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Today has renewed my faith in Lombardi's plan. Getting Doughty and Teubert to go with Bernier, Hickey and Johnson is brilliant. Lombardi has given the Kings their best group or goalie/defensemen prospects in just 2+ years.

Cammi wasn't worth nearly as much as most Kings fans thought. I'm sure he will go on to score 25+ goals for Calgary, but the Kings will not miss him. Teubert will still be with the Kings when they are contending for the cup. Cammi wasn't going to stick around past this next season.

As always... Great work Rich! Much respect.

AND, Kudos to the Kings for taking two STUD d-men.

Very smart for DL and the Kings or-gan-eye-zay-shun to move up to 12. I look forward to seeing both Doughty and Teubert in training camp. Although, getting Doughty and Bogosian would have been preferred. (wishful thinking)

The Kings now have the second pick on Saturday morning.. And I ask the forum..

Are they going to add another STUD d-man like Colby Robak, a shifty multi-positional forward like Zac Dolpe, a blue chip swedish goalie in Jacob Markstrom, or a Russian sniper like Kirill Petrov?

My vote is for Colby Robak..

GO Kings GO!

I thought it was a great first day for DL and the Kings. Tomorrow should be interesting with 12 more picks to play with. I think Dean did a great job adding two stud d-men to go with the young fowards and goalies. We all knew Cammy was gone after next season anyway, all you could ask for was getting value, and Colten Teubert is definately going to be valuable to LA. DL also did a nice job stocking up on picks for next years draft as well. So far, so good. DL gets an A from me on this draft day. A+ if DL can get Petrov in the next round or so.

I like how this is shaping up. We have a couple of strong prospects in goal (Bernier and Zatkoff), four prospects at defense (JJ, Hickey, Doughty and Teubert), four young but proven forwards (Kopitar, Brown, O'Sullivan and Frolov) and some other possibilities up front.

More than half of these prospects won't pan out, but surely some of our unheralded later picks will surprise us.

We're stocked with prospects now, so it's time for the organization to ditch the "we have to get worse before we can get better" mentality it's had for the past couple of years. We may not win right away, but we had better be playing to win.

Now if we can get Colby Robak tomorrow I'll be really pleased. Nicolas Deschamps would be good as well. Or both.

I give credit where credit is due.
This night, DL did an exceptional job with his trades and selections.
He acquired and an offensive-minded D-man who moves the puck like no other.
And my favorite, a KICK-ASS D-MAN that I've been waiting for. Colton Tubert is gonna be stand out player for many years to come.
I'm more excited about him than I am about Doughty.

And finally, the trade that sent that puck hog far north. No doubt that Lord Cammi no longer seemed to fit in this new system.
We're better off without him.
I'd rather have Doughty & Tubert than Doughty and his highness.

Thumbs up to you DL.
I drink to you.

First off, SuperSonic420, just say no to Petrov. He doesn't want to come to North America, he wants to stay in Russia. A waste of a pick if you ask me.
Secondly, very nice job by Lombardi. Really happy with how the 1st round turned out.

I hope he takes Nicolas Deschamps or Markstrom, but that depends on who Florida takes with #31.

Don't hold your breadth on Petrov- besides DL historically avoiding russians in the draft, there are questions about Petrov's work ethic and desire to leave Russia. I'd much rather see him take Vyacheslav Vojnov, an impressive russian defenceman instead who's been playing in Russia's top league (RSL) and been on Russia's U-20 squad since he was 16. I highly doubt that DL will pick any russians in this draft, though.

petey, where are you hearing this from? link please, because everything ive read is that Petrov wants out of Russia and wants to play in the NHL. Even if he stays in Russia for a couple years, it wouldnt deter his development.
Petrov had a similar message for NHL teams during his recent trip to Toronto for the Scouting Combine, expressing his desire to play in the NHL sooner rather than later.

"The experience at the Combine made me understand things a lot better," Petrov said through an interpreter. "I really want to play in the NHL and only in the NHL."

Petrov's agent, Alexander Tyjnych of Ottawa, is prepared to do whatever it takes to make his client's wishes come true.
http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=366095

Supersonic, in a nhl.com article the other day on Petrov I read he would like to come to North America, but that he wasn't as enthusiastic about it as Filatov or Tikhonov. Also he has 3 years left on a contract in Russia...

I vote Deschamps... I think our only other weakness is down the middle and he seems to be the best one available.

A++ for DL today!

I think the picks were great, fantastic, just what the Dr. ordered. DL earned his money on the first day. Congrats to DL and all king fans.

Hope everybody is aware we are going to have a long year next year. These kids won't be ready until the following year, or at least make a impact, in the way we are expecting.

Cammi, like others have said, would not have been around past next year, thats why he was traded.DL knows next year is going to be a challenge, probably not making the playoffs, so no need for Cammi. But this now makes a huge hole in our 2nd line. Who's going to replace him.

DL made on his promise to go extremely young, so next year the fruit will not be on the trees, but the following years will produce the fruits in which King fans have not seen in a long time. I am happy with whats going on.

SuperSonic420, I got it from the Redline report:
"Petrov is one of the Russians who is very comfortable with his situation playing for his hometown club in Kazan. He is paid better there than he would be on an entry level NHL contract and is tied into a long term contract, so it's unlikely he'll be seen in an NHL uniform anytime soon. For that reason, he'd make a very risky first-round pick."

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columnist/woodlief/2008-05-28-draft-forwards_N.htm

SuperSonic420-

In all his years as a GM, Lombardi has drafted a total of 1, that is ONE, player out of Russia, Andre Zyuzin.
1996-2002
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/teams/dr000044.html
2006-2007
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/teams/dr000040.html

Even without that history, the first 2 paragraphs in the paper you linked provide ample reason not two draft him- specifically, "That is unlikely now, though, since Petrov, a strapping 6-foot-2½, 221-pound power forward rated second among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting, still has three years remaining on his Russian contract".

Though there is currently no transfer agreement, the recent news that a Russian team was interested in poaching Malkin put a spotlight on honoring valid contracts in other leagues. Here's what the head of the IIHF had to say about it:

"Although there will be no imminent Player Transfer Agreement between the IIHF and the NHL, all involved parties are in principal agreement to honour each other's contracts," says Fasel. "The NHL has informed the IIHF that this will be the policy of the league during the period without a PTA, and conversely, the IIHF has obligated its member national federations and leagues to do the same in its relations with the NHL."

"We would view any signing, from either side, of a player under a valid contract, who does not have any legally valid out-clause, to be a clear violation of the mutual understanding and existing principle. It would potentially be punishable with suspended national team eligibility and suspension from all competition or activity organized by the IIHF or any IIHF member national association. This would include events like the Olympic Winter Games, the IIHF World Championship or international club competitions like the Champions Hockey League."

As for the questions, here's one link, albeit a weak one, where the notion of his lack of commitment to the nhl is raised: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=11502.

Most teams like to control their young players development, something which isn't possible if said player is stuck in the RSL for the next 3 years.

He'll get drafted, possibly in the second, but more likely in the later rounds as there are plenty of other good quality players without his potential and real issues available.

Rich! Great job! Make Sure DL sees the Poll results. I'd be stoked if I were him, because we give him alot of crap.

About PETROV. I have no problem with DL taking the risk on him with a 4th or later round pick, should he still be dangling around. The kid is a STUD. 6'3 200 lb right winger. I keep seeing this 2nd line in my head "Frolov-Boyle-Petrov". Frolov can help him out, he didnt even speak english when he got here. Let's see what happens.

Great day for the Kings, DL earned his paycheck...my vote is for Robak or Markstrom, I know we already have several goaltenders in the system, but it doesn't hurt to be overloaded in that area...also, I don't think DL will take the Russian, not his style...maybe we can also grab the last Staal at 48?

Great job DL, absolutely outstanding job and congratz to you and your staff for all the hard work, it paid off today. Great job Rich!! See y'all tomorrow for the Kings next 12 picks. Can it get any better than it did today?? Probably can, probably will...Way to go LA!

Something tells me just having that name Staal may make him go somewhere early-mid in the 2nd round. I really hope DL makes a push to get Jared Staal, but only after drafting a center.

I know Boyle is coming up, but jury is still out on whether he can handle 2nd line duties or if he'll just be a great 3rd liner. I don't think there is anyone in the Kings orginazation who projects to be above a 3rd centerman... maybe Trevor Lewis if he gets his act together and blows people away. Deschamp all the way at #32. Markkstrom being available (maybe) is alluring but I'd rather keep up the trend of filling holes, and goalie prospects isn't a hole right now.

Question for you Rich: Do you know why there are 31 picks in round 2? At least that's what NHL.com is saying... round 1 and round 3 are both 30, so it looks a bit strange. I'm sure there is a logical explanation somewhere :)

I'd like to again thank Rich and Don for their work on these blogs and interviews. They are outstanding. It's a part of my day that I most look forward to.

As for DL's draft day, absolutely masterful performance. 1) Finding two willing teams and a solution for getting Colbert for the asset he was willing to give up. 2) Filling the young defensive corps holes with Doughty and Teubert *both of whom I'm absolutely estatic to have*. 3) Moving some of his bounty into next season. I could not have asked for him to do any more than he did yesterday.

This now only leaves a 2nd line center as our hole in the traditionally most important positions in a cup challenging team that DL mentioned at our GM Breakfast in March - maybe Boyle or Lewis may fill that eventually... maybe not.

Starlight: There are 31 picks in the second round because Phoenix was compensated the 5th pick in the 2nd round for not being able to sign Blake Wheeler (who is supposedly going to sign with Boston on July 1st).

Go Kings! Let's get some more assets!

definitely, it's a great site!