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About This Page: This is a discussion on News within the LetsGoKings.com forums, at Los Angeles Kings Hockey Fan Forum. Originally Posted by King'sPawn
That's it for the purple group skaters. I'm going to recap the goalies, then go to bed. Been up since 6:30 this morning.
Slacker!!
So the next time I speak with DL, I was totally unprepared for it, and since all the days are getting mixed up into one, I don't remember the exact days this happened. I was watching the coaching and scouting staff play ball hockey on the roller rink, when Lombardi walked by. I jokingly asked him if any of these guys on the rink looked good enough to sign to play on the Kings. He said, "As long as they can coach and scout, that's all I need." I guess it wasn't a funny joke.
But he still stood next to me for a while and watched the guys play. The guy was just relaxing, so I didn't want to bombard him with serious questions or make a nuisance of myself. I did ask what was happening with Loktionov, Bagnall, and Cameron. Lombardi said that Loktionov just arrived that day, so he would start playing the following day. Cameron was still sick. Bagnall, to him, was an optional invite. He felt that Bagnall was at that level similar to Moulson, Boyle, and Purcell, where he's essentially a trade school graduate ready to learn at the next level. He said Bagnall will still probably show up, and he did on Monday.
I then said I like the way the camp is going. As the curriculum evolves, you see players get noticeably better. I mentioned to DL that one player, for what little it was worth, who was in my doghouse was Dwight King because he kept taking even the warm-ups lightly. Lombardi nodded and said that a reason why King fell into the middle rounds was because he needed to compete more.
Pete Demers then came in and started talking to DL, and then he excused himself.
__________________ It's a gift, and a curse. - Monk
The next day, I guess it was Saturday, I was walking back from my car to get my phone charger and just as I was walking back to the front, Lombardi once again just walked right in front of me. He said hi, but then there were a group of fans who were sitting outside, and they went up to talk to him. I mostly stood to the side, but listened to what he had to say.
He repeated the reasons for trading Visnovsky. It was explained a couple times. He also mentioned how Brown started to come into his own, but left out the detail that Avery had something to do with it.
But he said that these fans have had to deal with this team not winning anything for 40 years, and he empathizes with that. He said that a problem with the team is it doesn't have that winning culture, and so he feels he has to establish that through players developed within the system who love the team.
He said that a free agent called him and said he wanted to sign with the Kings. Lombardi asked the FA, "Okay, you know our team is a mess and we have a lot of work to do, so why do you want to come here?" The FA said, "Well, I like the weather." Lombardi said, "Bye bye." He doesn't want that attitude of FAs who come here. And no, he didn't name the player, though I was dying to know.
He reiterated how young players are getting way too much of a payday. He said that the priorities have shifted with these kids; it's not necessarily the kids fault, they have a lot of influences on their lives, like family, friends, and agents, and so they feel that's how they have to be. He said that there's still something that should be said for seniority, and these players get the big money before they establish themselves as stars... and of course he reiterates he doesn't like this new CBA, and this is one of those consequences they didn't plan out.
Then someone asked about coaching, and he said they were working on it. He said they want a teacher who's not full of himself. He didn't really specify any other qualifiers/disqualifiers, that I remember. 24Diving asked about a particular coach, and Lombardi said he never heard of him. I mentioned the coach of the Tri-City Americans, since they had one of the best records and special teams, and working in the WHL he's presumably good with the kids. Lombardi asked me what his name was, and I completely forgot. I made it a point to figure out what his name was, and would tell Lombardi his name next time I had a chance. This little bit is important, since it leads to our last encounter and the whole coaching spiel.
I'm guessing the conversation was about 10 minutes or so long, but basically focused on these main points. I could see DL wanted to leave, when he took out his keys and started fidgeting with them.
Finally, the last time I spoke with Dean was on Tuesday. I finally got the name of the coach and I wanted to answer him from the last time we spoke. Lunchbox told me that DL was sitting up by the security desk, so I went up there and waited for an appropriate time to see if I could signal that I wanted to talk to him. After the drills for the defensemen, he and Hextall got up, and Lombardi nodded hello, but since he looked like he was in a rush, I didn't want to bother him. So, I waited up by the security desk, watching the goalies practice, hoping to catch Dean on the way out. He never came out, and I got a little tired of waiting, so I figured I'd write a note/letter not only naming the coach, but to tell him what a privilege it's been that he's taken the time to talk to me. By Tuesday, I was ready to go, so I wanted to make sure I answered his question before I left.
Around 12:45, well after the practices, I went to the west(?) side of the Toyota Sports Center, near the roller rink. It's the only place in the vicinity of the TSC where I get a signal for my cell phone; I was waiting to hear back from MindGeyser, and sure enough, DL comes walking down the walkway behind the roller rink. He sees me and asks with an incredulous laugh, "What are you doing here?" I explained that this is the only part of the TSC where I get a signal for my phone.
I then asked him if he got my note. He asked, "What note?" I said, "The one about the coach for the Tri-City Americans." He shook his head and said, "Too late, we got our guy!" and he gave me a thumbs up. When I asked who, he said, "You get the inside scoop, as this hasn't hit the papers yet, it's Terry Murray."
Now this was rather embarrassing, but I had to have him repeat the name 5 or 6 times. As much as the guy loves kids who give eye contact while they talk, he loves to look away as he's walking away, and he was in a rush. Plus, sometimes, I just have a hard time hearing people.
Anyway, as I said, he was walking away, and I was already dialing Lunchbox on my cell so she could post on LGK. Lombardi said, "Now this isn't on file yet, so don't go overboard, okay?"
I felt like a kid whose father just gave him a bag of cookies before dinner, but was told not to eat them all before eating the real meal, so I obliged.
Anyway, he seemed very happy about getting Terry Murray.
That's the last time I spoke with DL. Later on today, I'll get into the Gold group; which will include the Russians, since they practiced with them.
I don't want to muddy up this thread with the same old comment again and again, but your posts are making me very happy, KP.
THANK YOU!
__________________ I could really go for a sandwich, but I'm not gonna open TWO jars. I can't be opening and closing all kinds of jars, and cleaning WHO KNOWS how many knives.
-Brian Regan on laziness and the people who buy peanut butter and jelly in the same jar.
He said that a free agent called him and said he wanted to sign with the Kings. Lombardi asked the FA, "Okay, you know our team is a mess and we have a lot of work to do, so why do you want to come here?" The FA said, "Well, I like the weather." Lombardi said, "Bye bye." He doesn't want that attitude of FAs who come here. And no, he didn't name the player, though I was dying to know.
Garrett Roe Pre-camp thoughts: AHL fodder at best Initial Observations: Surprisingly good Development: Roe is what I expected Azevedo to be on the first day of camp. He skates just as hard as his diminutive partner, but he is more energy efficient with his longer strides. He has a good release for a hard, accurate shot, and this is a kid that really competes. On multiple drills, he had to carry the puck around Teubert, of all players, and Roe fearlessly challenged the meanest of our prospects.
There was another drill where the forwards had to practice screening the goalie; since it was the Jr. Kings goalie they used on one half, the other net was empty for that half of the forwards to practice. Roe took his turn as the goalie, with a 6'3 Wudrick planting himself in front. Roe kept jokingly shoving Wudrick. Later, after the forwards practiced blocking shots, he kept chipping the puck at one of the forwards with a smile on his face. He's a versatile, skilled, competitive and likable person. If he makes the NHL, he'll be: 2nd/3rd/4th liner. No team should count on him as a top scorer, but he brings so many other facets to the team, he could do well in almost any other role.
OCKingsFreak
