Scouting And Development Are Cornerstones to Dean Lombardi's Efforts

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“So there are some signs of things that are starting to manifest [themselves] that are going on behind the scenes that make great organizations.”

The much-improved scouting and development should help the Kings make the right moves today when the 2009 draft begins.

“Overall, I think it’s a pretty good draft,” Lombardi noted. “I think it’s underrated. Last year’s draft was really unique because the top was so good and because there were so many defensemen [and] that’s really unique because defensemen are usually hard to find. But this draft is pretty good, too.

"Last year’s was really special but I think this draft isn’t far behind and the depth is pretty good. This one maybe isn’t as strong as last year’s, but it’s not far behind.”

“I think we have a chance to get a really good player,” Lombardi elaborated. “I think we have, at this stage, three or four players considered for that No. 5 pick.

"We’ve done most of our family visits [where they get a feel for the parents and the player is his own setting]. We’ve got the detailed interviews done and we’ll still do some work on valuing slots so we know how to move. This goes back to where you asked how the staff was [coming along].

"Another indicator of how good your staff is is how quickly you can react on the draft floor and I don’t only mean in the first round. But if you’re in the middle rounds and you’ve got to decide if you want to give up two, fifth round picks to move up 10 spots in the fourth round to get X player, or do we hold onto those picks and let the player fall, knowing that there might be three players in a similar layer?”

Lombardi explained that when the draft comes around, the scouting staff goes into overdrive.

“You practice...it’s sort of like a mock trial,” he said. “We will go through hypotheticals and try and practice what could happen at the [draft] table in any round. When your staff has really been together and is clicking, you are able to make those decisions at the table like clockwork.

"We had a snafu last year, but we recovered. We got Campbell, who is the guy we wanted. But we didn’t operate as efficiently as we needed to. We almost blew it.”

“We did practice a lot last year in terms of moving picks, making that decision and calling the time out,” he added. “So we got through it but we almost blew it. This year, we’ll do it again and I expect us to be better next year.

"This is one of those things where you’ll never be at the top of your game unless you’ve actually played it. So it’s one thing to evaluate the player and do the list. But to be able to be good and like a machine and moving, the only way to do it is to get experience.”

“Something’s always going to come up that you didn’t expect. But your mind has to be trained to deal with it. Run through the thought process even though the facts are different and do it quickly and come to a resolution so you can make that call.”

Regarding the possibility of trading the fifth overall pick, Lombardi said that he expects to be tempted and will be looking at all possibilities. But for obvious reasons, he gave no indication of what he might do.

“We might not move at all but the decision not to move is a decision,” he said. “You just don’t sit there and wait for your pick. No. You’re thinking constantly and you make that call and it might be to stay.”

This article was originally published on Gann Matsuda’s Frozen Royalty, where you can find more in-depth coverage of the Los Angeles Kings and the NHL.

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