'Til The Cows Come Home...

Incoming GM Dean Lombardi polled all the players, coaches, and scouts in the organization when he arrived. His question was pretty simple. "Can the two guys we have (Garon and LaBarbera) do the job?" I have it on EXTREMELY reliable source that without exception EACH player, coach and scout still involved with the team answered affirmatively. Not a perfect goaltending tandem, but the players actually had confidence in both guys and with Cammalleri, Brown, Frolov, Norstrom, Visnovsky, Armstrong and the like all having said their peace, Lombardi went out just FOUR days later and acquired Dan Cloutier for a second round draft choice. This befuddled numerous people within the organization that, while not wanting to second guess their new General Manager, had to wonder why he bothered asking in the first place.

So here we are almost two full seasons later and now the war cry is loud over Cloutier's piece in the Vancouver Sun today. He's crying mistreatment, abuse, and neglect. I'm thinking he's offbase on a number of fronts, but as I pointed out in my comments in Rich Hammond's blog, as a member of the NHLPA, and with a valid signed contract, he has rights, and there are clauses and while there may be two sides to every story, Cloutier is entitled to what the players and management negotiated throughout the league when the CBA was amended and the work stoppage ended.

Goaltending is an issue. Defense is an issue. Faceoffs and puck possession are issues. Watching this team gut out a 2-1 OT loss last night, I was acutely aware for the umpteenth time this seas... er, decade, just how poorly the Kings are in the faceoff circle. How brutally overmatched they are behind their own net. How much weight Lindsay Ridgeway has gained and lost over the past few years (and thank GOD in the heavens that she decided on a single note for the word "Free" for the first time in forever.)

Peter Harrold is earning the nickname "Charmin" because he's so squeezably soft. His giveaway gave the Canucks the open door to a comeback last night. Now personally, I was grateful because honestly, I'm no fan of Tampa Bay at this point in the season, and they're a terrible team. The thought of those lottery balls having more Lightning logos on them than Kings logos... well, it makes me sick. Five teams make it into this lottery. At the moment the Kings and Tampa each have 60 points. Atlanta and St. Louis each have 68 points. Toronto has 70 points. Think on this... there are SEVEN more teams within 3 points of that fifth spot. That's 10 teams competing to finish 26th, 27th and 28th. And you thought the playoff race was tight!