Post by albi20luc on Aug 21, 2006 14:11:31 GMT -5
Stole this from a few posters @ lgk...
Dean Lombardi (major topics, scribbled as they talked, please excuse the grammar and syntax):
The Kings off-the-ice team is as important to Dean as one on the ice. He feels he's got some good solid hockey people now.
Realizes that it takes time for the team to gel (it did take him three years in SJ)).
The Demitra trade served the purpose of rebuilding the segment of reserve list (we knew that before).
Saw O'Sullivan when DL was in the Flyers organization, says Patrick needs to be better defensively. Puts effort during games. Says O'Sullivan is ready to challenge for NHL job. Has a good chance to make the team.
Lombardi says Lewis wanted to play junior hockey, because Lewis thought it would make him a better player. Lombardi says Kings put no pressure on Lewis to decide one way or another.
f) Kopitar - status: Kopitar caught DL's eye even when DL was back with the Flyers. Anze has got insticts, finds players, needs to improve skating. DL met with him a couple of times, Kopitar is committed, is in the game for the right reasons. Penciled in for Monarchs for the start. Don't want to take it too quickly with him.
Special teams - changes to the unit: Blake, presence that was lacking, formidable pair with Lubo. They did not have a threat scoring from the blue line last year. Now they have left-right combo.
Scoring upside - kids are going to get better with stronger defence. Sees a Ray Whitney in Cammy - he will take a bigger role on PP.
Cloutier will stabilize G.
O'Sullivan- Had numbers at lower levels that you don't
see very often. A good chance to make the
club out of training camp.
Kopitar- While DL was still at Philly, they were very
impressed with him. No secret that he must
improve skating.
Feels that Anzi, like O'sullivan are very
committed to hockey. Will be a very good
player. Is penciled into Manchester, but will
see at training camp.
Cloutier- Will help stabilize PK
Cam- Will keep getting better. Reminds DL of Ray
Whitney
Special teams- Blake will help a lot. In the NHL you had better have good special teams or you will be in trouble.
Current roster- Thinks players they have now have a lot of upside.
Hextall:
Enjoyed working in Philly with DL and jumped at the chance to move from a #3 to #2 in the LA organization.
Cloutier- Very high on him. Said he doesn't understand why he so much aligned. He is very competitive and will do well w/o injuries.
Bernier- Risky in picking a goalie that high but had to take the gamble with him. Very impressed with him.
Avery- A very good player that must adjust some of his actions. MC coached against him last season, and wanted to keep him. Never seriously considered letting him go. Crow is a no nonsence guy and Avery will have to adjust
Luc- Will miss him and said they would have wanted to have him back if it was 5 years ago! A true pro.
Dustin Brown- Feels that DB has a couple of more levels to go and like him a lot. Said that it is hard to find the qualities that DB has.
Parros- Expects him to make the team. Saw him a few years ago, and said he has worked very hard to get where he is.
Long term contracts- Was asked if he was concerned that the club only had 2 players signed beyond '07-'08. He said he didn't know if it was very good to have players locked up in long term contracts with the new free agency in the NHL. He did think it was good to have their top players signed long term and they will try to lock them up.
Hextall interview:
1) Kudos to Hextall for being a pioneer in playing the puck and changing the way goalies play the game.
2) Hughes did a good job in Manchester, but he wasn't their guy and they wanted someone in that job that they are familiar with.
3) His bond with the Flyers will alway be there, but the LA opportunity with Lombardi was just too good to pass up. Sounds like he wouldn't mind taking over for Clarke some day.
4) The Lewis pick was made by Al Murray and the Kings scouting department. Hextall didn't know that the Flyers were high on him until after the draft. Sounds like Lombardi put a lot of faith in Al Murray here.
5) Defense and goaltending are the two major areas of need for the big club and in the development program. Hence the drafting of Bernier and the trade for Cloutier. He is high on Cloutier. Injuries have been a problem for him (welcome to the Kings) and they hope he can turn that around. Hextall believes Cloutier is very underrated.
6) Avery signing - too much potential to just let him go, but he needs to change. Crawford will keep him in line. I think if Avery doesn't shape up he is gone in a trade this season.
7) The new regime is trying to establish a new identity for the Kings. They want only high character people. Bringing in people like Thornton, McCauley, Blake, and Willsie address this issue.
8) High expectations for Dustin Brown. He can still elevate his game another couple of levels. Tough to find players like him that have grit and skill.
9) The Kings only have 2 players signed beyond the 07-08 season. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing? Hextall says that he looks at it as a good thing. With the UFA age dropping to 27 he only wants to lock up the best of the best young players to long term deals. Specifically mentioned Brown and Gleason, but I am sure he overlooked Cammalleri, because Lombardi was extremely high on Cammy in his interview.
10) Parros - question kind of came out of left field. Will Parros make the team? Hextall says probably. George works extremely hard and is in LA skating almost every day this summer. When he played for Princeton, he didn't look like he would make it in the NHL, but the fact that he did is a tribute to his hard work.
Dean Lombardi (major topics, scribbled as they talked, please excuse the grammar and syntax):
The Kings off-the-ice team is as important to Dean as one on the ice. He feels he's got some good solid hockey people now.
Realizes that it takes time for the team to gel (it did take him three years in SJ)).
The Demitra trade served the purpose of rebuilding the segment of reserve list (we knew that before).
Saw O'Sullivan when DL was in the Flyers organization, says Patrick needs to be better defensively. Puts effort during games. Says O'Sullivan is ready to challenge for NHL job. Has a good chance to make the team.
********************
Lombardi says Lewis wanted to play junior hockey, because Lewis thought it would make him a better player. Lombardi says Kings put no pressure on Lewis to decide one way or another.
********************
f) Kopitar - status: Kopitar caught DL's eye even when DL was back with the Flyers. Anze has got insticts, finds players, needs to improve skating. DL met with him a couple of times, Kopitar is committed, is in the game for the right reasons. Penciled in for Monarchs for the start. Don't want to take it too quickly with him.
Special teams - changes to the unit: Blake, presence that was lacking, formidable pair with Lubo. They did not have a threat scoring from the blue line last year. Now they have left-right combo.
Scoring upside - kids are going to get better with stronger defence. Sees a Ray Whitney in Cammy - he will take a bigger role on PP.
Cloutier will stabilize G.
********************
O'Sullivan- Had numbers at lower levels that you don't
see very often. A good chance to make the
club out of training camp.
Kopitar- While DL was still at Philly, they were very
impressed with him. No secret that he must
improve skating.
Feels that Anzi, like O'sullivan are very
committed to hockey. Will be a very good
player. Is penciled into Manchester, but will
see at training camp.
Cloutier- Will help stabilize PK
Cam- Will keep getting better. Reminds DL of Ray
Whitney
Special teams- Blake will help a lot. In the NHL you had better have good special teams or you will be in trouble.
Current roster- Thinks players they have now have a lot of upside.
********************
Hextall:
Enjoyed working in Philly with DL and jumped at the chance to move from a #3 to #2 in the LA organization.
Cloutier- Very high on him. Said he doesn't understand why he so much aligned. He is very competitive and will do well w/o injuries.
Bernier- Risky in picking a goalie that high but had to take the gamble with him. Very impressed with him.
Avery- A very good player that must adjust some of his actions. MC coached against him last season, and wanted to keep him. Never seriously considered letting him go. Crow is a no nonsence guy and Avery will have to adjust
Luc- Will miss him and said they would have wanted to have him back if it was 5 years ago! A true pro.
Dustin Brown- Feels that DB has a couple of more levels to go and like him a lot. Said that it is hard to find the qualities that DB has.
Parros- Expects him to make the team. Saw him a few years ago, and said he has worked very hard to get where he is.
Long term contracts- Was asked if he was concerned that the club only had 2 players signed beyond '07-'08. He said he didn't know if it was very good to have players locked up in long term contracts with the new free agency in the NHL. He did think it was good to have their top players signed long term and they will try to lock them up.
********************
Hextall interview:
1) Kudos to Hextall for being a pioneer in playing the puck and changing the way goalies play the game.
2) Hughes did a good job in Manchester, but he wasn't their guy and they wanted someone in that job that they are familiar with.
3) His bond with the Flyers will alway be there, but the LA opportunity with Lombardi was just too good to pass up. Sounds like he wouldn't mind taking over for Clarke some day.
4) The Lewis pick was made by Al Murray and the Kings scouting department. Hextall didn't know that the Flyers were high on him until after the draft. Sounds like Lombardi put a lot of faith in Al Murray here.
5) Defense and goaltending are the two major areas of need for the big club and in the development program. Hence the drafting of Bernier and the trade for Cloutier. He is high on Cloutier. Injuries have been a problem for him (welcome to the Kings) and they hope he can turn that around. Hextall believes Cloutier is very underrated.
6) Avery signing - too much potential to just let him go, but he needs to change. Crawford will keep him in line. I think if Avery doesn't shape up he is gone in a trade this season.
7) The new regime is trying to establish a new identity for the Kings. They want only high character people. Bringing in people like Thornton, McCauley, Blake, and Willsie address this issue.
8) High expectations for Dustin Brown. He can still elevate his game another couple of levels. Tough to find players like him that have grit and skill.
9) The Kings only have 2 players signed beyond the 07-08 season. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing? Hextall says that he looks at it as a good thing. With the UFA age dropping to 27 he only wants to lock up the best of the best young players to long term deals. Specifically mentioned Brown and Gleason, but I am sure he overlooked Cammalleri, because Lombardi was extremely high on Cammy in his interview.
10) Parros - question kind of came out of left field. Will Parros make the team? Hextall says probably. George works extremely hard and is in LA skating almost every day this summer. When he played for Princeton, he didn't look like he would make it in the NHL, but the fact that he did is a tribute to his hard work.
