Why Not Wayne?
The Great One could help turn the Kings' organization around.

In the past few weeks, Leiweke gave his blessing for now former GM Dave Taylor to whack the franchise's winningest coach in Andy Murray to stop the team's slide to oblivion. That move didn't work as the team continued to fall in the standings and now the franchise’s turn for the worse endangers fan base loyalty. 

LA fans are often criticized for their lack of passion, but the Kings rank at the top of the league in attendance every season and there is restlessness among the faithful. 

With Taylor's demise, Leiweke has been chatting with some of the usual suspects, among them former Orlando Magic GM John Weisbrod (not sure why he's qualified) and former San Jose GM and now Philadelphia Flyers scout Dean Lombardi. 

Those names aren't exciting anyone in the City of Angels, yours truly included. 

A scenario has occurred that would allow AEG and the Kings to make all the negative goodwill of this season evaporate instantly. 

It goes like this:

The Arizona Republic newspaper recently reported a rift in the ownership team of the Phoenix Coyotes. Co-owners Steve Ellman and Jerry Moyes are finally breaking up. According to the Republic's report, Moyes will take control of the franchise while Ellman will get the Westgate project, a mega-retail facility in the works near Glendale Arena. 

While they say that their first priority is to sign Gretzky to a new contract, a change in ownership structure always creates opportunities for others. The Great One has expressed on more than one occasion his love for being behind the bench, but with all that's happened to him this season (the gambling allegations, Canada's mediocre performance in the Olympics, Phoenix's inability to make the post season), the travel and nightly stress of coaching has worn on him. Maybe a longer summer with no post season in the offing will heal him, but an opportunity for a better gig on a larger stage is something he'd surely listen to.

Leiweke and AEG should offer Gretzky the Kings' GM role. He's presently the GM of Team Canada, so has the experience in the more administrative role of general manager. 

The opportunity to come back to Los Angeles and fix a decent franchise that he put on the map sets him up for success. With a little better luck with injuries and better assessment of the goaltending situation, the Kings are in the playoffs. 

While the golfing is better in Phoenix, it ain't LA on a number of levels and he still has a home in the Thousand Oaks area. He could probably keep better tabs on his wife's gambling activities, too. 

Old number 99 is no Darren McCarty, he's made more money by 40 then he ever imagined and has wisely held on to it. As a GM, the travel is robust, but not as constant and draining as nine months he's now completing. 

Gretzky still has a minority interest in the Coyotes and would have to surrender it if he made such a move, but I think AEG would be crazy not to offer the most recognizable name in the game a little taste of the franchise as additional inducement. 

Additionally, the AEG Empire could offer Wayne other opportunities in entertainment and sports in the future. 

Coyotes' owner Moyes says he will name a new chief executive of the team shortly, but given Gretzky's pride, I'm sure he's feeling a little shortchanged by not being asked if he's interested. He's remained mum on the ownership situation, which we interpret as a vote of "no confidence."

In a town where sports franchises fight for space in the papers and exposure on television, Gretzky is an asset and will always get play in the media. Gauging the reaction from the Staples Center crowd when they flashed his face on the screen the first time he came back as Phoenix's coach, he'd probably save all those cancellations of season ticket subscribers that came on board because of the Jeremy Roenick trade. 

Some detractors say that the franchise needs to rid itself of all the former Kings in its management structure, but this isn't a former King, it's No. 99. 

Under AEG, the Kings have always been tagged as a franchise that does just enough to be competitive but never takes the bold stroke. Wayne Gretzky as the next General Manager of the Los Angeles Kings is that bold stroke.

FLAMING DOWN THE STRETCH

When we last left the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Calgary Flames had swallowed the bitterest pill. They took the champion Tampa Bay Lightning to a seven game Texas death match in a series that was evenly matched. Because the Calgary and Tampa media markets are so tiny, few people outside of loyal puckheads got to see the dramatic twist and turns of the series. 

As we enter the tournament this season, both teams will appear to be in the chase but at very different levels. The Lightning haven't found the answer in goal for the free agent departure of Nik Khabibulin and have struggled all year to stay in the top eight. 

Calgary on the other hand, has shown no psychological effects of just missing their Stanley Cup dreams. They won a highly competitive Northwest division, beating back the challenge of Colorado and Vancouver and have used the past 10 days to coast into the second season. 

They’ll never kill you with offense; they’d rather smother you with defense as they lead the NHL in goals against, likely the only team to surrender less than 200. They have experience and leadership, as most in the room are still around from that Cup ride in 2004. The most recognizable name and face on this team is Captain Jarome Iginla, the eight year pro from Edmonton who is the heart and soul of this team. The superstar winger hasn’t set the league on fire like Ovechkin, Cheechoo or Jagr this year (he didn’t break 40 goals) but in chatting with him last week, there is no doubt he’s ready for another deep playoff run. 

In the post game Calgary lockerroom, Iginla is most approachable of the Flames. He stood in a black t-shirt and shorts, leaning up against his stick and was amazingly at ease in chatting about what’s ahead. When reflecting on his team's chances, he first gave praise to his teammate, Mikka Kiprusoff, the goaltender who is the favorite for the Vezina Trophy, the award symbolizing the league’s best goaltender.

"Kipper's been amazing all season," Iginla said. "He's been so solid and consistent; he's really won a lot of games for us. We have a lot of confidence in him because the last time we made the Finals we rode his play. As good as he was then for us, I think he's better now."

Iginla thinks that this playoff run will be different this season for a few reasons: "After not making the playoffs for seven years straight, there was a lot of excitement in Calgary when we got in."

He reminded us that in that season, they played Canadian rival Vancouver in their first playoff series, "all we wanted to do was win a series," saying that they will take each series as they come, not looking forward to the Finals. 

"Our last ten games we've played much better," he said, "we've had a lot more consistency and our confidence is growing, both individually and as a team."

Asking him to compare this year's model against the 2003-04 version, Jarome gives his thumbs up to the present squad. 

"Given our regular season, hopefully we're better," he said. "Our defense was the strength of that club and hopefully they're both a little older and better. This year we've added two great players in Roman Hamrlik and Dion Phaneuf, so we are better in that area than we were a few years ago."

One advantage the Flames won't have this season is the ability to sneak up on opponents and their captain concurs. Even though they do their toiling in the oil country of Alberta, everyone will see them coming and Iginla welcomes the challenge. 

"A couple of seasons ago, I think we did fly under the radar, especially in the regular season," he said. "This year, our opponents had higher expectations for us on the ice. By winning the division, I know people will be ready for us this time around. And that's fine, we've been there, we know it's a grind and that's what so much fun."

GOOD NIGHT AND BAD LUCK

So, Sean Avery refused to do a drill last week and the Kings bounced him. That's a surprise that ranks up there with the sun coming up every morning. 

Those close to Avery say he categorically denies ever getting into a dispute with Kings' assistant Mark Hardy at a practice last week and it's been said that he's going to lay low for a while in hope things blow over. 

With that said, we believe The Crude Reign in LA is over as the pest is a restricted free agent at season's end. We doubt that there would be a qualifying offer tendered no matter who is running the franchise. After all, this was the same guy who Steve Yzerman banished from the Red Wings and Stevie Y rarely says a word. 

There are some factions of the Los Angeles fan base that is up in arms over the banishment and while the Kings are getting no currency with their loyalists the past two weeks, the team has removed a cancer from the team. 

As we've said in the past, the player has above average skill and NO social graces. Throughout the year he's reminded me of a high school player in a locker room of professionals. 

While the Kings don't have that many vocal leaders in the room, another point that needs to be addressed in the off-season, you would figure that Avery would have learned something dressing next to the likes of Craig Conroy and Mattias Norstrom. Or not? 

If you're an NHL GM and his agent calls you over the summer, could you honestly look at a player with such a history? 

With 30 teams in league, we figure that someone would take a look at him hoping that the miracle called maturity would embrace him over the summer. If I were a GM, I'd offer him a minimum salary deal plus a $1 million back-end bonus if his penalty minutes are under 150. 

Look at Ian Laperriere, the man whose role Avery was supposed to take in Los Angeles, his PIMs are in the 120-range and he's produced 21 goals for the Colorado Avalanche. With 15 goals and 257 PIMs, doesn't Avery understand what he could do (and how much money he could make), if he halved his time in the box? Sadly, he's not that smart.
 

Dennis Bernstein, the man behind SCORE! Media, is a columnist for TheFourthPeriod.com and the Los Angeles Correspondent for The Fourth Period Magazine.