Kings News: And your new head coach is...

[Reclamation Project]

And maybe that's the problem - as is so common, the same voice gets tuned out after a while.

Thought you guys would go in the direction of Bylsma or Ruff, not looking within, but it sounds like you're all okay with it.

I consider those two to be inferior to Stevens.

 

[Little Psycho]

Apparently, the players like that voice.

Huh...At the end of the day none of us know what happens in the locker room. Hoping this works out!

 

[BigBrown]

Funny how Sportsnet reported yesterday that the Kings were starting to look elsewhere. Shows how much they know.

 

[KingTrouty]

Blake is still the ****ing GM.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Funny how Sportsnet reported yesterday that the Kings were starting to look elsewhere. Shows how much they know.

They really couldn't have had worse timing, it's hilarious

Sounds like they just misinterpreted intentions, though, given as it's all but confirmed the Kings are discussing things with Montgomery.

I give Kypreos credit for saying look, I'm just stirring the pot though, that was pretty funny.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Feel like he was probably good cop to Sutter's bad cop.

No issue with the hire. He isn't a Sutter guy, a Lombardi guy or a Murray guy: he's an organizational guy that has coached the one side of this team that hasn't gone in the toilet.

Like it or not, this team is stuck with a lot of these players. I'm totally on board with promoting someone they like. No more excuses.

That and you know this years pool of coaches that were available weren't that great. Bylsma? Ralph. Montgomery? Meh. Stothers? Meh.

As much as I hate the front office change, I think this is a good move. Stevens is highly regarded in hockey circles. If they don't do well going forward, then I would think there's better options to be had for hiring a HC.

 

[KINGS17]

This is the fourth coach many of these players have had. If they don't like it they can **** right off. They don't run the team. I'm tired of this "What will the room think?" nonsense.

Stevens is highly qualified and not an idiot. I look forward to seeing who he hires as assistants.

Completely agree. How many coaches have to lose their jobs because the current group is too weak to lead and get the job done?

The next major changes, if required, need to occur with the players on the roster.

 

[kingsholygrail]

It always makes me nervous when players really like a coach.

 

[KopitarFAN]

It always makes me nervous when players really like a coach.

I agree. Things usually work pretty well in the short-term, but that's it.

 

[Bandit]

I don't disagree but let's also not forget Sutter was the third longest-tenured coach in the league, it's not like he was two years and out.



I wasn't criticizing, just asking. Like literally who is left with the qualifications of head coaching experience? Ruff?

They've at least been contacting Montgomery.

No worries, I'm not offended.

I have no idea who, but it's not my job to know. Talk to some top coaches in college and the AHL. Give someone a chance to surprise you, whats' the worst thing that can happen? you spend a few hours talking to some people and decide theree's no better option. Seems a lot smarter than not doing it.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Completely agree. How many coaches have to lose their jobs because the current group is too weak to lead and get the job done?

The next major changes, if required, need to occur with the players on the roster.

They've gone through 3 coaches in 11 years. Hardly at all abnormal. Want to look around the league?

Not sure exactly where they got their numbers and no time to cross-reference, but the following from 2014 says the average tenure of an NHL coach is 2.4 years.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/feature...l-coach-will-be-fired-and-whether-it-matters/

This has to be one of the only forums I've read where the coach gets canned and the ire immediately turns to the players being babies...every other team forum I read can't wait for a coach to get shot out of a cannon to help the players.

 

[Whiskeypete]

I was hoping they would make the move to Stevens. When he lead the Flyers they were a top scoring team. After now working for Sutter and the Kings, I think he will have learned a more happy medium. All along it has been the quest to find the 'happy medium' between offense and defense.

imo, the D and PK coach isn't important as who the hire is to run the forwards and the PP. hoping that Blake and Stevens can get someone that is innovative and bring that new approach, while building on the foundation they have.

 

[Legionnaire]

Why does this still not feel "official"? Nice presser, Kings.

 

[CanadianKingsFan14]

Now that Stevens is HC, I could see them going after Patrick Sharp in free agency if the price is right on like a 2 yr deal. Could be a good bridge deal till some kids like Kempe, Brodsinski etc can legitimately take top 6 forwards spots. Stevens coached him in Philly and played with Carter. Then trade Muzzin or Martinez for a young upcoming top 6 forward with speed.

 

[johnjm22]

Completely agree. How many coaches have to lose their jobs because the current group is too weak to lead and get the job done?

The next major changes, if required, need to occur with the players on the roster.

This group has won two Stanley Cups, and has gone through less coaching changes over the last 10 years or so than the majority of the league.

Crosby has been through 5 head coaches. Are you going to criticize him too?

 

[Legionnaire]

I'm glad it was Stevens over any other candidate.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Now that Stevens is HC, I could see them going after Patrick Sharp in free agency if the price is right on like a 2 yr deal. Could be a good bridge deal till some kids like Kempe, Brodsinski etc can legitimately take top 6 forwards spots. Stevens coached him in Philly and played with Carter. Then trade Muzzin or Martinez for a young upcoming top 6 forward with speed.

Total pipe dream. We can't afford Sharp.

 

[CanadianKingsFan14]

Total pipe dream. We can't afford Sharp.

You really think Sarp will get 5 mill in free agency?? He's 35 years old. If we could get him for around 3 mill for 2 years I would do it.

 

[Quattro]

This has to be one of the only forums I've read where the coach gets canned and the ire immediately turns to the players being babies...every other team forum I read can't wait for a coach to get shot out of a cannon to help the players.

This x 1000. It is amazing to me how people have turned on Kopitar, after the first bad offensive year of his entire career, and even Doughty, calling them soft babies who don't try.

I wasn't any happier about the teams offensive performance this year than anyone else and would love to see systematic changes but the overreactions about the personnel are ludicrous sometimes.

 

[kenito7]

This x 1000. It is amazing to me how people have turned on Kopitar, after the first bad offensive year of his entire career, and even Doughty, calling them soft babies who don't try.

I wasn't any happier about the teams offensive performance this year than anyone else and would love to see systematic changes but the overreactions about the personnel are ludicrous sometimes.

Blame Kopitar for that he was the one that said it was too hard to play Sutter's way. Of course in 2012 and 2014 it was not to hard. I find it amazing how quickly everyone turned on Sutter and or Lombardi. I do think it was time for a coaching change because the Kings have looked soft and complacent since 2014 and it is easier to change management than players. If the results are the same this year then I think it would be time to change players including the core.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

I don't think Stevens is a Sutter clone. However, there's something to be said for getting a new voice in there. Some of this core has been listening to Stevens for the better part of a decade now. If the concern was the players getting too static, I'm not sure how this addresses that.

This is exactly how I feel

 

[Allie Kitsune]

John Stevens?

I thought you guys might be done with being Flyers West.

 

[cyclones22]

I'm fine with the choice. There are a couple of ways to consider Stevens tenure with the team. On one side, you can say the team has been listening to his voice for a number of years now, and maybe it's getting stale. On the other side, the Kings defense has been consistently good and that's what Stevens has been in charge of. The Kings didn't make the playoffs because the offense stunk, not because of the defense, which again was stout with an elite PK this season.

We'll see what happens. Remember, Willie Mitchell of all people stated after Murray was fired that the offensive philosophy consisted of players staying in their "lanes" with little freedom and creativity. Sutter tweaked that when he arrived. Maybe Stevens philosophy on offense is an evolution of Sutters to loosen the reigns even more or he finds an assistant who will change things up. Look, the team has talent and skill. You can't be as ridiculously good as they are at 3v3 hockey the last 2 seasons and not have some skill and ability. I understand that's a limited number of forwards and defensemen, but those same players had trouble scoring this past season on 5v5. Anyway, I'll be curious who his assistants will be.

 

[fsanford]

Is Kings managment thinking they are getting a Mike Yeow lighting in a bottle hire here?
Otherwise, pretty underwhelming given his familiarity with the team, he gets a year to get them back to the playoffs

 

[cyclones22]

double post