OK, this is where we really get into the meat of my talk with Lombardi. This is where he grabbed the marker, went to the board and illustrated, line by line, how the team could look in a couple years. Dean will be the first to admit that it’s far from a science, and there’s no way to determine how close to reality this turns out to be, but I found it to be a fascinating look into his thought process and a window to how he thinks the Kings will turn things around. The bad news is, well, I didn’t have a pad and pen. Rule No. 1 for journalists, right? Right. But afteward I wrote it all down from memory as quickly as I could, and I was able to faithfully recreate it.
Remember, this is a couple years down the road, and if you have questions like, “What about (fill in player’s name)?” well, that’s how Dean wrote it down. Of course, he has only taken into account guys who are under contract right now. Therefore, it doesn’t include unsigned prospects or potential free-agent signings, so don’t take it as the gospel. Below, you’ll also get the long-awaited update on the goaltending situation, in which Lombardi is quite candid, and an update on Cammalleri’s contract situation.
There will be one more part to the interview, and hopefully later this week I’ll get to sit down with Lombardi again and get to some more topics. Click below for this installment…
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