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.
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Update on moves

A Kings representative said Lombardi declined my interview request but said to tell me that the call-ups from Manchester were because the team needed extra bodies for the three-game trip to western Canada. That the moves were necessitated by injuries and nothing else. Of course, this doesn't answer the question as to why he decided it was time to see the younger prospects instead of the older guys he had been turning to in these situations. However, it does seem to indicate that the recall of Harrold doesn't mean there is an imminent defenseman trade.

19 Comments

dominic lavoie said:

yup that makes sense. It can't hurt to have Purcell travel with the team for a few days and maybe get in to a game or two. This is not a case of rushing the kids nor does it necessarily signal a trade.

Bob Bobson said:

Sucks the EDM game won't be on FSN. Weird how there isn't much local coverage for Canadian teams. It should be interesting to hear the Sportsnet's announcers' take on the Kings.

John said:

It's probably a bit of a reward as well since both made the AHL All-Star game.

40 YEARS OF LOSING said:

Quite frankly, the Kings need Rob Blake, right now.

How about this? Trade Michael Cammalleri for Ryan Suter or Greg Zanon or Shea Weber from Nashville. The Kings need D, the Preds desperately need scoring. Weber would be unlikely, but you never know. Either one of the aforementioned is young, will block more shots than any other D-man on the Kings' roster and add more physicality. I'm a long time Kings fan living in Nashville and follow the Preds on a nightly basis. This trade would be great. Make it happen, Dean!!

KingFan4ever said:

Why not call up Bernier to back up Barbs??

He certainly can't do any worse than JS Aubin??

If J.S. has to pass through waivers to make this move then it's good roll of the dice.

The Kings can't go any lower in the standings so what's there to lose?

Fuzzerson said:

Bernier can not be called up under the rules.

dave fouser said:

bernier is back with his junior team, and therefore cannot be called up.

Gavin said:

What is there to lose? Well... besides the fact that they literally can't bring him back up (once they sent him down to juniors for the season, they can't bring him back up until his junior season is over), we could have Jamie Storr on our hands.

I suppose we have Bernier's confidence to lose. For crying out loud, you think putting a youngster behind this team to get peppered by shots night after night and have no legitimate defensive back up is going to do anything but crush the poor guy? He'll be here soon enough, but if we rush him, we could regret it for... I don't know, another 40 years?

Anonymous said:

Per the CHL/NHL agreement, Bernier cannot be called up, except for in emergency situations (injuries).

-J

Maverick said:

Will you guys stop asking to bring Bernier back up... He CANT, he was sent back to JUNIORS not a farm team, once he is sent back to juniors he can't be brought back until next offseason... For fans of hockey you people frighten me.

Matt George said:


HEY!!!

I got an Idea!

Let's call up Bernier!

(sorry could'nt help it)


.

Bob Bobson said:

Or sign Jamie Storr.

nykingfan said:

I guess I'm wrong. I thought Bernier can still be recalled since he didn't play in 10 games or whatever that amount is.
I still woudn't do it anyway.

Rich, any clarification on this?

Oz said:

Glad to see a call up of a couple of kids who deserve it over Klemm again. Hope they see some time. Also the Kings website has been showing all day that the game will be on FSN at 6PM. Did they miss something?

KingFan4ever said:

I thought the same as nykingfan.. Since he was under the mandatory starts, he was eligible.

But thanks for jumping on my throat.. I didn't mean to bug you "holier than thou" Kings fans who know the rules inside out...

My point was simply to bring him up as a backup. Logically you would play Barbs 80-90% of the last 40 or so games and ditch Aubin who is useless.

And as if Bernier's confidence hasn't already been shattered?? Has anyone of you forgotten that he started 1-3 4.03 GAA this season before being sent down? After all the hype, accollades and press?? The letdown in Lewiston was so freakin' obvious....

Bringing Bernier back up is a radical idea (and obviously won't happen), But the cat is out of the bag folks. He's already had a taste of the big time and anything less will be a letdown.

So there's my "stupid" opinion. I guess some of you don't have any of those RIGHT??

John said:

WOW somebody's a bit defensive...

dave fouser said:

even if bernier could be recalled, it's probably more productive to have him playing as often as possible. players don't develop by riding the pine, which is what he would be doing in los angeles. bernier will get his chances with the kings--but he needs to play in the nhl when he's ready, not when the kings are desperate and he's the best of a bad lot.

as for trading cammalleri for one of nashville's young defensive studs, it sounds great to us but they won't do it. that's the problem with those, "hey, why not trade our player x for their player y" ideas--they work great for the team making the suggestion, but almost never for the second team.

mask0425 said:

Sure we can bring up Bernier, just "create" an injury to Aubin. Or, alternatively, just put Aubin in the net and let other team take runs him. Oh wait, the Kings already tried it with the wrong goalie though!

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