"I'm doin' it, but it's gonna be done right ... Mike (Johnston, associate coach last year), came in for a formal interview (for the head coaching job) on Sunday. He was here all day Sunday. We're using every day. Saturdays and Sundays are just Mondays. So I guess when you mean pressure to do things ... like I said, there's much more involved in the building (than) when you're stable.

"Say you're Nashville now, you've got everybody in and it's pretty clear that some blocks are in place, and you're maybe looking for one or two guys. Or if you're Detroit, Kenny Holland obviously doesn't have to go through this right now.

"We hope to get there someday. But that's part of it. When you take over a team, you know what you're up against, and I was fully prepared ... although, I have to admit, this was a harder (rebuild). I've been through it before, but this is even more of a grind than the first time I went through it."

(Why is that?)

"You know what, I really think it's because of 40 years (in the league without a Cup). That's the one difference I feel. I can't change the way I'm gonna do things. That's very clear. I made it clear to my owner from day one, if I come here, this is the way I want to do it. Now you can spend more on bridges, like we did with the (Ladislav) Nagys of the world. Or I can strip it down. But this is what I believe, and particularly with your back end and your goaltending.

"That being said, and the one thing I feel here is, like I said, 40 years. I never felt that in San Jose. So I've been through the pressure of staying with a plan, staying with your convictions, building a piece at a time. But ... don't kid yourself. You're tested every day. And I feel that test more because of the 40 years of no winning here."

(And not only the 40 years, but the loyalty and passion of these fans.)

"I totally agree. They've been here 40 years, and they're still fillin' it. You've got some other places where as soon as there's a little dive or whatever, (they're gone). But I can't change the way I'm going to do this.

"It's actually for these people, and they feel it too. On the one hand it makes you work harder to want to reward them, because there are some cities that won and went through no pain. And then they write, 'Oh, great hockey town.' I mean, you never went through the pain of Quebec, and Sundin and Forsberg and bringing all those guys in in Quebec. I'm not going to anoint you a hockey city when you inherit one of the best teams that ever freakin' put on a pair of blades. And you're going to tell me you're a good hockey town? Give me a break. I would have liked to have seen what you would have done while Quebec was going through that, if you were still there like these people are.

"Now I'll give you (credit), but don't tell me you're a great hockey town when you inherit the greatest frickin' team, one of the greatest that ever lived."

(Note: He didn't say it outright, but reading between the lines he was probably talking about Denver, which bagged a Stanley Cup in year one after the Quebec Nordiques became the Colorado Avalanche. Of course, if that franchise had still been in Quebec it wouldn't have been able to acquire Patrick Roy from Montreal and wouldn't have won either of its two Cups ... but I digress.)

(Anyway, about Kings fans ... )

"This team, this town has paid too much. I'm all in favor of paying your dues, but you know what, fans? At some point ... some cities haven't paid at all, and I think we're on the other side of the ledger. They've paid too much. And they still stay in there. I agree with you. I'm amazed. January, they're still there. Fan Appreciation Night, still there. And that can be a pressure sometimes, like you say. Because they're still there, you want to give it to them right away, but it's not going to get them to where they ultimately want to go."

(Do you get a lot of direct feedback from fans? I know you do a lot of the stuff with season ticket holders.)

"I respond. I don't get to them right away, but I've got like ... When you respond to e-mails, they're like (stunned), but they keep coming back. The other thing I've noticed: the ones I get, they're well thought out. They don't understand the GM's perspective all the time, but I'm amazed at some of the thought. They're not just rambling. ... you know, like, whatever. That's one of the things, somne people get personal. C'mon, right?

"But I'm amazed at the thought that goes into it a lot. And somebody will start out and say, 'I have been a fan for 40 years. I believe in what we're doing, it's about time - but I can't take it any more.' It's unbelievable. I met with some fans three weeks ago in a small session, our season ticket holders ... about six of 'em sat down. And it's like, 'Here's my alternatives, here's where I'm going, what do you think?' And they see it when you put it on the board, 'Here's what I'm thinking. And if you want to win a Cup, this is what I believe and here's where we're going.' 'Yeah, we got to do that. But ... if we do this.' I say, well, if we're going to do this it's still going to take some time. 'Well, do that ... but I just can't take it any more. I'm tired of Detroit comin' in and Detroit fans (filling the building), the fact that the Ducks have already won.' They're going like this (gritted teeth), 'Yes, don't get off plan, but I can't take it any more.'

"It's unbelievable. I'm sitting there and I'm going, what do you say? You've got no defense. You can't say be patient. They don't deserve to (have to) be patient. But if you want to do it, I believe this is the way to do it. And they see it, and they believe it, but it's like that guy screamin' out the window there (in the movie Network): 'I've had enough and I'm not gonna take any more.'

"Me and Hexy (assistant GM Ron Hextall) were sitting in there, and it was so good ... Like I say, I get it from the fans in e-mails. I always try to take the time to respond, particularly if I see a guy who's put some time into it and really thought it out. OK, what do you think of this? Again, those are things I think those fans deserve for putting in their time. So I will. Usually it's like once a month, I'll sit here on a Sunday night. 'OK, I gotta get back to as many people.' It might be one line, might be a paragraph, but its one of those things that you give back for their patience."

(Just to let them know you're paying attention to what they say.)

"Yeah. And I care. I'm not sure I'd go to that extent if it wasn't the 40 years. I got a lot on my plate. But you know what? These people have waited a long time. And so many of them start out with, 'I've been here since 1969.'

"But to see it face to face, that's the thing I found fascinating. When the five of those fans are sitting there, and Hexy was there. And to feel their angst, to see it, and to feel the frustration, and really not have an answer for them. 'Yes, this is ...' and 'Yes, but ...'

"And you see the passion, the caring ... but I don't know how to give them what they want, because the visceral thing (is), 'Let's go out and give (Marian) Hossa $10 million' or whatever. Hossa is only going to Detroit because they win, and he ain't coming here on a one-year deal. And he's going there for the right reason. So for us to go out and get that guy isn't the answer right now.

"And I explained it to them. If you go out and do some of this stuff, it might look good, but it's going to cost you Kopitar and Johnson and these young players down the road, because we've got to sign them. We show them that: Look, this is where this is going, this is where these kids are, (the Ducks' Ryan) Getzlaf and all these guys, we've got to make sure we keep our guys. 'Oh, yeah, oh, yeah.'"

(You could go out and sign a Mats Sundin for $10 million or $11 million, but how much does that really help?)

"And the other thing is, too, I don't think they're coming for the right reasons. I've had people call here, pretty good players who want to come, and I say, 'Why?' 'Well, he likes the weather.' I say, 'Goodbye.' I've had enough of this crap. There's too much of this nonsense.

"See, the Lakers got it goin' when they were winning. The players, whether it was (Karl) Malone and those other veterans, when they were winning - and they've obviously got it back now - the players said, 'I want to go to LA because they win. And, you know what, what a great place to play. What a great place to live down here.' We're still at the stage where they say, 'I want to come to LA because I like the weather, and I like that (expletive) beach down there,' which I'd like to put a frickin' wall in front of. Until we get that winning part first. Now we've got you. But it's backwards.

"I hung up on two agents. I said thank you, but no thank you. I don't care if he's a good player and would fit here. You're here because of the weather right now? That's the last thing I need around my kids. Goodbye. But when we do, like I said ... I remember watching Shaq and Kobe when they had it going. All those guys came here because they had a chance to win, first and foremost. Now you give them that, and I've got this (gesturing out his window)? I'll get anybody. I'll get anybody to play here. You're out of your mind if you don't want to play here.

"But we're not at that stage."

(Do agents understand that?)

"Oh, they understand it now."

(I mean, is it something you have to walk a fine line with, because you'll have to be dealing with these guys again at some point?)

"No, because I'm being totally honest with them. And I appreciate their honesty with me. It's the job description. And I appreciate your honesty, by telling me he wants to come here because he likes the weather. But that's not what I'm looking for. What's the difference between, if you're going for a job or I'm going for a job in any other industry, this is why I'm taking this job or want to come here. It's either gonna fit or not. So actually I appreciate their honesty.

"I get a little emotional talking to you about it. I just think you talk about what has to happen ... it's not only what I see out there, it's an attitude, and that's what these kids have to (learn). A lot of these kids have already spent time in this office, with scouts, myself. When we go to a junior game, we go down there and talk to them. These are the things that gotta be reinforced in the grass roots."

One last segment to come ...