thank someone’s god…!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so much for that. haha…

Rich –

DL lied to you on the Justin Williams trade. Do you think he is lying again?? I hope not as I don’t like this proposed deal at all

Damn that scared me……Thanks Rich. It didnt make much sence for us.

made know sense to me.

Talk about 1 step forward and 10 steps back! That really would have been BAD!!!

From HF boards(where it started) to ESPN-NEWS. A rumor sure travels fast. Even the poo slingers over at Hockeybuzz didn’t have it as an (E1).

Dean is complete Bull!

In order for this deal to go through, Frolov needs to be signed to an extension. The pressure in this deal is on Dean! Dean probably got really excited that he is close to signing Fro to a contract and leaked that we are getting Patrick Marleau. He’s a premi and got to excited and now it back fired.

Dean has been setting this trade up all summer. Kings fans will be MAD AS HELL if this goes down. Thats why Dean has made Heatley look like the worst player in this deal. He went PUBLIC about how Heatley is lockerroom cancer. Y would Murray allow this? Because he knows Dean is justifying fans for his upcoming stupid trade. Also Dean has DOWNPLAYED Fro’s talent again, to make this trade look good. Now that the cat is out of the bag it will be HARDER to sign Fro to an extension which will seal this deal. So Dean has to raise the BS flag in order to gain Fro’s trust. This Deal will happen folks and if u look at the Ottawa boards and the San Jose boards they are happier then pigs in dirt…and us Kings fans are irate. F Dumbardi and all those who support his love for his San Jose Sharks…LET IT GO MAN, turn the page. This team is a new chapter…forgot your lovers in San Jose

What do you all think?
Do you think the DL and his staff reads this or any other blog?
Better yet if you were him would you sit at home with a beer and just read what the fans say when stuff like this comes up?

Wow WWAMD! You’re REACHING pretty hard there son…/

Thanks Rich for the info….

I’m relieved. Although if we could guarantee a Marleau signing and get either Michalek or Clowe with him…

..now we’re Talkin’.

Why is it takeing so long to post after I write…Never use to do this?

You have to admit, knowing his track record, DL’s “complete bull” is complete bull.

You know what, I just read this and I feel this sums it up best…Why would the Kings help the Sharks get Heatley so he can score on the Kings all year long…Best point of why this is BS I read all night!

We’re in complete fantasyland but I’ll play along. Not such a bad deal for LA. A little steep but Marleau is a class act and character guy. Right up DL’s lane plus then we have a whole year to sign to an extension. Too much has been made of him being responsible for SJ playoff collapses.

And let SJ have Heatley. He is a cancer so let him poison their locker room. He’s not a guy that makes you a Stanley Cup team.

A little steep because we lose two roster guys but we’ve got some depth down the middle. I doubt Stoll in this dream land deal is a make or break. So I say DL try offering Fro & draft picks instead.

Time to wake up………

My own theory is that DL had a chance to grab Marleau early LAST summer, and when he brought the deal to ownership they told him to stick with rebuild plan. That’s when Dean decided to go all-in with youth, and he canned Marc Crawford shortly thereafter.

I’ve never been a big fan of Marleau, mostly because he seemed to be miscast as the team captain. He always seems to be in his own little world on the bench, when he should be engaged with his teammates. He’ll definitely benefit from a change of scenery, but hopefully it won’t be with the Kings.

I think Datacloud pretty much sums it up. This deal makes zero sense for the Kings. Now, as a few guys have said, if more was coming to LA then just Marleau……

I agree with Daniel that DL would rather trade frolov in a package for Kovalchuk rather than Marleau, it makes no sense to help our division leader get a 50 + goal scorer and help them shed salary at the same time. We need L wings on this team and dumping frolov doesn’t make sense before the season. I can see frolov going mid season but not now and not for Marleau. Great guy, but it doesn’t make sense for the kings.

I know this is just another rumor but how do you think Frolov is feeling after yet another rumor. This can’t be motivating him for a fast start this year.

Actually, I am the complete opposite in thinking Koirish20. The more rumors about Frolov, the more potential interest there is in him. Teams like and want the guy. With Free Agency looming for Fro next year, he might try to up the ante with DL and make it tougher for us to sign him if he feels he could get more on the open market.

Of course, what does that all center around? Having a GREAT season this year. The better he plays this season, the more long term money he’ll get. Infact, I’ll make the prediction that if Fro has a breakout year and scores near 50, which he could do, and does not sign an extension by January, he’s gone. This scenario could even happen at 40 goals. Teams will pay too much for him and he’ll have to follow the money. That’s why the next few months (IMHO) are so key to getting an extension done NOW, before he has a chance to up the ante. We have leverage as Fro hates change and he wants to stay. If we can give him a nice longterm 5 year 25 mil + bonus plan, I think that would be beneficial to us and fit our budget and he would go for that.

I think we’ll be in danger of losing him if he’s allowed to play the season with no extension.

This would be the dumbet trade for the Kings, I would really be pissed in factI think my season seats would not be renewed next season. Kings ownership and Liewicke are horrible I am fed up with them. I would be happiest if they would sell the team and build buildings as they don’t care about the team.

For this trade to work the Kings will need to add a second rounder because like Williams when things leak to the media we get screwed.

There is no way in hell this trade is going to happen. All the suggested justifications about the trade are ridiculous. There is one simple fact here…the proposal puts Heatley in our division against the Kings. Now if SJ is really looking to make a Heatley deal happen, DL sure isn’t going to help bring him into the Division. Come on guys…this is re-dick-you-lus.

Fro will be extended. Stoll is staying. If there is a trade thats going to happen, it won’t involve shipping out a LW and a Center…the two biggest holes in our lineup. Makes no sense any way you cut it.

Marleau is not a playoff performer, nor does he have the heart everyone thought he had. When his captaincy got stipped…he had an ‘oh well’ approach. He’s been reluctant to waive his no trade clause after the team obviously wants to part ways with him. Something is really wrong there…There is no fight in him at all. He wants to stay in Northern Cali where all the granola eating hippies are. WEAK.

Why is anyone gushing over this deal?

so does DL mean the reports are complete bull because it hasn’t been finalized or because those are not the exact players involved in a proposed trade or because he is not even in talks with the Senators or Sharks?

SJ definitely has to dump salary to be able ice a full team. If you are in talks DL, hold out for SJ to throw in more quality players.

My quick two cents:

SJ needed cap space earlier in the summer. They don’t now.
SJ is not going to give up Marleau for Heatley, because Ottawa has no trading partners. Their backs are against the wall.
Marleau is probably not going to waive his NTC to go to OTT, so at least that part of the stupid rumor makes sense (the need to bring in LA).
Lombardi probably DOES want Marleau, but would not give up Frolov AND Stoll for him. Frolov for Marleau straight up makes sense. But I would prefer Marleau for Stoll, RIchardson, a prospect and a pick. That would have made more sense to SJ when they needed the cap space; but they don’t now, so the idea that a deal between LA and SJ could be worked out to both teams’ benefit is less plausible.
SJ doesn’t want to send Marleau to a rival.
LA doesn’t want Heatley to go to a rival, even if we don’t want Heatley ourselves. We want him to go back East somewhere.

In all likelihood, Heatley is staying in OTT. Where he’ll probably score 50 goals and all will be forgiven.

Why do people even READ rumors? Seriously?

This rumor was started by Bruce Garriotch of the Ottawa Sun. The same man who last summer said the Kings were going to be trading Kopitar for Khabibulin.

The man is widely known as a horrific poo slinger, and brings the term “yellow journalism” to an all new level.

Rich, anyway you can ask Lombardi or Hextall if there is any interest in Phil Kessel now that he has stated that he intends to sign an offer sheet with another team?

I woke up this morning hoping nothing would materialize from that stupid rumor last night and so far it’s all good. I think DL has done a great job and has saved the team, but if this trade would have been real I would have flown to LA and personally have slapped him.

Look at the pattern folks…Dean is predictable.

Human nature is predictable once plotted and observed.

Dean doesn’t think to highly of Cammy…Gone
Dean doesn’t think to highly of Sully….Gone
Dean doesn’t think to highly of Boyle…Gone
Dean doesn’t think to highly of Preissing…Gone
Dean doesn’t think to highly of Frolov….Wait for it! Wait for it….

WWAMD, I know you are firestarter, but lets talk facts… just for a second… pretty please.

There are currently 2, count ‘em, Handzus and Williams, dos, 2, 1 + 1, former Flyer’s on the Kings roster.

There are currently ZIPPITY DO DA ZIPPITY A, nada, nil, no one, less than 1, more than negative 1, cannot be divided by, former Sharks players on the Kings roster.

OMG WWAMD!! ChECk YOo-SElf!!

so you expect a GM, any GM, to keep a player that the GM doesn’t think highly of? most people would not employ someone they did not think highly of.

I think DL likes Frolov. I think Frolov wants to play for the Kings long term. I think Frolov will have a good season and will sign with LA for a hometown discount.

I love this site. We have the front page, which includes real news from Rich. We have the gossip column by everyone else, it seems, in the sports media and blogosphere. Then we have WWAMD to cover the funny pages. We have the entire paper here at our fingertips.

WWAMD, that’s what leaders do, justified or not. They get rid of people who they feel are holding the group back and bring in people who can help go forward. I also get rid of the people I don’t think highly of, no matter what category that curtails (attitude, skill, money ect,). In my opinion there’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of DL’s moves you mentioned above. I was disappointed in losing Lubo (I love the kid) as well as Army, (love him as well) but it was/is the best move for the team to move forward. Try to keep the big picture in mind.

WWAMD, link please ? You said that DL has stated he doesn’t like or feels negatively about Frolov. Maybe you can dig up some criticism of his game but nowhere does he flat out say he doesn’t like Frolov or want him on the team. If you really want in to look into comments like that I’m surprised you don’t think Kopitar is about to be traded as DL has said a few times during the offseason that he expects Kopitar to get better and that he needs to improve the most.

But it’s not true and if Frolov get’s moved it will be because a contract is not going to be worked out anyways because Frolov wants to go play somewhere else.

And do you really think Heatley having demanded to be traded twice and rejecting one trade is going to get OTT back both Frolov and Stoll without other picks/players coming to both the kings and SJ ? I don’t think Heatley could get either of those players as a return right now. and as has been stated earlier the Kings aren’t going to be involved and giving up the best value to get the worst value in the trade.

Amazing job by ESPN to get my heart racing about hockey on a thursday night though.

Irish Pat,

I do run a business lol!

We call it hiring “the good ol’ boys”. Thats what Dean is doing. It would be fine if there was “success” behind it. But obvisiously it has failed time and time again. I do not need to post all the Sharks/Flyer players that have been here that have FAILED miserably. Hiring people Dean knows has proven to be really BAD. What has San Jose and Philly done that is so deserving of copying their model. What has Priessing, Calder, Gautier, Cloutier, McCauley and so on done to this team to improve it? No great work ethic. In order to RUN a good BUSINESS, you need to take RISKS and EXPANDED your portfolio. Dean still wants to form a high school reunion in LA. Also I rarely hire people I know. I like to SHAPE people into what my company stands for. I like to have a fresh canvas. There is a conflict of interest when hiring people you know, boss/employee boundary gets crossed into friendship…not good business. Also Dean “hires” people that are rejected by everyone else on the FA market and OVERpays for their services. and if I was a GM with 3 years in a row of finishing in the bottom two of the west, I think that speaks for itself in regards of being a Sh***y GM as you referred to it. Dean needs to change his tactics because obviously it’s not being fruitful.

ALSOOOOOOOOOO, something for ALL of you to think about. San Jose fans WANT to get rid of Marleau……Ottawa fans WANT to get rid of Heatley…Yet LA fans don’t want either and love Frolov and our number one faceoff guy…So why are we getting everyone else’s garbage and giving away our talent.

I had a talk with a hockey friend a few weeks back about Frolov. Frolov possesses a skill set that is RARE to find in the NHL. To me he is one of the UNTOUCHABLE players in LA….I only have 3 untouchables…and I’ll explain why…They are Brown, Frolov and Doughty.

Frolov is one of the few players in the NHL that can control a game and no one can knock the puck off him. Not only that, but he has a scoring touch. To top it all off he’s one of the leading strippers of the puck. So we got a guy who u can’t take the puck from, can strip the puck from others and can score…WHO else in the league posses these skills…..Datsuyk…..thats it. Players like Frolov are rare..KEEP them…guess what team Datsuyk plays for….Detroit…who has won many cups in the past few years.

Brown is another player with rare skills combined..He can score and hit. He is the leagues top 3 hitters and he has a scoring touch. YOU can’t replace that

Doughty is a generational defensemen. He is hard to replace. Skills, controls the game and great defensive mind. To have a player of his skill at his age again is RARE.

Kopitar and the rest of the crew have talent, but u can replace that talent with equal of better. To replace guys like Brown and Frolov, you need more then one player that is extremely good in those areas….But when you got Brown and Frolov is like have “super” players with 3 for 1 deals….you just don’t find that in the NHL.

Thats my opinion and I’m sticking to it!

WWAMD,

Wow. That’s quite a rant. I’m glad you own your own business, but I’ll refrain from “laughing out loud”.

Lombardi hired Hextall as the assistant GM. No experience in this role, but no doubt, as you pointed out, “shaping” him into what he stands for. Into what he wants the Kings to stand for. Alyn MacCauley had his career ended early by way of bum knee, Lombardi gave him a chance as a scout, again no experience, but he is “shaping” him into what he wants from his scouts. Into what he wants his scouts to look for in future Kings players. Seems like he’s running this business the right way to me.

You may be right about Marleau and San Jose fans wanting him gone, but he is a terrific player, one of the league’s most underrated players in fact. A poll last season of players had Marleau near the top of that list. I agree trading Stoll AND Frolov is nonsense, but I would welcome him on board if he wanted to play in LA.

You list Frolov as “untouchable”… I get that. I do. He is a terrific player and for all of the reasons you mentioned. But “untouchable”? If Lombardi could package him in a deal for Ilya Kovalchuk I would help Frolov pack his bags in a heartbeat. I’d miss Frolov, but I’d get over it after Kovalchuk’s first hat trick (by the way, I feel like I’m using more quotation marks than Jim Fox in his one-on-one with Rich, but I digress).

I get that you’re passionate and I admire that. I just don’t get all of the Lombardi hate. Yeah, the Kings have been losing. Yes, the Kings have sucked. Personally, I don’t think the Kings will make the playoffs the season. But if you can’t see all of the young talent Lombardi and his staff have brought in and can’t see the future of this organization for what it will be… well, sorry dude. I feel bad for you.

Peace.

What business do you run? With all the time you spend on here, it’s hard to believe.

WWAMD,
You are(over) reacting as if this trade was made.
As far as the 5 “garbage” players you mentioned: Preissing-Colorado took this garbage off our hands. McCauley, as mentioned is now a scout for us. The dux sifted through our garbage and are giving Calder a tryout. The Red Wings are looking at Cloutier as that carton of sour milk in your refrigerator that you hope is better the next time you try it. Gauthier,…………….. well 4 out of 5 ain’t bad.
Maybe you can become a Phoenix fan and then you can tell them how to run their business. This is just my opinion.

are all y’all done yet…?

let’s pace ourselves…at this rate we’re gonna burn out by oct. 1…(!)

WWAMD, I tried to read your post but it is so dang long my ADD kicked in 33% of the way through and then…what are we talking about again?

Mrbrett,

I should respectfully point out that you also left former SJ Shark Brad Stuart off your list as well.

Hey guys, if this trade goes through and say if the Kings were looking at Kessel? ( who i hoping they are anyway ) and maybe get Clowe or Michalek?.. But why stop there?.. Somehow work a deal with Buffalo to get Derek Roy like Bernier,Lewis,Ivanans and a 1st and/or a 2nd/or 3rd? or work Wiliams in a deal……..

I wouldn’t trade Stoll straight up for Marleau… Stoll is a playoff type player while Marleau is no better than Frolov and will disappear come playoff time as he has proven year after year…

“Sorry. When Dean got here, he said it was a 2 year rebuild and we’d be in the playoffs year 3…Sooooooooooooooooooooo?”

Really…it only takes 2 whole years to tear an organization down, and rebuild it from the ground up?
Dude, your just making stuff up to try and prove your point.

Show us all one link that he said it would only take 2 years and we’d make the playoffs.Prove me and all the others wrong that he said that.And links directing us to your quotes don’t count.

WWAMD,

Sorry, but you are not making any sense with your DL bashing. This man brought talent to the Kings and is shaping his team in his image, just like any GM would do. Rebuilding doesn’t take 2 years, if you think it does then you are watching the wrong sport. This team had no identity or direction to where it was going.

Any GM will bring a player or two of players he has managed in previous teams. Seems to me you just decided to take over Anthonyy’s role and be louder with all the put downs and insults. Once the season starts and thinks don’t go as expected then you can start your tirade, but till then, give it a break!

WWAMD,

You’re right that it is no fun to watch guys like Calder, and Gautier, and Nagy play for the Kings. The trouble is you’re neglecting the fact that these players are what DL called “bridge players.” Unlike your claim that DL said the rebuild would only take 2 years, he has talked about utilizing bridge players for years. Anyone who has listened to him even marginally has heard him use this term. However, these days you hear him talk about the “reserve list” more than anything, mainly because we now have one, which, you know, takes a few years to build.

Are the bridge players “homeboys?” Maybe. But who cares when they’re just there for a short while anyway?

Also, you may be providing a different perspective, which is fine, but the way you do it is pretty abrasive. It’s irritating to read. And it is possible to provide a different point of view without being a sandpaper on a blister.

Lastly, it is insane to me for anyone to ever complain about the rebuild. I’ll take Doughty, who you said yourself is a generational Dman, and I agree, for two years of terrible hockey and a third season that had signs of progress. And down the road when Hickey and Schenn and Clifford are ensuring that no one takes a night off I’m sure you’ll agree.

I guess we’re off the hook with regards to the Heatley deal.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=290808

I supposed that’s probably for the better..for now.

WWAMD – it is not healthy, if you are starting to believe the personalities are separate.

wavesinair – DL did expect to be able to make the team he took over a playoff team. Then he realized the fact that to draw the necessary FAs to compete at the highest levels, he would have to build an attractive base of young players. In essence, the market dictated the direction he would have to travel. Once he realized this, he switched directions as soon as possible. Quickly admitting the direction you are headed will not produce the required results and then making the necessary change is an attribute of a skilled leader. Very few leaders can put their egos aside to make the change.

waves — I truly understand what you are saying, but all GMs have egos. He still admitted it was not working and changed the plan.

Great article, I especially like what you had to say in the last paragraph.

I’ll be back again, thanks for the info.