Dean Lombardi has built the Kings into a squad that looks like it is ready to contend for a playoff spot for the first time in seven years.
Will this finally be a year fit for a King?
Given the fact the Los Angeles Kings have not played a playoff game since the 2001-02 season, the year Jason Allison led the team in scoring. Allison, by the way, just failed in a comeback attempt with the Toronto Maple Leafs after four years out of the game.
Now in his third year on the job as president and general manager of the Kings, Dean Lombardi has positioned his club to be a serious threat for the playoffs. You'd think having gone six seasons in a row on the sidelines, there would be a certain amount of inherent pressure to make it to the dance, but Lombardi says no.
He expects to be right in the mix, but isn't about to press the panic button.
"I wouldn't say pressure is the right word because when you use that term, it implies somebody's job is on the line if you don't meet your goal," Lombardi said. "What I would say is there are raised expectations. I think we have reached the point where there are expectations that we'll compete for a playoff position. There are different stages of development for teams and it's all about expectations. First you hope you can win; then you think you can win; then you know you can win. We should be at the point where we know we can win games. This is the first year we can put expectations on the team and hope to meet them."
No matter how Lombardi elects to paint it, there will be some pressure on the Kings to take the next step this year. Los Angeles finished 14th in the Western Conference last season 12 points out of the eighth and final playoff spot. As bad as that sounds, this is a young hockey team and its core players are just learning what it takes to be successful at the NHL level and they have shown signs of improvement.
For the most part Lombardi has resisted the temptation of chasing a quick fix, preferring instead to construct his team slowly and purposefully through the draft. This summer, however, he made two noteworthy additions in bringing to town veteran winger Ryan Smyth and defenceman Rob Scuderi who helped Pittsburgh win the Stanley Cup last season.
"Scuderi is perfect for Jack Johnston and Smyth is perfect for Anze Kopitar," Lombardi reckons.
Johnson was the No. 3 overall pick for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005 and was acquired by the Kings in 2006. Kopitar, the team's most skilled forward, was chosen 11th overall in 2005. Both players are expected to be linchpins in the organization for years to come and will certainly benefit greatly from valuable tutoring from experienced teammates.
Smyth brings with him a wealth of experience, but even with his arrival, the Kings still lack a bona fide superstar. What they do have, however, is three solid lines and a defence corps that boasts a nice blend of high-end youthful skill and a cagey veteran in Sean O'Donnell. The Kings believe Jonathan Quick will give them capable goaltending and if it all comes together, the playoffs could - should - be a reality.
Lombardi will not make an impulsive move to get his team over the hump if it doesn't have long-term advantages. He's sticking to his plan - a borrowed plan.
"We are using the Chicago Blackhawks model, building our team through the draft," Lombardi said. "If you look at the Hawks, they started building in 2002 and by last season they had 13 draft picks in the lineup. That's seven years of drafting. We started two years ago with a foundation of three players - (Dustin) Brown, Kopitar and Quick.
"I think I might be able to accelerate the process, but if people think we can snap our fingers and do it in half the time, then they are wrong."
Perhaps Lombardi's biggest accomplishment will be if he is able to convince The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, to rejoin his organization. Lombardi mentioned on 'Hockeycentral @ Noon' last Tuesday he has had very preliminary talks to Gretzky about becoming a King again, and not just to shake hands with fans and kiss babies.
"Wayne has said his biggest regret is not finishing the job in L.A.," Lombardi said. "He wasn't just a great player, but he was a winner. That is why I had John Ferguson in San Jose. You need guys around who have won and can pass on little tips to others in the organization on what it takes to be a winner.
"The thought actually came to me during the summer when we had our Fanfest (another idea inspired by the Blackhawks). We had our alumni there, our NHL players and our prospects, but I'm thinking to myself, 'Where is 99?' I got on the phone with Wayne and told him we'd love to have him be a part of our alumni and then we can see where we go from there."
For now, the Kings will look to the likes of Smyth, O'Donnell, Kopitar, captain Dustin Brown and young guns such as Johnson and Drew Doughty to get the job done. This team is still a few years away from being Stanley Cup contenders, but it has a very good shot at making the playoffs.
That would be a crowing achievement.
