Post Kings staff conference (part II of wrap-up)

Dean Lombardi: I think the second thing, one of the problems we have out here in LA is I personally don't like the logistics of having your minor league team five thousand miles away. I think that is a huge problem. I think one of the things in development of young players is not only your coaching but the presence. I think a lot of times when you're that far away, the kids feel that they're not being watched and can wander. It's hard on the coaches to keep them motivated.

There has already been some talk regarding what AEG (which owns the Kings and the Staples as well as some hockey/sport arenas in California, among other things) might do to bring the Monarchs closer to West Coast. Any such movement will need to be done cautiously as the New Hamphireans have generated quite a following for the Monarchs.

I, for one, do not believe, that every managerial franchise move must by definition be money oriented.

Dean Lombardi (on Brian Boyle going back to Boston College for another year): The only issue I have with him is that he needs to be challenged. I feel that the danger of college hockey right now is not so much being in a college environment, but they get complacent, that he won' t be challenged enough. He assured me he will take every day as a challenge and as soon as the college is over, he will be ready to turn pro in February or March, whenever that is.

I agree with the challenge and patience approach by Lombardi. Ideally, Boyle comes out of college after a tremendous year (perhaps experimenting a little bit more with defensive positional play to be able to find out if he could turn from center to Chara-like defensman) and is ready next year for AHL duty in Manchester.

I think, letting him (and Trevor Lewis, first round draft pick this year, going back to junior hockey) stay at their respective colleges, Kings management shows they do want to develop their players in mid- to long-range and not rush them through the system only to find they cannot handle the pressure.

"Marc Crawford: We want to be one of those teams that's vying for a playoff position. [...] More important than that, though, we want to be a team that's there continually like some of the other teams that have been there year to year like the Detroit Red Wings, like Dallas, like Colorado."

Clap, clap, clap. I've wanted the same all the way. The difference is this year we do have the mental make-up to make it so.