Kings GM on locker room lockout: 'Theoretically I don't have a problem with it'

The Los Angeles Kings aren't denying reports the players locked coach Darryl Sutter out of the locker room after a road game, they just take issue with the details.

The locker room lockout happened after a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in February and not last week, as the New York Post reported, according to Kings general manager Dean Lombardi.

"It's factually inaccurate. The timing is wrong," Lombardi told reporters at a press conference Sunday. 

Lombardi also explained why he isn't concerned by the news of the players taking over the room. He views it as a sign they are emotionally invested in the team's fate, not as an indictment of Sutter.

I could look at it and say, 'That's when we won eight in a row, so let's do this more often.' In terms of what actually happened, maybe (players) don't have to go to that extreme, but theoretically I don't have a problem with it. Here's the thing, with where this team has to get to. If you look at what a coach's number-one role is, it's to give his team structure and detail. The emotion, in terms of getting that emotion to where it needs to be, if we're going to be a top team it has to come from within the room. With it, at times, the coach obviously still has to have some ability (to talk). So we're, at times, a part of raising the emotion. Obviously one of the problems this year was just that, that for whatever reason, we weren't where we needed to be mentally.

The only real issue Lombardi raised was with the way his players informed Sutter of their decision, but he appears to have faith in his team's ability to govern itself after two Stanley Cup championships.

"In terms of trash cans or whatever, I'm not sure you have to send a message that way, but you look at the top players and they say, 'We've got this one,' and they go out and get it done," he added. "The irony is, it happened and then we went on one of our best streaks."

Los Angeles won eight straight games in February, beginning with a 4-2 victory at Tampa on Feb. 7.