For those following the twists and turns of Mulletgate, or for those who mostly find entertainment value out of the whole thing — consider me to be more in the latter camp — here’s what Dean Lombardi said today about the latest. Apparently — and I didn’t hear this personally, so please correct any misrepresentation — there was a report out of Edmonton today that the league had “sided” with the Oilers in this dispute over the Ryan Smyth-Colin Fraser trade. The mention of that brought a long, raised-voice denial from Lombardi, who went into detail about the various medical examinations Fraser has gone through, and the debate over whether Fraser requires surgery on his foot. That’s the crux of the argument the Kings are making, that they deserve compensation for the Oilers’ assertion that Fraser was healthy at the time of the trade. So, here you go. Make of this what you will…
LOMBARDI: “We haven’t got a resolution yet. In fact, I’m supposed to talk to (league lawyer David Zimmerman) today. There’s no question. There’s a dispute, there’s a gray area, in terms of whether the doctors think it’s going to need surgery or it’s going to take two weeks or four months. There is some gray in terms of the doctors’ opinions. There is no question that this player is not fit to play now, and obviously was not fit to play when he [Edmonton GM Steve Tambellini] said he would be fit to play, which was the Wednesday after the trade. So, this is called the red-herring method. What you do is say, `OK, the doctors disagree,’ but they don’t disagree on the fundamental premise, that this guy is not fit to play. So, they might disagree on whether it’s two weeks, four weeks or four months, but the deal was, `He’s fit to play.’
“To say they sided with the Oilers, no. There’s a disagreement as to whether it’s two weeks or four months, whether they would do surgery on the cyst. The independent doctor says, `Let it go two more weeks to see if it heals.’ Our doctors say, `Don’t mess around.’ So, OK, there’s a little gray area. But the fact of the matter is, at the minimum it’s another two weeks. So, the independent doctor is saying it could heal within two weeks. Great. So, the issue is, was he fit to play on the Wednesday after the deal? No. Is any doctor saying he’s fit to play now? No. So, the gray area is how long, which might determine how we resolve this. It’s only relevant in terms of the solution. The gray area, as far as whether it’s two weeks or four months, or if you want to take the Edmonton doctor’s opinion and say, `Yes, their doctor was right,’ all it changes is the resolution, not whether they sold me a guy that was fit to play. So, bull.
“We did the deal on (Sunday) and it was, `Oh, he’s coming to see the doctor and he’s going to be cleared on Wednesday.’ That doctor still would not clear him to play now. So you’ve got a gray area in terms of the solution. If he was ready in two weeks, it might effect how you resolve it. If he’s ready in four months, that’s a different way to resolve it. So, OK, but don’t tell me he’s fit to play, which was the number-one issue. You know what they call it in legal circles? When you’ve got a bad argument, you throw out the red herring. Classic deflection. When you want to get the jury off-track, throw out an ancillary issue and turn it into a major issue, and they forget about the real issue. You learn that in the first year of law school. Nice try.
“Because there’s a gray area, do we wait those two weeks to see if the doctor is right and it heals, when it hasn’t healed at all in four months? That’s what our doctor is saying. He’s saying, `There is no improvement in this bone in four months. What’s going to change in two weeks? Let’s go in there and get the surgery done as quickly as possible, so he can get ready to play.’ Now, if you want to give it another two weeks, to see if all of a sudden this bone starts healing on its own, if David (Zimmerman) says to do that, we’ll do it. But I don’t know how that’s going to change anything.
“This is twice. There comes a point where you say, `This is wrong.’ I think it’s a fairly easy thing to work through. … We want to save the spirit of the trade, although I did have a team call me today, saying that if it’s not going through, they would take (Smyth), but that’s not the purpose. It’s, let’s try to work this out the way we understood it at the time we did it.”
“…..AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAAAAAAR TREEEEEEEE!”
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oh my, this thing just blew out of proportion..
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luc20rules Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 6:03 pm
@JunkyDare, DL “Classic deflection. When you want to get the jury off-track, throw out an ancillary issue and turn it into a major issue, and they forget about the real issue.”
Yes, like have we signed Drew Doughty?
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LBlocal Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 8:24 pm
@JunkyDare, MY BRAIN JUST EXPLODED!
gKg!
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If someone else wants Smyth, then Dean should pull the trigger.
Let the Smyth family and Oiler fans deal with Tambellini’s business practices.
Good luck with that.
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PRMan Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:23 pm
@IceGuy, Smyth has an NMC and could block it.
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Stonewall Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:28 pm
@IceGuy, Wouldn’t Smyth still have to waive his NTC?
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Helvetica Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 7:02 pm
@IceGuy, The deal is done. You can’t just take the guy back and say, “hey, we’re gonna trade him to this team now instead”. Not to mention the NTC.
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Kingstane9 Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 7:10 pm
@IceGuy, I agree, this Trampollini guy should learn his lesson…
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what? am i the only one who had issues following that? I think at this point if the oilers medical staff could clear him than we can too. clear the guy,buy him out(whether you intended to or not) and be done with it.
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Kingsfanone Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:09 pm
@BrokeKingsFan,
Now that’s not a bad idea. If the Oilers medical staff cleared him, the League won’t do anything and they say he’s healthy enough also, what’s to stop Dean from buying him out?
If Lombardi buys him out and the League says “Wait a minute, he’s not healthy enough to play”, Lombardi just has to say “Aha, I got you!”
What’s the problem with that? They want to play, then let’s play!
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CB14 Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:17 pm
@Kingsfanone, The difference between Fraser and Brule is that the Kings don’t want to but Fraser out, they want to keep him, and they don’t want to trade for an injured player. Fraser’s cap hit is very low and there’s no point to buying him out because his replacement on the 23 man roster will be paid a similar amount. Plus the NHL hasn’t ruled on Fraser yet, that’s what everyone’s waiting on. If the NHL says he’s healthy then Dean Lombardi won’t get anything and it will be the end of the story, Hopefully. The Oilers also said Brule was healthy, but the NHL and the Kings didn’t, and therefore couldn’t buy him out.
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Kingsfanone Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:40 pm
@CB14,
Oh what a tangled web we weave! You are correct, but geez, Rich is right, this is ridiculous!
CB14 Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:56 pm
@CB14, I’ll second that line. This is Ridiculous!
BigKidNick Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 6:21 pm
@Kingsfanone,
Not that easy or even really that plausible. Fraser will know if he’s fit to play or not even if team doctors and league officials say he is. Fraser could file a greivence with the NHLPA to block a buyout similar to what Drury was going to do with NYR earlier this summer. I can’t imagine a player wanting to be bought out.
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Buster Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:10 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, You mean Drs. Howard, Fine and Howard with chief physician Dr Hackenbush?
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YoBro Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 10:00 pm
@Buster, AND represented by their crack legal team of Dewey, Cheetum, & Howe !!
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Buster Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 12:44 am
@YoBro,
They get the final approval by Gateman, Goodbury & Graves.
jet Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:29 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, I think Dean has 400 thousand issues with the buyout plan. I bet a lot of rebuilding teams would like him and leadership. I cannot see how Tambo would tell the season seat holders who have to wait another 3 years for the playoffs that our favorite son will not be coming home.
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5holer Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, With that analogy in mind, that must be why you are “BrokeKingsFan”! Spending someone elses money is easy to do isn’t it! The deal(s) stinks! Both of them have a nefarious odor! Edmonton has a track record of these kind of shady transactions, (that is one reason I refer to them as “Moncton”, in the middle of the Canadian Twilight Zone!). Tambellini & Lowe each knew the two assets were damaged goods(Brule & Fraser). There is NO QUESTION THEY KNEW THAT! In itself its paramount to Fraud in either country’s law! Its reprehensible and it demands a league penalty/fine and added compensation to LA without a doubt. The two players as subjects of the trade as it stands today, are also damaged by “Moncton”! Who do they belong to and where do they go from here?…Limbo Land? and many thanks to that bottom of the NHL Pork Barrel, the “Moncton” Oil Kings! Unscrupulous indeed! Get em Dean!
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408kingsfan Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 6:46 pm
@5holer, I have a feeling the league does not favor Dean or Los Angeles or there would have been a ruling and compensation on this no brainer case of fraud
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Jamesonafterawin Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 11:07 pm
@408kingsfan, I mean no dissrespect to you 408… when I say ‘no duh’ to your comment.
I totally agree with you. And I do not doubt that Tambollini had this in his mind.
Two differant damaged players! And he will get away with it, again.
Dean gets fined for questioning a ‘league’ decision last season, but many other GM’s got away with it after Dean got fined. SSDD and it’s getting very old.
How funny would that be if Smyth ended up going somewhere else? I would laugh…thats for sure!
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PRMan Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:24 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, If Dean could do it, maybe he should at this point. Sorry, Ryan, Tambellini screwed it up for you…
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Mike McGriff Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 10:52 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, how funny would it be if Smyth ended up in……LA.
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KC23 Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 3:36 am
@BrokeKingsFan, I think DL is BSing about another team said he will take him. Just a ploy to get TurnBULLini to think twice I bet.
Time to turn the page as this one is getting old.
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Darrell Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 2:00 pm
@KC23, You mean… it’s a Red Herring????
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I’m glad I didn’t go to law school, or any other kind of school, beyond High, for that matter. It would’ve been a waste of time, although it would’ve been a good time to get some sleep.
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dMan Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 7:15 pm
@CB14, well there’s an endorsement for higher learning!
Sheesh. You don’t get to sleep in college; too busy drinking and chasing skirt…and studying of course.
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CB14 Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 7:33 pm
@dMan, I was trying to say that had I gone to Law school I would have been bored to death listening to that type of talk, and thus it would have been a waste of my time. I didn’t mean it as a bashing of higher learning, just that I wouldn’t last having to listen to that kind of talk. Had I gone to college, I would’ve been able to word my first comment better so everyone would be able to understand my point. There’s an endorsement for higher learning!
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OneTimer Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 10:03 pm
@CB14, Not to mention- that HAD you gone to Law school … chances are excellent that you’d be making solid six-figures right about now. At least 5 of my 6 good buddies who are attorneys are making bank (even after paying off their school loans.)
But … that’s why life allows you to make choices.
Oh snap. Send Smyth to the Jets instead! (I’m just guessing at who the other team is that called…Jets would make sense.) Let the Oilers suck on them apples!
Of course, I doubt Dean would do that to Smyth and his family. That would be pretty funny though. In a dark way.
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Osaka Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:23 pm
@Gary Livingston, I want to do it to the Oilers but not to Smyth.
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Gary Livingston Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:45 pm
@Gary Livingston, Aw, I too forgot his NTC would be in affect still.
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Oilers are on pathetic franchise I hope majority of you guys agree. any wonder no top free agents want to go their? ha
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Jstin Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:39 pm
@Mark, Uh… no top free agents WANT to go here…
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CB14 Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:49 pm
@Jstin, Simon Gagne signed here, although I do realize that he’s not a top free agent. Also, Dany Heately wouldn’t waive his NTC to go to Edmonton, but Ryan Smyth did waive his NTC to come here.
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Gary Livingston Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:49 pm
@Jstin,
Truth stings.
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Mark Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 8:49 pm
@Jstin, well kings disadvantage is bad travel but we will get them eventually. kings getting better and better every year will become more insane by the year to not sign here. but we got mike richards in the trade good enough for me
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Sebastian Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 9:13 am
@Mark, A “pathetic franchise”…. with 5 Stanley Cups. haha. its called REBUILD(ing)…i recall the Kings sucking out loud for like 7 years straight and not making the playoffs. Now the Kings are on an upswing, and make no doubt about it, with the young talent the Oilers are acquiring through the draft, the will be back and fighting for a playoff spot in the near future.
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Lombardi makes no bones about it: Edmonton needs to step up and foot the bill.
It makes you wonder if there is any bad blood on the part of Tambellini because of the way the Kings treated Tambellini Jr….
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DougS Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:18 pm
@rontheking,
If that’s true, then Steve Tambellini is not fit to be the general manager of an NHL team. If you let the personal interfere with business (and consider that when Dean says that he would rather trust his money with the most notorious living swindler than trade with you, other GMs will take note), you have done your organization a disservice.
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5holer Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 6:20 pm
@rontheking, How pray tell did Lombardi treat Jeff Tambellini? The kid was a low draft pick, a 90% fail rate pick! He did not impress anyone on the coaching staff here, Nor in Hapless Islander Land, nor anywhere else he stopped into to take a shot at. His own Father didn’t give a shot on his team and could have on the cheap! Steve Tambellini is just one of many Snakes in “Moncton”! Since Pocklington Sold Out, they have been a bottom feeder Franchise and never got past that WHA Label! So now tell me again what a bad boy Lombardi was and is in this idiotic case!
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rontheking Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 7:12 pm
@5holer,
Whoa whoa sport! I am not a Tambellini nor a Tambellini Jr. fan…perish the thought! Just wondering why the man is such a scumbag….
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CB14 Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 7:27 pm
@5holer, Correction. He was a high draft pick, 1st round actually, 27th overall.
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SLIM Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 1:39 pm
@CB14,
He’s also playing in europe next year..
Just see if we can play this into a 3rd, or 4th round pick instead of the 7th round pick we originally agreed to… Next
BTW, Next means sign DD8 Mr Lombardi! Stop with this Mulletgate nonsense, no way we are taking Ryan Smyth (and his 6.25 million cap hit) back… I would have given EDM a 7th rounder for them to take the last crippling year of his contract off our books!
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Shotongoal Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:18 pm
@Kings Win, Ducks Lose, Relax about Doughty it will get done. No where did he say he was taking Smyth back. I think DL knows what he is doing….But thank you for playing along!
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Kings Win, Ducks Lose Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:46 pm
@Shotongoal, I was referring to this tweet by Helene:
@helenenothelen
Helene Elliott lombardi also said he will “probably’ talk next week to Drew Doughty’s representatives.
2 hours ago via web
Favorite Retweet Reply
I would hope they are working together to make this happen, no “Probably” about it…
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5holer Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 6:25 pm
@Shotongoal, No, and he does not have to take him back! Its is Dean’s call to take him back or not! He gave his answer to that already. That’s done, next topic! Should get the asset if we want him as he is, plus a lower round pick to go with the 7th on the table! Or select another asset off a new list perhaps. Either way Plus a hefty fine!
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This didn’t blow out of proportion “JunkyDare”, Dean may have a gone a bit of the deepend yes. DL is also pissed that Smytty wanted a trade and knew we couldn’t get anything for him probably, but with all of that said what the Oilers did was WRONG. The guy we got is not a star, and most likely won’t be a star, however if you say a player is good to go and it turns out that he is far from that, that’s wrong and Tamb. has poor morals. I am siding with DL on this issue, they lied, and did it on purpose, not only one but TWICE, and got away with it the second tme. I want compensation from the League, however if that does not happen i’m a big believer in Karma and Tambelleni and the Oilers will get that. I love/loved Smyth, as a player and person. However this still pisses me off, one year left and you can’t suck it up and play. I understand that he wanted out for his family, i appreciate that as a family man that he is. But to do that with a year left is wrong. Suck it up, play thru it or don’t come to LA in the first place. The worst part about that was he lied to DL, the staff, and everyone involved saying it was family issues. The only issue was that he and his family did not want to be in or play for LA. THAT is what I do not like about that. I love the Richards deal, and signing Gagne. Much needed improvements Kings. Way to go DL, can’t wait for October. GO KINGS GO
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5holer Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 6:33 pm
@Nick, Your facts are in order and I second the commendations!…and the condemnations too! Well stated and with passion! Even though some of it is conjecture regarding Ryan’s reasons for asking out, other than what was reported to be the reasons, but the conclusions you make are very reasonable. I concur! We all should be happy to have this regime in place here, as compared to what we had for so long! Oye Vey! Used to be NHL Minor League Hockey in LA for so many years. Count our blessings today!
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It wasn’t the NHL that sided with Oilers, but the NHLPA doctors who came to the same diagnosis of Fraser’s injury. It seems that Fraser went to the NHLPA union doctors in Cleveland for a second opinion. IF DL still wants to fight the Oilers, he’s going have to fight the NHLPA union as well.
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5holer Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 6:43 pm
@Archie, Bring them on! What has ever come out of Cleveland that made any headlines besides negative headlines. NHLPA Cleveland Doctors did not say Fraser was in Playing Condition at all. They said lets give it two more weeks to heal and look at it then! An admission of guilt and a damming report for the Oilers! Nothing to interpret, he is damaged goods! Not in question that he is hurt and has three issues, not just one…blood issue, cyst growth, and fracture unhealed..simple facts of guilty as charged! Liars will always try to figure, while the simple facts do not lie! Another scrupulous entity in question= NHLPA! Not so scrupulous after all in my book!
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OneTimer Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 10:16 pm
@5holer,
Wow! You sure do love exclamation points! All your posts!
Go KINGS!
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OneTimer Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 10:17 pm
@5holer,
(It’s all good … btw!)
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is the area gray? not sure
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wavesinair Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:15 pm
@dabronx, lol. does it matter if it’s 2 weeks or 4 months?
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Purple Ghost Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:31 pm
@wavesinair, Yes, it does. Tambelinni provided a “warranty” that Fraser would be healthy in a few days – that Wednesday. Fraser was not healthy at that point. What are the costs associated with (1) getting him healthy and (2) what is the loss of not having a healthy asset to trade or buyout? Tambellinie needs to cough up the costs of that warranty that he provided. The more it costs to fix your car and the longer you are without it, the more that the party providing the warranty needs to pay.
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wavesinair Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:34 pm
@Purple Ghost, …uh, that was a joke… Dean said it about 10 times.
5holer Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 6:56 pm
@Purple Ghost, Bingo! Implied Warranty! Gave him an Injury Clearance due on a specific date! Didn’t happen, still hasn’t! Their Doctors did not clear him on date of trade. No Injury Notation entered in trade conditions that we know of. LA relied on Oilers report that Player was to be medically cleared on date X. No dice! Time for added compensation and fine! This stuff will make the NHL the new WWF, Tambellini is aka Vince McMahon for the stuff he has done along with Kevin Lowe! It is what it is! Love talking to Ghosts!
5holer Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
@wavesinair, No, as long as Smyth does not play for the time it takes to heal Fraser. This makes it equitable, or else get back to the table and clean up your act by making a viable deal without deception! Or how about you write Fraser a check for $875K and kiss him goodbye!…Oops! But you can’t do that with an injured player by CBA rule! Do you see those handcuffs yet?
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Osaka Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:18 pm
@dabronx, Gray area over the gray area?
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Kingsfanone Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:20 pm
@dabronx,
Is the gray area numbered 51?
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CB14 Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:37 pm
@dabronx, Have you been to Edmonton? It’s all a Gray Area. LOL
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Dominick Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 7:39 am
@CB14, Tambellini’s petitioning the NHL now through Dean. Grey is going to be their theme color on Edmontons next alternate 3rd jersey.
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I like how DL threw his own red herring in there at the end with the “other team”….DL is no dummy!
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Gary Livingston Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
@Shotongoal, haha, indeed.
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Dominick Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 11:49 pm
@Shotongoal,
That did seem like a not so agressive threat of some kind, if it ends up in a worse case scenario. But I think Smyths NTC would still apply, and there’s no way he’d approve a trade to Philly lol. Maybe DL’s throwing it out there hoping Smyth might actually talk some sense into his GM, because last thing Smyth would want is to have to come back here after the mess he caused to begin with, by limiting DL’s options.
Captain Canada was happy with the trade, and has just as much to lose by having it rescinded.
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I would love to see the deal nollified and Dean deal Smyth somewhere else, but not at the expense of Smyth. That would be cruel and unusual punishment. Although if he was traded to another Canadian team we might have a legal loophole, I mean does Canada have “cruel and unsual punishment” in their constitution?
Oilers found a healthy forward to send Anaheim.
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jet Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:35 pm
@Osaka, have you ever had to go outside when it was -30 out?
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Osaka Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:43 pm
@jet, Hahaha exactly! Actually I lived in Michigan for a few years, not much better.
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CB14 Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:35 pm
@Osaka, I thought Smyth had a no trade clause and wouldn’t waive it for Calgary because he knew Edmonton was interested in him. Now that he has/had been traded to Edmonton, which is what he wanted, I don’t see him waiving it for Calgary. I would think he would tell DL that if DL voids the deal RS won’t void his NTC for any team other than EDM. Knowing full well that the Kings can’t afford his cap hit, and won’t get anything better from Edmonton in the next deal. DL would be forced to buy out RS, and thus would likely be forced to sign DD to a 1 year deal so that his cap hit is low enough for the Kings to fit under the cap. If Smyth was bought out, he would get his full salary for next year 4.5 million, plus he would be able to sign with Edmonton for additional money. Meaning Edmonton gives up nothing for Ryan Smyth, gets to pay him significantly less money, Smyth makes more money, the Kings would have to pay him his 4.5 million dollar salary, and the Kings would be right up against the cap (or over it) once DD signs. That’s not a good situation for the Kings, but Edmonton and Smyth would love it. The only possible way the Smyth trade gets voided is if Smyth Guarantees DL that he will waive his NTC to go to another team, and DL has a trade with that team already lined up. Also Calgary only has 3.3 million dollars of cap space left, so a deal with them seems unlikely.
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jet Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:39 pm
@CB14, or the Kings eat the 4.5 and send him to Man
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CB14 Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:46 pm
@jet, I don’t think there’s any way Dean does that to Captain Canada, it wouldn’t be very nice and other players don’t like to see guys get treated badly. The NHL players that have been forced to play in the minors (Redden, Huet) have been players whose skills diminished to the point that they weren’t everyday NHL players, Smyth still is. Although you do bring up a good point, it would give Dean some great leverage to force Ryan to accept a trade to another team. Winnipeg Ryan?
King Alex Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 7:42 pm
@jet, If DL did that to RS, no players would ever want to sign with the Kings while DL is here. This is all moot at this point. We got an Oil Job twice. We know it, the slimy Oil know it, the league knows it but because because we are the LA Kings, nothing will be done.
Osaka Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:47 pm
@CB14, Oh I know, sending Smyth to Edmonton was to our benefit. That’s one of the reason I was never upset with Smyth’s request like some were. I don’t want to screw Smyth, just Edmonton.
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CB14 Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 5:53 pm
@Osaka, I wish there was a way too. Jet brings up a good point about the possibility of sending Smyth to Manchester. That would influence him to waive his NTC for a different team. Now that would make Edmonton’s fans pissed off at their management. Although I get the feeling Tambellini doesn’t care.
Osaka Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
@Osaka, If he has a no movement clause I don’t thenk he can be sent to the AHL, if it is just a no trade clause he can be.
CB14 Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 7:39 pm
@Osaka, I didn’t know that. Capgeek says he has a No Movement Clause, so there goes my great idea.
Toronto? Brian Burke gets his Penner revenge?
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If my memory serves me right, I believe Jerry Springer is also an attorney. Let’s have him resolve this dispute on his show.
Like Rich said, there is only entertainment value in this saga. As for the actual possibilities, I think DL truly wants all the other sides say Frazer will be ready to play in two weeks. So Thursday, July 28, 2011 the LA Kings organization will:
1. Assign Fraser to the AHL and bury his salary cap hit.
2. Buy out his contract.
Either way, who cares all that much?
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this is so simple – Tambellini and the EDM doctors said Fraser would be ready to play two weeks ago. Clearly he wasn’t. Whether Tambellni lied or whether the EDM doctors were just wrong is irrelevant. The point is that EDM didn’t own up to the deal.
Best case scenario the league gives the Kings some sort of compensation – probably a late round pick.
Worst case scenario is Fraser gets the surgery and DL can put him on LTIR and then figure it out when he gets healthy.
What’s likely to happen is if the league sides with LA (which i doubt because they never do) then EDM will just ask the trade to be voided knowing the Kings can’t take back Smyth. Now, if DL really does have another taker for Smyth then he can go that route, but most likely nothing will come off all of this other than hopefully showing that Tambellini is at least incompetent and at most a liar.
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5holer Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 7:09 pm
@Dave, So forget principles as a valid reason to fight!? That makes a sham of Edmonton, Tambellini, etal and the league! Principles are the only reasons to fight injustices or we can all go back and live in caves again! The outcome has to be justified or its useless to negotiate in good faith with anyone in this league. You have set an abominable precedence, if you don’t justify this deal properly and enforce the rules! They are not bendable rules unless both parties agree in advance! Don’t like the consequences if it isn’t properly justified! Too much at stake to sweep under the carpet! No principles and you have nothing at all!
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Dave Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 7:23 pm
@5holer, i think principle is the only reason DL is making an issue of this. i think he knows he’s not going to get much if anything out of this, but on principle he is making this an issue.
at this point the damage to EDM has likely already been done. GMs will be super cautious when dealing with Tambellini, of that I am sure.
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5holer Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 7:41 pm
@Dave, That may be enough compensation to make his point right there! No one is losing sleep over the compensation to the Kings, just the audacity to try to deceive a fellow GM as they have indeed done once again & twice in the same transaction no less, plus over and over again in their tenures up there! So what, we accept something else that is a throw away asset in the end, but without deception and by principle only on level terms! I concur with your theory of damage done, certainly I do. Lombardi has to come out of this a hero of sorts and untarnished. The heroism is in the principled fight on behalf of all the leagues’ GMs bringing to light the dirty deed(s) up there in the Northlands! he can hang the flag on it for victory! There are many other franchises that feel likewise about them, of that I am sure. Touche fight on!
Problem is that Smyth only wanted to be trade to Edmonton, and no were else. It was that no-trade contract that screw LA and Edmonton knew they had DL by the balls. Edmonton didn’t want to trade for Smyth, but DL leaked the trade request to the media, which in turn place fan pressure on Tambo to trade for him. DL tried to use the Edmonton fan pressure to get a better deal out of Edmonton and Tambo wouldn’t byte. Did DL get screwed, yes he did, but it was his own twisted plan that back fired on him that screw him.
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5holer Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 7:27 pm
@Archie, Now that is objective reporting if I ever have heard any! Come to think of it, I cannot remember when I last heard any objectivity to tell you the truth! Player wants out to go to a specific team. Not so unusual! Contract team negotiates in good faith on player’s behest! So far so good! Two teams reach an agreement to make the transaction and deal #1 is announced! Okay so far! Discovery of Medical Clearance issue with traded player coming back to LA. Hmm snafu perhaps? Turning into an odor now! Okay, teams play Lets Make a New Deal. All is forgiven now….Oops it has happened again, deal #2 player is damaged goods also! Now the odor is gagging and folks are getting that bilious feeling in LA! That pit of the stomach feeling that we been had again! Naivete doesn’t hold up here Archie! If you are gullible enough to believe Edmonton & Co were above board on this, then you are foolish enough to believe that the antics you describe in your post do not go on every day in GMs offices. Of course they do, but its all posturing and setting the leverage points as a part of normal negotiation tactics…Not at all against any rules though, as they all(GMs) do it in the normal course of business! Edmonton went into a fraudulent mode here, no doubt about it!
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Kenny44 Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 11:06 pm
@Archie, DL fell into one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is “never get into a land war in Asia” but only slightly less famous is “never go against a Sicilian [Tambellini] when your salary cap is on the line”. Ahahahaha!
Or, wait, is DL the Sicilian here?
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Stuart Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 11:06 am
@Kenny44, I thought it was never fight a war on two fronts? And DL is definitely a Lombard…
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 11:41 am
@Kenny44, as you wish!
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Is Brule still availble? =)
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colo king fan Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
@Lime,
Dr. Steve Brule is available. Pruppets are filled with marinara. (Well, its out there, now I can only pray that I’m not the only one who thought that show was absolutely hilarious!)
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Dominick Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 7:32 am
@colo king fan,
I thought he liked real shushi sandwiches, made by a real shushiladian? made from the real building blocks of shushi. Shushi me, peaches, and guacamoli.
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colo king fan Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 8:41 am
@Dominick, HAHAHHAAHAH and he spits out the sushi.. tastes like catfood hahaha love it. thank god im not alone
am soo confuse so does this means we still have Smyth or not?
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Actually – I’d like to hear what the vaunted Captain Canada has to say about all this.
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This is easily the most cogent, linear, clear, syntax-pure line of reasoning I have ever heard Lombardi speak. The whole thing makes total sense to me, and I usually hear him speak and I know afterward that there were a lot of words and many sentences but I am left wondering what the conclusions were. In this case, it makes crystal clear total sense, and I think that definitively shows: Lombardi is sincerely pissed, Lombardi is right, Lombardi is a man of principle, and Lombardi has this thing in his head like one of those worms that go in thru the ear, can only move by eating their way forward and lay eggs as they travel.
Gotta love Mulletgate, it is so PURE.
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OneTimer Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 10:49 pm
@Player-X,
Agree 100% It’s times like this that I like to recall: DL graduated from college third in his class (while also being named Scholar/Athlete of the year, and was captain of the hockey team) … he then attended law school at Tulane University, where he graduated with honors (specializing in labor law.)
Our GM is no pushover, and he certainly is no dummy.
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Player-X Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 7:11 am
@OneTimer, Interesting stuff, I didn’t know any of that…Cool. Is he from the midwest, or the Philly area or something? His accent is music to me, I grew up in the Chicago area.
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Dominick Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 7:21 am
@Player-X,
I thought you grew up somewhere with alot of trees and mountains, and a neighbor named Chaka.
Player-X Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 9:53 am
@Player-X, some guy named Ferrell came thru and ruined the place, we had to split.
I don’t see a big deal here other than the surgery bill.
This whole saga may work out well for the Kings. Let’s say he does get surgery and is out 4 months, then one month to get in game shape, so 5 months.
That puts Fraser game ready in January, and he’s not that bad of a bottom 6 depth player.
So he sits on LTIR for awhile, gets run through the Kings conditioning meatgrinder, spends two weeks in Manchester and is ready when most teams get hit by injuries.
In the meantime we have the first half of the season to break in a couple rookies.
So other than a half million samolians, this is all DL’s ruffled feathers.
CF is a decent botom 6 player. Not bad having him on the depth chart.
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jet Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 10:17 pm
@Token, Well, what if we cannot offer an ELC to CZ becasue we have 50 w/Fraz
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Dominick Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 12:10 am
@Token,
He’s not so bad, but 5 months from now I would rather have a player who has been playing that whole 5 months, and we have the depth to take his spot, even 5 months from now.
We very well might be forced into your exact scenario anyways, but I think with DL it’s become the principle of the thing.
He’s already past the point of no return by making it a point in the media, and most see the injustice in Tambellini’s actions (around the league, not just Kingsfans), and are going to want to see it to its conclusion. If he simply backs away now it would be percieved as DL was wrong, and he isn’t.
If the NHL makes the decision for the Kings to proceed along what your proposing, DL will have saved face because the NHL made the decision, not him, or Tambellini. I’d personally want a 4rth round pick and call it a day. I would say 5th, but I hope the “intent to screw” kicks in and gives us 1 round higher in the compensation.
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Tambo fell victim to one of the classic blunders!
One is: never get involved in a land war in Asia. The other is: don’t involved in a legal dispute, when a LOMBARDI is on the line! Muahahaha! Hahahaa
hahaha
(gasp)
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Michael J. Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
@DLB,
LOL!
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Kenny44 Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 11:08 pm
@DLB, OH wow, I should’ve known . . .
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Dominick Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 12:20 am
@DLB,
Let me put it this way… Have you ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates? Next to a Lombardi….Morons.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 11:46 am
@Dominick, everyone must have watched the princess bride last night!
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Kenny44 Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
@Dominick, Truly, he has a dizzying intellect.
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Token Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 9:13 am
@DLB, I dunno, that Indigo Mantoya was way scarier.
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more i read quotes from DL the more i like him.
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I think Dean has a right to be upset with the way things have turned out so far. That being said, I honestly did not think any team would take 35 year old Ryan Smyth’s 1 year 6 million dollar cap hit off our hands, not even the Oilers…thank god they did!
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Dominick Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 12:29 am
@puck73,
I think all of us (especially you and I) breathed a sigh of relief when DL moved Smyth. However DL is protecting our interests by at least trying to secure proper compensation. I say Screw Edmonton! they got our top scoring left winger and should of gave us more than a crappy draft pick and a busted player. Even if we benefited just by moving Smyth. Nothings free.
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Has anyone else seen this?
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Behold-Steve-Mason-8217-s-gruesome-new-8216-E?urn=nhl-wp9057
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 11:50 am
@PagenHagen, pretty sweet!
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brymaster1 Reply:
July 16th, 2011 at 12:09 am
@PagenHagen, its not gonna help him stop any pucks though.
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How bout this? The league rules the trade null and void. Smyth refuses to waive his NTC and the KIngs get stuck with his cap hit again. Then we get to see REAL drama with the Doughty signing.
Not really likely, but…
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Personally I say shut it before we get our 6 mil cap hit back. It’s not like this guy was a big part of the deal. It was a throw in and they’re doing us a favor by taking the money off our books.
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puck73 Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 11:59 pm
@McKingfan, Agreed.
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This should be a children’s story:
The Talefin of Two Fisherman:
Dean and Steve went on a fishing trip. Dean had a Mulletfish that was getting old and was forced to use as bait to make room for the new fish he was catching when Steve decided to take a look at it. He liked mullets but knew it was expensive to keep, so he offered Dean the Carp Brule he caught earlier and the 4th largest fish he catches next year. Dean was OK with that as he was going to use it as chum to catch bigger fish, but the Carp Brule smelt worse than his own breath and nixed the deal. He couldn’t cut up a diseased fish for bait, so he asked what else he had. Steve offered him a fish that put up a good fight for him: The Fraserhead. He threw in the 7th fish he catches next year as well. Dean likes Frasherheads. Cheap to maintain, hard heads, fighting fish for sure. He was told his tailfin was torn but that he’d be ready to swim in 4 days. Dean accepted.
The trip ends and 4 days later, Dean has the vet check the Fraserhead’s tailfin. Something didn’t look right. The vet opens up the tailfin and OUT POPS A RED HERRING! Dean was FURIOUS! Steve had hidden a Red Herring inside the Fraserhead! The vet explains that red herrings are to Fraserheads are what Bernie Madoff is to the stock market and that it could be 2 weeks to 4 months until his Fraserhead was up and swimming again.
Dean goes back to the boat captain and complains one of his fisherman not once, but TWICE had tried to pawn off bad fish on him. The captain said he’d look into it and went back to playing with the marbles he lost. Dean, not satisfied with the lethatgic response, walks up and down the docks, telling every seaman within earshot about this fisherman Steve and what he did. Many were concerned but nobody was speaking to Fisherman Steve as he wasn’t sppeaking to anyone about it anyway.
Fisherman Dean stood on a tackle box and began to shout: “The legal circles of this gray area say that Fisherman Steve was classically deflecting this Fraserhead as slightly damaged but swimworthy in four days. When I checked his tailfin, a Red Herring popped out. Fisherman Steve isn’t saying anything but thinks I should be happy because I got a bonus fish with my Fraserhead. I didn’t want anything but my Fraserhead and now I’ve got this Red Herring jacking up my Fraserhead and all the captain of the ship will do is play with his lost marbles! Fisherman Steve owes me another fish!” All of the other fisherman didn’t want that to happen to them, but they liked some of Steve’s fish, so they all kept quiet…all except Rich the gaffer, he found Fisherman Dean to be extremely entertaining and even wrote about his whimsical tales in his memoirs for all to read about.
The moral of the story:
A Fraserhead in the hand is worth 2 Carp Brules……….no
A fisherman is known by the company he complains about…….nope
Beauty is only a Canadian Adjective……………..maybe, no
Fish of an Oiler, play the Spoiler…………….Hmmmmmm
Red Herrings do not make the Man……………….???????????
It is not always wise to take fisherman at their word………true
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on Dean………ok
Look before you fish…………………….I GOT IT!!!
DO NOT COUNT YOUR FISH BEFORE THEY’RE EXAMINED!!!!
(This is therapy for me….meds don’t work LOL!)
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408kingsfan Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 7:44 pm
@Cynic, You have too much time on your hands, but I do enjoy a good fish story
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Dominick Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 12:34 am
@Cynic,
Ahhh, fish stories. Is Brule the one that got away? LOL
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Wasn’t “Red” Herring a Swedish Right Wing that had a great career ahead of him but chose to carve Dala Horses instead of playing hockey.
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Lombardi could talk the balls off of a rhinoceros…
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OneTimer Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 10:56 pm
@Jack,
And we have a winner.
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Safaribear1107 Reply:
July 14th, 2011 at 11:21 pm
@Jack, I think we should send him to Congress, he’ll take care of that freakshow
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Rich, What good tidings will tomorrow bring? Can hardly wait to read more scrumptious delights on all things Kings! Round one of mulletgate may be over, but its a multi-round fight with a winner yet to be named. Its all mute in any case with regard to who gets who and who gets what, but you gotta fight the good fight to preserve what little integrity remains before all the lawyers carve it all out completely! Good Night to Irene and to all a Good Night!
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Finally, Herring is best pickled! Its better Red that way! I have red and will continue to red all these posts! I’ll go polish my bayonette tonight for more words tomorrow! Engarde missuers, engarde!
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Can the Kings just get a better draft pick with no player and get on with it this is the worse team to do deals with(POS). Looks like Peggy should get the cup to LA next season! Hold please…
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Jerry jerry jerry jerry jerry!!!!
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Will he stay or will he go, stay tune for tomorrows episode of “As the Ice Melts”.
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At least DL is giving us stories to talk about as this is going to be a long offseason for us fans who are chomping at the bit for October to roll around.
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The law is blind. Trampollini indicated Fraser was healthy and it was a lie. Edmonton knows that they can under compensate LA, they have us by the —-s, or do they? Let’s play this one by the legal books and try for a second or third round pick. Just compensation. They can keep their damaged goods!
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Fraser was named most useless player on the Oilers by the Bleacher Report. He seems pretty useless to me. NHL suits say he is healthy so buy him out and move on. All this because some “professional” athlete could not handle the torture of living another year in southern California making millions of dollars. GAG!! Ryan you don’t want us, we don’t want you or your 6 million dollar cap hit!
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Buster Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 2:01 am
@King Cobra,
Don’t tell me he was the forward version of Rany Jones.
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King Cobra Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 8:44 am
@Buster, Now that you mention it, that same Bleacher Report also names Randy Jones the most useless player on the Tampa Bay Lighting (Shocking I know).
The whole Ryan Smyth thing left a real bad taste. I know we are better off with his cap hit gone and all, but…… I won’t say it….
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Why does Dean keep saying grey areas when it seems pretty black and white to me?
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The League has to make this right. If not then it sets a precedent, trades would turn into long drawn out fiascos. Granted I do not think that every GM has Scambellini’s ethics, but it does open the door for some serious chicanery.
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Sounds like it went to Toronto for video review, clearly a penalty but they said that they didn’t have conclusive evidence and ruled against the Kings.
Can we get DL and Tambellini on a Springer show and then have them duke it out?
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Fraser must really be feeling like a piece of meat right now.
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