Speculation: Fire Rob Blake Blow it Up Offseason Thread (update: Robitaille, Blake and Hiller stay)

[bmr]

 

[BaileyFan]

Is anyone here really going to be surprised when it comes out that Blake has quietly been extended for two more years and that they’ll be starting Clarke in Ontario next year?

 

[tny760]

Adios kaliyev

this one puzzles me more than anything

if he did ask for a trade and they couldn't find one, why didn't they just waive him and move on? now his value is totally tanked, are you left with any other choice than just to non-tender? the only "stretch" i can even think of is that they want to see him under hiller's potential new system? doesn't seem likely at all

Is anyone here really going to be surprised when it comes out that Blake has quietly been extended for two more years and that they’ll be starting Clarke in Ontario next year?

nope!

 

[BigBrown]

I don't hate Hiller (yet). I'd be interested to see what he can do when he's in charge instead of continuing Todd's system. Assuming he's allowed to make any choices on his own with Bluc having their warty fingers in everything.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Does it matter? The Bluc bus is a runaway with the accelerator jammed and steering wheel locked. It doesnt matter if anyone is driving it. Hiller is just another yes man with limited capabilities - perfect for the clowns above who still think they know what theyre doing.

 

[King'sPawn]

Adios kaliyev

With both McLellan and Hiller letting a bench contour to his butt cheeks, I figure he was going to be gone by draft day regardless of this signing.

 

[Seattle King]

Weekes is saying Hiller has been extended.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1793279253804359709

If this is true it codifies mediocrity in the organization from top to bottom.
I think its time for me to take a break from this team for a while. It is officially run into the ground.
Really disgusted right now. F it all.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Cant wait to see Hiller's new wrinkle on the 11/7...last season from a distance some non-Kings fan would think oh - he's trying to develop Clarke to get him ready for the post season... then you find out its to play Moverare for 4 min a night. Now thats some next level stupid.

 

[kingsboy11]

Confirmed

 

[Omni Owl]

To be expected I guess. Berube got scooped up so I don't think there were many viable options left...

 

[FrozenKing18]

I was neutral on Hiller, so I ain't that much upset about it. He's not the root of the problem. I was hoping we get Berube and Hiller & DJ stays on but Leafs got to him. If Hiller can get full control on how these guys play and ease up on the 1-3-1, I think Kempe and Fiala will thrive playing their own game. If Bluc is on his ears, then we are doomed.

 

[Seattle King]

I was neutral on Hiller, so I ain't that much upset about it. He's not the root of the problem. I was hoping we get Berube and Hiller & DJ stays on but Leafs got to him. If Hiller can get full control on how these guys play and ease up on the 1-3-1, I think Kempe and Fiala will thrive playing their own game. If Bluc is on his ears, then we are doomed.

This.

 

[Live in the Now]

That Hiller shit is the last straw for me. Time to care way less.

 

[tny760]

Confirmed

brooooo the comments on that post

wow

 

[BigKing]

That Hiller shit is the last straw for me. Time to care way less.

Was already there after the press conference, well, during the season if I'm being honest.

This just seems to solidify that AEG doesn't care and that is simply brutal for us fans.

 

[Statto]

I posted this on the main board… included RJ’s post for context​

Hard to tell what this is going to look like

I actually like Hiller but

This reeks of "no Rob you can't spend any more money becasue you're a f***up" and easy-to-control to keep everyone 1-3-1-ing into the center of the earth

I feel like Hiller is better than he showed, opting for continuity and just 'make the playoffs' down the stretch

In the playoffs at times he did deploy a MUCH more aggressive system and that's when the Kings would show well before inexplicably kneecapping themselves

I dunno, I want to be optimistic--Hiller is a good dude, the players like him, he's earned his shot and seems creative and thoughtful--but is he gonna get sawed off at the knees by the front office?

3 year deal intrigues me though--shows me that Hiller had SOME leverage and if the Kings stumble out of the gate hard, woudln't Blake be gone? Hard to see them firing Hiller with him that quickly, not sure what to make of that part.

I agree with most of this RJ but just to expand on things a touch.

Hiller didn’t have the time to change system’s significantly. This was alluded to early and Hiller pretty much stated that. However BLuc made it clear it was their system being used and they’d need to be party to any changes… insane. So I’m far from convinced he would have had much option to change things even if he could that late in the day. He waited until the later PO games as he had nothing to lose at that point and the team played better, but inevitably made execution errors playing an unfamiliar system. They obviously still went to passive at times also.

However, I think this may be why it’s taken a couple of weeks, or at least I hope it is. If he’s smart (which he is) Hiller will want to stand/fall on his own terms. This is his first HC job and failing by agreeing to play a system dropped on him by BLuc would make him unemployable from there on out, as it’d seriously draw into question his intangibles. Hiller has always been an innovative PP coach and he never showed it as a HC until it was too late and I think that’s on BLuc. As the Interim coach it curtailed his power until the PO. He certainly isn’t in the teams top 10 issue that’s for sure.

That’s my overly optimistic spin on the appointment, anyway.

 

[Telos]

Pretty much, I mean, I'll always follow and cheer the Kings, nothing comes close to my love for hockey and this franchise in all of sport for me, but my expectations and satisfaction with management couldn't be lower, and I haven't cared less about an upcoming season since like the mid to late 2000's It is all whatever at this point. This franchise has arguably displayed the worst decision-making that I've seen in my lifetime that I can recall. I feel we are in Bruce McNall's territory now. I am just going to watch Byfield and Clarke's development, some cool Fiala goals, and hopefully a nice send off for Quick, Doughty, and Kopitar at this point while watching the rest burn.

 

[Sol]

Right on time for the big signing

View attachment 874288

EDIT: Sorry, I didn't have my full arsenal of photo editing software. Best I can do on my work laptop

LMFAOooooo this is amazing

 

[Statto]

Cant wait to see Hiller's new wrinkle on the 11/7...last season from a distance some non-Kings fan would think oh - he's trying to develop Clarke to get him ready for the post season... then you find out its to play Moverare for 4 min a night. Now thats some next level stupid.

I think the 11/7 was mostly about not playing Kaliyev… for whatever reason. We can speculate on that all we want but it’s guessing at best. I think I’m correct in saying when he had enough forwards without Kaliyev he almost never played the 11/7… maybe once after Turcotte was recalled… However, I may be recalling that incorrectly in a desperate need to find positives.

 

[Sol]

Can someone explain to me why even go for 3 years when the Kings got their backs blown out by the Oilers? What was the strategy here that was like "gah damn brotha we got to extend this savant quick" Was it the 1-3-1 with 2 minutes left down 6-3 in the match? Did that really arouse these f***ing morons that match? What a pathetic organization lmfaooooooo. In addendum to the people who had a list of a couple organizations they wouldn't switch the Kings out for, now realistically the Kings are the worst organization in the entire NHL.

Kopitar and Doughty are still the top guys lmaoooo
Talbot and Rittich lmfaooo
Worst PK on earth
Wortst PP on Earth
Worst system in the universe
Prospects like Byfield are getting the shaft for some loser like Kopitar who blows his load in one game and is a nonfactor during the rest of the series
Clarke riding pine in the AHL for no reason lmfaoooo
Kaliyev getting deported to Greenland with I am sure some fake stories about KGB involvement to ruin his image even more
PLD not doing shit making 8.5 mill a year
11/7 because we're the accounting frauds of the NHL
ZERO prospects to be excited about
Holding onto Roy who is a complete moron in front of the net
Lewis has a roster spot for what reason I dont know. PK specialist for sure
Moore looking like a scared toddler the entire series and a nonfactor
Arviddson the choke goat

Danualt did fine. I give him a pass alone.


Softest team in the NHL.

Kings are the worst organization in the NHL. We're at the cap and a complete joke on the ice.

 

[chris kontos]

Can someone explain to me why even go for 3 years when the Kings got their backs blown out by the Oilers? What was the strategy here that was like "gah damn brotha we got to extend this savant quick" Was it the 1-3-1 with 2 minutes left down 6-3 in the match? Did that really arouse these f***ing morons that match? What a pathetic organization lmfaooooooo. In addendum to the people who had a list of a couple organizations they wouldn't switch the Kings out for, now realistically the Kings are the worst organization in the entire NHL.

Kopitar and Doughty are still the top guys lmaoooo
Talbot and Rittich lmfaooo
Worst PK on earth
Wortst PP on Earth
Worst system in the universe
Prospects like Byfield are getting the shaft for some loser like Kopitar who blows his load in one game and is a nonfactor during the rest of the series
Clarke riding pine in the AHL for no reason lmfaoooo
Kaliyev getting deported to Greenland with I am sure some fake stories about KGB involvement to ruin his image even more
PLD not doing shit making 8.5 mill a year
11/7 because we're the accounting frauds of the NHL
ZERO prospects to be excited about
Holding onto Roy who is a complete moron in front of the net
Lewis has a roster spot for what reason I dont know. PK specialist for sure
Moore looking like a scared toddler the entire series and a nonfactor
Arviddson the choke goat

Danualt did fine. I give him a pass alone.


Softest team in the NHL.

Kings are the worst organization in the NHL. We're at the cap and a complete joke on the ice.

Aeg appearently doesnt give a f***
So why should you?

 

[Sol]

Aeg appearently doesnt give a f***
So why should you?

Very well put Chris

 

[bland]

Nothing is going to change until they cut the cord on Kopitar and Doughty and build a system around the strengths and weaknesses of the next generation of Kings.

The absolute dumbest thing this organization has done is to worship sacred cows of a looooooong gone era of brief success.

 

[bland]

I think the 11/7 was mostly about not playing Kaliyev… for whatever reason. We can speculate on that all we want but it’s guessing at best. I think I’m correct in saying when he had enough forwards without Kaliyev he almost never played the 11/7… maybe once after Turcotte was recalled… However, I may be recalling that incorrectly in a desperate need to find positives.

It started as protection for the return of the injured Anderson.

It was actually a reasonable success, not sure why so many were down on it. It mixed up a stagnant forward group, rewarded hot hands with more minutes and revitalized the team as the broke out of a prolonged slump. It was only temporary, and nowhere near as much of an issue as it was complained about here.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Multi year extension.

f***ing crazy how incompetent this organization is.