The two Town Hall Meetings held over the last 10 days could not have been more different. The first outing, the hostility of the crowd was palpable, extreme and at times even more over the top than that. Don’t take my word for it, consider this example:
Parking Lot 8 went from $20.00 per game to $30.00 per game next season. A huge offensive increase no doubt. In the first meeting, a teacher went on how the price change would cause her to park further away. Okay, so far, so good, well the more distant lot would put her in physical danger. Okay, a reasonable emotion. That safety risk then became equated with physical assault and then rape …. and could the Kings live with that? Enough said.
Now, Saturday morning involved the kindler, gentler crowd. The most passionate pleas were two diatribes against Blake. In the interest of full disclosure, my past blogs document I have often take a strong stance against the captain. On the ice, he never fully earned his $6 million dollar salary. At least not in my mind. Little did I know a large contingent of one section of Staples Center sent a representative who said that his block of 20-30 season ticket holders may not renew solely based upon the Kings re-signing him. Really.
I will provide blogs in installments due to their length. Now to the specifics:
ABILITY TO KEEP YOUNGER CORE FORWARDS HERE:
Hextall explained that he knows that it takes longer for defenseman to develop than forwards. It is common knowledge that the team had forwards in the organization who now comprise the team’s core. Defensively, the cupboard was and is still is thin if not outright bare. As Hextall said at the earlier meeting, the plan is to bring in at least 2, probably 3 defensemen. The brain trust is not counting on any 2008 drafted players to make the team.
TEAM’S LACK OF PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE:
The current Stanley Cup Finals is Exhibit “A” for the issue, which matters most? Youthful talent or experience. Hextall’s response surprised me. Lombardi last year stated his preference to look for winners and Final Four players. In contrast, Hextall said that while he acknowledges play-off experience is important; it may be over-rated. Huh?
Hextall continued that it is the will and drive to win that is more dispositive. The older, experienced veterans (insert the Gary Roberts or Dave Andreychuk player of your choice) are great but older players lose that drive and their abilities decrease in the sunset portion of their careers. Those veterans that do make a difference do so solely as lesser minute role players; as opposed to carrying a team to a Cup.
These ‘character’ players in a Kings’ uniform have been Thornton and Blake.
CRAWFORD’S THREE YEAR PLAN:
A fan asked Hextall to respond to Crawford’s tenure if his third year here doesn’t play out according to Crawford’s three year plan. This question never got answered.
GOALTENDING:
I look forward to the day when this question won’t need to be asked. File that one in the Department of the Obvious. Since a netminder is the most difficult need to fill, and because this regime is plain not trading kids for veteran help, there is no current plan to make a trade for a ‘fill in the blank’ short term goaltender solution. (This would be defined as Bernier for ‘fill in the blank’.)
Hextall continued that 80% of netminding is between the ears. The organization is committed to letting this play out with Bernier, Zatkoff, Quick, Taylor, LaBarbera and Ersberg. (The latter bright spot is still deemed ‘unproven’ by Hextall.)
A fan’s interesting example of a short term solution was the acquisition of Sean Burke. No doubt after watching Fukofuji and Brust, Burke was an obvious breath of fresh air for sure. Hextall stated that Burke made a great two (2) month solution and no more.
WHAT IS BEING DONE FOR PK AND SHUT DOWN DEFENSIVE PLAYERS?
The Kings acknowledge this is a need. The guys in the AHL who ‘may not be ready’ but are pegged for this role are Matt Moulson and Brady Murray. As for Giuliano who filled this need well last season, he becomes unrestricted on July 1, 2008. Despite the fact that the Union Leader wrote that the Kings wanted to talk to Giuliano before he goes unrestricted, Hextall Saturday said that re-signing him is not a priority.
BRIAN BOYLE:
Hextall and Lombardi met with Boyle at the end of his junior year. They both felt that he developed all that he would in college. They wanted him to turn professional. Boyle preferred to return to college for his senior year and try to win an NCAA championship. Hextall still believes that despite the leadership he brought to Manchester, and the strong 1st year play as a professional that he would be that much further along had he left college.
The next thing surprised me, and I suspect others will share this emotion. Boyle may aspire and eventually be the Kings’ #2 center. For next year, Hextall pegs him as the 4th line center. Seriously.
SECOND LINE CENTER:
There is NO ONE coming in from Manchester for the next TWO seasons that is projected to be the #2 center this organization desperately needs. While O’Sullivan filled this spot part-time last year, Hextall stated that the organization sees him better suited as a winger than a center. Due to the obvious need, O’Sullivan may spend time as the #2 center next season. (After I was done being shocked Boyle wasn’t the projected #2 guy, my brain immediately wondered whether Lombardi really did want the Kings to get Stamkos –
my conjecture only.)
MY TAKE:
A team with no #2 center in the organization for the next two seasons, holes on the PK unit and no shut down line and a need to sign basically 3 defensemen, well, next year may be another challenging season for all concerned.
More to follow…. Stay tuned.
Carla Muller Carla.hockeygal@att.net
Carla Muller
Twelve Less Angry Men - Part One 
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