which he did not do after that. Of course, "Dean would of traded #11OA for Evander Kane ZOMG!!!" if he was still here so I guess everyone is right. ****...he could of traded the 2017 1st at the 2016 deadline for more help to a team that was sitting in 1st place at the time but he didn't do that either. Could of done it this year too in a job saving effort but he wasn't shortsighted there either, unlike Dave Taylor and his Mark Parrish acquisition.

Yes, I don't like Rob Blake. I'm not criticizing him as GM since he hasn't done anything bad yet. At the same time, he hasn't put his touch on this team and everything that has happened was already in motion via the scouts, Futa et al. It is annoying to read the Blake kudos while Dean gets backhanded and we are looking at basically the same ****ing lineup for next season and the majority of the off-season positives so far being courtesy of Dean's staff already in place.

If Blake can't be criticized for his lack of moves to improve the on-ice product for the upcoming season, then I don't want to read about how he is doing such a great job either. He does not get a free pass while the architect of pretty much the only good time to be a Kings fan continues to be ridiculed as some sort of clueless buffoon.

We know Lombardi is a smart man. Perhaps he got to the point where the music is too loud and the kids need to get off of his lawn. I happen to think he could adapt. He was the one talking about scouting differently and how they got lazy. Following off-season we see Fantenberg/Iafollo/Boko/Cal. I just feel that this off-season is very much like last year save for the Brown drama and Dean didn't get the chance to turn it around after 2016. The coaching change was the absolutely necessary move and I feel moving on from Dean wasn't absolutely necessary. I'm not holding a candle light vigil over here for him, just saying there is a lot of shiny-new-toy syndrome with Blake and "**** that guy" with Lombardi.

It's like with Gravel. Everyone raves about him during the season. "I see Willie Mitchell in him". Frolin is signed, Board decides Gravel is the one on shaky ground and there is now more criticism of Gravel than before.

Yep. DL kinda dig his own grave. Still the guy who put together two cup teams.

I like Gravel a lot, but he will have to win a spot with the rest of the dmen.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

But he tried to re-sign Lucic to an 8 year deal, that proves he didn't learn squat from the other awful contracts.

And the Kings won a cup with Richards playing terribly as a 4th line center. Carter was there 2C in 2014 and almost everyone knew he was going to be that going forward (credit to Lombardi for trading for him). Had the Kings done the logical thing and CBO'ed Richards they would have lost an almost $6m a year fourth liner/AHL'er.

Voynov is obviously a tough break and bad luck, no disputing that one.

I feel like Lombardi not caving and matching Edmonton's offer was a step in the right direction.

Regardless of where Richards was at in 2014, Lombardi didn't trade Simmonds and Schenn for a fourth liner. He traded them for a second line center, one he lost within two years to off ice issues, among other things. Just because the Kings had absurd depth in 2014 and could replace Richards doesn't mean that losing the 2C version of Richards was nothing to worry about. Losing 2C Richards is causing problems right now, in 2017, when the team is in desperate need of a top flight scoring winger, and the one we have is stuck playing 2C.

In short, we didn't feel the Richards loss in 2014 because Carter could replace him, and Gaborik could replace Carter. Even if we CBO Richards, the Kings in 2017 are still stuck with Carter at C and a depreciated Gaborik. The CBO, at this point, is irrelevant, no matter how much you enjoy beating the same dead horse. We basically CBOed Richards, anyway, and the team still has major problems, some of which could be alleviated if we still had 2C Richards.

Which again, we lost for nothing. Just like Voynov. You can't lose key players like that for zero return and expect to stay competitive. The Gaborik albatross contract is a DIRECT result of losing 2C Richards.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Let me know when the GM sets the strategy and makes the line changes.

Any difference in the on-ice performance from the same group of players is going to be coaching related. I didn't want Sutter back to begin with; not because he is a bad coach but because the writing was already on the wall and he was not the right fit for where the team was going.

I don't have an issue with those that wanted Lombardi gone as I've been here the last three years. I get it, I really do. I personally believe that he could adapt. He talked about this last summer but, just like Blake this year, what did you want him to do? If the players play the way they are supposed to, he still has a job.

In regards to Lucic, there is nothing wrong with a $4.25MM cap hit if Lucic accepted that offer and it would of fit into whatever window we think this team had at the time. You guys are acting like he offered the Edmonton cap hit but for 8 years. ****ing Justin Williams is at a $4.5MM cap hit now. Lombardi didn't "learn" anything about contracts with Lucic. What he did learn was that he couldn't afford to trade 1st round picks or the team's top prospects moving forward, which he did not do after that. Of course, "Dean would of traded #11OA for Evander Kane ZOMG!!!" if he was still here so I guess everyone is right. ****...he could of traded the 2017 1st at the 2016 deadline for more help to a team that was sitting in 1st place at the time but he didn't do that either. Could of done it this year too in a job saving effort but he wasn't shortsighted there either, unlike Dave Taylor and his Mark Parrish acquisition.

Yes, I don't like Rob Blake. I'm not criticizing him as GM since he hasn't done anything bad yet. At the same time, he hasn't put his touch on this team and everything that has happened was already in motion via the scouts, Futa et al. It is annoying to read the Blake kudos while Dean gets backhanded and we are looking at basically the same ****ing lineup for next season and the majority of the off-season positives so far being courtesy of Dean's staff already in place.

If Blake can't be criticized for his lack of moves to improve the on-ice product for the upcoming season, then I don't want to read about how he is doing such a great job either. He does not get a free pass while the architect of pretty much the only good time to be a Kings fan continues to be ridiculed as some sort of clueless buffoon.

We know Lombardi is a smart man. Perhaps he got to the point where the music is too loud and the kids need to get off of his lawn. I happen to think he could adapt. He was the one talking about scouting differently and how they got lazy. Following off-season we see Fantenberg/Iafollo/Boko/Cal. I just feel that this off-season is very much like last year save for the Brown drama and Dean didn't get the chance to turn it around after 2016. The coaching change was the absolutely necessary move and I feel moving on from Dean wasn't absolutely necessary. I'm not holding a candle light vigil over here for him, just saying there is a lot of shiny-new-toy syndrome with Blake and "**** that guy" with Lombardi.

It's like with Gravel. Everyone raves about him during the season. "I see Willie Mitchell in him". Frolin is signed, Board decides Gravel is the one on shaky ground and there is now more criticism of Gravel than before.

100% agree with all of this, by the way.

If Luc and Blake were so concerned with Dean's direction for the team, they wouldn't be trotting out virtually the same guys plus Cammalleri. It clearly wasn't about Dean's team or Dean's staff. It was about Luc taking over, and getting rid of Sutter.

And I hate to continually point this out, because it's condescending, but Dean has more formal academic education than Luc and Blake combined. I get that sports are different, but in management, you don't generally replace juris doctorates with high school diplomas.

 

[Sacha Baron Corbin]

100% agree with all of this, by the way.

If Luc and Blake were so concerned with Dean's direction for the team, they wouldn't be trotting out virtually the same guys plus Cammalleri. It clearly wasn't about Dean's team or Dean's staff. It was about Luc taking over, and getting rid of Sutter.

And I hate to continually point this out, because it's condescending, but Dean has more formal academic education than Luc and Blake combined. I get that sports are different, but in management, you don't generally replace juris doctorates with high school diplomas.

So what sweeping changes should they have made in the three months they have had to work with?

Also LOL at the "higher education" a lot of good that college degree did for Lombardi as he ran the team into the ground the last three years. He obviously didn't take Asset Management 101

I mean do we need to again list all of Dean's critical failures since 2014 that took this team from a cup winner to a team that has won a whopping one playoff game in three years?

 

[Reclamation Project]

What options does Blake have? Trade another crop of picks away for a rental? Trade one of our blue chip prospects (who don't exist) for someone further developed on an ELC? There are no options and it's entirely different. Dean had a lousy offseason because HE forced him into that corner.

I'll always be thankful for Dean's vision and moves that led the Kings to two Cups, but he should be equally criticized for a disastrous last few years that have unseated the Kings as a contender. His first round failures alone doomed the Kings whether it be trading away picks or reaching for garbage players like Teubert.

As of now, Blake has NO OPTIONS better than what he's done and it isn't a result of his own self inflicted actions. I really can't believe how so many are chastising Blake over this, it's stupid as ****.

As for his formal education, good for him. Use those degrees to get a new job. Blake is still vastly smarter than anyone on this board and is in the Hockey Hall of Fame along with being one of the more decorated players of all time, give me a ****ing break.

 

[Sacha Baron Corbin]

I'm convinced that many on this board want to see Blake fail because they still hold a grudge over something that happened almost 20 years ago. There's no other explanation for those who feel the need to **** on him even when he's done a good job this offseason

 

[Winger23]

I'm convinced that many on this board want to see Blake fail because they still hold a grudge over something that happened almost 20 years ago. There's no other explanation for those who feel the need to **** on him even when he's done a good job this offseason

I'm one to hold that grudge but don't want him to fail cause that means the kings fail. However I don't see how people can say he's done good so far when he honestly hasn't done anything yet except some low end, or low risk signings. Same goes for anyone crapping on him yet.

Is anyone actually excited for this season to start knowing its the same exact lifeless team from last year?

 

[KINGS17]

So what sweeping changes should they have made in the three months they have had to work with?

Also LOL at the "higher education" a lot of good that college degree did for Lombardi as he ran the team into the ground the last three years. He obviously didn't take Asset Management 101

I mean do we need to again list all of Dean's critical failures since 2014 that took this team from a cup winner to a team that has won a whopping one playoff game in three years?

Dean has forgotten more about how to set up an organization for success than Robitaille will ever know. Hopefully, Blake learned something from Dean. Blake and Robitaille are fortunate to have the infrastructure in place on the foundation Lombardi and Hextall built.

Dean had lots of missteps after 2014. However, the biggest problem was the players not performing up to par over the last three seasons. Was it tough to play for Sutter? No doubt it was, but when the players executed properly they were nearly unbeatable in a 7-game series.

 

[Sacha Baron Corbin]

I'm one to hold that grudge but don't want him to fail cause that means the kings fail. However I don't see how people can say he's done good so far when he honestly hasn't done anything yet except some low end, or low risk signings. Same goes for anyone crapping on him yet.

Is anyone actually excited for this season to start knowing its the same exact lifeless team from last year?

He quickly signed Toffoli and Pearson both to good contracts, had arguably the Kings best draft in years, didn't trade the Vilardi pick, Peterson, Folin, Imama were all cheap low risk signings that can pay off down the road. I mean it's nothing mind blowing but he's doing what he needs to do with the Kings in the position that they are in

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Reading comprehension, people. It's not hard.

I'm not advocating for Blake to do anything different. I'm not even criticizing Blake. I'm defending Lombardi. Go back and read my posts again, this time without your glaring biases.

I want Blake to succeed. I hope he learned a lot from Lombardi. Lombardi built a stellar team, and his shortcomings were emotional, not intellectual. I disagree with his firing. And I hold some perfectly reasonable concerns about two rookie executives without so much as a BA between them taking over for a long tenured, highly educated, highly successful GM in Lombardi.

Even considering Lombardi's terrible management since 2014, Luc and Blake will be lucky to see half the success helming this franchise as he did.

 

[Sacha Baron Corbin]

Dean has forgotten more about how to set up an organization for success than Robitaille will ever know. Hopefully, Blake learned something from Dean. Blake and Robitaille are fortunate to have the infrastructure in place on the foundation Lombardi and Hextall built.

Dean had lots of missteps after 2014. However, the biggest problem was the players not performing up to par over the last three seasons. Was it tough to play for Sutter? No doubt it was, but when the players executed properly they were nearly unbeatable in a 7-game series.

I'm not going to argue that he built up a near dynasty, but his poor asset management has left the team in a position where they likely won't contend again for years.

Sutter and Lombardi both failed to adapt to the new style of the NHL, they were both stubborn to change their style. The World Cup team Lombardi assembled was a perfect example of Dean living in the past.

Dean was one of the best GM's from 2006-2014, and IMO was the worst GM in the league from 2014-2017 and now we have seen the results of Dean's "asset management"

I agree that the players are part of the problem, but I think Lombardi helped cultivate the lazy culture that we see today with his ultra-loyal mindset

 

[Winger23]

He quickly signed Toffoli and Pearson both to good contracts, had arguably the Kings best draft in years, didn't trade the Vilardi pick, Peterson, Folin, Imama were all cheap low risk signings that can pay off down the road. I mean it's nothing mind blowing but he's doing what he needs to do with the Kings in the position that they are in

I wasn't disagreeing, I'm just saying its way too early for anyone to compliment nor complain. Me personally I obviously liked the tt and Pearson signings. Vilardi dropped in his lap and I don't like the Cammy signing. For me it's going to come down to what he does about the gaborik and brown contracts and DD.

 

[KINGS17]

I'm not going to argue that he built up a near dynasty, but his poor asset management has left the team in a position where they likely won't contend again for years.

Sutter and Lombardi both failed to adapt to the new style of the NHL, they were both stubborn to change their style. The World Cup team Lombardi assembled was a perfect example of Dean living in the past.

Dean was one of the best GM's from 2006-2014, and IMO was the worst GM in the league from 2014-2017 and now we have seen the results of Dean's "asset management"

I agree. This is why part of the formula by which I will judge Blake is how quickly he realizes this and sells off his most valuable assets. Only by doing this will he be able to start the rebuilding process.

If he hangs on to all of his age 30+ assets past this coming season, he gets an F for his first year. Hoping he earns an A, so we can see another Stanley Cup Championship someday. I don't think it's happening with this roster.

 

[Sacha Baron Corbin]

I wasn't disagreeing, I'm just saying its way too early for anyone to compliment nor complain. Me personally I obviously liked the tt and Pearson signings. Vilardi dropped in his lap and I don't like the Cammy signing. For me it's going to come down to what he does about the gaborik and brown contracts and DD.

Fair enough. I just think it's odd that people on here (not you obviously) continue to bang the Lombardi drum after three years of failure then chastise posters who compliment Blake on the work he's done so far

 

[Sacha Baron Corbin]

I agree. This is why part of the formula by which I will judge Blake is how quickly he realizes this and sells off his most valuable assets. Only by doing this will he be able to start the rebuilding process.

If he hangs on to all of his age 30+ assets past this coming season, he gets an F for his first year. Hoping he earns an A, so we can see another Stanley Cup Championship someday. I don't think it's happening with this roster.

Another fair point, and I agree that this roster likely won't win another cup. I just have no idea how you get out of the bad contracts without mortgaging more of the future and buyouts would become probalamatic when Doughty is due for an extension

 

[kings11]

Fair enough. I just think it's odd that people on here (not you obviously) continue to bang the Lombardi drum after three years of failure then chastise posters who compliment Blake on the work he's done so far

You're and idiot if you think all the Kings failures fall in Dean... last time anyone checked it was on the players to perform, the coaches to draw up strategies and the GM to assemble the team that fits his and his coaches vision... which won 2 cups and as late as 2 seasons ago was still expected to contend according to experts but fell flat... 2014-'15 team missed the PO... DL brought in Lucic....2015-16' team placed 2nd and was expected to make a deep run but imploded... and then this season... so it pretty obvious Dean knew the team need constant updating to remain competitive and that takes the spending of assets .... I blame DL for not buying out MR and for the Lucic trade during a deep draft but I wonder how much b itching would be going on if those moves weren't made... you guys love to complain about everything

 

[Sacha Baron Corbin]

You're and idiot if you think all the Kings failures fall in Dean... last time anyone checked it was on the players to perform, the coaches to draw up strategies and the GM to assemble the team that fits his and his coaches vision... which won 2 cups and as late as 2 seasons ago was still expected to contend according to experts but fell flat... 2014-'15 team missed the PO... DL brought in Lucic....2015-16' team placed 2nd and was expected to make a deep run but imploded... and then this season... so it pretty obvious Dean knew the team need constant updating to remain competitive and that takes the spending of assets .... I blame DL for not buying out MR and for the Lucic trade during a deep draft but I wonder how much b itching would be going on if those moves weren't made... you guys love to complain about everything

Where did I say all of the failure was Lombardi's fault? Your an idiot if you think keeping the same band together after the past three years was a good idea. Forget 2012-2014 for one second, is one playoff win in three years with one of the highest payrolls in the league acceptable to you?

And yeah most of us wouldn't be complaining if he let go of Richards and didn't do the Lucic or Sekera trades and saved those assets or used them on players who would've stayed longer than one season, everyone knew those were big gambles at the time and they failed

You can polish this turd of an organization all you want, but at the end of the day it's still a steaming pile of **** and Lombardi played a big part in creating this pile of **** in the first place and now it's going to take years to clean up the mess

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

It's funny that when asked what Blake should do, nobody can offer up any ideas that make any sense. They're not going to acquire an Evander Kane for Kyle Clifford. Did you guys expect Lombardi to turn the Kings into Cup champs within his first 2-3 years? He got off to a very rough start and it took four seasons with him as GM before this team had any respectability, and it happened shortly after drafting Doughty.

What expectations did you guys have for this summer? Ignore that Blake is GM, what did you expect and what would you have done? Sign Marleau and Thornton to contracts worth $6M to $8M? Sign Jagr or bring back Iginla?

It would seem wiser and more sensible to wait and see how things play out. For the first time in a long time, the prospect pool appears to be the deepest they've had in a good while. Ontario will also be considerably younger and not full of a bunch of journeymen.

Has Blake done anything bad already in your biased eyes?

 

[Bandit]

Sweet discussion about Cammalleri, guys.

 

[King'sPawn]

Sweet discussion about Cammalleri, guys.

Good low risk signing.

Do you think Lombardi would have tried to sign him (just to tie the ingoing discussion into the topic)?

 

[KingsFan7824]

67 games played, 15 goals.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Good low risk signing.

Do you think Lombardi would have tried to sign him (just to tie the ingoing discussion into the topic)?

No, he's a bum.