What's Next for the Kings?

Dean Lombardi has done quite a job with the LA Kings. They've been more like warmed over Burger King fare for a number of years, but a change in philosophy and a committment to build around young talent has been significant.

Hockey IS big in Los Angeles, and Kings management have refreshed the team's image with that accent on youth to create an exciting product on the ice.

While they didn't make the playoffs this past season, some are saying the Kings aren't far away from returning to the ranks of NHL royalty.

In the meantime, there's lot of speculation about what Lombardi will do with the dollars he has, and the stockpile of talent he can offer in trade...rumours of Gaborik, Spezza, and even Lecavalier to the home of hockey in Hollywood have surfaced.

And even the news of an LA d-man putting his house up for sale fuels the rumour mill. From the LA Times:


Hockey player Tom Preissing lists Manhattan Beach home

He's asking $2.15 million for the four-bedroom, four-bathroom Spanish-style home.


Lauren Beale/LA Times, May 27, 2009

L.A. Kings defenseman Tom Preissing has listed his Manhattan Beach town house for $2.15 million.

The Spanish-style home, with four bedrooms and four bathrooms in 2,660 square feet, sits about two blocks from the water. There are ocean views from the kitchen, dining room, living room and decks. Built in 2006, the house has distressed plaster, rustic Spanish-style tile and French doors.

Preissing, 30, was the National Hockey League's 2004 rookie of the year with the San Jose Sharks. He played with the Ottawa Senators before signing with the Kings in 2007 as a free agent.

Ed Kaminsky of Shorewood Realtors, Manhattan Beach, had the listing.

lauren.beale@latimes.com

---

Real estate related rumours aside, with players like Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty among others and goalie duo Erik Ersberg and Jonathan Quick, the Kings are making their fans remember the years of Gretzky, Robitaille, Dionne, Goring, Hrudey and Vachon, even Bill Flett and Eddie Joyal...and thinking winning might be the Kings' thing once again.

Your thoughts?

Preissing, 30, was the National Hockey League's 2004 rookie of the year with the San Jose Sharks

No he wasn't

The Guy With The Mustache wrote:

Preissing, 30, was the National Hockey League's 2004 rookie of the year with the San Jose Sharks

No he wasn't

The eagle eye of The Guy does it again...Multiple Kudos!!
:KKK: :KKK: :KKK: :KKK:

From Wikipedia:
"Preissing was the San Jose Sharks' rookie of the year in the 2004 season, where he had two goals and seventeen assists in 69 games. He was praised for making the step directly from college to the NHL without stopping in the AHL."

And Ms Lauren Beale of the LA Times gets a five minute major and a Game Misconduct, plus ten lashes and a one way ticket to the minors for Failure To Fact Check.

davetherave wrote:

The Guy With The Mustache wrote:

Preissing, 30, was the National Hockey League's 2004 rookie of the year with the San Jose Sharks

No he wasn't

The eagle eye of The Guy does it again...Multiple Kudos!!
:KKK: :KKK: :KKK: :KKK:

From Wikipedia:
"Preissing was the San Jose Sharks' rookie of the year in the 2004 season, where he had two goals and seventeen assists in 69 games. He was praised for making the step directly from college to the NHL without stopping in the AHL."

And Ms Lauren Beale of the LA Times gets a five minute major and a Game Misconduct, plus ten lashes and a one way ticket to the minors for Failure To Fact Check.

If he had won the award, he's done more than the real winner has

The question I would ask is: are they as good as the Hawks were this year? I don't think they're even close personally, so could they make the playoffs and go far? I think that's very unlikely. I think this is a year where they flirt with the playoffs, but ultimately miss. Then year after next they make the playoffs and get to a 2nd round. Then the year after that they're in position to have an excellent, rapidly maturing lineup.

But who knows right now? A good trade might get them in sooner.

The Kings are 100% trying to move Bernier, thats right from someone within the organization.

The O'Sullivan deal is a bizarre one for me, still.

An update on the Kings and a glance ahead, from Yahoo Sports...

Inside Shots: Los Angeles Kings Team Report
Yahoo Sports, June 5, 2009

Depending on which way the wind blows—or, more accurately, on the whims of general manager Dean Lombardi—this could either be a very mundane summer for the Kings or one of the most exciting summers in franchise history.

The roster, as presently constructed, doesn’t require many decisions. The two unrestricted free agents, Kyle Calder and Denis Gauthier, are essentially spare parts who could easily be replaced if they don’t re-sign. Notable restricted free agents Jack Johnson, Brian Boyle and Teddy Purcell are likely to be retained.

The question for Lombardi then becomes: How bold does he want to be between now and mid-September?

Lombardi has publicly stated that the Kings need help on the wings, particularly in terms of acquiring a high-scoring left winger. Since the free agent market for wingers isn’t deep, a trade is the most likely scenario.

Lombardi has the pieces, in terms of prospects and draft picks, to make a major trade but has hedged his bets by saying that he won’t overpay. It’s probably a 50-50 bet that Lombardi will either stand pat and wait until 2010 to acquire a top scorer or make a bold move around the time of the entry draft.

Season Highlight: The Kings were already fading from playoff contention on March 5, but they stirred the home fans with a comeback victory over Dallas. Michal Handzus scored with 3:18 remaining in the third period to close the Kings’ deficit to 4-3, Anze Kopitar tied it with 14 seconds remaining and Handzus completed a hat trick when he scored 1:31 into overtime to give the Kings a 5-4 victory.

Turning Point: The Kings returned home on Feb. 12, after an outstanding East Coast road trip in which they went 4-1 and moved a season-best three games over .500, and had one of their worst efforts of the season. A 2-0 loss to Calgary, in which they were outshot 36-20 and allowed three power-play goals, sent the Kings on a spiral. It was the start of an 11-game stretch in which the Kings went 2-7-2 and fell out of playoff contention.

Notes, Quotes

• For the first time in his three-year tenure, GM Dean Lombardi wrote an “open letter” to Kings fans on May 26, a letter that was posted on the Kings’ website. Lombardi, who frequently holds “town hall” style meetings with fans and recently held a conference call with season-ticket holders, gave fans an update on the team’s status entering the fourth season of his rebuilding process. The lengthy letter included a statistical breakdown of the recently completed season and included Lombardi’s assertion that “there is no question in my mind that we have made significant progress these past few seasons toward reaching our ultimate goal of winning a Stanley Cup.”

• Andrei Loktionov wasn’t highly regarded last summer, when the Kings selected him in the fifth round of the entry draft, but Loktionov’s stock is rising quickly. Loktionov recently completed a successful run with the Windsor Spitfires, who won the Memorial Cup. Loktionov, in his first year of North American junior hockey, had a solid regular season but really turned it on in the playoffs. In the Memorial Cup, Loktionov had seven points (two goals, five assists) in six games as they Spitfires rallied from an 0-2 start to win four consecutive games and the tournament.

Quote To Note: “We have taken many positive steps as an organization this past season but were unable to climb into playoff positioning as the season wore on. I want to assure you that all of our end-of-season discussions with our players involved a clear message and understanding that next season carries an expectation that we will be playing playoff hockey.”—Kings GM Dean Lombardi, in his “open letter” to Kings fans.

Roster Report

Most Valuable Player: The Kings anticipated that Drew Doughty, the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft, would make the team out of training camp. What they couldn’t have anticipated is that Doughty would lead the team in average ice time, at almost 24 minutes per game, be a stalwart on the power play and penalty kill and show leadership qualities. It’s hard not to think of Doughty as a future Norris Trophy candidate.

Most Disappointing Player: The Kings thought Jack Johnson, in his second full NHL season, would be ready to take a huge step forward. He might have been, but in the second game of the season, Johnson tore the labrum in his left shoulder and needed surgery that caused him to miss half the season. When Johnson returned, he had a few strong games but was never the impact defenseman the Kings anticipated he would be.

Free Agent Focus: None of the Kings’ top five forwards (in terms of points) or top five defensemen (in terms of minutes played) will be free agents this summer. Winger Kyle Calder and defenseman Denis Gauthier are the Kings’ two biggest unrestricted free agents. Forwards Brian Boyle and Teddy Purcell and defenseman Jack Johnson are the top restricted free agents.

Player News:

• D Jack Johnson is a restricted free agent this summer and is expected to sign at least a short-term contract, but the story took a weird twist in mid-May when TSN reported that Johnson’s father, Jack Sr., had contacted a Russia-based KHL team about signing his son to a contract. Johnson fired his agent, the widely respected Pat Brisson, and reportedly has been represented by his father and a lawyer. Johnson, one of the Kings’ top young defensemen, was limited to 41 games last season because of an early season shoulder injury.

• G Jonathan Quick will have the inside track toward being the Kings’ starting goalie in the fall, and the argument could be made that the Kings would have made the playoffs this year if he had been their starting goalie all season. Quick, called up in December after Jason LaBarbera got traded to Vancouver, had 21 wins and a .914 save percentage in 41 starts. LaBarbera had five wins and an .893 save percentage in 16 starts. Quick is expected to compete with this season’s backup, Erik Ersberg, and Jonathan Bernier for the Kings’ starting job.

• C Brian Boyle faces a critical offseason. A former first-round draft pick of the Kings, Boyle has been a borderline NHL player in his first two seasons, one who has displayed a scoring touch but has been criticized for a lack of physical play, considering that he’s 6-foot-7. Boyle, the No. 26 overall pick in 2003, totaled four goals and one assist in 28 games in 2008-09 while serving primarily as the Kings’ fourth-line center. Boyle enjoyed some late season success, increasing the possibility that the Kings will sign him to a new contract and give him a chance to earn one of the team’s center spots.

Medical Watch:

• C Jarret Stoll missed the final eight games of the season with a groin injury but is not expected to require any offseason surgery.

• D Kyle Quincey missed the final seven games of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back and is expected to be back at full strength for the start of training camp.

Neely4Life wrote:The Kings are 100% trying to move Bernier, thats right from someone within the organization.

Wow, really? Any sense as to why? I mean, Quick and Ersberg did an admirable job last year, all things considered... but can LA really see those guys as the answer in goal, long-term?

rooneypoo wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:The Kings are 100% trying to move Bernier, thats right from someone within the organization.

Wow, really? Any sense as to why? I mean, Quick and Ersberg did an admirable job last year, all things considered... but can LA really see those guys as the answer in goal, long-term?

They want to give Taylor the starts down in the AHL. There will be no fighting for the top two spots in goal for the Kings. It's Quick and Ensberg.

Neely4Life wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:The Kings are 100% trying to move Bernier, thats right from someone within the organization.

Wow, really? Any sense as to why? I mean, Quick and Ersberg did an admirable job last year, all things considered... but can LA really see those guys as the answer in goal, long-term?

They want to give Taylor the starts down in the AHL. There will be no fighting for the top two spots in goal for the Kings. It's Quick and Ensberg.

OK, but any sense as to why they give up on Bernier? Even if they feel set in net, by all accounts, Bernier is going to be a great one, in the same stratosphere as guys like Price and S. Mason. Is it something about Bernier, or just a matter of LA's needs -- the feeling that they have depth in goal and that Bernier will net them the best return for help now?

That's the thing, by all accounts Bernier is going to be anything but the next great goalie. Struggling big time with the pro game and with 2 goalies in LA and 2 in Manchester that are all ahead in their development he is more than expendable.

I just know the story behind it because it basically came from the horses mouth to me, but Bernier is also a tradeable asset that could probably get a return at this point before the word is totally out.

The actual story and facts are more important than the logic, but Bernier isnt going to be anything special in the NHL.

Neely4Life wrote:That's the thing, by all accounts Bernier is going to be anything but the next great goalie. Struggling big time with the pro game and with 2 goalies in LA and 2 in Manchester that are all ahead in their development he is more than expendable.

I just know the story behind it because it basically came from the horses mouth to me, but Bernier is also a tradeable asset that could probably get a return at this point before the word is totally out.

The actual story and facts are more important than the logic, but Bernier isnt going to be anything special in the NHL.

Given the hype around him, that's surprising to hear.

Mind you, tho', I simply don't have the time to follow minor and junior hockey with the same attention I do the NHL, so I'm not all that familiar with Bernier's situation beyond his Team Canada performances.

Anyway, with Bernier and now JJ apparently up for grabs, LA should be able to make a few moves this summer to get better now.

The hype is dying down in a big way, he had a great training camp in 06/07 and has been living off that rep. There is a reason why Glass got the call last year and not Bernier.

I don't follow the AHL that much but Manchester and a few other teams I defently do, a few buddies playing in that league.

This past season, apart from San Jose, Detroit and Chicago, almost all the teams in the West were up and down in the standings throughout the year.

Watching the Kings, it was evident they have improved measurably and have good team chemistry...but still seem to be an 'impact player' away from moving into the top eight.

On the flip side, another year of experience may give them a shot at returning to the playoffs in '09-10.

The West was very difficult to predict last year, and at this point, it seems equally difficult to forecast next year's order of finish.

But the Kings are doing it right, both from a hockey and a marketing point of view.