Lombardi, on Justin Azevedo
The other very interesting pick the Kings made today was Justin Azevedo, who was the most outstanding player in the Ontario Hockey League last season. That's saying something in a league that included Steven Stamkos and John Tavares. Azevedo was the OHL's leading scorer, with 124 points (43 goals and 81 assists). The downside? He's listed at either 5-foot-7 or 5-8 and he was 20 years old, often playing against kids a couple years his junior.
Lombardi talked about how taking Azevedo in the sixth round was a risk worth taking.
Lombardi said: ``Usually the theory there is, when you're in the later rounds, if you can find a guy with a NHL asset, and then you can develop other assets, you might have something. When you look at a player like that, he's going to have holes (in his game) or he's not going to be there in the sixth or seventh round. So do you look at a guy who is 50 percent across the board, in terms of the assets you're looking for in a NHL player, or do you say, `OK, the kid's got one NHL asset right now and maybe other things will come along.'?
``In his case, he's got a Teubert-like mentality in terms of his competitiveness. In terms of his committment and the way he competes, it's at a NHL level. Now whether or not his skating improves, whether or not his size is a liability...whatever you want to go with that's not there, well, we'll see if that develops. But there's no question that, when you look at him, his committment and competitiveness are at a high level.''
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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.
here are the only videos i found of Azevedo. they are not the best but will do...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=B3VrIcCwkqc&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-zAQXKbknd8&feature=related
I know this isn't pertaining to this thread really, but I've been out all day and there are so many stories, might as well put it here.
I'm kind of upset that we didn't get Jared Staal. He was available at the 48th pick, which I thought we had until I realized they never mentioned yesterday that we gave up that pick as well in the Cammalleri trade.
I still think the Cammalleri trade was solid (moving up to 12 in this draft was going to cost a lot), but considering we gave up 28 and 48, it feels like we should have gotten a pick in return, either one of the ducks second rounders or calgarys third. Obviously Staal is not guaranteed to be great, but hell, he's a Staal. Hindsight is 20/20, but damn I wanted us to nab him.
I am pretty happy with Voinov at 32, and I like the combo of getting smaller dudes like Azavedo and bigger guys like Wudrick.
Now we wait...
... for free agency. Maybe Vrbata? 26 years old, pair him with Frolov in Cammy's absence. Have Boyle center the line. Purcell plays with Handzus and Moulson on third, Richardson centers 4th for Ellis and Gauthier.
Oh yeah, Armstrong gets left at a pit stop in Kansas City and is never heard from again.
JDM,
As reported we got back CGY 2nd round in 2009 for giving them our 2nd pick
Why Vrbata? Didn't we try that with Nagy? Let's give a shot to Purcell, Moulson, hell even Meckler. If none of those work out well, we just picked up Richardson.
Jeff,
Thanks for the clarification. That '09 pick makes it much better. I haven't seen that anywhere though. Most places don't even have the 48th pick listed at all as being part of that trade.
Goon Squad,
I think Vrbata is a more talented scorer than Nagy, and he's 3 years younger. Just someone that stood out to me when I was scrolling through the UFA's as a player that is talented, unfulfilled potential (which means he may come here, because fully developed guys want to go to cup teams) and most of all should be fairly cheap. I can't imagine him making more than $3 mill, probably less. Really just trying to think of people to step in and help Frolov's game along.