Forum answers III

--------------------

Question: Can you comment on how stupid Eklund is for even thinking this rumor/made up info can be true? http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=15335 This guy is ridiculous!! Agree??

Answer: I'll never knock a person for trying to make a living and feed their family, but you have to take stuff like that for what it's worth. For the most part, it's loose conjecture at best.

--------------------

Question: If you're into the whole playing GM thing, what would you do over the next few months? ie who would YOU draft, trade, or sign? Just curious about the divide between what the blog reports and what you think should be done to the Kings. Also, DL kinda failed to mention Ersberg during the Esposito interview. What do you know about his intentions towards Ersberg for next year?

Answer: Well, if it hasn't become fairly clear, I really try to stay away from the whole ``Who to sign/trade for'' thing. I completely understand the fans' side of it, and why it's both fun and important to talk about, but there are just so, so many variables involved. As we get closer to July 1, it will become clearer, to me, who the Kings are interested in. Even so, last year the top five names attached to the Kings were Briere, Gomez, Drury, Hannan and Stuart. The Kings ended up with one of them. I will say, in terms of the draft, that I think Bogosian is a slightly better overall fit, but I wouldn't turn up my nose at Doughy either. The Ersberg omission could be something or it could be absolutely nothing. I doubt Lombardi had a roster card in front of him, so it's very easy to simply forget to mention someone.

--------------------

Question: Do you think a guy like Alec Martinez can crack the line up this year, We definitely have a need for a defensive defensemen. Can you see crawford finally moving army to the 4th line to make room for Boyle on the second line? I don't have a problem with Army, but I think we would get the most value out of him by putting him on the 4th line. If you can make 4 lines for next year, with only players that we have signed or are (rfa) what would you do? (I have a wierd feeling that we may not take any UFA this year)

Sully-Kopi-Brown
Frolov-Boyle-Cammy
Ellis-Handzus-Guiliano
Ivanans-Army-Calder

Answer: Alec Martinez probably needs at least one year of seasoning in the AHL, but the Kings do think very highly of him. It would probably be asking too much of him to step into a role next year though. Think 2009 on that one, assuming things go well for him in Manchester. Derek Armstrong has always been more valuable in a third- or fourth-line role. I think everyone, from Lombardi on down, realizes that. When Armstrong has been forced into second-line duty in the past, it's been because of injuries and ineffectiveness (such as Handzus last season). It's quite a stretch to say that Brian Boyle, with eight NHL games under his belt, is clearly ready to step in and be a top-six forward. I have trouble with presuming that. It would be far better if Handzus could step up and be the second-line center the Kings are paying him to be. So, flip Boyle and Handzus and sub in Purcell/Gauthier/Moulson for Giuliano and it starts to look fairly realistic.

--------------------

Question: The atmosphere at Staples for a game may be improved by turning off the lights in the seating areas and focusing lights strictly on the ice like the Lakers do for their basketball games... any chance the Kings will go that route next year? has anyone ever even thought of it? It used to be this way at the forum too, if u remember. I for one think they should go back to that!!

Answer: I do remember the Forum being like that, and I'm highly in favor of it. It works great for the Lakers games. I'm not 100 percent on this, but I think I remember hearing that it's not nearly as easy to set up for hockey games. I still think it's something they should look into.

--------------------

Question: This might be a better question to answer after the FA signing period, but how do you see the kings matching up against the other teams in the divsion? Do the kings have a chance to jump over the ducks, sharks and stars in the standings? If you slot these 3 for the playoffs that leaves 3 open playoffs spots. Are the kings good enough to beat out the rest of the non-division winners for one of those 3 spots?

Answer: It's really hard to see the Kings jumping the Stars, Sharks and Ducks next season. Any of them, really. So that would, most likely, put the Kings right where many people expected they would be THIS season, battling teams such as Calgary, Edmonton, Nashville and Vancouver for one of those bottom spots in the playoff race.

--------------------

Question: Have you heard anything on the Cammaleri thing? Do you see him moving? When? Marc Andre Cliche - Was he a waste or was it a good trade. I know Avery needed to go, but did we get enough? Will Cliche play/make a difference for the kings?

Answer: If Cammalleri is traded, I have to think it would come sometime around the draft, because a trade involving Cammalleri would probably also involve at least one draft pick. But who knows? The Avery trade was a fine trade, in my opinion. The jury is still out on Cliche, and should be because he just finished his first professional season and has dealt with injuries. At this point, he's still considered a guy who can play for the Kings one day. Plus there's the intangible of how getting rid of Avery improved the locker-room vibe.

--------------------

Question: Does DL realistically think the Kings will be a playoff team this season?
If so, and they have another horrible month (a la Dec '08) and fall from contention, do you think he replaces Crawford? Any plans for the DN to send you or someone else (Don, perhaps) on road games to cover the Kings?

Answer: Yes, but as I said a bit earlier, he realistically thought they might be a playoff team this past season. Or at least a .500 team. So I'll leave it up to you as to how much stock you want to put in that. As for Crawford, I recently wrote something for The Hockey News indicating that Crawford's name should be the first name on the list of ``coaches on the hot seat'' once the season begins. As for the road coverage, if you know anyone who has about $30,000 sitting around, shoot me an e-mail. Anyone have a business they want to see sponsored?

--------------------

Question: Doughty or Bogosian? Who would you take?

Answer: It's been a couple hours, but I'm sticking with Bogosian.