LOMBARDI: ``It was about getting the guy. He's a proven 30-goal scorer and only 27 years old. He is arguably just entering his prime. He's really competitive. We know him intimately from Philadelphia. We didn't want to trade him when we were there, but he was part of the Markov deal. He's a really smart player. Those are the two things that jump out at you, right from his draft year through on. He's really smart and really competitive. Then, like I said, the numbers speak for themselves.
``The difference, too, when you look at this guy and his numbers, when he's healthy, is that he did it on a Stanley Cup winner. He brings a ring and he's only 27 years old. The other thing is, he makes us bigger on the wings. He's not a 6-4 guy, but that's a major issue for our team. We go and face a team like San Jose, and we're very small on the wings. We've got to continue to address that. He helps that. We're not done there, but it is an issue and he helps address that.
``He is signed for the same length as Sully, and we took on a little more salary than with Sully, but that's just a reflection of the player. His injuries, obviously, were a big thing going into it, before it blew up last night, before it was interrupted by a certain writer. We had his knees checked out. He's had a couple freak injuries here in the last couple years, but we had that all checked out and made sure we were getting a 27-year-old athlete here. That took a long time, to get all the reports and everything here, but we're satisfied. That broken finger, what are you going to do?''
http://www.insidesocal.com/kings/So this is basically a job type of gamble for Dean to me. If Justin ends up sickly the rest of his kings career we know that Dean will sacrifice talent based on gut feeling and player dislike. I know that POS's hold out was a big factor and also that Patrick is soft- no two ways about it. Both have to chap Lombardi's hide.
I know that I pretty much was growing to hate POS and just can't stand pussy hockey players that aren't named Wayne Gretzky.
So what to make of the injuries?
Well- for one thing he's had alot of broken bones and bad tendons.. weird. Does he need some milk or somthing? Does he need new gloves for his fingers?
ACL is a normal injury to me although a drastic one. Achilles on a fixed boot hockey player, though?- again weird. So Dean-o writes them off as flukie... and so did our physician evidently. I have to think we basically ignored the injuries and focused on the fact that we've never set Anze up with the right winger for his play.
On the positive side- I'm glad he's aggressive and I can't think of another hockey player who had a whole career of this kind of injury. Head injuries like Pat Lafontaine and Lindros(pick a brother) yeah, but not continued broken bones and tendon injuries.
I guess time will tell... too bad it will be so long to wait before we really see him get going.
