because all the people that bashed you last year and the previous year will never admit they are wrong, i have the courtesy of apologizing for them, even if I have never questioned you (try going through all my posts). Now it's safe, that you have done more for the Kings than half of the Kings' past GMs (if not more).
So here it is...
"I apologize for questioning you Dean Lombardi"
see, it's not that hard
First, apologizing for all of Dean's critics is a **** head move, especially when you proudly drank the kool-aid.
Second, are you claiming that Dean is above criticism? That trading for Cloutier was not a move that should have been criticized?
Third, what success has Dean achieved for his critics to capitulate? Are we a Stanley Cup contender? President's Cup contender? Pacific Division contender? Won a playoff series? Won a playoff game?
The facts are: Dean took over a team that was on par with (or better than) the Coyotes. We are now a team that is worse than the Coyotes.
Reality is we are third in our division and on the bubble of making the playoffs. We have lost seven in a row to a potential playoff match-up. Some teams have rebuilt faster than us (e.g. Avs).
Is the Kings' rebuild truly done? Look at the Blue Jackets postings for last year, the fans were pretty confident their rebuilding days were over too.
Dean's made some pretty good moves and some pretty bad moves. Based upon the Kings' on-ice performance to date, Dean is only an average GM.
Yeah, let's start questioning Dean now that the Kings are losing
Speaking on behalf of all the suicidal "OMG WE RNT MAKING THE PLAYOFS WE RNT GETTING 6 POINTS IN 12 GAMES !!!!" crowd
Maybe you should READ my post.
It's not about questioning Dean now that we losing. It's in response to a poster that feels we should stopping questioning Dean now that we are on the playoff bubble.
Yeah, let's start questioning Dean now that the Kings are losing
Speaking on behalf of all the suicidal "OMG WE RNT MAKING THE PLAYOFS WE RNT GETTING 6 POINTS IN 12 GAMES !!!!" crowd
I believe after this OMG the Kings are the bestest thread was created the Kings stumbled a little. There are no power taps or pats on the butt allowed for anybody in the Kings organization until a Cup is raised. If you're satisfied in March you have not been a King fan for very long.
Because they're not wrong. He's made plenty of moves that have stunk and he still does.
You people are weird. He's never made a mistake, this team couldn't be better than it is now etc. etc.
I tell you what, let me look over your shoulder while you are at work to see if you ever make a mistake, or if whatever you produce couldn't be even better than what you put out.
Overall the strategic planning has been pretty damn good. Are tactical errors made every now and then? Sure.
I tell you what, let me look over your shoulder while you are at work to see if you ever make a mistake, or if whatever you produce couldn't be even better than what you put out.
Overall the strategic planning has been pretty damn good. Are tactical errors made every now and then? Sure.
Seriously??? You're going to compare my job to Dean's job???
Dean is not some anonymous office worker that is unfairly publicly criticized.
Dean is a well compensated, decision maker for a professional sports team. Second guessing/criticism comes with the territory for high profile jobs in professional sports, the entertainment world, and politics.
Dean chose his career in professional sports. I'm sure he expects the criticism.
Seriously??? You're going to compare my job to Dean's job???
Dean is not some anonymous office worker that is unfairly publicly criticized.
Dean is a well compensated, decision maker for a professional sports team. Second guessing/criticism comes with the territory for high profile jobs in professional sports, the entertainment world, and politics.
Dean chose his career in professional sports. I'm sure he expects the criticism.
Seriously, it's ridiculous to think in the dozens of decisions that he has had to make regarding player personnel the first few years that he isn't going to blow a few. That's my POINT.
To say he hasn't done a great job with this team because of Cloutier, McCauley, Blake, etc. is kind of silly, isn't it?
Do you want to argue that the overall strategic plan he has followed has not been excellent? Perhaps you preferred the rudderless ship that used to sail in circles when DT was in charge. Yes, I recognize that AEG might have stolen the rudder, but we'll never know what DT would have done if he had been allowed to rebuild now will we. I'll take my chances with the scouting organization that Lombardi has put together though.
Seriously, it's ridiculous to think in the dozens of decisions that he has had to make regarding player personnel the first few years that he isn't going to blow a few. That's my POINT.
To say he hasn't done a great job with this team because of Cloutier, McCauley, Blake, etc. is kind of silly, isn't it?
Do you want to argue that the overall strategic plan he has followed has not been excellent? Perhaps you preferred the rudderless ship that used to sail in circles when DT was in charge. Yes, I recognize that AEG might have stolen the rudder, but we'll never know what DT would have done if he had been allowed to rebuild now will we. I'll take my chances with the scouting organization that Lombardi has put together though.
The overall strategic plan he has followed since the hiring of Terry Murray has been excellent. At this point in time, with the direction of the team and all the young talent I think I can forgive him but I can't forget. In the last 2 years he's established himself as the best GM I've seen since 1988. Every move makes sense, which is something that seems very odd being a King fan for that long. It just goes to show you just how bad the Kings have been since their inception minus a few seasons here and there. Even Quick completely re-wrote the goalie record book in his first full season. There is still work to be done, the Quick/Bernier situation is going to be very interesting. Does he hold onto both with a 1a/1b next season or is Quick or Bernier dealt? As good as the Kings have been so far this season depending on what they do in the playoffs they could look like an entirely different team next training camp.
... This guy says hi from the second round of the playoffs, where his 6 goals and 11 points leads his team.
Has Lombardi reserved his tee times yet? Well done, Dean.
Not to mention Lubo looked very good in his short stint in Anaheim until he ran into Ratis. And Demitra played for that Vancouver team, ddin't he? I love the back and forth action of dug up threads.
Since you're gonna bump it with the negative, I'm going to bump it with the positive.
This offseason will be a defining moment in franchise history and Dean's career. This is the first time in eons that the franchise has:
--A young, solid core of hungry, homegrown players.
--A solid compliment of veterans
--A loaded farm system lauded by many as the best (or close to) in the NHL, supplemented with TONS of prospects, many of which are knocking on the NHL's door
--A goaltending controversy sparked by "who's the best young prospect goaltender" rather than "which of these washups/headcases sucks least"
--A good amount of picks in this year's draft, held at home
--A good amount of cap space
--Enough notoriety as an up-and-coming to undoubtedly be amongst the top destinations for UFAs
I say it's a defining moment because with all these assets, we could take a HUGE step forward, or stall out, but now we're going to get to see what DL can do with SO MANY assets instead of just one form. In the past, maybe all we had was picks, or we were shedding vets for picks. Now, we have cap space, notoriety, prospects, and picks with which to make moves to improve this team both in the near future and the distant future. I'd argue we're more set up for success than 90% of the NHL.
I don't see what there is to complain about. Sure, there were several boneheaded moves, especially in retrospect; but for a GM who took over a failing franchise with a bare cupboard and turned around seemingly EVERYTHING, I could certainly imagine much, much worse.
What happens next is what makes DL's tenure a success or failure.
Oh, and yeah--I think you'd be singing a different tune about Cammy if it were Myers skating around our blueline RIGHT NOW, rather than Teubert taking his time developing. It's a little early to write that trade off completely.
... Sure, Halak was the MVP of the series, but to say Cammalleri hasn't been an impact player -- or to coin a phrase, "the straw that stirs the drink" -- is plain wrong.
You are aware that Cammalleri dictated where he wanted to go as he was going to be unrestricted and it was common knowledge that he wanted to play for a Canadian team. Lombardi knew that, as did other teams. And Cammalleri got his wish. And if Dean didn't get rid of Demitra, who knows if the Kings would be in the position to draft Doughty in 2008 or Schenn in 2009.
Cammy is also in Montreal as a FA. He always wanted to play for them. We will never know if he was really interested in a long term deal in LA.
Dean dealt him away from a position of weakness, that was the mistake with Cammy. He should have been dealt sooner.
Didn't Demetra get us Johnson? And he's in Vancouver as FA isn't he?
You can't expect a GM to hit on every draft pick. Isn't 1 or 2 solid NHL players per draft the average? Doesn't matter what round they are from.
I've been critical of Dean and some of it is deserved, but I will reserve judgement until training camp opens. If he doesn't bring the impact player the the team needs, then the team will continue to tread water.
The time is now. The team has showed they can get to the playoffs as a team, now they need the sniper to put the over the top.
... Sure, Halak was the MVP of the series, but to say Cammalleri hasn't been an impact player -- or to coin a phrase, "the straw that stirs the drink" -- is plain wrong.
He's certainly an impact player. But what incentive did Cammy have, as a UFA, to stay with a crappy-but-improving team?
I'm not going to go so far as to say things like his desires to play for a Canadian team and 6 million dollars were absolute facts, because there's certainly info we're not privy to, but if he wanted out, he wanted out, and was going to be a UFA. What would you have done?
Cammy is also in Montreal as a FA. He always wanted to play for them. We will never know if he was really interested in a long term deal in LA.
Dean dealt him away from a position of weakness, that was the mistake with Cammy. He should have been dealt sooner.
Didn't Demetra get us Johnson? And he's in Vancouver as FA isn't he?
You can't expect a GM to hit on every draft pick. Isn't 1 or 2 solid NHL players per draft the average? Doesn't matter what round they are from.
I've been critical of Dean and some of it is deserved, but I will reserve judgement until training camp opens. If he doesn't bring the impact player the the team needs, then the team will continue to tread water.
The time is now. The team has showed they can get to the playoffs as a team, now they need the sniper to put the over the top.
Kovalchuk > Cammy
We got Sully for Demetra.
And we got Johnson (and the russian dman whose name escapes me for the moment) for Belanger and Gleason.
