LA Kings GM Dean Lombardi publicly apologizes to Oilers

Did you think we had heard the last of Mulletgate?

If so, you were wrong. With the Kings scheduled to travel to Edmonton this weekend - for the first time this season - GM Dean Lombardi was a guest today on Mark Spector's radio show (Team 1260, Edmonton).

As usual, Lombardi had plenty to say. For example, here were his comments when asked if he and Oilers' GM Steve Tambellini had mended fences...

"I think we were able to work that out. That's something that I have to apologize for. I was certainly frustrated, having to lose a player like Ryan Smyth - then getting in a bind with trying to replace him and there was a little gray area, as far as what we got back (in the trade with Edmonton). But, the bottom line is I should have never said what I said publicly. It was the wrong thing to do. I apologize to Edmonton, as well as the National Hockey League, that that wasn't the way to handle it. As we sat down, we were able to come to some resolution. But, the bottom line, I was wrong in the way that I handled that and we move on. It was a tough situation losing a good player like Ryan Smyth. It's kind of been one of the things we run up against, (when we) talk about the building process - whether it was Ryan or Drew holding out or going to Europe. These were all the things you confront. But, regardless, that was the wrong way to handle it."

Lombardi had much more to say during the interview - including detailed talk about the rebuilding of the Kings since he took over, his philosophy on the upcoming trade deadline, Dustin Penner's recent injury and a few other things. Look for those comments to be posted in about an hour.

If you missed Lombardi's comments on Smyth at the time of #94's trade request last summer, check out this link. Other Lombardi articles are linked below for your reference.

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Colin Fraser is pointless against the Vancouver Canucks

Ryan Smyth to Edmonton. It's the trade that just won't go away.

Last week, it was Smyth's return to LA as a member of the Oilers that dominated the headlines. Now, it's the other side of that trade that will be a focal point of tonight's game.

Colin Fraser, the player who was eventually acquired by the Kings - after Edmonton GM Steve Tambellini first tried sending Gilbert Brule, something that was rejected by the NHL - will make his debut in tonight's game vs. Vancouver.

Like Brule, Fraser was injured at the time of the trade and that's an ongoing issue between Kings GM Dean Lombardi and his counterpart with the Oilers. The entire he said-he said issue is a story for another day.  Let's focus on Fraser, who will center the Kings fourth line tonight.

Soon after he was acquired this summer, his former Oilers teammate Dustin Penner came on MayorsManor and had several things to say about the 26-forward - including 'He competes in every area of the ice. He's a third or fourth line center, who's good on draws. He'll do anything to help his team win.'

POLL: How should NHL resolve Kings-Oliers grievance?

Poor Gary Bettman. The guy gets booed everywhere he goes.

He rarely gets complimented for anything he does, at least not by fans.

And he finds himself in another lose-lose situation after the Los Angeles Kings officially filed a grievance against the Edmonton Oilers.

Regardless of how he resolves the mess, some percentage of people on the opposite side will complain he treated their team unfairly.

I'm sure that annual salary that's north of $7 million will help him sleep at night though. Being the most hated man in hockey does have its price.

So, what's at stake here? Essentially, the Kings feel the Oilers were deceitful, not once - but twice! In re-acquiring Ryan Smyth, they first tried to give the Kings Gilbert Brule - who was injured. The deal was finally consummated when they replaced him with Colin Fraser in the deal. Soon thereafter, it was discovered Fraser had a fairly significant ankle injury.  Thus began the war of words...err, difference of opinion...between Kings GM Dean Lombardi and his Oilers counterpart, Steve Tambellini.

That's the gist of things. Helene Elliott of the LA Times had more details on the story here.

And Colin Fraser had an exclusive interview with MayorsManor here.

Now, for the tough question. If you were Commissioner Bettman, how would you resolve the case?



Poll closes Tuesday at noon.

The Mayor
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Exclusive interview with Colin Fraser - talking injury, trade, Kings, Oilers, etc.

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