Ranford interview
Bill Ranford, the Kings' goaltending coach, sat down for a few minutes to talk about Jonathan Bernier, Jeff Zatkoff, Dan Cloutier, Jason LaBarbera and the way the goaltending situation looks heading into training camp.
I'll try to grab some guys tomorrow. I intended to get more today but they slipped through my grasp...
Here's Ranford:
BILL RANFORD
Q: So how are these kids looking this week?
A: Really good. Bernier is on the ice for the first time in a month and a half. He had a high ankle sprain with about two months left in the season and he started playing again with three games left in the season, and then he played the whole playoffs and the Memorial Cup, but a high ankle sprain is an injury that's real tough to come back from. So we want to make sure that he's healing properly and ready to go for the Canada-Russia (Super Series) in August.
Q: What's been the biggest difference in his game over the last 12 months?
A: I think his ability to handle traffic has improved. His puck-handling abilities have improved a lot, and his goalie breakouts, as they call them in Quebec. I think the other thing is probably just his ability to read plays and understand his positioning. I think at the Memorial Cup he was just incredible.
Q: Is he a guy who has an even higher ceiling than he's showing you now?
A: Any time you're a first-round pick you have high expectations on you. The fact that there was a buzz about him at the Memorial Cup, about the way he was playing, makes you realize, from an organization standpoint, that we obviously made a good choice. He just has to learn to bring it to the next level.
Q: He's looking at one more year of junior, right?
A: Well, he potentially could be here, but that's a lot to put on an 18- or 19-year-old kid. It will be up to him.
Q: Marc Crawford talked a little about that also. Is that a situation where you'd have to be absolutely certain he's ready?
A: Yeah. It's a scenario where if he comes in here and earns a spot, it will be tough to send him back to junior. But there's also the aspect that we want to make sure he's playing and he's developing. If he was to come here and not play a lot, I don't think that's going to enhance his development.
Q: Can he make that kind of development he needs in junior? I'm sure you'd like to work with him here.
A: Oh yeah. The relationship that we've built with Lewiston, especially with myself and Jeff Guay, the assistant coach, gives us the opportunity to be on the same wavelength as far as the way we approach things. They break down the film identical to the way we break down film here, which gives (Bernier) an opportunity to improve on his game and develop his game. The ongoing communication that I have with Jeff -- not as much with the head coach because he's got other issues going on -- that communication is only going to help him be better.
Q: Jeff Zatkoff is a guy who doesn't get the same attention but seems to be highly regarded...
A: Yeah, very highly regarded. It was a tough decision. He had to decide whether to bring him out or leave him in (college) for another year of development. We feel like for him to split like he did last year, it's not in his best interests or ours, so we're hoping that he's able to take the ball this year and run with it the way he did at the end of the season. He's the type of kid that's highly motivated to get better. We've created a good relationship with the school there and his assistant coach/goalie coach Jeff Blashill. We're working hand in hand on that, in making him a better goalie.
Q: Have you been working a lot with Dan Cloutier this summer also?
A: We had Dan in here earlier on. We'll have another opportunity, in about a walk and a half or two weeks, to work with him again. There's been some communication back and forth and we've had the opportunity to work with him once already and we're going to work with him again. It will be on a continual basis to try to get him back to where he was three years ago, when he was a dominant goalie in this league.
Q: At this point, how much of that is physical and how much is mental?
A: Well, that's the million-dollar question right now. Obviously when they did the (hip) surgery there was extensive damage in there and for a goalie, if you're limited in doing what you should be able to do, it makes it tough to stop pucks. That probably brought in a lot of the mental aspect of it. It was a tough year for him, but he's working hard and he feels healthier than he has in five years, he said. When we look at that, those are positive signs. But the bottom line is that it's got to come from him. I think his goal is to step up and prove to himself and his teammates and the fans of L.A. that he's ready to backstop this team this year.
Q: You're also going in with Jason LaBarbera, who proved himself at the lower level last year...
A: He did very well two years ago at this level until his girlfriend was sick. That's a tough situation that he had to go through. He was, early on in the season, having a very, very successful start to being a regular in the NHL. Just the mental capacity and the way he approached the game physically last year in Manchester, he matured tenfold as a goalie. The leadership that he showed there last year, everybody raved about it.
Q: Are you looking forward to the competition aspect of training camp? I'm sure all of them will be motivated.
A: There's a lot of motivation for all of our goalies who are coming to camp this year. It's going to make for an exciting camp. You have two guys who have been here before. You have a guy like Bernier that's continually trying to impress and you've got a veteran guy in Ersberg, who I'm sure is wanting to come in here and prove something.
Q: Sounds like it's going to be a busy time for you.
A: Last year was a real learning experience for me. We all want to get better. That's the bottom line, to get better.
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About Rich Hammond
Rich Hammond has covered the Kings, on a full-time or part-time basis, since the 2000-01 season. He was the beat writer for the entire John Torchetti era and has witnessed Bob Miller singing country music in a Nashville honky-tonk bar. A native of Los Angeles, Rich has worked at the Daily News since 1999 and also serves as the paper's deputy sports editor. E-mail Rich at rich.hammond@dailynews.com.
Thanks Rich!
Really looking forward to seeing Labarbera back between the pipes. It's going to be interesting to see who the coaches will go with. JLB seems to be a no brainer for one of the spots (most possibly the #1). How does Bernier look? And when will we get to take a look at Ersberg?
I believe this may be the first official disclosure of JL's reason
for his sudden departure & decline after a
very promising 1st 1/8
of a season 2 yrs ago.
Whoever she is,
I hope she's OK.
But that setback is in
the past.
I wish Jason the best this year & hope he has a triumphant season in 2007-08.
Does anyone else realize that we went from one of the teams with the worst press coverage to one of the best the moment Rich started publishing all of his Kings interviews on the blog?
Seriously... we've been getting what amounts to 3-5 articles on the Kings a DAY over the past few days, and usually 1x a day updates otherwise - and we're in the off-season!
We've always had great access to players/coaches/GM's because we're in a non-traditional hockey market - there's not much coverage as it is, so to finally be able to read all that's actually being offered up, it makes you realize how open and forthcoming the Kings have been with information - we just never had acesss to it all until now.
Thanks Rich for publishing it all, and thanks to the Kings for sharing!
- T
"if you're limited in doing what you should be able to do, it makes it tough to stop pucks"
What you "should be able to do" is some capacity is STOP PUCKS!!!
"he's working hard and he feels healthier"
Good thing its the middle of summer, He can get to work by trying to stop a beach ball.
"We all want to get better. That's the bottom line, to get better".
PLEASE!?!?!
** I don't hear a lot of confidence coming from Ranford regarding Cloutier either.
Rich, let me echo TonySCV's sentiment... It's just awesome getting these updates and interviews from you! Thanks so much!
Does anyone else realize that we went from one of the teams with the worst press coverage to one of the best the moment Rich started publishing all of his Kings interviews on the blog?
A lot of traditional newspaper people like to pooh-pooh this "blogging" thingy, but I have to think that Rich has single-handedly helped the Daily News leapfrog the LA Times in the hearts & minds of Kings fans. Hopefully for Rich's bosses, that will translate into more eyeballs on ALL of the Daily News' stories, not just sports or the Kings.
Hi Rich, thanks again for all the great interviews at the early camp. If I was DL I wouldn't let Burke get to far away if they are going to carry three tenders. I know Tampa resigned Holmqvist right after the season, but could there be a possible shot at him. Everyone talks about how tough it could be on Bernier as an 18 year old playing in the NHL, well boys there was a guy by the name of Barrasso who was 18 and a pretty fair goaltender right out of HIGH SCHOOL when he played for Buffalo and won the Vezina and the Calder so I would say if he's got the talent keep him up here, if not send him back to Jrs. If a guy is good enough to play then it dosen't matter what his age is... ohhh that reminds me of another guy who was 17 when he played his first year in the WHA ........ Wayne something or other.
Thanks again for all the kind words, both here and on the message boards. It's always gratifying to know that your work is appreciated by others, so I greatly appreciate the encouragement.
As for LaBarbera's issues, I understand that they're completely resolved, and were before last season, for that matter. I'm looking forward to seeing him at training camp, as he is a really good guy.
Good Stuff Rich,
Quick question. Back when DL got up to the whiteboard, and gave you projected future lines, you said you could not disclose a couple names of defensemen that DL tossed out, because it would be tampering. Can you tell us who those players were?
Thanks.
Jonny...actually, there was only one defenseman mentioned in that context and it was actually a reference to next summer, not this summer.
Rich,
The defenseman mentioned was a 'reference to next summer'? Wow. Tell me that just didn't open a hornet's nest?!? Funny, only interesting UFA defensemen in '08 are Norstrom ...and Lidstrom. (oh and Redden, see my post: http://www.insidesocal.com/kings/2007/07/rfas_arbitration_etc.html )
great work rich! thanks alot.
32
First, thanks so much Rich for your work and efforts. I concur with others that your blog and coverage is awesome and appreciated!
As to a suggestion that Norstrom is coming back, I highly doubt it. At Select a Seat, DL was asked if we would ever bring Matty back. DL let an awkward silence lapse before responding.
He then said that Matty would be welcome back in an ambassador role after he retired and that he hoped Matty would want to do that. DL never directly answered the question which I thought spoke volumes.
Like the thread on HFBoards says - we went from having the worst hockey coverage in LA, to having the best thanks to Rich. Amazing job, man!
Maybe that awkward silence was because as Rich said of tampering issues.
I asked Rich the same question a few posts back and he referred me back to some previous postings and his original one where he said when discussing D-men w/ DL "think recent past, very recent past." That could only be Norstrom. He's the only former King D-man up for free agency next summer. He's only 35, plays 20 minutes and has always kept up his conditioning so no reason he can't play until he's 40. If he wants.
Also, Rich or someone mentioned something about seeing Matty here recently and that he's still got his place here in LA. I also recall that DL mentioned when he got on that whiteboard that Blake may be gone/retired by then so it would make sense to bring a veteran former King to help continue the development of Johnson/Boyle.
Rich
There is a Rich Hammond Lovefest going down at LGK that I hope you will take a look at. Your devotion to getting all these great interviews and then transcribing all of that information and getting it online is only matched by our thirst for more. Please keep up the amazing work!
Hey guys and gals, if it is this good during the off season, I can't even begin to imagine what this place is going to look like when training camp starts, poor Rich, he'll never get outta here. As you can see Rich, YOU "Are the Man" as TonySVC stated, we went from the outhouse to the penthouse in coverage. Everyone, all together in the direction of DL.... GOOOOAAAALLLIEE. Thanks again Rich.
Rich's blog and all of your fan insights out there...are great. Im a longtime season ticket holder in Manchester with the Monarch, keep up the good work everyone.If anyone has any questions from a Monarchs perspective, let me know.