Confirmed with Link: Changes Incoming

[Matt13]

Good riddance to the guy that gave 2 2nds for Dan Cloutier.

 

[deeshamrock]

From an ESPN article /roundtable where the Kings situation was discussed:

http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/...ter-generate-new-questions-morning-roundtable

Some interesting stuff from LeBrun's talk with DL 2 weeks ago:

Pierre LeBrun: When I spoke with Dean Lombardi two weeks ago, there was zero sense from him that he knew this was coming. He sounded energetic, had already spent most of March bouncing all kinds of ideas off assistant GM Blake as they tackled a season gone wrong and what needed to be done. Specifically, Lombardi talked to me about how it was clear his team needed to adapt to the faster NHL. His heavy and hard Kings won two Cups, but he knew they had to change. He won't get that chance. Was it a harsh decision by the Kings after Lombardi helped them win two Cups? Perhaps. But it has been three tough years for the Kings, who, since winning the Cup in 2014, have missed the playoffs in two years and were knocked out in the first round in the other. Knowing Lombardi, he would at least be happy that Blake got the GM job. For Blake, I'm sure he had mixed emotions -- he enjoyed working under Lombardi. Blake has the chance to be the next Steve Yzerman, a Hall of Famer turned hard-working GM, and is not a guy looking to cut corners. Lombardi prepared Blake well, after all. And no doubt Blake's focus will be to get this team to upgrade in the speed/skill department. That much you can count on.

So I wonder how many of DL's ideas Blake will use??

 

[Bandit]

So... Former star player with no legal or managerial experience takes assistant GM role with Kings, is groomed by a guy that wins two cups. Star player takes over aging team with an asston of **** contracts and a fairly barren prospect cupboard. Team continues to suck ass with no hope for the future in sight. Where have I heard this story before?

Flyers west, indeed.

Good riddance to the guy that gave 2 2nds for Dan Cloutier.

THIS is what you've taken from Lombardi's 10 years with the organization? Are you still upset that they cancelled Cheers too? Jesus Christ.

 

[KINGS17]

Good riddance to the guy that gave 2 2nds for Dan Cloutier.

Now here is a true can't see the forest for the trees comment.

 

[saintsnsoldiers]

Went to a preseason game this year and saw Sean O'Donnell with Blake and thinking man they sure get along. (Side story my 16 year old walks up to both and ask Sean for a autograph Sean seemed surprised and Blake smirked. I thought that was funny.) Those two just looked like a couple good old friends together. Does anyone think O'Donnell would make a good coach. You have Stoll moving into the broadcast spot and what the heck I'm calling it, O'Donnell will be our next coach.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Hey, I am not on board with Blake, I wish they had gotten someone from the outside. But we don't know Blake's feelings, maybe Rob was against all the contracts, maybe he wanted to buy-out Richards, maybe he didn't want to trade 1st round picks for rentals.

I just think that not enough guys were fighting for jobs, and there was a lot of comfort because everyone from Kopitar to Clifford got paid and most of their games fell off.

I think we will see some names moved this summer and hopefully that wakes up and motivates some other guys.

That's the major reason I don't want to blow up yet. Yes, this reeks of AEG insidership/nepotism, but at the same time, for all we know Blake was echoing everything we were saying here. I'll start to judge him a bit harsher after free agent frenzy.

 

[Fat Elvis]

Went to a preseason game this year and saw Sean O'Donnell with Blake and thinking man they sure get along. (Side story my 16 year old walks up to both and ask Sean for a autograph Sean seemed surprised and Blake smirked. I thought that was funny.) Those two just looked like a couple good old friends together. Does anyone think O'Donnell would make a good coach. You have Stoll moving into the broadcast spot and what the heck I'm calling it, O'Donnell will be our next coach.

I could see Greene a coach before O'Donnell.

 

[Magicman]

From what little I know..

Coaching changes are always a rumor that starts the 1st day after a new coach is hired. One buddy, who is retired from the NHL, said on one team the coach made a couple of changes on the first day and ½ of the operations staff wanted him fired day 2. Firing Sutter was a 50-50 from the All-Star break on, so this wasn’t surprising at all.

I know for sure 100% that Blake was pandering for a promotion here or elsewhere. And Blake or his agent kept pushing rumors that Blake was being courted by multiple teams elsewhere and if the Kings didn’t move soon he was gone. The rumor that was pushed was that Blake was going to be GM of another NHL club at the start of 2017-18.

Blake has some friends still working for the NHL’s front office and I know he told a couple of friends in the NHL that his agent has taken calls. One being from St. Louis where once the Blues are eliminated front office changes are expected. Based on what I know of Blake, I fully believe it. Eventually the rumors of what really went down will filter out. But today, I believe Blake pushing rumors of him getting a shot elsewhere was the linchpin to Lombardi being fired.

Sutter I can easily believe he was a goner, Lombardi’s firing not so easy. There is more to the story.

 

[Little Psycho]

I could see Greene a coach before O'Donnell.

Read Hoven's article, he mentioned that Greene would be retiring, and he and Stoll will stay with the organization as a development coach or something along those lines.

 

[Butch 19]

THIS is what you've taken from Lombardi's 10 years with the organization? Are you still upset that they cancelled Cheers too? Jesus Christ.

Now here is a true can't see the forest for the trees comment.

pretty sure the is screaming at you...

 

[SettlementRichie10]

After sleeping on this, I firmly believe that Dean should have been given a longer chance to right the ship. He was clearly learning from his mistakes (not signing Lucic to a huge deal).

I understand that coaches have shelf lives and sometimes need to go. I wish Dean could see past his absurd, though admirable, loyalty. Sutter should not have returned last year. Brown should probably still have the C.

Really don't like where this franchise is headed now.

 

[KINGS17]

pretty sure the is screaming at you...

Fair enough. I retract my comment.

 

[lexlavender]

I think it says a lot that players visited Lombardi last night to say goodbye and offer condolences, but no one, reportedly, has visited Sutter.

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

I think it says a lot that players visited Lombardi last night to say goodbye and offer condolences, but no one, reportedly, has visited Sutter.

Wonder if anyone even texted or called him. Hope the players at least did that. Would be pretty lame if they didn't.

Of course they visited Lombardi, he made them all rich!

 

[kings11]

Get Voynov coming back out of your head. There are so many hurtles to get him back and it wouldn't be worth the time nor the effort.

theres 2 hurdles..
1-Immigration which will likely be a slap on the wrist
2-20+ game NHL suspension

get that through your head...

 

[KINGS17]

It will be interesting to see how Blake handles negotiations with Drew Doughty.

 

[head eyes]

It will be interesting to see how Blake handles negotiations with Drew Doughty.

What's there to negotiate when you trade him away this deadline?

 

[Ollie Weeks]

After sleeping on this, I firmly believe that Dean should have been given a longer chance to right the ship. He was clearly learning from his mistakes (not signing Lucic to a huge deal).

I understand that coaches have shelf lives and sometimes need to go. I wish Dean could see past his absurd, though admirable, loyalty. Sutter should not have returned last year. Brown should probably still have the C.

Really don't like where this franchise is headed now.

I'm in this boat as well. Lombardi probably gets his chance had Sutter not been brought back. In all likelihood, he was sunk by a choice he made like 9 months ago, and we didn't even know it at the time. Which kinda sucks, but here we are.

On the other hand, its posible a fresh take on the siutaion is what the Kings need. They can't will away dollars owed, but they might be able to see something DL couldn't, or wouldn't. I don't have high hopes but I'll give Robitaille and Blake a season.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Wonder if anyone even texted or called him. Hope the players at least did that. Would be pretty lame if they didn't.

Of course they visited Lombardi, he made them all rich!

Being a coach, like being a parent, is often a thankless job, with zero instant gratification.

Most of these players probably won't even realize how important Sutter was to them until they're retired, more mature, and have some perspective.

 

[KINGS17]

What's there to negotiate when you trade him away this deadline?

All possibilities should be considered, but Doughty is the one player on the Kings worthy of Kopitar-money.

 

[BigKing]

Just want to put it out there that I don't hate Luc; however, this seems like much to large of a role for him. I dislike Blake tremendously so now he gets a chance to make me soften my stance or go even fuller hog on the hatred.

My main concern is that this franchise didn't do jack **** until AEG stepped away and gave pretty much full control to a hockey guy who then surrounded himself with lots of good hockey guys. While being a former player, Luc is not a hockey guy to me but an AEG guy. The press release from AEG talking about synergy between the business side and hockey side is frightening as we've experienced the business side having far too much pull with roster decisions.

Luc is good in the role of being the face of the franchise, shaking hands and making appearances. I know he has done more than that in his previous role but you get what I'm saying. To tout "double revenues" or whatever since he jumped on board is extremely misleading because winning = double revenues. If the hockey side is working well, it will take care of the business side.

I've been mentioning it as the resale price of tickets plummeted and empty seats started to appear that AEG can not be pleased about having the highest payroll in the league while putting out arguably the worst product. They stayed out of the way but the last three years have been too much and heads were going to roll. It has happened and the replacement is a corporate, AEG produced guy in Luc and his buddy Blake.

I still think that Luc/Blake made a power play. Doesn't make Luc an inherently bad person (Blake already is one) as taking advantage is how you get ahead in life (credit Gob Bluth), but it stinks due to who got knifed out. I am so skeptical about this and I hate being in a position to have to cheer for Rob ****ing Blake to do a great job. It's a no win situation for me since him failing--which I want him to do at everything, including beach volleyball and surfing--screws my favorite team so I have to want him to succeed. So gross. Such a cuckold franchise when it comes to this guy.

As for Dean, it is no surprise players went to visit him. He instilled a culture and drafted or traded for most of the players on this team while also providing some of them with handsome contracts. I'm sure there are a lot of players on the team that felt comfortable because Dean was here that are now possibly checking out comp sales in their neighborhood. He preached loyalty and showed it to most of his players and I'm sure, in turn, a lot of those guys gave it back.

 

[Fishhead]

theres 2 hurdles..
1-Immigration which will likely be a slap on the wrist
2-20+ game NHL suspension

get that through your head...

With the current administration? Probably not. Especially with Voynov being Russian.

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

Being a coach, like being a parent, is often a thankless job, with zero instant gratification.

Most of these players probably won't even realize how important Sutter was to them until they're retired, more mature, and have some perspective.

Makes sense but I would hope they can at least fake a 11 word text saying, "Thanks for what you did, good luck with your future endeavors."

 

[KINGS17]

Just want to put it out there that I don't hate Luc; however, this seems like much to large of a role for him. I dislike Blake tremendously so now he gets a chance to make me soften my stance or go even fuller hog on the hatred.

My main concern is that this franchise didn't do jack **** until AEG stepped away and gave pretty much full control to a hockey guy who then surrounded himself with lots of good hockey guys. While being a former player, Luc is not a hockey guy to me but an AEG guy. The press release from AEG talking about synergy between the business side and hockey side is frightening as we've experienced the business side having far too much pull with roster decisions.

Luc is good in the role of being the face of the franchise, shaking hands and making appearances. I know he has done more than that in his previous role but you get what I'm saying. To tout "double revenues" or whatever since he jumped on board is extremely misleading because winning = double revenues. If the hockey side is working well, it will take care of the business side.

I've been mentioning it as the resale price of tickets plummeted and empty seats started to appear that AEG can not be pleased about having the highest payroll in the league while putting out arguably the worst product. They stayed out of the way but the last three years have been too much and heads were going to roll. It has happened and the replacement is a corporate, AEG produced guy in Luc and his buddy Blake.

I still think that Luc/Blake made a power play. Doesn't make Luc an inherently bad person (Blake already is one) as taking advantage is how you get ahead in life (credit Gob Bluth), but it stinks due to who got knifed out. I am so skeptical about this and I hate being in a position to have to cheer for Rob ****ing Blake to do a great job. It's a no win situation for me since him failing--which I want him to do at everything, including beach volleyball and surfing--screws my favorite team so I have to want him to succeed. So gross. Such a cuckold franchise when it comes to this guy.

As for Dean, it is no surprise players went to visit him. He instilled a culture and drafted or traded for most of the players on this team while also providing some of them with handsome contracts. I'm sure there are a lot of players on the team that felt comfortable because Dean was here that are now possibly checking out comp sales in their neighborhood. He preached loyalty and showed it to most of his players and I'm sure, in turn, a lot of those guys gave it back.

I think the players may have gotten too much of what they asked for in this case. I'm sure most wanted Sutter gone, but Lombardi too? I'm not so sure.

I hope Blake is as ruthless with the players, as the players were complacent under Sutter and Lombardi the last few seasons.

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

I think the players may have gotten too much of what they asked for in this case. I'm sure most wanted Sutter gone, but Lombardi too? I'm not so sure.

I hope Blake is as ruthless with the players, as the players were complacent under Sutter and Lombardi the last few seasons.

Hope Blake brings the Bill Belichick model to the Kings. "Here's my offer. Take it or we'll trade you." One untouchable on the team and that's Drew Doughty.