An excerpt from The Hockey News (Mike Brophy):
When the 2008-09 season kicks off in a few days, or weeks, whatever, my eyes will be on the Los Angeles Kings.
It’s not that I have high expectations for the Kings next season; I just like the direction the team is going. By building mainly through the draft, GM Dean Lombardi has ensured that when the Kings get good, they’ll be good for a long time.
I have no doubt there are Kings fans upset about the slow pace in which the team is rebuilding and wish Lombardi would sign a couple of veterans to get his club into the playoff hunt. But if he did, he might as well rename the Kings the Toronto Maple Leafs.It takes patience to build a winner.