In Dean Lombardi We Trust!
Posted 5:20 PM ET | Comments 1
Many Kings fans have put their trust and belief in Dean Lombardi’s “plan”. Building through the draft. Building from the defense and goaltending. Building a family through “character”. It seems to be working.
Coming into this season, did Kings fans honestly expect to be cup contenders? Probably not, but they certainly hoped they would. (Kings fans have grown well accustomed to hope).
Even though Lombardi failed to sign or trade for an established goaltender and again treated us to the mediocrity of Jason “I can’t stop a shootout puck… or any puck” LaBarbera and the inexperience of Erik Ersberg, we trusted Lombardi.
Even though Lombardi wanted fans to believe that starting this season with a defensive package of Greene, O’Donnell, Gauthier, Preissing, Johnson and Harrold would be competitive, we knew better. But we trusted Lombardi.
Even though he expected the loss of Cammalleri’s productivity could be grabbed by Brad Richardson, Ted Purcell, Matt Moulson, Brian Boyle and Trevor Lewis, who all failed to make an early impression for that regular spot. But we trusted Lombardi. His astute draft selections rewarded fans with regulars Doughty, Moller and Simmonds who weren’t even expected to make the team. Plus he was smart enough to hire Pro Scout Robbie Laird who insisted he grab Quincey off waivers.
Even though Lombardi sent Marc Crawford into the corn field and replaced him with Terry Murray, who took half the season to figure out line combinations, left Kyle Calder on the top line for 19 games with 2 goals and instilled defenseman Peter Harrold at forward (a position he had never played). But we trusted Lombardi.
And even though he traded our most productive defenseman in Visnovsky and one of his “core” players in Patrick O’Sullivan, we STILL trusted Lombardi.
That trust was abundantly obvious in the fans.
They didn’t boo this season.
Even with a club record 10 shutouts against, 27 losses by one goal (excluding EN), and the inability to come back from a 3rd period deficit (4-23-4) fans finally saw the progress, the building of the foundation, a sense of the greatness to come.
I anticipate Lombardi will kick the tires on Gaborik and Hossa. (He will NOT be going after Kovalchuk. Get over it!). I anticipate him bringing in a physical player like Moen or Neil and it certainly won’t be a surprise if he makes another deal or a splash at the draft.
One can reasonably expect the one goal losses to be cut in half, to expand on the 15-2-1 record when leading after one period and the excitement of new arrival Justin Williams scoring 20-30 goals. But more importantly, the expectation of not just making the playoffs but to make an IMPACT in the playoffs.
Not since the Alison/Deadmarsh/Palffy days have fans looked forward to late June and early July. Fans have been disappointed often, but it’s generally believed when the Kings take the ice next season, Kings fans won’t have to hope anymore.
We trust Lombardi.
Coming into this season, did Kings fans honestly expect to be cup contenders? Probably not, but they certainly hoped they would. (Kings fans have grown well accustomed to hope).
Even though Lombardi failed to sign or trade for an established goaltender and again treated us to the mediocrity of Jason “I can’t stop a shootout puck… or any puck” LaBarbera and the inexperience of Erik Ersberg, we trusted Lombardi.
Even though Lombardi wanted fans to believe that starting this season with a defensive package of Greene, O’Donnell, Gauthier, Preissing, Johnson and Harrold would be competitive, we knew better. But we trusted Lombardi.
Even though he expected the loss of Cammalleri’s productivity could be grabbed by Brad Richardson, Ted Purcell, Matt Moulson, Brian Boyle and Trevor Lewis, who all failed to make an early impression for that regular spot. But we trusted Lombardi. His astute draft selections rewarded fans with regulars Doughty, Moller and Simmonds who weren’t even expected to make the team. Plus he was smart enough to hire Pro Scout Robbie Laird who insisted he grab Quincey off waivers.
Even though Lombardi sent Marc Crawford into the corn field and replaced him with Terry Murray, who took half the season to figure out line combinations, left Kyle Calder on the top line for 19 games with 2 goals and instilled defenseman Peter Harrold at forward (a position he had never played). But we trusted Lombardi.
And even though he traded our most productive defenseman in Visnovsky and one of his “core” players in Patrick O’Sullivan, we STILL trusted Lombardi.
That trust was abundantly obvious in the fans.
They didn’t boo this season.
Even with a club record 10 shutouts against, 27 losses by one goal (excluding EN), and the inability to come back from a 3rd period deficit (4-23-4) fans finally saw the progress, the building of the foundation, a sense of the greatness to come.
I anticipate Lombardi will kick the tires on Gaborik and Hossa. (He will NOT be going after Kovalchuk. Get over it!). I anticipate him bringing in a physical player like Moen or Neil and it certainly won’t be a surprise if he makes another deal or a splash at the draft.
One can reasonably expect the one goal losses to be cut in half, to expand on the 15-2-1 record when leading after one period and the excitement of new arrival Justin Williams scoring 20-30 goals. But more importantly, the expectation of not just making the playoffs but to make an IMPACT in the playoffs.
Not since the Alison/Deadmarsh/Palffy days have fans looked forward to late June and early July. Fans have been disappointed often, but it’s generally believed when the Kings take the ice next season, Kings fans won’t have to hope anymore.
We trust Lombardi.
April 24th, 2010 -- You are a bigot (since you don't apologize for your hate-filled words), probably a racist as well. Not only that...you can't even spell the word correctly (there would not be an 's in the plural of the hate filled word you used. Freedom of speech does not exist when the 'crime' is a hate crime.