Lombardi, on free agency
I asked Lombardi about free agency, and whether these recent trades made it more likely that he would spend more money on the free-agent market this week...
``Obviously we talked about Blakey. That's a guy who is on the front burner. I do think what I'd like to look at is... I think our forwards are OK. I like the way our forwards stack up. A guy we're looking at is a defenseman, with decent money, who has to fit with next year and the year after and fit with what we think our young players will become. I will look at a defenseman in that area who fits within the budget and fits with these young players. if that's not there, we're just not going to grab anybody. We try not to get somebody in that position. It's dangerous with young players, to say, `Oh, he's going to play.' You like to be in that position on the back end, and have all those young players and say, `There's a job there but you have to prove to me you're ready.' The first step is to try to get a guy who fits within our budget and within the future plan.''
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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.
Regardless of what DL has been feeding us the last few weeks, in that the Kings will not be very active with FA, I say BS. The Kings almost HAVE to be in order to get to the cap floor!
It sounds like he's talking about Oripik to me...Stuart just doesn't seem like that age category he's talking about.
I take that back, they are about the same age...hmmm, interesting.
Ummm....how do you spell O-R-P-I-K???
5 years 20 mill will get er done.
DO IT DEANO!!
I wish I was Anthony,
"Stuart not in the age category".
He's only 10 months older than Orpik.
You are clueless.
Yeah, you wish you were me.
In your dreams Baby.
Great updates as always, Rich.
Can you ask Lombardi how he is going to reach the cap floor without signing any FAs?
The RFAs that the Kings have won't make that much more next season and any extensions for Kopitar and Johnson won't count towards next year's cap.
Not that its going to happen, but how good would Hossa look in a King uni????
Gotta love Bertuzzis evil ways too!!
I'm predicting that Lombardi shocks everyone and signs Jagr tomorrow.
"A guy we're looking at is a defenseman, with decent money, who has to fit with next year and the year after and fit with what we think our young players will become."
Sounds a lot like Brooks Orpik...Looking for a raise on his 1.1 Million he made with Pittsburgh could possibly be had for about 3-4 Million per.
I say do it!
Orpik/Johnson
Doughty/Greene
Pressing/Blake
Harrold
Orpik, along with Campbell, will be overpriced and get paid a ridiculous amount. I would rather see if a guy who gets less press like Commodore or Salvador is interested. Hard to do that though when you will just be joining a team that is competing for a playoff spot.
All I can say is that in my one brief visit with DL he had Orpik written on the white board when discussing next year's potential defensive pairings.