Initial Murray quote
In the press release announcing his hiring, Terry Murray said...
"I am very excited about this opportunity. This will be my biggest challenge as a coach. There is a lot of work ahead and it will take a collective effort to execute the plan we have in place. I am looking forward to training camp and to getting the process under way."
I'm expecting to have the full transcript of today's press conference later...

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 

Hey Rich,
Not sure if your still on VAC...but you should give Don access to post the comments so you can enjoy your break!
ata boy rich.
But did anybody notice those 3 ex-flyers (DL, Hextall, Murray) together at the table.
I was almost expecting to see a Flyers logo behind them.
Anyways, I hope all these expectations, they were talking about, are met.
Just thought of something...this is DL's 3rd year, and this team is STILL not expected to make the playoffs. Anyone want to predict what next years expectation will be?
I am thouroughly impressed here in the 909 with Murrays candor and frnakness ... he's the man to take us to the cup!
There something a wee bit unsettling about the sight from the press conference, but when I pick it apart, I'm still hopeful. We always talk about needing a winning attitude and tradition here. Well, I think Philly has much more of that than we do overall, so if we have three guys who know eachother and how to work together that come from, understand and embrace that, that bodes well for us.
Philly has a history of being a tougher team, better defensively, and having some quality goaltending. The only thing they ever really lacked was scoring punch, which is the only area we have real strength. I really hope these three guys together can instill those things which they know first-hand that we are so desperately missing.
I still can't take Hextall in a suit for some reason... he looks so, out of place. However I have so much respect for him and his career that I forgive him.
Murray seemed much better spoken at least than our last two coaches. I'm most interested to see how he handles dissapointing plays and games from behind the bench. I hope he's more vocal than Crawford (or atleast in the right way at the right times).
Dean looks wiped out. I like that though, because if he is so emotionally exhausted than he really does care about helping this team. You don't get that beat when you are doing your job just to appease the higher-ups.
Bob,
DL signed a 5 year contract.
Thus far no playoffs. Probably not anytime soon.
He's a rebuilding nut.
After his 5 years are up (and he's gone), we might be able to start thinking playoffs.
Well anthony, you may have a point. Lombardi IS a rebuild freak. In fact...he's rebuilding his OWN mess right now! He's buying out HIS contracts and firing HIS coaches and currently has a WORSE roster after 2 years.
@Anthony
And DL walked into a situation with a playoff caliber team that had a well stocked minor league system.
Some of you posters are unbelievable.
Yes, Anthony's right--DL is a rebuilding nut. This separates him from all the other stellar GM's the franchise has had in the past who have traded away young talent for "win now" veterans who didn't carry the team to the Cup. Perhaps he has a photo of George Maguire on his office wall to boot.
For just a moment, take a step back Anthony. You didn't become a great lawyer a year out of law school...it took time to develop, to learn and to succeed. For once in this team's history we have a shot at doing it right--letting a group of kids learn to play and win as a team. If DL gets this right, Staples sells out every night, AEG makes more bucks, we root for a team that has a legit shot at the Cup year after year, and we can completely ignore everything Eklund puts on his site.