I agree eveyone thought the Kings would be a contender this year so the question is why are they not???
If DL wants this team run a certain way and under a certain system and that system is not working then there has to be change
Agreed, there needs to be a change.
I'm not convinced that change needs to be done at the GM level though. I think DL needs to add some size on the lower lines and DS needs to add some speed to the system through a quicker transition game. Considering DS himself said he didn't really want to fully impliment his own system mid-season and would look to do that next year in camp, I think that change will be coming regardless. Whether it's to the level we want, or to a level which will be successful, we will have to see.
I'm not convinced that change needs to be done at the GM level though. I think DL needs to add some size on the lower lines and DS needs to add some speed to the system through a quicker transition game. Considering DS himself said he didn't really want to fully impliment his own system mid-season and would look to do that next year in camp, I think that change will be coming regardless. Whether it's to the level we want, or to a level which will be successful, we will have to see.
I want to DS with a full year under his belt as well, but would full ysupport a GM change.
I agree eveyone thought the Kings would be a contender this year so the question is why are they not???
If DL wants this team run a certain way and under a certain system and that system is not working then there has to be change
I think we are a contender. No one has dominated us in play. We have lost alot of SO this year if we get half of those and we have 5 more points then were right in the thick of the playoffs. Everybody that is important in our success is having an off year except Quick and were still right there. We get in the playoffs and there is no reason we can't win a couple of series. It has been a frustrating season thus far and chances are we miss the playoffs but you never know. Hey I am a SF Giant fan and the season they won the world series the slogan of the team was "Torture" but it ended up being the greatest season ever for me. These players have been in the NHL for awhile now and you just don't go cold like this no matter what system you play. The bounces are going to go our way in the playoffs.
I think we are a contender. No one has dominated us in play. We have lost alot of SO this year if we get half of those and we have 5 more points then were right in the thick of the playoffs. Everybody that is important in our success is having an off year except Quick and were still right there. We get in the playoffs and there is no reason we can't win a couple of series. It has been a frustrating season thus far and chances are we miss the playoffs but you never know. Hey I am a SF Giant fan and the season they won the world series the slogan of the team was "Torture" but it ended up being the greatest season ever for me. These players have been in the NHL for awhile now and you just don't go cold like this no matter what system you play. The bounces are going to go our way in the playoffs.
love the optimism. I hope you get to tell everyone you told us so.
I think we are a contender. No one has dominated us in play. We have lost alot of SO this year if we get half of those and we have 5 more points then were right in the thick of the playoffs. Everybody that is important in our success is having an off year except Quick and were still right there. We get in the playoffs and there is no reason we can't win a couple of series. It has been a frustrating season thus far and chances are we miss the playoffs but you never know. Hey I am a SF Giant fan and the season they won the world series the slogan of the team was "Torture" but it ended up being the greatest season ever for me. These players have been in the NHL for awhile now and you just don't go cold like this no matter what system you play. The bounces are going to go our way in the playoffs.
Great post. Very positive and truthful. We are indeed a contender, a sort of sleeping/drunk giant.
I think we are a contender. No one has dominated us in play. We have lost alot of SO this year if we get half of those and we have 5 more points then were right in the thick of the playoffs.
Sorry, but I gotta disagree and it makes me think you didn't watch the first 40 games of the season. There were plenty of games we were dominated in and we're only able to stay in them due to Quick's play.
When thinking about the offseason I can't help but think about free agents.
AS we usually are unable to get the big fish (parise), I wonder how Seming would do beside Kopitar. I think it could work btu would nto want to sign him at his 6.5mil he is currently making.
I don't think there is a hope in hell, but it would unreal to get shane doan.
I voted - He will be back / I DON'T want him back.
Let me be clear - I like Dean Lombardi and, for the most part, I am happy with the job he has done.
The bottom line on me not wanting him back is this - he told us throughout the re-build that this season was the season we would make serious noise (not ver batim, but anyone who'd paid attention through the last 5 years knows what I alluding to re: the slow/smart rebuild). If we miss the playoffs entirely, then he not only will have missed that goal (which he, himself basically set) but he will have done significantly worse than his goal.
For that reason, he must be replaced. Crazy thing is, I don't see AEG pulling the trigger. I think they would give him one more year.
In spite of what we've seen on the ice, I am still judging this year the same as I planned to before it started. I will consider it a successful year if we either win the division OR win 1 round in the playoffs. Making the playoffs (not as division champs) and exiting in the first round would be a slight failure. NOT making the playoffs at all would be a complete failure.
I dont understand the large dislike for DL. He has done a great job. The only thing you can complain about is his choice of coaches. Other than that he has done everything well. The Kings are struggling due to a combination of a poor system implemented by a dinosaur of a coach and a total lack in work ethic on the ice. The Kings recent position in the standings is not a reflection of DL. Wise up people.
AEG gave Dean a lifeline to save his job by allowing him to hire a third head coach. Dean had a real chance to change the direction of the franchise and went with the "safe" bet and hired his buddy Terry Murray 2.0. If the Kings miss the playoffs, I don't see why AEG wouldn't fire Dean. He had a 5 year plan and this is year 6 and the Kings are right back into the black hole with an offense that is worse than when he started.
Allowing Dean to trade for Carter doesn't mean that he is going to be around next season. Carter for Jack was a good hockey trade. It will work out for both teams, but Carter won't really flourish until Lombardi hockey is removed from LA.
Balance is the key and everyone is talking about the offense because the defense is already in place. The Kings will be a good defensive club just because of the personnel, it's time to take off the training wheels and let them play hockey.
I voted that he will be fired if they miss the playoffs and I want him fired. Getting to the second round is the only way he saves his job. AEG wants that playoff revenue. I don't think spending to the cap and missing the playoffs was in Dean's pitch to AEG.
My old saying was "I support Dean Lombardi in spite of his various cockups."
That time has passed. I want nothing more to do with him. I don't care how much of it is on the players, how much of it has been on the god damned coaches, how much of it is on him for his involvement in the previous two factors. I want Dean Lombardi to pay for everything we've gone through in support of this travesty.
Dean will be back, but he will be in the same seat Murray was this season. I am unsure if I want him back. 75% of me says yes, but 25% of me says that we need a coaching and management flushout and a whole new system. We have the roster to compete.
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"It has not been a good day. I lost my glasses early this morning and I had to go buy a pair of 79 dollar reading glasses today. 79 bucks. You can literally get them at Costco, three-for-20." - Darryl Sutter's response to going up 2-0 in the series.
I haven't been critical of DL until he hired Sutter. The reason TM was fired was because LA couldn't score. So Lombardi goes out and hires another Murray? Wtf...
I dont understand the large dislike for DL. He has done a great job. The only thing you can complain about is his choice of coaches. Other than that he has done everything well. The Kings are struggling due to a combination of a poor system implemented by a dinosaur of a coach and a total lack in work ethic on the ice. The Kings recent position in the standings is not a reflection of DL. Wise up people.
The problem is, this is the system Lombardi wants played. Murray was fired because we underachieved do to a lack of goal scoring and Lombardi replaces him with Sutter?
Dean will be back, but he will be in the same seat Murray was this season. I am unsure if I want him back. 75% of me says yes, but 25% of me says that we need a coaching and management flushout and a whole new system. We have the roster to compete.
That's the thing. This roster can do so much better than what they've shown this season. This group is stuck in a spot (thinking they can win) and can't, or are too afraid, to take that next step (knowing they can win).
Something needs to be done, and it usually starts at the top when you're in year 6 of a rebuild and you've been given the green light to spend to the cap and you're taking a step back in that 6th year.
I've been patient with Lombardi for the way this season has gone, but these last 2 games have pushed me to the 'this team needs fresh blood' side.
Maybe my definition of great is different, but these results these 6 seasons have not been great.
1. Four total playoff wins, no series wins.
2. Zero Top six forwards drafted and developed
3. Bottom third offense all but one season.
4. Tenth in west today. While spending to the cap.
Anyways, to the topic. I am happy to see most of the fan base gets it, with the 25-18 vote of people wanting DL gone. I'm still shocked he has this much support, but if this poll were made last year the numbers would at minimum be flipped.
I voted for the "Will be back/Don't want him back" I have little faith in AEG making the right decision, lets not forget the same idiots who hired this failure from San Jose are the same ones still in power, I find them totally clueless.
Here is another question...If Dean's job totally rested on making the playoffs would you rather.
A) Make the playoffs if it meant Dean returning.
B) Miss the playoffs if it guaranteed his firing.
I would clearly take option B, I am ready to move on completely and if that means missing this year so be it. This team will never win a championship with Dumbo.
If he had hired someone other than Sutter, you know, someone with a true change in philosophy, I probably would have wanted DL back even if they had missed the playoffs. But this "same ol' bull****" ain't cutting it. So I want him and Sutter gone.
If he had hired someone other than Sutter, you know, someone with a true change in philosophy, I probably would have wanted DL back even if they had missed the playoffs. But this "same ol' bull****" ain't cutting it. So I want him and Sutter gone.
agree completely. I hope AEG does something about this at the end of the season regardless of what happens.
Great post. Very positive and truthful. We are indeed a contender, a sort of sleeping/drunk giant.
