from Lisa Dillman of the LA Times,

There have been six changes in general managers since the end of the NHL regular season — seven if you go back to January and include Tim Murray, who got the Buffalo Sabres job.

"The middle group took it hard," said Lombardi, lamenting the fates of some of his peers.

The rapid reshuffling has changed the dynamic of how the managers do business with one another. With so many new faces in new places, it has forced holdovers such as Lombardi and Ducks General Manager Bob Murray to forge new relationships.

At a time when there is expected to be a lot of high-profile moves at the NHL entry draft Friday and Saturday in Philadelphia, it has taken them out of their comfort zones.

"The GM meeting [in New York] was a little awkward because there were so many new faces," Murray said. "I don't mean that in a bad way. You've got to be respectful of these guys. You've got to give them time to get into the position, to figure out what they're doing, and it's a process for them."

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