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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