Sutter set for return to Calgary

Jumping ahead a couple days, the major story north of the border this weekend is going to be Darryl Sutter’s return to Calgary, when the Kings play the Flames on Saturday. Sutter spent eight years in Calgary, first as coach and then as general manager, and this week he talked about returning to the city and facing his former team. Here’s my story…

Sutter set for homecoming to Calgary

Also, while talking with Edmonton radio host Mark Spector today on Team 1260, Kings general manager Dean Lombardi spoke about the summer dispute between him and Edmonton GM Steve Tambellini. Lombardi, upset about the Kings’ efforts to trade Ryan Smyth to the Oilers, alleged that the Oilers were not forthright about the health of Colin Fraser, who required late-summer foot surgery. “That’s something that I have to apologize for. I was certainly frustrated,” Lombardi said. “Bottom line, I should have never said what I said publicly. It was the wrong thing to do, and I apologize to Edmonton as well as the National Hockey League. That wasn’t the right way to handle it.’’ Having heard the interview — it’s very good, and you can check it out here — I would guess that Lombardi is apologizing for the rhetoric he used during the dispute, more than the fact that he disputed the trade. You know, such as when Lombardi told the L.A. Times that he “would have rather invested my money with Bernie Madoff than invest in Edmonton’s word.’’ Yeah, that.