News Article: Lombardi, Sutter get contract extensions

[Ziggy Stardust]

I disagree. I think you could have come up with a long list of weaknesses if the Kings had missed the playoffs....fortunately, we don't have to, we can just concentrate on the positives.

But think about it, players like Penner, Carter...hell, you could even put Brown in that mix...all underachieved until playoff time. If you never had a chance to see that, we might be calling for a semi-rebuild....not to mention DL's head.

I get what you are saying, but I thought the team as a whole started player considerably better towards late February - early March, right after they acquired Carter. Let's not forget that Carter came back from an injury and got hurt shortly after he was acquired.

Let's also not forget to acknowledge how different the team looked when Dwight King and Jordan Nolan were inserted into the lineup. Lombardi probably has to thank Sutter for that move. Sutter spent time watching the kids in Manchester during the All-Star break and decided to bring them up. This was after the Kings wised up and waived Ethan Moreau and Trent Hunter.

Lombardi saved his job by hiring Darryl Sutter. It took some time but the team finally took off when they started playing that Sutter style of hockey. Had Lombardi stuck with Terry Murray, he'd most likely be looking for a job today.

 

[topliner967]

Get rid of Westgarth -> get 4-year extension.

 

[kingsfan]

I disagree. I think you could have come up with a long list of weaknesses if the Kings had missed the playoffs....fortunately, we don't have to, we can just concentrate on the positives.

But think about it, players like Penner, Carter...hell, you could even put Brown in that mix...all underachieved until playoff time. If you never had a chance to see that, we might be calling for a semi-rebuild....not to mention DL's head.

Again, a lot of that falls back on the players. Outside of Carter and the promotion of King and Nolan and release of Hunter and Moreau, DL changed very little about the team. While those guys made an impact for sure in our playoff run, the reason we went where we did was because of players elevating their game, such as Brown and Stoll, moreso than anything DL did/didn't do.

EDIT to add that he also changed the Head Coach role, which did have a big impact.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

I get what you are saying, but I thought the team as a whole started player considerably better towards late February - early March, right after they acquired Carter. Let's not forget that Carter came back from an injury and got hurt shortly after he was acquired.

Let's also not forget to acknowledge how different the team looked when Dwight King and Jordan Nolan were inserted into the lineup. Lombardi probably has to thank Sutter for that move. Sutter spent time watching the kids in Manchester during the All-Star break and decided to bring them up. This was after the Kings wised up and waived Ethan Moreau and Trent Hunter.

Lombardi saved his job by hiring Darryl Sutter. It took some time but the team finally took off when they started playing that Sutter style of hockey. Had Lombardi stuck with Terry Murray, he'd most likely be looking for a job today.

I totally agree, but I just don't think that late season surge would have been enough to save DL's job. Had the Kings missed the playoffs, it would have been an epic franchise failure. Ownership would have done something...and I doubt they would have let the current management team give it one more try.

 

[damacles1156]

AEG said missing the playoff's was not an option last year.

I would assume that means you're fired if it happens.