Kings News: Rob Blake to replace Hextall as Assistant GM

[tigermask48]

Any chance they take the mancheaster gm away and give it to someone better suited? not sure who but someones got to be better then blake a rookie.

The silver lining is he'll really only be handling maybe 5-10 contracts a year and most of those will be really easy to handle PTOs and ATOs... The bad part is that he'll be the one sort of mentoring the prospects in Manchester and helping them deal with the transition to the pro game. That was a big part of Hextall's job here was being the guy that talked to the prospects about what was expected of them, and basically the one teaching them to be NHL hockey players... I want Blake no where near that after the way he "mentored" Johnson. As for better candidates I think Futa as the GM in Manch was what I wanted, but maybe he didn't want it I guess. Hopefully Blake proves me wrong.

 

[Whiskeypete]

Furthermore his 'experience' with the Jr Kings has NO relation to the LA Kings. While the Jr Kings is a top notch travel program, the only comparisons that can be made are the team names, they play hockey and both play out of LA.

The Jr Kings are not even on the same scale as the US and Canadian Jr teams the NHL drafts from. The closest team they have will be the AAA U18 team and those players would then move onto the US and Canadian teams.

Yes there is player development taking place, but we are talking about kids that U18, not grown men. They aren't even on the same page as a 19-20yo playing in the ECHL or AHL.

To compare the Jr Kings to the LA Kings is like me comparing the mites and squirts I coach to the AAA midget travel team at our rink. They are light years apart when it comes to development and skill.

 

[KINGS17]

I saw the video of Dean defending Blake, and then the one of him praising Brown.

Polar opposite statements. Pretty disappointing.

 

[jt]

I don't think what Lombardi seems to be attempting to do (put cold water on things) between your article and John Hoven's quite addresses what pissed off so many fans of the Kings. It comes off kind of shallow and disingenuous because it tries to say, "Hey, he went for the money, but there were good reasons for that!"

The fact that Blake asked for top dollars and that outside pressures may have been exerted on him by the NHLPA have *nothing* to do with how he conducted himself as the Captain of the team towards the end of his tenure and Lombardi should know better, or he really has no grasp of the situation.

One plus one does not equal banana. The NHLPA didn't use magic ghost hands and ventriloquism to get Rob Blake to resign his captaincy.

I can't speak for everyone, but the fact that he left or that he wanted more money does not bother me in the least bit. Players come and go all the time, be it voluntary or involuntary, and I'd like to think others know it's the normal course of hockey business. It sucks when it works against you, but there's an obvious right way and a wrong way to go about it that can mitigate the break-up and Blake went for 31 flavors of bungled failure there.

Yanking that symbolic "C" off his chest amid a contract dispute of all things goes against everything that having the leadership mantle on a team is supposed to mean. It was downright sacrilegious. Heck, it goes contrary to all the virtues that Lombardi himself trumpets as being essential in the makeup of a great hockey player and leader.

That patch is more than a piece of fabric you can attach to the front of your jersey because it looks cool. If he didn't understand the unspoken implications and expectations that comes with it then he *NEVER* should have accepted it in the first place.

This is very well said. IMO, it's not what he did, it's how he did it. And it seems weird that those who defend Blake so strongly don't/can't/won't see that.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

The fact that Blake asked for top dollars and that outside pressures may have been exerted on him by the NHLPA have *nothing* to do with how he conducted himself as the Captain of the team towards the end of his tenure and Lombardi should know better, or he really has no grasp of the situation.

The blame for that lies much more on Lieweekly and Gilmore than Blake.
The same take it or leave it style of negotiations are the reason Luc bolted for Detroit

Since negotiations began in August, the Kings have made two offers to extend Blake's contract, which will pay him $5,267,500 this season. The first was believed to be for five years at an average of $6 million per year. The second was believed to be three years at an average of $7.5 million per.

It was accompanied by an ultimatum, Blake said.

"The way it was outlined was either 'take this or leave it,' and I'm not going to take it," Blake said.

His agent, Ron Salcer, is a bit puzzled by the Kings' stance.

"I represented Dave Taylor in all of his contract negotiations and he was never bullied," Salcer said. "Nor do I think he would accept being bullied."

http://articles.latimes.com/2000/sep/22/sports/sp-25031

 

[Primakov!]

The blame for that lies much more on Lieweekly and Gilmore than Blake.
The same take it or leave it style of negotiations are the reason Luc bolted for Detroit

The take it or leave it style negotiations may explain why the break up ultimately occurred, sure, but that doesn't do a really good job of explaining or even beginning to justify the conduct.

Not to put words into your mouth, so correct me if I'm wrong, but are you saying management is at fault for what Blake ultimately did? Like he was forced by circumstances beyond his control?

Because I hate to characterize it this way, but I have a niece who threw a tantrum once and said, "They won't give me what I want and won't play fair so I don't want it!" and then threw her toy against a wall.

Thing is, she's five years old so I can stomach that because she's a spoonful of sugar.

Rob Blake, grown man? Yeah, that's giving me bitter beer face here.

 

[jt]

I saw the video of Dean defending Blake, and then the one of him praising Brown.

Polar opposite statements. Pretty disappointing.

I swear, if I could wear a shirt that had DL's quote about Brown and then DL's quote about Blake, I'd do it just to see his reaction.

 

[jt]

The blame for that lies much more on Lieweekly and Gilmore than Blake.
The same take it or leave it style of negotiations are the reason Luc bolted for Detroit



http://articles.latimes.com/2000/sep/22/sports/sp-25031

So what's your reaction to Blake's take it or leave it style of negotiations with DL in 2008?

 

[Captain Mittens*]

So what's your reaction to Blake's take it or leave it style of negotiations with DL in 2008?

that was Blake's fault. 100%

 

[Captain Mittens*]

The take it or leave it style negotiations may explain why the break up ultimately occurred, sure, but that doesn't do a really good job of explaining or even beginning to justify the conduct.

Not to put words into your mouth, so correct me if I'm wrong, but are you saying management is at fault for what Blake ultimately did? Like he was forced by circumstances beyond his control?

Because I hate to characterize it this way, but I have a niece who threw a tantrum once and said, "They won't give me what I want and won't play fair so I don't want it!" and then threw her toy against a wall.

Thing is, she's five years old so I can stomach that because she's a spoonful of sugar.

Rob Blake, grown man? Yeah, that's giving me bitter beer face here.

I am saying it is more management's fault than Blakes

There fault on both sides, but IMO, it is far more Liewekly and Gilmore's

 

[Primakov!]

I am saying it is more management's fault than Blakes

There fault on both sides, but IMO, it is far more Liewekly and Gilmore's

Not trying to pick on you or incite anything here -- honestly curious.

So if I were to paraphrase your argument it'd be:

"Management had a big hand in creating a bad situation and Blake went full (Mod Edit) and really has no defense of his own for his actions either."

Accurate?

 

[DryIslandBartender]

I don't think what Lombardi seems to be attempting to do (put cold water on things) between your article and John Hoven's quite addresses what pissed off so many fans of the Kings. It comes off kind of shallow and disingenuous because it tries to say, "Hey, he went for the money, but there were good reasons for that!"

The fact that Blake asked for top dollars and that outside pressures may have been exerted on him by the NHLPA have *nothing* to do with how he conducted himself as the Captain of the team towards the end of his tenure and Lombardi should know better, or he really has no grasp of the situation.

One plus one does not equal banana. The NHLPA didn't use magic ghost hands and ventriloquism to get Rob Blake to resign his captaincy.

I can't speak for everyone, but the fact that he left or that he wanted more money does not bother me in the least bit. Players come and go all the time, be it voluntary or involuntary, and I'd like to think others know it's the normal course of hockey business. It sucks when it works against you, but there's an obvious right way and a wrong way to go about it that can mitigate the break-up and Blake went for 31 flavors of bungled failure there.

Yanking that symbolic "C" off his chest amid a contract dispute of all things goes against everything that having the leadership mantle on a team is supposed to mean. It was downright sacrilegious. Heck, it goes contrary to all the virtues that Lombardi himself trumpets as being essential in the makeup of a great hockey player and leader.

That patch is more than a piece of fabric you can attach to the front of your jersey because it looks cool. If he didn't understand the unspoken implications and expectations that comes with it then he *NEVER* should have accepted it in the first place.

Great post.


Dean...the fans aren't buying the NHLPA sob story. It just won't sell. Lets try some honesty and make amends here. It's interesting to note that Blake at the end of the conference call suggested there was nothing more he could say to the fans and it is what it is.

He missed a perfect opportunity to make amends right there...he could have said, it was a tough situation for both sides and wishes he handled it differently, apologize to the fans and say that he will work hard to bring them Cup #2 and so forth. BAM! Squashed.

 

[Butch 19]

The fact that Blake asked for top dollars and that outside pressures may have been exerted on him by the NHLPA have *nothing* to do with how he conducted himself as the Captain of the team towards the end of his tenure and Lombardi should know better, or he really has no grasp of the situation.



Yanking that symbolic "C" off his chest amid a contract dispute of all things goes against everything that having the leadership mantle on a team is supposed to mean. It was downright sacrilegious. Heck, it goes contrary to all the virtues that Lombardi himself trumpets as being essential in the makeup of a great hockey player and leader.

That patch is more than a piece of fabric you can attach to the front of your jersey because it looks cool. If he didn't understand the unspoken implications and expectations that comes with it then he *NEVER* should have accepted it in the first place.

He also kidnapped the Lindburg baby, he's a communist and he doesn't recycle.

 

[Primakov!]

He also kidnapped the Lindburg baby, he's a communist and he doesn't recycle.

I knew he was a miscreant, but now you've confirmed he's a true scum of the Earth and makes Iron Eyes Cody cry.

 

[taz346]

I knew he was a miscreant, but now you've confirmed he's a true scum of the Earth and makes Iron Eyes Cody cry.

Don't forget, he's behind global warming, plane crashes and tornado's too.

 

[Winger23]

Don't forget, he's behind global warming, plane crashes and tornado's too.

Come on now. He's not behind Plane crashes, as there is a "C" in it and he would have no part to do with that.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Not trying to pick on you or incite anything here -- honestly curious.

So if I were to paraphrase your argument it'd be:

"Management had a big hand in creating a bad situation and Blake went full (Mod Edit) and really has no defense of his own for his actions either."

Accurate?

No

Remember, Blake did put the C back on a few days later and publicly apologized.

And also remember the trade was a shock to Blake, he wasn't warned it was coming nor did he really expect to ever get traded

 

[kingsfan]

I am saying it is more management's fault than Blakes

There fault on both sides, but IMO, it is far more Liewekly and Gilmore's

Only one of those guys you mentioned is being rehired by the organization though.

Come on now. He's not behind Plane crashes, as there is a "C" in it and he would have no part to do with that.

No

Remember, Blake did put the C back on a few days later and publicly apologized.

And also remember the trade was a shock to Blake, he wasn't warned it was coming nor did he really expect to ever get traded

If a UFA to be Blake, locked in a contract dispute with a team that at the time wasn't even in the playoffs and that seen him rip the C off his jersey, didn't have even a slight idea a trade MIGHT be happening, then he went full Pejorative Slur a long time ago.

The janitor seen that deal coming.

 

[Bandit]

Don't forget, he's behind global warming, plane crashes and tornado's too.

What about Sharknados?

 

[Captain Mittens*]

What about Sharknados?

 

[YP44]

No

Remember, Blake did put the C back on a few days later and publicly apologized.

And also remember the trade was a shock to Blake, he wasn't warned it was coming nor did he really expect to ever get traded

I definitely think that Blake regrets taking off the C, however there are worse things than having an emotional captain. It could show how much it cares about being a king. I know I have gotten into arguments with my boss where it has lead to me feeling like the company does not value you me as much as I thought, and me thinking "why the hell should I be in the role I am in."

 

[Captain Mittens*]

I definitely think that Blake regrets taking off the C, however there are worse things than having an emotional captain. It could show how much it cares about being a king. I know I have gotten into arguments with my boss where it has lead to me feeling like the company does not value you me as much as I thought, and me thinking "why the hell should I be in the role I am in."

concur

 

[jt]

No

Remember, Blake did put the C back on a few days later and publicly apologized.

And also remember the trade was a shock to Blake, he wasn't warned it was coming nor did he really expect to ever get traded

I don't recall a public apology.

Really? So his agent was so incompetent that he never told Blake contract negotiations were so far apart he could expect to be traded? And neither Blake nor his agent read the newspaper (making the giant assumption Taylor didn't already say this to Blake's agent) when Dave Taylor said to the LA Times (I've looked for the link and can't find it) when there was an impasse essentially "We have to explore our options now." And Altierri said sometime 2/21/01 or prior that they've had trade discussions and Leiweke said a trade was inevitable (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/nhl/news/2001/02/21/blake_status_ap/)?

A shock?

Really?

 

[Captain Mittens*]

I don't recall a public apology.

Really? So his agent was so incompetent that he never told Blake contract negotiations were so far apart he could expect to be traded? And neither Blake nor his agent read the newspaper (making the giant assumption Taylor didn't already say this to Blake's agent) when Dave Taylor said to the LA Times (I've looked for the link and can't find it) when there was an impasse essentially "We have to explore our options now." And Altierri said sometime 2/21/01 or prior that they've had trade discussions and Leiweke said a trade was inevitable (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/nhl/news/2001/02/21/blake_status_ap/)?

A shock?

Really?

IIRC he woke up found out he got traded.
A read something recently, I don't know if it was something linked here or something from the Mayor saying that he cried when he found and out when he said goodbye to Luc.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

There's only one thing I like about Blake....that trading his ass gave us the opportunity to see Adam Deadmarsh lace up skates for our team. That dude gave us more in two seasons than Blake did in 11. Oh yeah, Aaron Miller wasn't too shabby either!