At the risk of sounding blasphemous, I couldn't think of a better day than Easter for the Kings to clinch a playoff spot.

When I first started blogging about the Kings back in 2006, I was truly unaware of how long it would take Dean Lombardi to scrape away 40 years of scar tissue. That also includes the huge scab left by Bruce McNall, when he emptied the Kings' cupboards to bring in Wayne Gretzky and Company. McNall's decision may have opened up the West Coast to hockey, but also crippled the L.A. franchise for years to come.

To be honest, Wayne Gretzky was the solo reason how I became interested in hockey here in Los Angeles. And when they made the Stanley Cup Finals in 1993, I became a die-hard hockey enthusiast. But seeing the team take an immediate downward spiral after that magical season, it steeled many fans resolve. Missing the playoffs 11 out of 15 seasons shows who the real fans are.

It wasn't until Lombardi came in in 2006 and was charged with cleaning house. He rebuilt the Kings farm system from scratch, and slowly started drafting talent to replenish the cupboard left barren. His first season, which was also my first one covering the team, the Kings dropped from 89 points to a measly 68. Add to that the Anaheim Ducks winning the Stanley Cup that same season, and you can imagine the living hell the past three seasons have been.

But just like he did in San Jose, the Kings got incrementally better each season. The team went from 68 points 71 points to 79 points. This season, they have made a 20+-point jump in the standings. The aging vets that he has signed has brought a winning atmosphere to the locker room, allowing the youth to be surrounded by that culture that has been dead for so long.

Who the Kings' first opponent remains to be seen, and in the bigger picture, it hardly matters. Just making the playoffs this season fulfills the next step of their evolution. Anything past that is gravy in my eyes. Do I want them to win in the playoffs? Absolutely. Do I expect them to get out of the first round? Let me answer that question with another question. Do you think they are playing at a playoff level right now? I don't.

I don't anticipate them to get out of the first round, regardless of the matchup. And like I said, I'm fine with that. Deano didn't make any major moves this season, because he wants to get an accurate read of this team's development. Logic dictates how the Kings perform in the postseason should factor in whether they enter the Kovalchuk Sweepstakes in the off-season. (Some have reported it's a foregone conclusion, but I'm skeptical.)

I do get a different feel surrounding this team than in year's past. After 15+ years of following the Kings, I can say with absolute certainty that the fortunes of the franchise has stabilized. And it's that feeling that has me pumped as a hockey fan, more than the feeling I got when I got a text message in church that the Kings had made the playoffs.

So, to honor the Kings making the playoffs, I've reduced the price of all the "I'm Down with the Crown" merchandise by $4. I know it's not much, but something I can offer to you, my loyal readers. plus, in the next few days, I'll be designing a new line of playoff shirts. I'm also going to have a contest that should be fun to do. So stay tuned.

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Kings for making the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2002!

• LAKingsInsider's Rich Hammond: Kings clinch playoff berth

• The Royal Half: Playoff Bound

• Frozen Royalty: Kings make the playoffs, but are they hungry for more?

• Battle For California: The Kings Have Clinched a Playoff Spot

• LA Kings News: Playoffs, Here We Come

• Jewels From The Crown: Kings are in the playoffs

• Examiner.com: It's official – Kings are playoff-bound

• The Throne Room: Back in Black

• McSwarley: Capitalizing on the losses of others