In L.A., Helene Elliott wrote the NHL Kings have an "image problem to deal with" after the arrest of C Jarret Stoll for possession of cocaine and ecstasy in Las Vegas on Friday. The worst-case scenario would be that the Kings "have a hole at the heart of the we-are-family culture they've meticulously crafted" since Dean Lombardi became GM in '06. Lombardi "often spoke about placing as much importance on players' character as on their skills." Stoll "was the second Kings player arrested in the last six months," along with D Slava Voynov. Lombardi and his colleagues "must ask whether the team environment somehow contributed to the alleged incidents and how they can prevent other players from making headlines for the wrong reasons" (L.A. TIMES, 4/19).
NO TANK YOU: In Philadelphia, Keith Pompey wrote another 60-loss season for the 76ers next year "could become personal to hometown fans eagerly awaiting a turnaround." Pompey: "Who can say for sure what the level of bile spewed at the Sixers will be? But there definitely will be some if winning is not important next season." While 76ers Managing Owner Josh Harris "said the team is 'making progress' after its second season of tanking," he "just can't answer this question: When will his team show progress in the win-loss column?" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/19).
THE STARS AT NIGHT: In Dallas, Mike Heika noted the Stars "saw an increase in attendance this year to more than 17,000 fans a game," and asked team Owner Tom Gaglardi if he now sees the market as "more viable" than when he purchased the team in '11. Gaglardi: "The market is absolutely viable. Attendance was up almost 3,000, and I think we’ve done a great job of marketing and creating a buzz for the team." Gaglardi added of his ownership of the AHL Texas Stars, "Getting the AHL team under the same umbrella, that allows for us to be creative in our planning and our marketing. Plus, I think having the kids we have coming in there just adds to it all. ... There’s a commitment to hockey in the state, and that’s important for the future" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/19).
GOTHAM'S SHADOW: In N.Y., Mark Cannizzaro notes NYC FC is winless in its last five games and asks, "Has the shine come off the new toy?" The club is now "fighting for whatever bits of attention it can win over in the crowded New York sporting landscape." NYC FC "doesn’t want to let its critical first season get away." The team "must fight falling from relevance before their ballyhooed rent-a-star Frank Lampard arrives on July 1 after he’s finished with parent club Manchester City." Cannizzaro: "The last thing NYCFC wants is an anticlimactic summer of disinterest and apathy. Not in their first season. Not after the modestly successful start" (N.Y. POST, 4/20).
