Lombardi interview
I just got off the phone after completing a wide-ranging interview with Dean Lombardi, so I'll have a lot of stuff to put up over the next couple days. Also, Don Fulton has sent me extensive interview he did with both Thomas Hickey and Bud Holloway, so I'll be getting those up today. Hope everyone is ready to read!
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About the bloggers
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.
Jill Painter joined the Daily News in 2000 and during the last eight years she's covered the Dodgers, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, Kings, golf and everything in between. Even though she's from Colorado, she still freezes in the Staples Center press box but always manages to thaw her fingers in time to make deadline. E-mail Jill at jill.painter@dailynews.com.
I'll be ready and eager to hear what Dumbo has to say.
Maybe he can shed some light as to why he was ranked 27th on the of GMs.
Can't wait Rich , thanks
oops,
ranked 27th on the list of GMs.
Sorry.
Fantastic!
Rich, you and your guys have been doing a tremendous job. Thank you for your outstanding reporting!
Anthony, you are completely incapable of seeing the big picture.
This Kings team is going to be VERY good for a LONG time when these players mature. Detroit, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Ottawa, and even Anaheim all went through a tough building period like the Kings are now. None of those teams were built in one day, or even one season.
The Kings tried the "quick fix" for the last 40 years and how well has it worked out for them? One stinking trip to the SCF and thats it.
Finally we have someone doing it the right way. Build and develop from within. Give Lombardi a chance to DO HIS JOB! If the Kings are still missing the playoffs in two years - I will be right with you calling for Lombardi's head, but it is just too soon to complain. The team is on the right track. It is tough to be patient, but it will be soooo worth it!
you mean, they give you a phone too?? just kidding... makes you wonder how Don tracks down all these kids though. using up the frequent flier miles??
at any rate, can't wait to read these.
Anthony - Where were those GM rankings? I'm curious to see how everyone did.
DellaNooch,
I believe Anthony may be alluding to last week's issue of The Hockey News. They ranked all 30 GMs and Lombardi took a huge nosedive from last year's review.
You guys are on a tearing it up. Can't wait for the DL stuff.
Hickey has played 3 years and is under 20 so he has one year left.
The top 30 GM list is here:
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/14786-The-Hockey-News-GM-rankings.html
Next year will more than likely be a non-playoff year but after that there
should be no pass for MC or
DL. There are so far too
many question marks. Drafting and developing are
great but at some point it
has to show on Staples
Center ice. There are a
number of teams in this league that have as much or more talent than L.A.
Not all the draft picks and
prospects are going to be
bonafide NHL players and
there are many other factors as well....and luck
as well. What happens on
Monday night may go a long
way in determining what
happens in the next 2 or 3.
Amen to that Kingster.
You forgot to mention: Dallman, Klemm, Aubin, Preissing (hmm maybe not).
The selection of a 23rd ranked player 4th overall in a draft.
His terrible trades (minus Sully & JJ).
The No trade clauses to old fossils.
High $ contracts to average players.
The list goes on and on and on.
I'd rank him #29 just above that low-life in Edmonton.
Hey Anthony, so ultimately you blame Liewieke for hirings Lombardi, right? So, just curious, who would you have hired? If you say you would have never fired Taylor, you're full of ****.
Anthony it is strange how you only respond to the one positive response to your idiotic posts, but when the rain comes down on you and everybody questions your logic, you are no where to be found.
I have to agree with OC Kings Fan. There is obviously a plan in place for this organization to succeed and it's still too early to either canonize or villify Lombardi. Anyone who thinks the Kings are making the playoffs next year is nuts. In two years they should be competing for a playoff spot. Lombardi is obtaining draft picks and developing these kids so we don't have to sign players like Willsie and Aubin in the future. Some of you guys are so short-sighted it bugs.
did anyone of you guys attend the breakfast with the GM in the beginning of march????
If u did, u know how DL i thinking and how he is building a stanley cup team. Im sure anthony didnt attend that breakfast. DL is gonna pick the player he think is best for this franchise in the long run- is it stamkos great -is it doughty fine with me.
Anthony
That low life in Edmonton has done a better job than
atleast 15 GMs listed ahead
of him including DL. When
you consider how many damn
injuries that team had they
did an amazing job. Lowe
can show a few others a
thing or two about drafting
as well. I how to question
any GM ranking that has Burke on top. He could not
draft his way out of a paper bag. I am not a huge
DL fan at all but #27 seems
ridiculously low.
agree with OC Kings Fan.
i don't want to finish in that 7th-10th range for the next ten years. i'm gonna stick with this, thanks.