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

[GoldenBearHockey]

Nope.

Full interview with Hiller? Probably couldn't ask it straight out, but any hints/questions of system and he has full autonomy of it? Hard question to phrase without offending anyone there lol

A

That was the bit where I thought his attitude was spot on. He was talking about paying the price to win.. not being soft, perimeter players. Unfortunately he doesn’t seem to have the right guys on the roster.

Does he though? Who would you peg as a soft perimeter player? Funny....Kopitar comes to mind.....who else?

IMO, a soft perimeter player is someone who hangs out at the slot, waiting for someone to get him the puck, doesn't go into the corners, doesn't get into board play, doesn't go to the front of the net.....doesn't drive to the net....

So who would you say fits that?

 

[All The Kings Men]

Full interview with Hiller? Probably couldn't ask it straight out, but any hints/questions of system and he has full autonomy of it? Hard question to phrase without offending anyone there lol

I think we went about 30 minutes?

I think we asked (Dooley and I) some questions with some bite and to his credit he answered them.

I feel fairly confident many of you won't LIKE some of the answers but he definitely answered them.

Yes we asked about autonomy. No he didn't give us specifics about system and frankly... I personally don't care.

I find the entire conversation about the 1-3-1 and all that sort of thing to be completely boring and overblown particularly when the GM of the team said "There is a certain desire to win that needs to be raised within our team here"

I don't know how anybody hears that and then wants to waste a bunch of breathe on occasional neutral zone alignments and the like.

It'll be available at 5am tomorrow and I hate to steal a page from the city hall playbook but...
you'll have to listen tomorrow

then what did he say?

I don't think you'll like it or agree but he definitely answered the question.

TUNE IN TOMORROW AT 5AM

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

I think we went about 30 minutes?

I think we asked (Dooley and I) some questions with some bite and to his credit he answered them.

I feel fairly confident many of you won't LIKE some of the answers but he definitely answered them.

Yes we asked about autonomy. No he didn't give us specifics about system and frankly... I personally don't care.

I find the entire conversation about the 1-3-1 and all that sort of thing to be completely boring and overblown particularly when the GM of the team said "There is a certain desire to win that needs to be raised within our team here"

I don't know how anybody hears that and then wants to waste a bunch of breathe on occasional neutral zone alignments and the like.

It'll be available at 5am tomorrow and I hate to steal a page from the city hall playbook but...
you'll have to listen tomorrow


I don't think you'll like it or agree but he definitely answered the question.

TUNE IN TOMORROW AT 5AM

LOL sounds good....5am PST?

 

[All The Kings Men]

LOL sounds good....5am PST?

yup

 

[tbrown33]

I find the entire conversation about the 1-3-1 and all that sort of thing to be completely boring and overblown particularly when the GM of the team said "There is a certain desire to win that needs to be raised within our team here"

I don't know how anybody hears that and then wants to waste a bunch of breathe on occasional neutral zone alignments and the like.

Do you not see how the lack of a "desire to win" is inherently tied to a passive system, which is the very definition of playing not to lose? It starts with how the team plays. You can't just tell the players to want things extra hard. That's not how it works.

Blake can talk about players not going to the front of the net all he wants. He's not wrong. But the primary concern of the players is hustling back into a shell. The players themselves said this at the exit interviews.

 

[FrozenKing18]

Here’s that desire to win bit from the press conference. A different tone from the usual stuff we’ve been hearing.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

I think we went about 30 minutes?

I think we asked (Dooley and I) some questions with some bite and to his credit he answered them.

I feel fairly confident many of you won't LIKE some of the answers but he definitely answered them.

Yes we asked about autonomy. No he didn't give us specifics about system and frankly... I personally don't care.

I find the entire conversation about the 1-3-1 and all that sort of thing to be completely boring and overblown particularly when the GM of the team said "There is a certain desire to win that needs to be raised within our team here"

I don't know how anybody hears that and then wants to waste a bunch of breathe on occasional neutral zone alignments and the like.

It'll be available at 5am tomorrow and I hate to steal a page from the city hall playbook but...
you'll have to listen tomorrow


I don't think you'll like it or agree but he definitely answered the question.

TUNE IN TOMORROW AT 5AM

Surely you can see how and why fans connect a historically uninspired and passive system with the general lethargy around the organization, right?

Like, yeah, the 1-3-1 itself is way down the list of problems, but it’s rather emblematic of the team’s overall lack of direction, don’t you think?

 

[tny760]

Here’s that desire to win bit from the press conference. A different tone from the usual stuff we’ve been hearing.

can't wait to see if he actually backs that up with action or he defaults to comfort himself

the next few contracts should make his ownership of that ideal pretty obvious

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Surely you can see how and why fans connect a historically uninspired and passive system with the general lethargy around the organization, right?

Like, yeah, the 1-3-1 itself is way down the list of problems, but it’s rather emblematic of the team’s overall lack of direction, don’t you think?

100% if they played it more than 10% of the game.....that's the issue, they don't play it as much as people play it up in here....they simply don't.

 

[DoktorJeep]

I watched the Hiller press conference. These fools are clearly shook. Anyone who gives an actual shit about cheering for a winner should be positive today.

My guess is that the fan sentiment is massively down and management is backed into the tightest corner. They have way too many questions and everything has to go perfect next season to ever even think about making a deep run.

The odds are another first round snuff out or equally missing the playoffs. Hard to fathom how this crew of incompetents survives that, but stranger things have happened.

If someone was taking the money, the chances of BLuc and the boys being around 12 months from now are historically low. Any true Kings fan should feel some real hope burning in their chests.

 

[FrozenKing18]

PLD burnt up all my hopes this season. I’m in recovery.

 

[bland]

Surely you can see how and why fans connect a historically uninspired and passive system with the general lethargy around the organization, right?

Like, yeah, the 1-3-1 itself is way down the list of problems, but it’s rather emblematic of the team’s overall lack of direction, don’t you think?

I blame a stale and passive locker room with ZERO leadership or on-ice accountability FAR more than a neutral zone trap that is just a variation of what most teams are using.

 

[DoktorJeep]

I blame a stale and passive locker room with ZERO leadership or on-ice accountability FAR more than a neutral zone trap that is just a variation of what most teams are using.

The one guy Hiller went out of his way to shout out was Jacque Lemaire. If we’re not worried about the neutral zone trap, I’d suggest another look.

 

[Trash Panda]

I watched the Hiller press conference. These fools are clearly shook. Anyone who gives an actual shit about cheering for a winner should be positive today.

My guess is that the fan sentiment is massively down and management is backed into the tightest corner. They have way too many questions and everything has to go perfect next season to ever even think about making a deep run.

The odds are another first round snuff out or equally missing the playoffs. Hard to fathom how this crew of incompetents survives that, but stranger things have happened.

If someone was taking the money, the chances of BLuc and the boys being around 12 months from now are historically low. Any true Kings fan should feel some real hope burning in their chests.

Forgive me if “hope” comes veiled in yet another wasted year in which the current regime mortgages the future with hopes of saving their jobs. It’s a dark place to be as a fan, no matter how you slice it.

Won’t build for the future, can’t win in the now. It’s a shit sammich if I have ever seen one.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Forgive me if “hope” comes veiled in yet another wasted year in which the current regime mortgages the future with hopes of saving their jobs. It’s a dark place to be as a fan, no matter how you slice it.

Won’t build for the future, can’t win in the now. It’s a shit sammich if I have ever seen one.

Won't build for the future? Sorry....did I miss a trade? Did we trade our 1st this year? What is this won't build for the future? Is that a feeling....or anything based on any kind of fact?

 

[Reaper45]

Craig Johnson? At least the Hockey Gods haven’t lost their sense of humor.

I’m waiting for a Hiller, Johnson, Doug Zmolek coaching staff. What’s Rene Chapdelaine doing these days?

 

[DoktorJeep]

Forgive me if “hope” comes veiled in yet another wasted year in which the current regime mortgages the future with hopes of saving their jobs. It’s a dark place to be as a fan, no matter how you slice it.

Won’t build for the future, can’t win in the now. It’s a shit sammich if I have ever seen one.

Everyone can look back and laugh at the misery of the Roenick season with the knowledge of what happened. Or, almost everybody, minus the sad fools who still talk about Lombardi’s disasters and why he totally deserved to lose his job to morons like Luc Robitaille and Rob Blake.

 

[FeartheFur]

Ok fellas. I’m a little confused. After reading coach Hiller’s comments on the upcoming season. He said something to the fact that the Kings team wants to keep its identity. Be hard to play against. Who exactly is on the roster that fits that role?

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Ok fellas. I’m a little confused. After reading coach Hiller’s comments on the upcoming season. He said something to the fact that the Kings team wants to keep its identity. Be hard to play against. Who exactly is on the roster that fits that role?

Kempe, Fiala, Byfield, Moore, Danault, Lizotte, Kopitar....etc...

Being hard to play against isn't a Matt Martin

 

[FrozenKing18]

I blame a stale and passive locker room with ZERO leadership or on-ice accountability FAR more than a neutral zone trap that is just a variation of what most teams are using.

We do that funny dance though after we win

I have to admit, it was odd seeing all that the first time. I’m not against it, just very different from the old roster makeup of vets to a bunch of youngins dancing around. f***, am I morphing into a lame grumpy old man?

 

[Schmooley]

Won't build for the future? Sorry....did I miss a trade? Did we trade our 1st this year? What is this won't build for the future? Is that a feeling....or anything based on any kind of fact?

The heck are you on about? They traded their first round pick the last 2 years. Previous first round picks in Vilardi and Kupari. Threw away Bjornfot.
Threw away Grans and a 2nd to clean up a mistake. A second round pick in the Dubois deal. Also dealt Faber. Word is that Kaliyev wont be back. Mayor mentioned the possibility of moving Spence in a trade for a goalie. Clarke in the minors. Byfield not a center yet. Turcotte and Thomas scratched for veteran plugs.
They have been throwing away the future for years now.

 

[FeartheFur]

Yeah Lizzotte is just a killer 4C

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

The heck are you on about? They traded their first round pick the last 2 years. Previous first round picks in Vilardi and Kupari. Threw away Bjornfot.
Threw away Grans and a 2nd to clean up a mistake. A second round pick in the Dubois deal. Also dealt Faber. Word is that Kaliyev wont be back. Mayor mentioned the possibility of moving Spence in a trade for a goalie. Clarke in the minors. Byfield not a center yet. Turcotte and Thomas scratched for veteran plugs.
They have been throwing away the future for years now.

Threw away Bjornfoot....who hasn't played....was waived twice.....
If you are going to say they traded 2 previous 1st round picks, then they also acquired a 1st round pick, did they not?

Grans and a 2nd....where would Grans fit in?

I mean, can we start dealing with facts? Have they traded young players, YES, absolutely, But honestly if your argument is they are throwing away the future because they dealt Grans and Byfield isn't a center, I don't know what to tell you....that's a bullshit argument.

Kupari, who didn't play in WPG either, 28 games and zero in the playoffs....

For anyone to throw away the future, the players HAVE TO HAVE A FUTURE.....Bjornfot, Kupari, Kaliyev, Grans....seem not to have one. Clarke is in the minors....how in the world is that throwing away the future? Same with Turcotte/Thomas....

 

[johnjm22]

For some perspective on ownership, everyone should watch this interview with Dean starting around the 36:45 mark.

Around the 41min mark Lombardi talks about Anchutz calling him in for an annual meeting in Vegas where he would go over a check list with Dean about things he had said.

There's also a nice tidbit in there about Kovalchuk/Leiweke.

 

[kingsfan28]

The heck are you on about? They traded their first round pick the last 2 years. Previous first round picks in Vilardi and Kupari. Threw away Bjornfot.
Threw away Grans and a 2nd to clean up a mistake. A second round pick in the Dubois deal. Also dealt Faber. Word is that Kaliyev wont be back. Mayor mentioned the possibility of moving Spence in a trade for a goalie. Clarke in the minors. Byfield not a center yet. Turcotte and Thomas scratched for veteran plugs.
They have been throwing away the future for years now.

His best year was his rookie season, he never got better. He had plenty of time to work on his game, yet didn't. He's been waived twice and is in the Florida system now, played 1 game since being claimed.