Jack Johnson For The Win

The rumors on the internets were that Johnson was possibly trade bait to begin with. I'm pretty sure he's as good as gone at this point. Good for him, how unprofessional for a GM to call out a player like that. I hope, for his sake, LA doesn't enter the Kovalchuck sweepstakes, ATL would be a terrible place to end up.

So, what could be the GM's motivation for saying this?

He's alienating a player, a prominent college program/coach, devaluing his player on the trade market, etc., etc., etc.,

Maybe someone's coming undone at the hinges and needs to move on?

edit: at the expense of everything else, could he want to discourage future draft picks from coming to UM?

That-a-you J.J.!!! Rise above!

Hmmm - as a citizen of Arlington, TX and one that enjoys watching the Dallas Stars, I say... Go get him Tom Hicks.

Way to increase the trade value of Jack Johnson. Almost a Millen-esque fail.

And if/when Lombardi does make an effort to trade JJ, the asking price will automatically be raised because everyone KNOWS he wants to get JJ out of L.A.

Way to stick it to yourself, D.L.

it must be devastating for both jack johnson and red berenson to be criticized so sharply by a man who has accomplished so much, both as a player and as a general manager

Well said, Jack. Too bad your team couldn't choke so my Wings would be in better position, but at least Calgary lost.

Dean Lombardi wasn’t the GM of the Kings at the time of the Cammalleri signing – that was former GM Dave Taylor (per previous post).

As I can count the number of UM hockey games that I’ve seen since graduating on one hand, I don’t have any valid opinions on the current state of the Michigan Hockey Program.

Still, from the head coaches, assistant coaches, and other hockey figures I’ve spend time with, there is a strong prevailing view that Michigan is not as good at developing talent as it is at simply plucking the best players from around North America. Since joining the Western Hockey League I haven’t had a conversation with one person that has defended Michigan’s ability to cultivate and develop talent. This is not just NCAA vs Juniors: FIGHT issues here – the people whom I’ve had discussions about this have also spent time on the coaching staffs of various NCAA programs and are more neutral in the NCAA vs Major Junior tug of war.

As someone who grew up in Los Angeles and has devoted many painful years of my life towards following the Kings, this Lombardi-Johnson spat irks me, and I’m disappointed that Dean's unneccessary comments were publicized.

I just wanted to convey that it’s not just one flustered GM who harbors these opinions – it’s definitely a commonly held view amongst many respected hockey figures.

I’ll let myself out.

Jon Rosen
Director of Broadcasting and Public Relations
Everett Silvertips Hockey Club
School of Music ‘03

Jack Johnson and a low 1 or high 2nd for Tomas Kaberle...

Burke won't move Kaberle in the East but at 4 million for a perennial all star puck moving defenseman for a team that perceives themselves as up and coming is pretty good.

For a guy who thinks Michigan is "the worst" Lombardi was sure supportive of him staying, or so he said,

"I talked to him after the trade," Lombardi said, "and I just asked him: is that his wish, to stay in school? He said yes, and I have no problem with that, and I actually think that we were prepared to be patient when we made this deal. I think, in the long run, it will be good for him to spend another year there, and then, certainly, evaluate it in March when his season's over. Ron Hextall called [Michigan head coach] Red Berenson right away, and told him that if that's what [Jack] wants to do, we're behind him. Don't worry, he's not going anywhere, and we'll review it in March."

http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-hockey/stories/092906aag.html

Please send JMFJ to the Wings. That would be all kinds of awesome. Perhaps he could pick up a few pointers from Lidstrom.

Is it somehow possible for me to +1 Jack Johnson?

I would be more worried if Lombardi had just made a couple small barbed comments about Red/Michigan, that obviously speak negatively about the program, but aren't so blatant. As it is, you have to wonder why he calls Red out so harshly and since I think you could argue that it's not precisely socially acceptable to make these kinds of comments (hence the hullabaloo) there are three causes I can think of:

1. Lombardi is just some idiotic, asinine man who has no control over what he says

2. Lombardi has a personal vendetta against Red/Michigan

3. Lombardi is actually a genius and has a motive that none of us could even guess at and when it is revealed we will all bow down to his obvious superiority

Raise your hand if you think it's #3...

Ideally, since I'm not intelligent at all, you would hope most people would dismiss the comments because they are delivered so harshly. Unfortunately, I'm far too much of a cynic to believe that, so there are people who could probably find a way to agree strongly with Lombardi and convince themselves that because he spoke so harshly he must be right.

So let me get this straight: so many NHL coaches and GM staffs share the view that Red doesn't develop talent that they can't keep themselves from drafting Michigan underclassmen every year.

Something isn't adding up.

It was nice to see him (Jack) go out of his way last night to show up to the game, letter jacket on, and continue with his previous statement. He can't last in LA through this trade season. Is there a team in Detroit that has suffered a ridiculous number of injuries this year? One that could actually use definite help at the trade deadline this year? I can't remember.